Jeep Accident !! Safety Features did work and I am alive, Now What ?

[At Risk Ute]

Glad you’re okay, OP. I don’t see any way for you to have avoided the accident. Your swerve would have been so severe, I see you rolling your Jeep.

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[Rockstar08]

Hi there,

It has been almost three years with my new JLUR and jl forums and sadly i got hit by a truck . I was about 65 mph and out of nowhere came a truck and pushed me out of highway into trees. Airbags (front and side) deployed as expected and saved me - got some minor cuts and bruises and broadly speaking doing ok. I am glad to be alive . What ever safety tests say - the thing is built like a tank and i wouldn't have been alive or walking out of the car - if it was some other SUV. So no question - I am going to stick with jeep for a long time.

Here is my dashcam video Video . It was a custom factory ordered just like you all do and came after months of waiting .. It has been towed to body shop and waiting on evaluation if it is going to be repair or totall loss.





There is frame damage (one side bent other side twisted) and the steel bumper also got bent. Apart from that there is some body damage to fenders, front axle and sway bar etc... Here are some of the pics (below).

1. The rest of the body looks okay -(eg.Grill. windshield, doors), but i think frame and front axle and sway bar, winch etc.. are not working properly or heavy squeaking. Should this be considered a total loss?

2. If insurance lowballs or says it is going to be repaired - Is there a safety issue driving this jeep? How can i push back and what kind of documentation should I be creating ? How reliable are frame replacement and what else could be hiding here as an issue?

3. How is the fair market value calculated in this market ?

4. Will I be better off ordering a new one i.e. 2022 or get some from used market ? (Any experiences with quality of 2021 or 2022 models.. ).

Glad you are okay!! If you do have frame damage on both sides as you say then. Bet the insurance company totals it! So if I were you I would go onto vroom.com and carvana.com and see what they will buy it for today undamaged. just get the appraisal as if the accident never happened so you get the value of your Jeep today with all your options!! Then save this information and wait to see if the insurance company totals it and then wait for their valuation!! You do not have to accept their first offer period and it would go a long way if you have a appraisal today or tomorrow with the full value Vroom or Carvana to be able to prove your value if they do lowball you! Vroom and Carvana will give you a full appraised value to your email in about 30 minutes quick and easy you just put your VIN number in and mileage and of course put it as zero accidents in excellent condition. I would do this ASAP before your vin shows up as having an accident!!

 

[John VonJeep]

Did the other guy even stop??

 

[wranglernoob2019]

Glad you are okay!! If you do have frame damage on both sides as you say then. Bet the insurance company totals it! So if I were you I would go onto vroom.com and carvana.com and see what they will buy it for today undamaged. just get the appraisal as if the accident never happened so you get the value of your Jeep today with all your options!! Then save this information and wait to see if the insurance company totals it and then wait for their valuation!! You do not have to accept their first offer period and it would go a long way if you have a appraisal today or tomorrow with the full value Vroom or Carvana to be able to prove your value if they do lowball you! Vroom and Carvana will give you a full appraised value to your email in about 30 minutes quick and easy you just put your VIN number in and mileage and of course put it as zero accidents in excellent condition. I would do this ASAP before your vin shows up as having an accident!!

great idea !

 

[Big Mama's JL]

we were wondering if the driver of that dodge dakota? stopped also. glad you
're ok. We have seen many cars totaled by insurance companies just because of the $$ they can make on parts. Hope all works out for you!

 

[wranglernoob2019]

we were wondering if the driver of that dodge dakota? stopped also. glad you
're ok. We have seen many cars totaled by insurance companies just because of the $$ they can make on parts. Hope all works out for you!

Yes, the driver did stop. Thank you

 

[R00STER]

Full sideways slide at highway speeds into grass with no roll-over?!?!?

Why does everyone I meet warn me about the rollover risks.

Nice control @wranglernoob2019. I think the way you handled it was just as important as the vehicle you were in.

 

[knox]

In 2014 my 2007 JK with AEV bumpers was hit from the rear by a bus while I was stopped. He smashed me into the. BMW in front. A tank they are. I had a little whiplash but the jk saved my life. The front looked similar to yours, it happens that I bent the frame horns. It ended up being fixed. I added an after market steering stabilizer and after repairs she still drives good as new. So if it has to get fixed it would be just fine to keep and drive. I did take it back to my jeep specialist for the stabilizer and to adjust a few things the body shop didn't get right. But all in all, it's back on the road and still a tank.

 

[Deleted member 59498]

Glad you are ok! Nasty and I need to get my dash cam hooked back up!

 

[The Last Cowboy]

So, two points of frame stress and deployed airbags. Sounds like a total, but values are so high right now it’s hard to say. If the frame is not kinked anywhere, it can be straightened. Wrangler airbags are simple and easy to get to.

If they decide to fix it, make a diminished value claim if your state allows it. You can decide which shop you want to use whether it’s one of the insurance companies “pro shops” or not.

it sucks when you have to go through something like this. Some shops are really great and can do amazing things, some are terrible, most are somewhere in between.

 

[RFR JLR 2.0]

These things happen so fast but seems like everything is in slow motion while it’s happening. Glad you’re ok. I totaled my ‘18 JL after getting hit in the rear end that sent me into a concrete wall. Walked away with no injuries. No question that it was totaled and got full replaced value from my insurance company. Good luck.

 

[thecritter]

If you dont get it replaced make sure you get a diminished value estimate.

 

[TaiMc]

...3. How is the fair market value calculated in this market ?

4. Will I be better off ordering a new one i.e. 2022 or get some from used market ? (Any experiences with quality of 2021 or 2022 models.. ).

Really glad you are safe. Jeep held up and did its job.

I'd say they will total it if any frame damage is present. Not sure if you should buy new or used but just to give you an idea: my 2018 Jeep Sport has over 50k miles on it and the dealerships are constantly trying to buy it from me. Recently they sent me a blue book value for $32k for it (and that's with it being stock). I've added a lift, tires, etc other mods on it that they aren't aware of.

If the Blue Book is valuing it as that much then the dealerships will sell it for more to turn a nice profit. I guess you should weigh your options about whether to buy a used Jeep at a substantial price or buy a new one (have it ordered to your specifications) and pay a little bit more.

A friend of mine recently sold her stock 2015 JLU Sport for $17k to a dealership and she had 118,000 miles on it....

 

[TaiMc]

....With the used market the way it is now, I'd recommend ordering new and get exactly what you want...

This right here. Used cars are being sold for ridic prices...

 

[Ja87sm]

Use vroom and carvana as a bare minimum… but the point of insurance is to make you whole, not give you wholesale.

Having actually been through this process before.. their valuation is an offer. Go on carmax, auto trader, cars etc and look up jeeps same year similar miles (even if slightly less) same features within a 250 mile radius.

The insurance job again is to make you whole, which means providing a payout that would be required to purchase another Jeep. They will low ball you.

In 2014 I had an accident that totaled a Civic SI we had. You could not replace the car color and miles for less than 18k. Book value was showing around 16,xxx. First offer was 17. I provided them with ads showing 17,900-18,900. I also showed then maintenence Receipts and recent new tires to highlight the cars condition. I ended up getting 19 plus tax back.

In this market KBB, Nada, asking price etc aren’t going to align. So I would utilize whatever method or examples will provide you with most bang for yourbuck then order a 22.

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