Advice on frame damage

[blackgrizz550]

Back in January, my wife was rear ended in our 2007 Sierra. It bent the trailer hitch and bumper down a couple inches. I brought it to the local chevy dealer, and they submitted an estimate to repair the truck. We received an insurance check and dropped the truck off last friday.

The Chevy dealer called Friday afternoon and said the frame was actually bent where the trailer hitch mounts up. They stated they would need to submit a new estimate to straighten the frame. We have an appointment to drop it off on Monday. Here is my question:

How can a 2007 with 209,000 miles not be totaled due to a bent frame? I have 0 interest in towing my TT with a straightened frame. We are going to sell the truck after its repaired. It will have a diminished value of anyone runs a carfax on it.

Will I be pissing into the wind by calling State Farm and questioning how it is not totaled?

[TugCE]

In the past, I have had cars that should have been totaled but were not. The reason that the First Quote was close to the Totaled amount but the second Quote pushed it well over that amount. So, the Insurance Company approved the new amount since they had already paid out for the first set of repairs and at that point it was "Cheaper" for them to fix it rather than total it.

I have had this happen to a lessor extent several times and am starting to think that some Body Shops do this on purpose as a totaled claim does not make them any money.

[4x4ord]

I have had vehicles damaged by hail where the insurance company allowed me the choice of writing the vehicle off and receiving $11000 or having the vehicle repaired or receiving $5500 cash and keeping the vehicle. I took the cash and gave the damaged vehicle to my daughter. I think she could have sold it for $9k if she had wanted to but she is still driving it without having done anything to repair it. I did the same thing with a hail damaged truck. I gave the truck to my son in law. Then he hit a deer with it snd his insurance company gave him $5k and let him keep the truck. He replaced the grill, bumper and lights for a cost of a few hundred dollars and after having it pass an inspection it is back on the road again.

[blackgrizz550]

Thanks for the responses. We will bring it in on Monday and have it repaired.

[aguablanco]

It is a 10+ year old vehicle with 209,000 miles on it. How much value could you have lost? Anyone buying your vehicle will, most likely, not be looking it up on Carfax.
RichH

[B_O__Plenty]

ScottG wrote:
Minor frame straightening wouldn't bother me at all.

Wouldn't bother me either. There are bent frames and there are bent frames. Minor damage to the ends of the frame where the bumper/hitch is attached is very common and can be straightened by almost any bodyshop. No need to go to a frame shop for something minor like this. These days most quality bodyshops have their own frame racks and seldom if ever send anything out.

B.O.

[ScottG]

Minor frame straightening wouldn't bother me at all.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

Back in the day I did quite a bit of frame work.

#1. Don't freak out just because they said "the frame was bent." Even out of round holes will qualify on that on the report. It could be just out of round holes or it could be all wadded up.

#2. Since they missed the damage I'm guessing it was VERY minor.

#3. Don't freak out at the cost of the frame damage to the damage on the truck. It costs a LOT just to set up the frame machine to make a pull. A 1 minute pull might take me an hour and a half to set up.

#4. Sway damage is super, super, super easy to fix. Crush damage, not so much.

#5. Get a good shop to do the work. That can make ALL the difference in the world. There are a lot of bad shops out there.

#6. Just because they have fancy names like "lazer" frame work that doesn't mean they are any good. I can do just as good of work with a string.

I'm guessing this was very minor damage to your truck. If you like your truck, get it fixed and go on vacation. Good luck.

[gbopp]

Tvov wrote:

gbopp wrote:
I would be concerned about the dealer, they apparently didn't examine the vehicle properly when they gave the estimate.

What else did/will they miss? JMO.

It is very common with body work to have a review and second estimate after they start taking apart things and can get in to see normally hidden areas.

Okay thanks. I thought the frame was fairly exposed on a truck. I guess I'm thinking of my older trucks.

[GeoBoy]

mbopp wrote:
If it were me, I'd be looking for a good shop that does frame straightening as their main business. I'm lucky since there's a shop near me that does that, it was childs play to straighten out a camber problem on my previous TT.

X2. Don't sign off on anything until it goes to a good frame shop. Fix it and then use it.

[mbopp]

If it were me, I'd be looking for a good shop that does frame straightening as their main business. I'm lucky since there's a shop near me that does that, it was childs play to straighten out a camber problem on my previous TT.

[dodge_guy]

Those frames can be repaired/straightened fairly easily if they aren't too bad. Unless the frame is folded down or bent very bad it can be straightened and be safe! To total a vehicle damage has to exceed 70% of the value, sometimes more.

If the vehicle is repaired properly there will be no diminished value. If it wasn`t repaired correctly or not at all then there will be diminished value. Carfax is used incorrectly by most people. Just because Carfax shows an accident they think its worth nothing or next to nothing.

Have it repaired and it will be just fine as long as it isn't beyond reapir.

[Tvov]

blackgrizz550 wrote:
...

How can a 2007 with 209,000 miles not be totaled due to a bent frame? I have 0 interest in towing my TT with a straightened frame. We are going to sell the truck after its repaired. It will have a diminished value of anyone runs a carfax on it.

Will I be pissing into the wind by calling State Farm and questioning how it is not totaled?

Sure! You can question the insurance company! For some reason a lot of people think that whatever the insurance company says is set in stone. Talk with your agent (or whoever) and ask about totaling the vehicle. Double check with the body shop if they are planning on using aftermarket parts (if needed) - sometimes on older vehicles the repair is estimated by using less expensive parts. You can request factory supplied parts, which is usually more expensive.

Years ago I was T-boned while in my F150 (I was fine), and the extensive repairs were estimated using aftermarket parts. When I questioned that, the agent said that otherwise they would "total" the vehicle due to cost of using factory supplied parts. I went with the total amount, and used that money to buy another vehicle - pretty much what you are thinking about.

No need to be aggressive, but nothing wrong with asking.

[NJRVer]

Probably the bolt holes are misaligned for the hitch receiver to mount.

As far as diminished value, anything claimed on insurance will show as diminished value.

My mirror was broken off and due to the cost to replace I went through insurance. Now I have diminished value because of the Carfax report.

Sue the guy that hit you to recoup the diminished value.

[Tvov]

gbopp wrote:
I would be concerned about the dealer, they apparently didn't examine the vehicle properly when they gave the estimate.

What else did/will they miss? JMO.

It is very common with body work to have a review and second estimate after they start taking apart things and can get in to see normally hidden areas.