AURION - WRITTEN OFF OR NOT??

[idrift]

Sadly :(

Our ZR6 Aurion was hit from behind tonight at the traffic lights. An old VK commodore hit us from behind and it was a write-off (could not be driven at all bonnet buckled, side gaurds crumpled, radiator half way through the engine bay etc....). Our car however didn't look too bad however it was dark and I didn't get a full inspection at the time. The bonnet was jammed shut and the rear end seems to be sent somewhere under the car...However from a distance it doesn't look that bad.

Wondering if anyone has been in an accident and what sort of damage they could come accross. the entire rear boot floor would need replacing exhaust is bent etc...Does a simple rear ender mean it could be a total loss, it is coming up to its 1st birthday?

Cheers,

Steve.

Edited May 28, 2008 by idrift

[MT]

A rear-end accident will most likely not be a statutory write off.

It may be an economical (or repairable) write off, but I doubt it, the car is too new and the damage doesnt sound too bad. Did the airbags detonate? If yes, then it will be an economic write off.

Basically, it depends on the insurance company, and what they think is worth repairing. You might get lucky and they will pay the car out for you.

Pics?

[idrift]

A rear-end accident will most likely not be a statutory write off.

It may be an economical (or repairable) write off, but I doubt it, the car is too new and the damage doesnt sound too bad. Did the airbags detonate? If yes, then it will be an economic write off.

Basically, it depends on the insurance company, and what they think is worth repairing. You might get lucky and they will pay the car out for you.

Pics?

No pics. I will go check it out tommorrow. I want to go over it with my mechanic so I can try flush out any items that other might overlook. I would not like it repaired if there is heavy structural damage underneath. It is less then one year old and I don't want a crab crawling car. I guess I will have to let the insurance company know what i think about it. If it was a straight forward replace panels I would not have any issue back stretching back a new car is not what I want.

[MT]

If it gets fixed at a reputable repairer, you wont have any problems with crab crawling or anything. Have you seen pics of my car? http://au.toyotaownersclub.com/forums/inde...?showtopic=7282

There is still a good chance that the insurance company will auction it off. Like I said, did the airbags detonate? thats a guarantee that they will sell it.

Wait and see what they say. Chances are, the person who inspects the car will notice many other things that normal people overlook.

[SILVABULLIT]

If the repairs total 3/4 of cars value or more then they will write it off. If the airbags have gone off then my guess is repairable write off. airbags are good and can save you but they are really expensive to replace. Like thousands of dollars......

[idrift]

If the repairs total 3/4 of cars value or more then they will write it off. If the airbags have gone off then my guess is repairable write off. airbags are good and can save you but they are really expensive to replace. Like thousands of dollars......

No air bags have gone off just heavy rear end damage. Apparently it is going to be towed to Riverwood (NSW) assessment centre. Where is that?

[SILVABULLIT]

dunno where it is mate. i'm in brissy lol

[Aurion]

If the repairs total 3/4 of cars value or more then they will write it off. If the airbags have gone off then my guess is repairable write off. airbags are good and can save you but they are really expensive to replace. Like thousands of dollars......

No air bags have gone off just heavy rear end damage. Apparently it is going to be towed to Riverwood (NSW) assessment centre. Where is that?

It's in Sydney, actually it's not far from where I live....

[dannywss]

from reading your situation and without airbag deployed.. very unlikely written off.. and it is from the rear, nothing does to engine rite?

UNLESS the structure of the car(chasis) is damaged heavily.. which is unlikely too, coz u werent hurt even a little?

Good luck and becareful of insurance company, you dont wanna be responsible for the accident(very unlikely, as clearly hit from back, UNLESS the other driver argued you reversed, which happened to me and i CANT PROVE he did!) and failed in claim..

[idrift]

I have had some feedback from someone I know that assesses cars, and they told me that they thought it was heavy structural. All the door alignments have been thrown out of wack (can fit the width of a pencil on one side and closed on the other, between the front and back doors). The entire boot floor is damaged, it seems to have bent the rail down. It is being looked at tommorrow. I will let you all know how it goes and upload a few pics. By the way I wasn't that bad in terms of being injured by my wife had to get herself checked out for neck injuries. The VK commodore that hit us was a total write-off, he hit very hard.

Edited May 29, 2008 by idrift

[m_luke]

Sorry to hear about your sorry tale, especially if this is your first car accident. It is quite painful to see your car carted off on a back of a flat bed to somewhere.

Insurance companies tend not to repair old cars once they have been involved in an accident so you and silvabullit are correct in that the VK commo will be tagged and auctioned off as a repairable writeoff even though parts are most likely aplenty.

It is quite surprising the amount of collision damage a modern day car absorbs even in a lowish speed accident as these things are designed to crumple as much as possible to absorb as must energy as possible so the passenger receives the least amount of injuries as possible.

Pics would help, but if yours will be repaired, start worrying about three things:

(1) Whether it will be sent to a reputable repairer

If you know a reputable repairer, now is the time to tell the insurance company to send your car to them assuming your insurance policy allows you to dictate the repairer

(2) The travel distance between you (your home or your workplace) and your repairer

It is really, really frustrating to have to spend ages on public transport just to collect most of your belongings from your car before being repaired and then have to travel back to collect your car once it is repaired - I've learnt this the hard way!

(3) Time of repair

This is affected by their current workload, whether they work on Saturdays, whether there is a public holiday/long weekend, how fast they can get replacement parts in, etc.

Most parts will be replaced rather than repaired as insurance companies actually prescribe the amount of time necessary to do repairs to keep the repairers honest and also keep their costs down as they are the ones forking out the money to do the repairs. This also explains why even reputable repairers will do some dogey things as they have their bottom line to look after.

Might want to ask the repairer to give you a copy of the itemised bill after your repairs are complete as you'll be initially gobsmacked by the cost of repairs and surprisingly learn a little about what they actually did.

There was a post somewhere in the Camry forum at this site referring to a another site that had the factory repair manuals. Go there and download the one about collision repairs - it's a very good reference and learn quite a lot about the construction of the car itself.

-m_luke

[idrift]

Seems like I will have to take this matter further. In accordance with Toyota's repair guidelines is the structure of the car is bent then those items affected will be required to be replaced. My insurer has notified me that they repair cars to industry standards, however under the NSW Fair Trading Motor Vehicle Insurance & Repair Industry Code of conduct which is put in place by NSW legislation must comply with the following:

"Having regard to the age and condition of the motor vehicle, repairers will carry out repairs (and insurers must not require them to do otherwise) that:

*are in accordance with the manufacturers' documented technical specifications, including those supplied by other industry recognised agencies or authorities, or any lawful mandatory specifications and/or standards, or

*use methods that are consistent with vehicle warranty conditions, or

*in the absence of the points above, are in accordance with accepted industry standards and practice."

So basically there is a manufacturers technical specification which states "Structural parts are designed to perform in their original shape. If parts are deformed in an accident, or if the deformed parts are repaired and reused, the parts may be unable to perform as intended. It is necessary to replace the part where the kink has occured."

There are a number of compenents that are high tensile steel in the vehicle and the manufacturer states that they should be replaced if damaged.

I think I have cought the insurer off-guard as they have notified the smash repairer not to commence repairs and they are going to be in contact with me to discuss the matter further. They did mention that they were going to consult their technical staff (who to my knowledge do not exist anymore) and they were going to consult Toyota on the matter.

[MT]

In this day and age, 99% of damaged cars will have all the parts replaced. There really isnt much "panel beating" that happens anymore. Any part that is damaged (including all the chassis rail etc) will be replaced because its cheaper and easier.

I think you are worrying too much about this - The insurance company isnt trying to screw you over, if the car can be fixed, and its cost effective to fix it, they will fix it.

[idrift]

My issue is not that the car is being repaired. The issue is that it is not being repaired in accordance with the Toyota Guidelines. The assesser himself asked me "what do you want me to do replace the rails?" I said to him if Toyota states that that is the correct method of repair then thats what needs to happen. His arguement is that the guidelines mean nothing and that they operate to industry standards. I do not mind if the car is repaired so long as it is repaired in the correct manner.

[AcoustiK]

My issue is not that the car is being repaired. The issue is that it is not being repaired in accordance with the Toyota Guidelines. The assesser himself asked me "what do you want me to do replace the rails?" I said to him if Toyota states that that is the correct method of repair then thats what needs to happen. His arguement is that the guidelines mean nothing and that they operate to industry standards. I do not mind if the car is repaired so long as it is repaired in the correct manner.

Good luck mate, Hopefully Toyota is on your side and try to make a buck out of this and tell them to do it the guideline way and buy parts from Toyota!

[dannywss]

Good luck mate, Hopefully Toyota is on your side and try to make a buck out of this and tell them to do it the guideline way and buy parts from Toyota!

i doubt parts are bought from toyota.. at least some.. minimal?

[pinzvidz]

Did the airbags detonate? If yes, then it will be an economic write off.

Ummm... you do realise that airbags don't deploy in a rear end accident?!?

[tekkyy]

wait a minute

I picked up my Aurion and bought comphensive insurance last weekend

if I understood the NRMA lady correctly...she said something like I get a new car if I have an accident in the first 2 years?

and that I should not specify insured value but rather use market value

as for the repairs, do push for it to be done under toyota guideline

I couldn't imagine your insurance company giving you a problem since its a new car

very bad publicity for NRMA/GIO/AAMI/etc otherwise

"NRMA voids Toyota warranty"

[dannywss]

i sense some future problem here.. and the mech even ask if you want something to be fixed??? WTF? OF COURSE YOU WANT!! insurance will pay, not you. a little doggy

[MT]

Did the airbags detonate? If yes, then it will be an economic write off.

Ummm... you do realise that airbags don't deploy in a rear end accident?!?

Ummm Yes... clearly, I am not an idiot. However, he didnt mention that the car may have been also hit at front etc, there are many other options.

I was simply making the point that it is a clear indication that the car will be an economic write off if the airbags deployed. In this case, being a rear end accident, I already knew the airbags didnt deploy, therefore was confirming my point (again) that the car isnt an write off and will be repaired.

And yes, the parts will be bought from Toyota. Who else makes them?

[Dead]

Did the airbags detonate? If yes, then it will be an economic write off.

Ummm... you do realise that airbags don't deploy in a rear end accident?!?

And yes, the parts will be bought from Toyota. Who else makes them?

Ssangyong

[m_luke]

wait a minute

I picked up my Aurion and bought comphensive insurance last weekend

if I understood the NRMA lady correctly...she said something like I get a new car if I have an accident in the first 2 years?

and that I should not specify insured value but rather use market value

NRMA call centre agent would have said that in the if your new car was involved a serious accident and is written off within its first 2 years, then you will get a new car hence she suggested that you take market value comprehensive insurance and not insured value.

-m_luke