You think this will be totaled?

Total is the best outcome for most any accident. You get the full retail value for a car you could only hope to sell for private party or trade-in value. Expect a check for around $7,000 and go buy a 2 years newer lower mileage example with that money.
 
I never liked the Taco, it’s a raised car with an open trunk imo, the seats are literally closer to the floor than my Subarus. A truck is not supposed to stretch your legs straight out in front of you. The high entry and low seating position
I had no idea that sat like that. I would maybe actually like to have one of those. The reason I've always hated trucks was the seating position. Sitting vertical with my legs dangling straight down, too uncomfortable for me. I've always liked the low to the ground "go-cart" feel. I'm tall with long legs, and I like the "stretched out while driving" position.
 
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It’s done. Not saying you couldn’t make it drivable on the cheap but it’s probably not worth the hassle.
 
I had no idea that sat like that. I would maybe actually like to have one of those. The reason I've always hated trucks was the seating position. Sitting vertical with my legs dangling straight down, too uncomfortable for me. I've always liked the low to the ground "go-cart" feel. I'm tall with long legs, and I like the "stretched out" while driving position.

I have a 1998 Nissan Frontier and to me it's like sitting in a car. Like if my Crown Vic were just a couple inches higher, it would be like driving the Nissan Frontier.
 
I had no idea that sat like that. I would maybe actually like to have one of those. The reason I've always hated trucks was the seating position. Sitting vertical with my legs dangling straight down, too uncomfortable for me. I've always liked the low to the ground "go-cart" feel. I'm tall with long legs, and I like the "stretched out while driving" position.
Seems to be fairly standard for toyota. My tundra was the same way. My Lexus sedan is similar, but the seat allows butt cushion tilting, which can raise my knees and make it not so pronounced. The tundra bothered me a little (Gen 1) but the Lexus is like, did they secretly measure my inseam and back?
 
I'm sure that some states are more lenient than Pa., where anything with vehicles is difficult. Here, you could get a salvage certificate on buying a wreck from the insurance co. To take that to a reconstructed title that you can actually register is a pretty big step. After the cost of repairs, it would have to go to a special inspection station where they go over it very closely. If passed, you can apply for a reconstructed title. At least some insurance companies will write liability only on an R title. Some say that others won't touch them at all. If you can insure it, then you can plate it. The one person that I ever spoke to that did all this told me that it cost about $900 to get it to an R title in fees. That was about 15 years ago.
 
Total is the best outcome for most any accident. You get the full retail value for a car you could only hope to sell for private party or trade-in value. Expect a check for around $7,000 and go buy a 2 years newer lower mileage example with that money.
That’s not even close to how it’s worked for me. I had one total in my 40+ years of driving and owning cars. Full retail on the car was about $6,000. KBB.

But the insurance company (USAA) decided to use “comparable” marketing, and paid me $3,200.

You see, in a small clause in the policy, they had that option. So, instead of giving me the KBB on the car (and before you say KBB was off, USAA savings bank was willing to let me borrow $7,000 to buy another) they found a lesser equipped, rusty example near my zip code, in Vermont and used that price.

So, my car, an immaculate, rust free, southern car, with one previous owner, a car which had every service record back to the bill of lading when it came off the boat from Sweden, a car with leather, winter package and other options, was paid out the same as a rusty, salt ravaged, cloth equipped Vermont heap.

Be careful of the value the insurance company chooses.
 
That’s not even close to how it’s worked for me. I had one total in my 40+ years of driving and owning cars. Full retail on the car was about $6,000. KBB.

But the insurance company (USAA) decided to use “comparable” marketing, and paid me $3,200.

You see, in a small clause in the policy, they had that option. So, instead of giving me the KBB on the car (and before you say KBB was off, USAA savings bank was willing to let me borrow $7,000 to buy another) they found a lesser equipped, rusty example near my zip code, in Vermont and used that price.

So, my car, an immaculate, rust free, southern car, with one previous owner, a car which had every service record back to the bill of lading when it came off the boat from Sweden, a car with leather, winter package and other options, was paid out the same as a rusty, salt ravaged, cloth equipped Vermont heap.

Be careful of the value the insurance company chooses.
Yes that is absolutely correct. Insurance companies usually are not your friend. That is why I would suggest rebuilding the car instead of getting someone else's 15 year old Honda or a small payback.
 
if you get a comparable that isn't comparable, you dispute the evaluation.
I disputed it. I sent in over sixty pages of service records, a copy of the original window sticker, and detailed color photos.

They accepted my input.

And added $200 to the payout.

That’s not a typo. It barely covered the cost of printing and postage.
 
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Lawyer up.
I disputed it. I sent in over sixty pages of service records, a copy of the original window sticker, and detailed color photos.
Service records have nothing to do with the value of a used car and neither does the price it sold for new. You show them comps in the area of similar cars being advertised or that have sold at sites like Ebay. Rusty northern cars aren't comparable to clean southern ones.
 
Lawyer up.

Service records have nothing to do with the value of a used car and neither does the price it sold for new. You show them comps in the area of similar cars being advertised or that have sold at sites like Ebay. Rusty northern cars aren't comparable to clean southern ones.
Lawyering up over $2,800 wasn’t really worth it. I would lawyer up over $5,000, perhaps.

I did (sort of) get my money back, when I left USAA for GEICO, saving $2,400 in the first year alone. Ultimately, USAA lost, when they lost my business for over seven years. I saved several thousand. They lost tens of thousands in revenue.

I have had very few claims in my life. This accident was the only one in which I was at fault. For example, in the past seven years, I haven’t had a single claim. USAA could’ve been collecting the whole time…but I hadn’t forgotten when they once treated me badly.
 
What, are you suggesting that USAA doesn't really understand the meaning of service, as their commercials claim?
I am not suggesting that at all.

I am clearly stating that USAA is not the company they once were.

They charge high rates and offer poor service. They will rip you off just as quickly as the next guy.

But they do call me by rank when I call them. So, that sort of offsets it.

In a pig’s eye! 🙄
 
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By lawyer up I should have said file in small claims court. Just that you filed sends a message you're serious, and even if they have staff lawyers, they don't want to deal with a case over a few thousand dollars and will usually settle beforehand.
 
By lawyer up I should have said file in small claims court. Just that you filed sends a message you're serious, and even if they have staff lawyers, they don't want to deal with a case over a few thousand dollars and will usually settle beforehand.
Fair enough. This was about 18 years ago.

Haven’t had an issue like this since, but I haven’t had an at fault claim since, either.

The whole thing took me by surprise - the company I had been with for 20 years at that point was ripping me off. I was extraordinarily busy then and didn’t have time to fight. These days, I would sue in small claims court, as I’ve got both time and the resources to do so.

And I realize that USAA is just as slimy as every other insurance company, despite my nearly 40 years of “membership”. They used to be exclusive. They used to offer superior service. They used to support their members. That is no longer true.

They are focused on expansion, and have lowered their membership standards to the point where there is no exclusivity, no extra service, no support. They’re a commodity. They offer a product that is no longer differentiated from any other company.

I shop on price now.
 
On the plus side they did give a me a pretty cool Taco for a rental, only 8k miles.
Was either this or a crew cab/long bed Silverado.
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Hopefully the V6? Since they hold their value so well you can lease one incredibly cheap right now. The numbers come out the best on an SR 4X4 V6 CREW CAB, 24 mos. for $260/mo. plus tax. Has an MSRP of $35k. Through Penn Fed Credit Union utilizing their Payment Saver loan. Google Credit Union Payment Saver loan for more info.
 
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