2020 Tundra Front End Collision

I worked in the collision industry for many years. Competent shops are trained and qualified to repair airbag systems, damaged frames, etc.. Why would this be foolish to fix? Even in the collision repair world, damages are calculated in percentages. There are rare exceptions, but as long as a vehicles repair cost remains under a threshold percentage of value, then it gets repaired. The truck looks a little rough, but a proper shop could turn this around without issue.

 

A proper shop COULD turn this around but I don’t agree with the “without issue” part. The fact is that it was significant enough to trigger all air bags to deploy. On a truck with that little mileage, the loss is value is profound. The whole thing sounds like a mess with a driver on a suspended license, injuries, Possibly uninsured, Etc. I just hope the OP gets taken care of one way or the other - people driving around without insurance and causing this type of damage and injury should not go unpunished and somehow they should bear the financial burden.

 

The truck is worth close to $50,000, so my assumption is they will fix it. I would specify you want TOYOTA parts. Don't assume they will use them. Specify it. With the truck being a 2020, they should agree. The shop can get cheaper parts and make more money.

Take care of your health. That is the most important.

 

Airbags systems are not repaired, they are replaced with OEM components per OEM procedures. There is no guess work there. It is just another system that is addressed in a collision event. The cost to do so is significant and often does total the vehicle. In this case, it sounds like the vehicle is at around 25k in damage. Assuming it is worth 40k and the total loss threshold is 80%, it is close but not quite there. I do hope they can total it for the sake of the owner.

 

I don't want to tell you what to do pal, but please get checked out medically regularly. This way things are documented because thats a hard hit and it could have long term affects. The legal system only cares about what you can prove and not what you know. So document, document, document.

And don't get caught working out at your gym or doing serious yard work cause insurance companies are notorious for playing foul and sending private investigators to get out of a claim.

 

Latest update... to recap... First assessment was $18k in damage in state of LA by local body shop. Had it transported to Houston dealership. Second estimate found a total of $24k in damage. After lift inspection, damage total was over $28k without disassembly. Side curtain airbags created damage to front and rear cab doors. Bed was separated from cab from impact. Frame displaced. Suspension damage found underneath. Was just notified by USAA that it has now been defined as a “TOTAL LOSS”. Thank goodness it won’t be fixed. RIP 2020 Toyota Tundra with paper plates and 600 miles on it.

 

Yayyyyyyyy )))

 

Total Loss Pics...

 

The truck sure did it’s job... kept you and the wife alive. It’s on the way to Tundra heaven. Now it’s time to pick up an identical replacement. Hope the company takes care of you with that... lock stock and barrel.

 

Good that you and your wife are OK for the most part.
Couple questions.
Are you looking at another Tundra? Did you feel like the Tundra kept you safe for the most part?

 

I want the same vehicle... love the concrete color, loved the 3/1 leveling kit, loved the Lomax bed cover, CarPlay was great, loved the gun safe in the center console, loved the Blackout emblems. Would only change two things... Hated the black Bushwacker fender flares (previously installed and removed), and hated 20” wheels with 275/55r20 tires. Too much wheel and not enough tire. Think it looks better to have smaller wheels and bigger tires like 18x9 Fuel wheels with 285/75r18 mud tires. This will be Tundra #3.

 

Glad you guys are ok. Sorry about your truck but I'm glad they totaled it, would probably turn into a nightmare. As others have said, and speaking from my own experiences, consult a lawyer and do not under any circumstances speak with their insurance directly. They are only going to call you to try their lies or to get you to say something that would release them of liability. They do this 365 days a year and they're very good at it. They are complete scum

 

Excellent. (Well, not the crash, but the fact that they decided to total it and not fix it.) ALSO most excellent that by and large, your family is doing OK. There are plenty of Tundras out there, but you only have one set of family.

 

That's the sucky, but good thing, about crash safety features and design in this day and age. Everything is meant to give way and transfer energy to the components of the truck and not to the passengers inside. Means relatively small accidents will total the car, but you're saved.

Glad you're okay, but don't sleep on those injuries. I got ejected out of a cruiser at work in 2016 and I'm still not right from it. Decided I'd be a bad ass and ignore the doctors and therapy suggestions and I'm paying for it now lol.

 

Hopefully you can go remove the bed cover, gun safe and black emblems to save some money on the next build.

How's the healing process going?

 

Glad they totaled it and you can get a new rig. Best wishes for a speedy recovery and happy shopping for a new Tundra!

 

Glad you are good.

FYI; If you got 11.5% off MSRP plus a rebate of about $2,500 or more you should be able to trade it in before the work is done and get a new truck for the cost of the mileage at about 25 cents per mile.

Bear

 

Wow, it barely had a chance to get dirty.

I somehow doubt it. I have a feeling some unscrupulous flipper will buy it and fix it half assed and put it up for sale for some unbelievably good deal. There were a lot of trucks in my area that I had to filter through with bad titles before I found my truck.

 

I’m not certain, but I think USAA has to register the VIN at a federal site as a salvage. So, it’ll alwYs show up that way not just on Carfax but on any search a bank or insurance company would do before entering in to a loan or issuing a policy.

 

Glad you and your wife are okay. The Tundra did its job protecting you - one of the reasons I bought a full size truck in the first place. I hope you can get another one before too long (assuming they total it).

 

It's amazing how safe these trucks are compared to just 20 years ago. Most trucks didn't have to meet the strict crash standards that cars did. They were death traps in even some light crashes.

 

Hope you guys have a speedy recovery

 

odds are if he had a suspended DL he also was driving without any insurance coverage. Was one of my pet peeves when I worked patrol. Around where I worked you got to where you knew the ones with no insurance/DWLS and could usually run their info without looking it up in paperwork to confirm and then stop and arrest them.

As an aside, my 2019 Tundra suffered less damage than that when a tree fell on it during a storm. It was totaled by State Farm. The body shop was like "Yeah, we can fix that". Guessing the frame ended up being twisted from the weight of the tree.

 

It just seems like they are never the same after a significant wreck!

 

Good to know it will be totaled and you will get to buy a new truck, but that Tundra died a heroes death protecting you and your family!

 

I think that is a common perception, however I do not believe it to be a fair assessment or comprehensive of the repair industry. I worked (briefly) for some shops that i would say you are prob correct. Then i worked for shops that invested heavily in technology and training that i would argue exceeded OEM quality. We would use 3D metrology systems for structure alignment that was +/- 1mm tolerance where OEM tolerance is typically 3mm. When i would use this system, i stopped test fitting panels after a while because they fit perfect every time once dialed in. Its really a matter of capability. Unfortunately all that tech and training carries a high proce tag. Most shops do not want to invest in that since the ROI does not appear to be there. I say that because Insurance companies control the industry. A shop that invests millions in top tech and training gets the same rate as the shop hiring cheap labor.

 

I completely agree with this and I'm glad they totaled it out for you.

 

I don’t think any collision shop can provide comparable quality to a billion dollar factory, but as you say, some do great repairs and some are total hacks. A minor collision repaired properly wouldn’t worry me much so long as what I paid was less than a truck with no repairs at all. A major accident with airbag deployment would make me look elsewhere, no matter how much I’d save I’d be liking for a different truck. There are so many “straight” vehicles out there, it’s worth the time and effort to find one IMO.

There may well be aspects of a repair that may be similar to OEM. But every repair leaves a scar. First and foremost, even the best repair facility will never replicate the OEM paint quality. The paint booths and process that happens at the factory happens inside rooms that are climate controlled, completely dust free, have positive air pressure and are as clean as a medical lab. The space and equipment costs in addition to the training and personnel measures taken to ensure perfection cost hundreds of millions of dollars. You will always find a fish eye, a bit of orange peel, a smooth tape line here and there, overspray, etc in a collision shop repair. Electrical connectors that are removed and replaced don’t snap in quite a snugly the second time around, clips crack and break, etc.. so Interior panels aren’t as “tight” as they are in the factory. Plus, the vast majority of insurance repairs are made with aftermarket parts who are said to be “equivalent” to OEM parts ... as nearly every policy stipulates aftermarket vs OEM because they’re about 1/3 to 1/2 the price... but at 1/2 to 1/3 the price... you know they’re not the same. As I said, that’s not to say a good repair isn’t “good” but the first time a truck is put together at the factory is the best time. Once you pull panels apart, repaint, replace electrical components, etc it isn’t the same IMO.

 

You make some good points, and some i would just agree to disagree. The big unknown for most people is the capability of the shop and the person repairing. I always took great pride in my work and (to a fault) always strived for perfection. Even replicating the details of OEM seam sealers. In the end, i could not justify cutting corners to increase my salary. That coupled with other factors is why i left the industry.

I think you say it well in the sense that a repaired vehicle has more of a downstream effect than anything else with respect to value. I bought my last vehicle (2010 Sequoia) from an auction that looked similar to the OP truck. I bought it with a salvage title knowing we plan to keep this for a long time and i do not really care as much about the value on the back end. I also knew i would be the one to repair it and have full authority over what was done and how.

 

Really glad you guys are on road to recovery. And that you got a "total" out of it.

Interesting to note though: What you experienced is what IIHS calls a small frontal off set collision. This is one of the tests IIHS says you would be vaporized. They crash into a concrete pillar/barrier at 40 mph.

If you hit at 50+ mph and walked away then I can definitely buy into taking IIHS tests with grain of salt.