One Less 2Gb TSIAWD in the World(?)

[shinzon]

Some idiot ran into the back of me yesterday; the guy fled the scene.

The adjuster hasn't come out to see the car, but I'm betting this is totaled. It's drivable (drives perfectly, too, no pulling or anything like that), and the driver's door gap is still perfect, but with how bad the rear structure is pushed in, I doubt it's repairable. Anyone want to tell me I'm being too cynical?

1997 TSIAWD--she was in great shape: completely stock, with only 120k on it. Had just finished putting about 500 into it for maintenance too.

Fortunately, I still have my '96 TSIAWD sitting around. Time to clean her up and put her back to DD duty.

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[2g spyder eclipse]

Usually when you get in an accident like this, they are never the same. Even if they are fixed.. Shit still got hit super hard... Something else will fail in the rear end soon enough. Just let her go bro.

 

[curt-s]

Meh, I'd still have a professional look at it. Somebody who is experienced in this sort of repair, not just some boob at a shop. That's if you love the car enough.

 

[2g spyder eclipse]

My gta got hit like this... It was totally repairable and got repaired.. But tons of rear end damage was done that no one noticed... It never was the same.

 

[DSMBanditFZ6]

My gta got hit like this... It was totally repairable and got repaired.. But tons of rear end damage was done that no one noticed... It never was the same.

That's really hit or miss. I was T-boned by a dodge pickup in a ford ranger. It bent the rear end hangers sideways, shot the drive shaft out of the yoke. Put another hanger on it, put the drive shaft back in and drove it. No problems and the truck hit the extended part of the cab on the drivers side and smashed the rear wheel up.

 

[BurrowZ]

I work at a body shop, and I'm sorry to say but I'm 99% sure we'd total that. It'd be impossible to find all the parts new, very hard to get used, and with labor alone it'd be way up there for replacing that rear section.

You might be able to work out a deal with the insurance company where you could pay a little more, they would give you X amount for the repair and you can source your own parts whether they're aftermarket/used and pay the difference when the bill comes.

 

[RallyEclipse98]

Looks like she's getting a bit rusty anyway.

RIP.

 

[Jaxness]

Its fixable.

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[crash89]

My Dad has been in body work as long as I can remember. I've seen him fix way worse than that. However, its mostly newer/ish cars. My thoughts would be that being its that old unfortunately itll be totaled. Unless you are crazy stubborn like Jax to have it fixed.. I saw on fb how much crap she had to go through to have it fixed.

 

[LandoAWD]

I wouldn't fix it, but that's me. If it's coming off of your insurance or out of your pocket, it's absolutely not worth it.

 

[4g63t]

looks like you backed into a tree as there is no paint from this hit and run on your car. Buy it back and part it out or swap everything to your 96 and be done.

 

[shinzon]

Thanks for the responses, everyone. I've pretty much steeled my stomach for the news that it's a total loss. I'm not sentimentally attached to this particular Talon (if it was my '96 that got wrecked I'd be utterly gutted), but they're such rare cars, and I love them--it sucks that an AWD Talon died under my watch.

@4g63t It was a black, chrome-bumpered late 80s blazer that hit me. The truck pulled ridiculously hard to the left (into oncoming) when it locked them up, which is why the crash damage is off centered the way it is.

 

[crash89]

Buy it back and part it out or swap everything to your 96 and be done.

Also a pretty decent idea if you have enough space to keep the stuff. People are getting about 1k just for the awd swap components. Still a decent amount of money to be had from the car if you have the patients to keep it around selling it all!

 

[Jaxness]

MAKE SURE you can buy it back BEFORE you let them total it. My insurance wouldn't let me, which is why I fought so hard to fix it.

 

[jbus]

yeah insurance companies will fight you on this

 

[shinzon]

Finally had an estimate done on the car. The first estimate is near 100% of the assessed value (which is way low given its condition/mileage and open market prices for these cars. I'm preparing for a fight). They had difficulty locating parts for the car, unsurprisingly.

Their prices for parts seemed insane: left rear quarter panel was salvageable; new hatch, used for $200 (reasonable); rear left light for $233; bumper cover for $350; rear structure MB959358 $750 (they couldn't find this). Over 1600 in parts, all told.


They will sell me the car back for scrap value if I wish, but it'll never be registrable again.

Fun fact: the part number for the rear structure of my Talon, MB959358, seems to cross with a dodge neon; weird.

 

[91-GS]

Couple hours on a 'rack' (AKA frame puller, or a friend's truck) and the 'structural' part will be back to normal, more or less. Quarter panel looks fixable, so does the bumper cover and possibly the hatch too. Obviously tail light and center section would need to be replaced.

Hard to tell with bumper cover still on, but looks like no actual structure was damaged, mostly just parts that hold up the tail light. In other words, there shouldn't be a reason why this car should not get fixed and be driven again. Look in places like RockAuto, or a local scrap yard, and you might be lucky enough to find all of the replacement parts for couple hundred $$$.

 

[Burst]

Finally had an estimate done on the car. The first estimate is near 100% of the assessed value (which is way low given its condition/mileage and open market prices for these cars. I'm preparing for a fight). They had difficulty locating parts for the car, unsurprisingly.

They will sell me the car back for scrap value if I wish, but it'll never be registrable again.
with a dodge neon; weird.

-HOW MUCH MONEY DID YOU GET BECOUSE I HAVE ABOUT $15,000 IN my talon/eclipse AND THE BLUE BOOK VALUE IS 4K WITH THE MILAGE AND YEAR IS THEIR ANY WAY TO INSURE THEASE CARS FOR MORE BECAUSE I WOULD LOSS A LOT OF MONEYT

 

[GSLENK]

Lesson(s) learned:
1) If hit and run and in your car, and it drives, chase that mofo down (I am guessing this was a parked hit and run though).
2) Call police? yes ASAP. Call Insurance? Ummm hold off on that. ONLY call insurance devils if you need a lifeline. They will profit off of your losses unless it is catastrophic, then they will try their hardest to get off the hook or undercut you.

I really think if you look around, you could find a shop to simply pull/check the frame. $500-$600 would take care of that decently. If you wanted it perfect, probably ~$1000-$2000. But it would make replacing all the panels a lot easier. Bumper, hatch, lights etc. can all be had at a pick and pull for VERY good prices. Paint at your own luxury.

-HOW MUCH MONEY DID YOU GET BECOUSE I HAVE ABOUT $15,000 IN my talon/eclipse AND THE BLUE BOOK VALUE IS 4K WITH THE MILAGE AND YEAR IS THEIR ANY WAY TO INSURE THEASE CARS FOR MORE BECAUSE I WOULD LOSS A LOT OF MONEYT

I'm sorry but I couldn't hear you. You will have to speak up a bit.

 

[mechreatalon]

Ouch! I know the feeling man. My 96 Talon was totaled by the insurance company. I kept the car though, I had way to much into the car.