Totaled vehicles...sometimes surprising.
I’ve often wondered how the large numbers of “rebuilt” vehicles with “light damage” for sale can be real and not just a line of bs by the seller.
Had one example years ago. Guy at work literally “tapped” another vehicle rear ending it. Virtually no Physical damage to either Vehicle, but his air bags, defectively, went off.
Was a 10year old low mile cherry pickup but they totaled it. Ok airbags, made the determination.
Yesterday, talking with one of the hockey parents, they have like 8 or 9 kids. I lose count.
They had a new bus (van). I complimented it and asked if they didn’t like the old one. Old one was a Nissan NV.
Nope, totaled in an accident he said. Was 1-2 years old and average miles I presume.
No one hurt, probably 5-6 kids in it. Freeway accident. They got rear ended and pushed in to the vehicle in front of them. Said it was fairly light damage. Drove it home and drove it for weeks while insurance figured it out. Minimal front damage, plastic parts and the rear needs new doors and it got into the skin that wraps forward up both sides about half way. And 2 rear doors and a bumper. No frame damage. Doors even still opened in back.
He fought to have it repaired and nonetheless it was totaled and they lost $ on the deal.
Now IMO, either the body shop inflated the repair cost or the value of the van tanked in less than 2 years, but it just didn’t make sense.
Yet I recall crashing my moms new 89 Caprice when I was a kid. Not my fault accident fwiw, lol.
It was “effed up” bad. Without getting into details, I know a lot about bodywork and it was toast.
Repair cost came to just under the retail value and they repaired it rather than totaled.
There is a ton of subjectivity in this industry. But some of those “fender bender” totals must still be good vehicles.
Had one example years ago. Guy at work literally “tapped” another vehicle rear ending it. Virtually no Physical damage to either Vehicle, but his air bags, defectively, went off.
Was a 10year old low mile cherry pickup but they totaled it. Ok airbags, made the determination.
Yesterday, talking with one of the hockey parents, they have like 8 or 9 kids. I lose count.
They had a new bus (van). I complimented it and asked if they didn’t like the old one. Old one was a Nissan NV.
Nope, totaled in an accident he said. Was 1-2 years old and average miles I presume.
No one hurt, probably 5-6 kids in it. Freeway accident. They got rear ended and pushed in to the vehicle in front of them. Said it was fairly light damage. Drove it home and drove it for weeks while insurance figured it out. Minimal front damage, plastic parts and the rear needs new doors and it got into the skin that wraps forward up both sides about half way. And 2 rear doors and a bumper. No frame damage. Doors even still opened in back.
He fought to have it repaired and nonetheless it was totaled and they lost $ on the deal.
Now IMO, either the body shop inflated the repair cost or the value of the van tanked in less than 2 years, but it just didn’t make sense.
Yet I recall crashing my moms new 89 Caprice when I was a kid. Not my fault accident fwiw, lol.
It was “effed up” bad. Without getting into details, I know a lot about bodywork and it was toast.
Repair cost came to just under the retail value and they repaired it rather than totaled.
There is a ton of subjectivity in this industry. But some of those “fender bender” totals must still be good vehicles.
