Accident Help/advice

[HouseVT]

Okay so the other night I was stopped at a Red light and a jeep wrangler comes flying over the hill behind me and rear ends me. Fortunately nobody was killed but to make a long story short I received a laundry list of injuries from it but am just glad to be alive at this point.

Anyways, I got a call from the insurance company the other day who said that the rear trunk bar (behind the bumper was bent in pretty bad and would have to be bent back out along with replacing the rear bumper cover. He said it wasn't severe enough to cut out of the body and weld a new one on but when I asked if the bar was a part of the frame, he told me no. Then I asked him if the frame was damaged and he told me no again. I don't understand how that's possible. Isn't that part of the frame? Not sure the construction of the LS frame design or anything but common sense would make me believe that if the metal bar behind the bumper bends in the outside frame rails it's connected to would follow it, right? ergo = Frame Damage? Am I wrong? If anyone could shed some light on this I'd really appreciate it. I just bought the car and haven't even made my 1st payment on it yet. It kills me to think that the insurance company covering the damages is trying to scam me by calling it body damage instead of paying me the deminished value on the car because of frame damage. Anyone out there got any advice?

Thanks,

House

[LEXIRX330]

First off...

Glad you are OK!

Is the car at a reputable body shop? If not have the car moved to the body shop that you want, even if it cost you some money for the tow. Until the car is torn apart, the adjusters usually just make an initial estimate. The body shop should warranty the work and most insurance companies also will warranty the work too for as long as you own the car. If you are unsatisfied with what the adjuster is telling you take it up with the body shop...and question them about the parts and your concerns. To tell you the truth you should not have to argue with the adjuster at all...it is your choice take you car where you want and get it fixed and let the body shop take care of fixing the car...they will argue with the adjuster for you!

Now you may want to take up and medical bills and such up with an attorney...depending on how substantial your injuries are.

Best of luck and glad you are ok!

[SW03ES]

Keep in mind that the car has a unibody construction, there is no "frame" per-sea.

[1990LS400]

Although I'm sure it hurt when it happened, if none of the rear body sections require replacement (other than the bumper bar and cover) then it sounds like it was a fairly minor rear-ender. When my 90 LS was hit from behind in about 1999, about two thirds of the rear end had to be replaced -- the car would likely have been "totaled" by the insurance company had not the adjuster misread the mileage on the odometer.

Diminished value is a sticky issue. My then 10 year old 1990 LS400 seemed as good as new after its massive damage was expertly repaired and I kept it another four years. I joked that at least one third of my car was new. The current owner tells me every few weeks that he is still enjoying it a lot.

If you car is repaired properly, it will be just fine.

[TA in KC]

Although I'm sure it hurt when it happened, if none of the rear body sections require replacement (other than the bumper bar and cover) then it sounds like it was a fairly minor rear-ender. When my 90 LS was hit from behind in about 1999, about two thirds of the rear end had to be replaced -- the car would likely have been "totaled" by the insurance company had not the adjuster misread the mileage on the odometer.

Diminished value is a sticky issue. My then 10 year old 1990 LS400 seemed as good as new after its massive damage was expertly repaired and I kept it another four years. I joked that at least one third of my car was new. The current owner tells me every few weeks that he is still enjoying it a lot.

If you car is repaired properly, it will be just fine.

Jim, I am in the Kansas City area as well and would like to know where you took your car to have the body work done? I would probably like to have the front bumper on my 1992 LS re-painted at some point in time, and would like to know of a good body shop. I have seen work Eveland Brothers in Merriam has done for a couple of friends' cars, I could not even tell it ever happened! Is that where you took your car, or do you know of a better place? Thanks, Thomas

[1990LS400]

Although I'm sure it hurt when it happened, if none of the rear body sections require replacement (other than the bumper bar and cover) then it sounds like it was a fairly minor rear-ender. When my 90 LS was hit from behind in about 1999, about two thirds of the rear end had to be replaced -- the car would likely have been "totaled" by the insurance company had not the adjuster misread the mileage on the odometer.

Diminished value is a sticky issue. My then 10 year old 1990 LS400 seemed as good as new after its massive damage was expertly repaired and I kept it another four years. I joked that at least one third of my car was new. The current owner tells me every few weeks that he is still enjoying it a lot.

If you car is repaired properly, it will be just fine.

Jim, I am in the Kansas City area as well and would like to know where you took your car to have the body work done? I would probably like to have the front bumper on my 1992 LS re-painted at some point in time, and would like to know of a good body shop. I have seen work Eveland Brothers in Merriam has done for a couple of friends' cars, I could not even tell it ever happened! Is that where you took your car, or do you know of a better place? Thanks, Thomas

PM sent.

[SKperformance]

There is actually a frame on the LS from front to back. It probably crumpled the sheet metal between the rear rails. The rebar connects to the rear ends of the rails. I would make sure you are getting an amazing shop who guarantees the work for at least 5 years not to leak and will look after it with a rental if needed as rear end hits are hard to fix right.