2000 Sierra Ext. Cab - Rear ended.

[mrsilv04]

My folks were rear-ended last night while driving the 2000 GMC Sierra Ext. Cab.

They were stopped at a stop light, and the lady behind them was stopped as well. For some unknown reason, she thought that the light had turned green, hit the gas, and ran right into the back of the truck.

So, now this truck has been rear-ended (along with my 2004 Silverado Ext. Cab - 18 months ago). Of course, the rear bumper is dented and scuffed up, as are the black plastic pads, and both bumper brackets are bent.

The worst part of the damage, and what has me worried is the hitch and frame. It has a Reese hitch on it, and I think that's where her car made the most contact.

What concerns me is where the hitch mounts to the frame rails of the truck, the impact drove the mounts for the hitch up and into the frame, and has pushed and bent the frame rails in and upward.

The hitch is obviously ruined, the rear bumper, plastic pads and mounts are bent, but I'm most concerned about the damage to the frame rails. Will the body shop just pull those back down and try and get them back into shape, and then re-undercoat them?

This isn't a "boxed" part of the frame, it is more like a C-shape, as this is behind the rear axle.

 

[The motor guy]

I don't see why it couldn't be straightened out. But it did all that just from the person being 6 feet behind you? She must have really stepped on it. You know dodges have fully boxed frames.

I had to say it, sorry.

 

[mrsilv04]

From the damage that I'm seeing, It appears to me that her foot slipped off the the brake, landed on the gas pedal, and she floored it.

It wasn't a little tap. She claimed to the police that she thought the light had turned green. I don't think so. This is more damage than that.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Sad to hear.

If the frame is bent behind the axle expect the truck to be totaled. It's a 11.5 year old truck and its blue book value is low vs how much to fix. If they don't tow with it they may be able to get the truck back plus some $$. I'd bet that the truck will have a salvage title if its kept on the road in any case.

We just went through this with my cousin's 1999 F150 that was hit on the rear of the bed and needed work on the bed and bumper. The quotes came in $3600-$4000 so they cut a check for $6900 and junked the truck. He tried to buy it back for $2000 but the insurance company would not sell.

Hope they are okay and please keep us up to date on what happens.

Bill

PS: The Dodge half tons that I've seen are NOT boxed. In fact I've not seen a half ton that is. (before every fanboy jumps in I'm talking AFTER the rear axle) The 2007+ Toyota's "may" be. Most 3/4 ton and above ARE. I'm sure I'll be corrected by someone.

 

[OVERKILL]

Bill, I think the 2004+ F-150 is boxed to the rear. Can't find any good pictures though.

 

[daves87rs]

Agree with Bill...I'd expect a total too...what was the lady driving?

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Bill, I think the 2004+ F-150 is boxed to the rear. Can't find any good pictures though.


They are, seen them in person.

 

[mrsilv04]

Sorry to interrupt the current discussion... but this post did originally have a topic... and I can't find anywhere that I mentioned "Ford" or "Dodge".

 

[Pop_Rivit]

A full size pickup that can't take a bump on the rear from a car without frame damage and possibly being totaled? I guess I didn't realize that the GM's were that poorly made.

Sheesh. Back in 1996 I had a gal do the same thing to me in my 1994 Dodge Dakota. Even though the hitch took most of the impact and went through her radiator, the pickup only sustained a couple scratches on the bumper and there was no frame damage.

I would suspect that if the frame is that poorly made it's probably not worth fixing-an 11 year old GM pickup simply isn't worth that much to begin with. And if the frame is that weak then there is no telling what else might be tweaked from the little bump once a body shop starts getting into it.

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Sorry to interrupt the current discussion... but this post did originally have a topic... and I can't find anywhere that I mentioned "Ford" or "Dodge".


It's a discussion forum. People are free to discuss what they like even though it deviates from the original post. If you read a few posts it happens all the time. Besides, comparing the weakness of a GM to other brands is a fair comparison so others may benefit from knowing which pickups do and don't get totaled by a little stop light bump.

 

[FL_Rob]

What was she driving again?

 

[bigmike]

My grandfather had his truck frame straightened but that was a long time ago. I'd be on the fence about it if their truck needed it. Out of my own curiosity, I'm wondering how much damage would have occurred if the hitch wasn't installed?

 

[MNgopher]

Have to agree with Bill on this one. An 11.5 year old truck with frame damage like you are describing is probably going to be totaled by the insurance company. It will be close to the blue book value to make the repair, and anything close is a goner...

The '04 and up F150 is fully boxed to the rear. Not that this would have made any difference in this scenario... Being fully boxed is not the be all end all of strength, but it certainly helps the overall stiffness of the frame.

 

[Ramblin Fever]

Would be nice to know what the lady in the rear was driving to cause that kind of damage.

She had to have mashed on the gas, not just lightly tapped it.

Fullsize truck though shouldn't have that kind of damage unless she really reamed them, pretty scary that the rear could fold like that....wonder what damage could happen to them if it was hit at full speed.

I'm not sure, if the frame was bent, if I'd personally want it to be fixed and back out on the road, it'll never be as strong and could actually be dangerous should they ever get rear-ended again.

 

[01rangerxl]

It can probably be fixed with a frame puller, but it will likely be totalled by the insurance company.

 

[meep]

if there's no damage forward of the axle, i'd see it as safe to drive if they don't total it. I don't think those frames are high tensile steel, so they can be re-bent and be basically ok. hope they dont total it. glad nobody was hurt.

 

[cchase]

I love how on the internet everyone can extrapolate how competitors trucks would fare in the same accident without knowing what actually happened or even seeing pictures of the damage in this case.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: cchase
I love how on the internet everyone can extrapolate how competitors trucks would fare in the same accident without knowing what actually happened or even seeing pictures of the damage in this case.


Thank you.

 

[mrsilv04]

Well, I don't know a thing yet. Progressive Insurance has been beyond inept on this one. They act like they've never processed a claim before, where their insured tried to run over another vehicle. I still don't have something as simple as a claim number from them, and the accident was Friday night.

Progressive gets an *F* for the way they've handled this so far.

Sheesh. I guess I'll start the process with my insurance company and let them go through the hassle of subrogation with the morons at Progressive.

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
A full size pickup that can't take a bump on the rear from a car without frame damage and possibly being totaled? I guess I didn't realize that the GM's were that poorly made...



The impact from the collision pushed them out into the intersection. But let's blame GM. It's all their fault.

After reading responses like this one, I've changed my opinion on this whole issue. The [censored] with the truck, my parents weren't hurt. That's all that really matters.

The truck can be replaced, my parents can't.

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: Bill in Utah
Originally Posted By: cchase
I love how on the internet everyone can extrapolate how competitors trucks would fare in the same accident without knowing what actually happened or even seeing pictures of the damage in this case.


Thank you.


By far one of the most annoying issues with this board, the comparisons of apples and oranges.

A day or two ago, an SUV and a pickup that were from different manufacturers in different locations with different drivers, were offered as some sort of a valid comparison against each other, by someone who should have known better.

Are you kidding me?