Gen 4 Camry accident

[dmahku]

I was driving down a road at 30 mph and someone not paying attention backed out of a parking lot too fast and came half way out in the middle of the road, I swerve to miss them and still get hit in the passenger side back door and quarter panel now a body shop is estimating the repair cost to be $3,546 and could be more after they get in a tear it down and the resale value from Kelly blue book is $3,500 the car has 94,446 miles on it and other than the damage the car still works great.

Now my problem is do i try to get it fixed or should I just wait and see if the insurance company totals it and take what they offer ?

Here are the Photo's (I know a cellphone camera is not the best but it's all I had. lol)

[aznstylez]

The paintless dent repair people can pull that out for less.

[LynchburgCSI]

What the heck?! Insurance companies....sheesh. There's barely any damage there. Paintless dent removal... end of story.

[dmahku]

Yeah that would work but the paint is already pealing like a onion around the door seal and behind the mud guard and I'm afraid to look at my window regulator that I just replace a year ago. It doesn't show in the Photo but the door is pushed in a good 6-8 inches about 4 inches around the mud guard.

[Kiwi-Corolla]

Sorry to hear that. Makes you wonder where some of these people get their licences from

It doesn't look all that bad judging by the photos, but I know how deceiving they can be. If you want to keep the car, then I'd recommend getting your own quotes if your insurance company allows it. Generally it's always more expensive to go to the body shop recommended by the insurance company, and as a result they'll usually decide to write-off the car due to the repair costs involved. If you can find a body shop who can do it cheaper than what the market value of the car comes to then you should be fine. Although if you want to just be paid out and invest in a new car then go with the body shop 'authorized' by the insurance company.

My car got rear ended back in May and the repairs were going to cost $4500 (twice the market value of the car), but I managed to have a word with the guys at the body shop recommended by the insurance company and they halved their prices due to the heartfelt story I told them about how much my car meant to me, lol. I could have gone somewhere else, but then the work wouldn't have been guaranteed by the insurance company (as in if I wasn't happy with the outcome then they wouldn't pay any extra to have it done properly).

Good luck and let us know how you get on!

[carsrus]

Thats not to bad of an accident, just labor intensive to fix that rear quarter. I would take the insurance money, buy a used door and then either get someone else to pull that quarter out or just remove all the stuff in the trunk (where the jack is) and pound the living hell out of it.

Itll look alot better and then a bit of bondo to smooth things out.

Then get it all painted- shouldent cost to much more then a grand total.

[carsrus]

Oh and insurance companies are pretty whack. Im getting a 550$ check from my neighbors insurances for a dent he put into my front bumper. Quotes where as high as 750 for original parts but no one allows that on a 98....

Im pretty sure I can pull it out with just a hair dryer

[Bankos66]

Sorry to hear that. I am in the same boat. My insurance company is giving me 4k and maybe a little more since I put new tranny in

[grandpapa]

the reason you are getting a quote for $3000+ to fix it is the body shop is going to "replace" the bumper? door? or just "fix" the bumper and door?

From what I see, it's more like a $1800 job (if "fix", not replace)
I will not spend $3K to fix the car at all. Just like you mentioned, KBB only worth ~$3K for your Camry. Take the money, then sell your car and get a newer ride

[dmahku]

Originally Posted by carsrus

Oh and insurance companies are pretty whack. Im getting a 550$ check from my neighbors insurances for a dent he put into my front bumper. Quotes where as high as 750 for original parts but no one allows that on a 98....

Im pretty sure I can pull it out with just a hair dryer

Yeah I hear that If only cars were like that one commercial where you spray soapy water and a garden hose on it and the dents and scratches pop right out

[dmahku]

I got to keep the Camry and I'll do some of the repairs myself and let the rest go and after I told my brother about the accident he said he would sell me his old car witch is a 2002 Acura RSX with 60k on the clock since he just bought a 2010 Lexus ES350.

here are some photo's of it and I get to keep the Camry

[Bankos66]

good deal man. It shouldnt be that hard to fix it and than have 2 cars. I just bought a 99 camaro and loving it. good luck to ya

[carsrus]

Sell the camry and mod the living daylights outta the rsx.

Just sayin'.

[LynchburgCSI]

Originally Posted by carsrus

Sell the camry and mod the living daylights outta the rsx.

Just sayin'.

+1... Minus the sell the camry part.

[DM616]

It's bad, but it's an easy not that expensive fix, thank god mine wasn't like that...what's with all the accidents? God damn camrys are bad luck.