Totaled NOOOOOO! What now?

[mcinfantry]

Total loss just means salvage value is probably strong and the insurance adjuster doesn’t wanna fix it. It’ll be a loss with multiple repair supplements as it’s torn down. $50,000 ACV - $30,000 salvage value means you just need $20,000 in repair costs to total it. Or whatever similar variables are involved. Lot of insurers don’t wanna mess with lengthy repairs, especially considering rental car costs and possible diminution in value claims on repairs.

total loss settlements are MUCH easier for adjusters. No coming back to a shop endlessly every time a new nozzle or fastener is discovered damaged. The adjuster inspects, writes an estimate, gets a salvage bid, and walks away. Next claim. Plus, you’re driving yours, so there’s no shop storage costs to factor into the math.

This
Break even total loss for the answer

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[garber]

If insurance payout is what it should be, I’d find an abandoned order or stock order and get a new one. More common to find them now more than ever.

Agreed. We're picking one up for MSRP on Saturday

 

[Silver-Bolt]

I would look into what the buy back cost would be. The frame is in three pieces for the purpose of repairing. The full frame is $3800.00

https://www.tascaparts.com/oem-part...jbyZ5PTIwMjImdD13aWxkdHJhayZlPTItN2wtdjYtZ2Fz

 

[Rusty Sheckelford]

Either ford forgot how to build trucks or that insurance company is smoking crack with hunter because that sounds RIDICULOUS judging from the pics you've shown. Obviously we can't really see all the frame issues but from the outside it doesn't look bad at all

 

[FDHog]

It's a no brainer. Take the money and get a new one. If you get it repaired, you're always gonna hear "that noise" or feel "that problem". It's always gonna be in the back of your mind. Now that you drove one for a while, you know what you really want in a Bronco and what you don't want/need. Go get a new one. You'll sleep better.

 

[Rusty Sheckelford]

H

^^^this.
Unless you have tons of aftermarket stuff on it then I’d consider buyback

How does that work though? He gets a check for 50k and they sell him $30k worth of bronco parts in a title-totaled bronco? And then he still has to pay for repairs?

I guess it depends how much they charge him to buy it back whether it's worth it or not..

 

[Squatch]

If you have other transportation, spare cash, and a spot in a garage... buy-back trail rig would be nice for the Rubicon.

 

[BAUS67]

H

How does that work though? He gets a check for 50k and they sell him $30k worth of bronco parts in a title-totaled bronco? And then he still has to pay for repairs?

I guess it depends how much they charge him to buy it back whether it's worth it or not..

My Stang got totaled years ago and it had a 2500 trans in it, among other things. When the insurance company said it was totaled I asked if I could buy it back and they said sure. No mention of how much the "aftermarket" parts were just had to give up the value of the car. I bought it back, stripped all the good stuff off it and sent the rest to the scrap heap.

Maybe things are different now but before it was just the value of the car. No value for the "add ons".

 

[Joshc920]

Does the other driver have the same insurance company as you? Just wondering.
do you have a lien holder on the title?
Some insurance won’t allow an owner retained scenario on title with LH and in all cases he LH will have to give permission for Owner retention.

what state is your title? makes a difference on what branding your title would carry in owner retained.

if you choose to O.R. and don’t have an LH then it might not be a bad deal given that the bronco has retained value well. In most cases the salvage value which will be at least 20% of actual cash value would still leave you a pay out of over 70% of the value which based on a previous reply of the frame sections price and an aftermarket bumper/ possibly after market tail lights and maybe spare holder plus paint and body you may be rolling alright, just something to think about if you’re attached to it

 

[Thurmy7]

Had my '21 badlands for 18 months and insurance paid me a few thousand more than what I paid initially out the door after taxes and fees. It still cost me roughly $10k more and a month with no vehicle to get lucky enough to find a great deal on a new '23 Wildtrak. My totaled Badlands was way worse in terms of damage, so I didn't really have or consider any other options. I'm extremely grateful I got what I did from insurance, but the prices for new or comparable replacement just keep going up and up. If you have any option to keep what you have and fix it, it's probably the better way to go. I believe these will hold their value even with a salvage title.

 

[ejaffe]

Take the new one because the value of the truck will never be the same. Try selling a car where the car fax report says there was frame damage or it was salvaged. You get pennies on the dollar.

 

[subg]

Crazy world. Probably a ton of labor to swap frame sections.

Easy fix. Hook a chain on the bumper, then connect the other end to the insurance agents front door.

Accelerate forward as needed.

I just added replacement value up to $10k over purchase price to my policy. You have anything like that?

 

[subg]

Take the new one because the value of the truck will never be the same. Try selling a car where the car fax report says there was frame damage or it was salvaged. You get pennies on the dollar.

Yep.

Even 1st graders doing carfax on bigwheels these days.

 

[broncobase1]

I got rear-ended while I was at a full stop a month ago. We continued driving the Bronco around until we could get it into the shop. Just heard back from the shop, and with the damage to the frame, it's totaled. Looking for any advice on what to do next, take the insurance payout, and walk away? Repurchase it from insurance and try and get the frame pulled? Sort out a way to mount the bumper/tow hitch so that it's even? It's a bummer because it drives just fine, and we've only had it for about eight months. Yes, I know towing abilities would be compromised with this sort of damage.

Its probably totaled for liability reasons because the crash protection is compromised. It is probably fixable and will make a good vehicle for someone. Yeah I would buy it back if the price is right, the problem is they will want to sell it for what they can get on the open market.

 

[gnusto]

I had the same thing happen to my manual 2 door base a year and a week after taking possession of it (and after waiting 19 months to get it in the first place.) Rear ended at a full stop at a red light. Didn't look much worse than yours. Drove fine for 2 months before I finally could get it into the shop. Frame was bent, floor pan or something was slightly buckled and apparently the rear drivers side quarter was slightly buckled too so the hard top wasn't quite sitting right on it.

Finding a replacement manual 2 door base is... not technically possible since both the manual and base are not orderable. I'm also stubborn and will *never* pay over MSRP for a car. I felt dirty enough paying MSRP this time around.

So I've been without a vehicle for about 5 months now. For those of us that stupidly insist on a manual while they still exist, its pretty slim pickings out there. I'm not paying 43k for a wrangler sport or 50 for a rubicon. I had a Mustang GT for 12 years. Winters were not fun in it sometimes so I'm not interested in doing that again. I'm probably going to end up in a WRX "temporarily" since 80% of them are manuals and it an handle winter just fine. But I'm a little bitter about it.

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