Estimate this auto collision repair

Pedals2Paddles

Pedals2Paddles

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Pedals2Paddles
Any ideas what the insurance adjuster will estimate this repair at? I was rear-ended the Jersey Turnpike on T-Day. The plastic is wrecked and obviously needs to be replaced. The whole bumper is pushed in/down a bit as evidenced by the taillight gap. There is some crumpling of the metal visible down there contributing to the in/down angle. I need to make an appointment with the Geico adjuster to evaluate it. But I'm looking for some pre-planning here. No deductible is involved, it is 100% covered by the other guy's insurance. It is a 2009 Ford Escape. Thanks!

Photos: https://plus.google.com/photos/1055...ms/6088976579023798385?authkey=CNTM3_-j4K3LYg

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You shoulda seen the other guy....
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$1128.00 is my guess! :D I'm not sure about NJ, but most states allow you to have your car repaired at the shop of your choice. They may refer you to a "preferred shop" which could be a good shop, or one that saves them money.:rolleyes:
 
N747JB said:
$1128.00 is my guess! :D I'm not sure about NJ, but most states allow you to have your car repaired at the shop of your choice. They may refer you to a "preferred shop" which could be a good shop, or one that saves them money.:rolleyes:
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I have the option of Geico cutting me a check personally and I can go to any shop I want.
 
Pedals2Paddles said:
I have the option of Geico cutting me a check personally and I can go to any shop I want.
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In that case, I'd get an estimate from your shop before I settled.:D it doesn't look like a big repair, bumper, bumper cover install and paint.
 
Bumper cover from recycling yard, about $250. It's possible with some hunting to find one in black and insurance nice condition. Then an afternoon to swap it on your truck.

Get the estimate for the pro repai, then the check from geico, and then do the repair yourself.
 
Criitter7 said:
My guess is in the 3-4k ball park
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Could possibly be depending on the damage found during the repair. Take it to a shop and put the shop in touch with the insurance company. Stay in touch with the shop during the repair. Pick up car after all repairs are complete and they give a warranty on the repairs.

I've seen a couple repairs end up costing significantly more than the estimate...I've also seen many more repairs cost just about what was estimated. I prefer to eliminate the risk when the exposure is high.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Bumper cover from recycling yard, about $250. It's possible with some hunting to find one in black and in nice condition. Then an afternoon to swap it on your truck.

Get the estimate for the pro repai, then the check from geico, and then do the repair yourself.
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That much I know and likely what I will do. I'm mainly interested in what Geico will likely give me for the pro repair (ballpark). What they give will drive what I do with it :D.
 
And since Geico is involved, tell him he can keep the check if you can have his RV10.
 
AggieMike88 said:
Bumper cover from recycling yard, about $250. It's possible with some hunting to find one in black and insurance nice condition. Then an afternoon to swap it on your truck.
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And if you can't find it in black, Earl Scheib will paint "any car for $99.95".
 
Had a similar looking repair done 10 years ago for $5,000. The mind boggles how small looking things can sometimes turn into expensive repairs.
 
I don't know what's underneath: but a bumper cover, plus paint, will almost always be in the $1000 - $1200 range. The impact looks hard enough that the bumper itself will need to be replaced, so add another couple hundred for parts and labor. That puts you into the $1200 - $1500 range. Dunno what else they'll uncover.

If there's any bent metal, it'll add up fast.
 
You've got damage to the bumper support and those collapsible knobs behind the plastic bumper cover. So, that means the bumper support should be pulled back out and straightened. Bumper covers are cheap but the bumper support blocks aren't.

If you take it to the Ford dealer, it's gonna be about $3500. If you take it to an indie body shop around $2600, if you do it yourself with a few chains and a big come-along including some junk yard parts, about $600.

Now the other guy, if his airbag went off the car is a total. If it didn't, it will be close to a total.
 
I had my the brake to floor still from stopping short when he hit me. So my car didn't budge and his just collapsed around the bumper. I like my large American steel. His car is trashed. I don't think his airbags went off and his inertial fuel shutoff didn't activate either.

I still like the $5000 estimate best. But $3500 would do too :)
 
Pedals2Paddles said:
I had my the brake to floor still from stopping short when he hit me. So my car didn't budge and his just collapsed around the bumper. I like my large American steel. His car is trashed. I don't think his airbags went off and his inertial fuel shutoff didn't activate either.

I still like the $5000 estimate best. But $3500 would do too :)
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Hard to believe his bags didn't go off with that kind of impact....:confused:
 
N801BH said:
Hard to believe his bags didn't go off with that kind of impact....:confused:
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I wonder if the impact was too high to set off the sensors? If the impact sensors are in the bumper mount somewhere, it looks like most of the impact when over the top of the bumper. If that's true, that's a pretty crappy design considering how many high-riding SUVs are on the road these days.
 
I think I have to take back about the other guy. When I first looked, it appeared that there was damage behind the A pillar on the drivers door, but now I think that's a reflection. If his air bag didn't pop that can be fixed. No damage behind the A pillar and all the front stuff can be bought fairly reasonable.

Since automakers moved the airbag sensors to the inside firewall, or near the A pillar it takes a darn hard jolt to set them off now. Back in the Gen I days when they were out front this would have set them off and totaled the car. The electronic sensor package is 1000 times faster than it was in the Gen I airbag, which makes it useful to use sensors near the pax compartment and not out on the crumple area. I used to work for the company that made the sensors back a long time ago, and things are much more sophisticated now.
 
N801BH said:
Hard to believe his bags didn't go off with that kind of impact....:confused:
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I believe it.

Looks like it might have nosedived in such a way the rear bumper hit the grill, folded back the hood because the latch assembly was pushed backward, broke the plastic cover on the front, and the headlights pushed back the quarter panels. I don't know if the front bumper ended up with any impact at all.

Probably totaled that car because of the fender damage on each side (hard to tell from the picture, but it looks like each side might have flared from the headlights pushing them outward.)
 
The high hit w/o airbags is what Ya Git with moderate to low traffic speeds and being at max braking on impact.
 
Chinese fenders are about $160 each unpainted. Hood $245. Bumper cover $139. Some other bits, don't see it add up to total unless the frame tangs or suspension points are moved a lot. Hard to say from one pic. I know I would save it, or buy it back as a total and fix it. this is mostly all bolt off, bolt on, tape and paint, then put trim on. Pretty easy work with no pounding and filling.
 
Don't take the check! The repair will likely cost more than the estimate and you have already "settled" with the insurance company...have the body shop bill Geico directly
 
Ya his bumper went under mine since he was nosed down standing on the brakes. So my rear bumper went through all the soft parts in the front of his car. This softened the deceleration, which is probably why his bags didn't fire too.
 
If his insurance balks, just show up with one of those neck braces, a cane, and put some dark rouge around your chin. They'll hand you a check for $20,000 right away.
 
$2219. 47 (or more!)
 
I like the $5K estimate also, but it's just a guess.

I would like to see a picture of the C-pillar to rear door alignment. Also a better picture of the bumper mount to unibody and the rear door lower latch area.

Can you slap some crap chinese cosmetic parts on this and call it good? Sure, happens in some ghetto chop shop everyday. However, if it was my vehicle you can bet every part would say Ford on it. Perhaps you can get a bumper support and mounts from someone like Mike and save some money. However, the bumper covers are never worth the time to strip and repaint IMO. Better to just buy a new one and be done with it. The bigger cost driving issue is the unibody alignment, which the pictures don't show.
 
I hadn't noticed anything out of whack with the back doors or any of the pillars, but I wasn't looking in detail. I will have a look later at that.
 
N747JB said:
In that case, I'd get an estimate from your shop before I settled.:D it doesn't look like a big repair, bumper, bumper cover install and paint.
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I went through this a few years ago and no shop I called would even give me an estimate when they heard insurance was involved. And I called several. I was just going to make sure the check was enough but the shops wouldn't touch it.

John
 
Pedals2Paddles said:
I hadn't noticed anything out of whack with the back doors or any of the pillars, but I wasn't looking in detail. I will have a look later at that.
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You may well be fine, looks like the other guy hit you low, which is good. Just look at the gap between the C-pillar and rear door with it closed. It should be consistent and equal to the other body panel gaps on the car. The hatch looks fine, but just open it and double check the latch area, often they are pushed in from below by the bumper support. If all that is good then you might get away with just bumper support, mounts, and cover. That would be ideal and probably in the $2000 range.
 
Has he sued you yet?

Just joking , but it wouldn't be surprising. He'll try to make it seem like your fault.

I hate how litigious our society has become.
 
N801BH said:
Hard to believe his bags didn't go off with that kind of impact....:confused:
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I know, right?

Come visit my place and you'll see several hits of that severity with no deployment. And then others that are barely tapped in the nose (think light fender bender) and the airbag deploys.
 
Did the cops mention if the other guy was on the phone or texting? Obviously he was distracted.
 
RalphInCA said:
Has he sued you yet?

Just joking , but it wouldn't be surprising. He'll try to make it seem like your fault.

I hate how litigious our society has become.
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Not yet. lol. I was happy when his insurance company used the words "we accept full responsibility"

A third car hit him. So hopefully they'll be fodder if needed for a suite.

Badger said:
Did the cops mention if the other guy was on the phone or texting? Obviously he was distracted.
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No, and it was just following too closely. I almost hit the car in front of me too. I was just the lucky one to stop in time.
 
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