Rear ended

[MJfan94]

So last night my Comanche was rear ended on the ps. I was at a complete stop when the other car hit me somewhere between 25 or 30mph. I'm fine but the bumper is slightly push down on ps and it looks like the impact pushed the drive up and tapped the radiator( it now has a slight curve). Is there anywhere I should also look for damage because I would still like to keep the truck but I have a feeling the insurance company might write it off as being totaled.

[Eagle]

Look everywhere. If the bumper is bent, most likely the frame is bent.

 

I don't understand how a rear-end collision could push the engine into the radiator. Check your motor mounts.

[gogmorgo]

You'd have to hit the rear axle hard enough to deflect (or break) the rear springs/shackes, and the trans and engine mounts. I don't see it happening without leaving the truck pretty undriveable. There's about six inches between my 4.0's crank pulley and radiator, (going from memory) and I don't see that much give anywhere except maybe the rear springs. Also, I'd expect the mech fan to hit first anyhow.

It could be that the frame got tweaked, like Eagle said, but if there's enough damage to bend the radiator supports from a rear impact (unless you were pushed forward into something) I would expect the windshield would have cracked from pressure in the frame.

[shelbyluvv]

Pretty much any rear end damage to a MJ will total it. The parts are not there to rebuild them and the NADA value is $#!& at best. Your best bet is to go after them and not involve an insurance company if you want to keep a clean title.

[64 Cheyenne]

 Your best bet is to go after them and not involve an insurance company if you want to keep a clean title.

 

Can you elaborate on this some?

[shelbyluvv]

You sue them through small claims court for your repair costs.

 

When I rear ended a T-Bird with my MJ it took out my header panel, headlight, bumper and fender. That's it. The damage was enough to total out my truck. I didn't claim my truck so I still have a clean and clear title. My insurance paid all his damages. Which was his car being total loss. His car was an 88.  

 

The newest MJ was built was over 23 years ago. While they are priceless gems to us, the insurance company could care less about them. They are in the business of making money. Unless you have agreed value insurance on your truck it is worth whatever they think it is. This is right from NADA. When is the last time you saw a MJ sell for $8000?

  Original
MSRP Low
Retail Average
Retail High
Retail Base Price $8,259 $2,400 $5,450 $7,925 Options: (add) TOTAL PRICE: $8,259 $2,400 $5,450 $7,925

 

 

KBB Swings between $2400-$2800 for an excellent condition truck.

 

If you have an adjuster look at your truck it will more than likely be totaled. All it takes is a bent bumper, cracked tail light, dented bed and a bent tail pipe to total out a MJ. Sometimes less than that. I have seen them get totaled for a bunt bumper. You can't get an OEM bumper anymore. There are no oem MJ body parts sitting on the shelf to be used. That is enough right there to total the truck.

 

When it comes to owning and driving a old truck that doesn't have an aftermarket following you are rolling the dice every time you get behind the wheel.

[MJfan94]

Thanks guys for your imput. i just hopeing it might be fixable because I was able to drive it back the two blocks to my house, but like many of you have said its most likely totaled.

[87Warrior]

You don't have to agree to the adjusters conclusion. It's your truck, you have a right to keep it and keep driving it. Talk with the adjuster when they come. Explain why the truck is important to you. Just make sure the police report is accurate before you get to far with the insurance folks.

 

My father hit a pizza delivery guy who bolted across 4 lanes of traffic with his 93 XJ. It was a faded out 2 door that suffered significant damage to the front end. They ended up giving him $3,500 to repair the $3,000 Jeep.

[Eagle]

Thanks guys for your imput. i just hopeing it might be fixable because I was able to drive it back the two blocks to my house, but like many of you have said its most likely totaled.

Dunno if you understood what Shelbyluvv wrote.

 

There's a difference between "totalled" and "can't be fixed." "Totalled" is an insurance term, it doesn't mean it can't be fixed. Almost any damage can be repaired. The problem is that, if the cost to repair the damage exceeds the blue book value of the vehicle, the insurance company will only pay you the blue book value. That's supposed to "make you whole," in legal language, by giving you enough money to buy a replacement vehicle of supposedly comparable value.

 

And when the insurance company hands you that check, they take title to your vehicle. If you want to keep it, then you have to buy it back from them by giving them back some of the money they just handed you. You can then use whatever's left over to try to repair the truck yourself. But ... the insurance company will have reported the VIN to the motor vehicle department as having been totalled, so that goes on your title. To register the truck again, you'll have to go through whatever inspection hoops your state has set up for inspecting vehicles that have been rebuilt from salvage.

 

That's why the suggestion to try to avoid directly involving the insurance company.

[64 Cheyenne]

So is this my understanding, don't go after their insurance company if it's repairable, sue in small claims court for the damages....

[Doc.]

I'll just state that every state is different, every insurance company is different, every adjuster is different. Your results may vary. I know my results varied a from what has been posted here. One big factor is who is at fault for the claim. If it's your vehicle and someone else hit you, you have a lot to say about what happens to your vehicle.

[JeepsOLot]

A 2014 Kia Soul ran a red light, and hit me at about 50 mph (says the accident report)

Image Not Found

 

Insurance gave me $1875 to FIX it!! Damn, I was hoping for $1000 AND them not total it!!

 

After another bed, tail lights, and some paint, total cost, $175:

Image Not Found

 

Jerry

[MJfan94]

So my adjuster got back to me about my truck and with the inspection that was done on the truck and it looks like my bumper and the brackets were the only things that are truly damage and will be replaced. But the radiator won't be replaced because the place that look at my jeep couldn't really figure out how the radiator was slightly damaged because all my mounts are good but the radiator does not leak so that does not really bother me.

[ride172]

You're getting hosed. How do I know? Cause an insurance company is involved.

[Eagle]

He still has his truck with a clean title, and the damage is being repaired. That's what counts.

 

Just remember that you can go to a body shop of YOUR choice. And if the repair cost comes to more once the shop gets into it, the insurance company is still on the hook.

 

Many years ago I had a full-zize Cherokee with a snow plow. Doing a driveway, I was stopped at the side of the road, Jeep was "state highway orange" in color, and I had a strobe on the roof. Teen-age girl in her mother's brand new XJ came tearing down the road, much too fast for snowy, slushy conditions, and slide into my left rear quarter panel. No question of fault. Her insurance said they'd pay.

 

I took my truck to the shop my family had used for a couple of generations. They found a couple of things the adjuster had missed, called the adjuster, he agreed and gave them a go-ahead.

 

Right at the end, they realized that the new rear quarter panel had a different opening for the gas filler. The old style was just a round hole for a plain, round gas cap. The new one (all that was available) was for the Grand Wagoneer style, which had a larger cap and a trim ring around the opening. The adjuster balked at paying for the extra parts to finish out the gas filler because it was an "upgrade." I reminded him that (1) it wasn't my idea to have his client run into the back of my Jeep, and (2) she had rear ended me and all I asked for was to have my Jeep repaired. I basically asked him if he really wanted me to visit a neurologist to see if I had any whiplash injury from the accident.

 

He authorized the new parts.

[Doc.]

Add on's happen on darn near all repairs. Standard operation procedure. Sometimes an adjuster will wine about stuff, but that is just part of their job.