In an Accident Today

memsu · 03-21-2008, 09:56 PM

Well, I found out I have a blind spot the size of a lincoln towncar when I'm backing out. I looked both ways and there wasn't a car in sight, next thing I hear is the solid beep of the backup sensor and a sound of metal crunching. She must have drove right by my bumper when I turned to look over my right shoulder. The the tailgate and rear seat headrest hid the rest of the car. Oh, well it's my fault (didn't tell them that). I'm getting a backup camera someday. Backup sensors are good, but a little more warning would have been nice, but then they would go off all the time.

Take a look at the pictures of the accident. I have the utility bed so that will complicate matters more. Will they just replace the entire bed? My bumper is pushed into the bed on both sides. The storage bin door doesn't look like it's lined up now, and my tailgate has some paint chipped off it (can't see in picture). What will the body shop have to do to get my truck good as new? It only has 2900 miles on it.

I have State Farm insurance and they recommended a couple of body shops. I'm probably going to pick the one with the best reviews on citysearch. This is my first ever accident so any help would be appreciated. The lincoln took the hit pretty good I'd say.

Underagedtitan · 03-21-2008, 10:02 PM

I can't answer any of your Questions, but I hope your truck get's fixed without many problems.

**Kronos1965** · 03-21-2008, 10:05 PM

Had something similar happen to me.

I was backing into a parking space while another driver motioned for a third driver to back out and she backed into my spot while my head was turned...

They will not replace the bed.

They will pull out the fender/rear quarter panel.

memsu · 03-21-2008, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kronos1965

Had something similar happen to me.

I was backing into a parking space while another driver motioned for a third driver to back out and she backed into my spot while my head was turned...

They will not replace the bed.

They will pull out the fender/rear quarter panel.

As long as they do a good job I'm ok with that. I'm supposed to have a lifetime warranty with any work that done through a State Farm approved body shop. I just want it to look good and the paint to match.

HudsonValleyTitan · 03-21-2008, 10:31 PM

They'll replace the bumper and probably cut out the bad part of the 1/4 panel and weld a new one in. They did that once on the rear 1/4 panel of the wifes then 99 Quest.
The backup sensors are there for parking and to see STATIONARY items...like kids and poles while backing up. If the car drove past quick, it won't see it in time.

memsu · 03-21-2008, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HudsonValleyTitan

They'll replace the bumper and probably cut out the bad part of the 1/4 panel and weld a new one in. They did that once on the rear 1/4 panel of the wifes then 99 Quest.
The backup sensors are there for parking and to see STATIONARY items...like kids and poles while backing up. If the car drove past quick, it won't see it in time.

Yeah, I agree with you on the backup sensors. All the woman could say was your back up sensors weren't working. What do you say to that after something like this happens? She told the cop I must have been doing at least 10-15 mph to do this much damage. The cop said I was probably only going 2 mph (probably a little more than that). She didn't like his answer at all. Then she started yelling at the cop when he wouldn't write out a report saying who's fault it was. You're pretty much on your own in a parking lot. Either way I went out of my way by giving the pictures I took with MY camera of the accident to this lady.

I'd be mad if someone hit me too, but it happened and there were no injuries. So, lets exchange information and let the insurance deal with it. There's no need to b!tch everyone out. You just make it harder for people to get the information they need to move things along. I talked to her husband about various things while we waited on the cops. He was a cool guy, but she made him stop talking to me, lol.

**yamatitan** · 03-22-2008, 01:34 AM

I believe her there is no way you caused that much damage to push the bumper in the bed of your truck like that at 2mph. Unless our trucks are built really crappy. I backed into an older ford one of the square body styles in my 99 newer body style f150 going 2 mph it hit bumper to bumper and did not do any damage to my bumper but a little scratch and you couldnt even see anything wrong at all with the other truck.

Sorry but you had to be going faster than 2mph to cause that much damage to your truck.

Titan460 · 03-22-2008, 03:29 AM

If your bed floor is damaged I'd think the whole thing would be replaced otherwise probably just the bedside itself.

**anmut** · 03-22-2008, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by memsu

Yeah, I agree with you on the backup sensors. All the woman could say was your back up sensors weren't working. What do you say to that after something like this happens? She told the cop I must have been doing at least 10-15 mph to do this much damage. The cop said I was probably only going 2 mph (probably a little more than that). She didn't like his answer at all. Then she started yelling at the cop when he wouldn't write out a report saying who's fault it was. You're pretty much on your own in a parking lot. Either way I went out of my way by giving the pictures I took with MY camera of the accident to this lady.

I'd be mad if someone hit me too, but it happened and there were no injuries. So, lets exchange information and let the insurance deal with it. There's no need to b!tch everyone out. You just make it harder for people to get the information they need to move things along. I talked to her husband about various things while we waited on the cops. He was a cool guy, but she made him stop talking to me, lol.

I had an old man swing his door into mine a week after I bought my truck and it dinged the clear coat. I went ballistic on him. If the accident is not your fault then there's always a reason to b1tch the other person/cop out.

Anyway - sorry to hear about the accident, fella. I hope your insurance company comes through for you.

memsu · 03-22-2008, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yamatitan

I believe her there is no way you caused that much damage to push the bumper in the bed of your truck like that at 2mph. Unless our trucks are built really crappy. I backed into an older ford one of the square body styles in my 99 newer body style f150 going 2 mph it hit bumper to bumper and did not do any damage to my bumper but a little scratch and you couldnt even see anything wrong at all with the other truck.

Sorry but you had to be going faster than 2mph to cause that much damage to your truck.

I'm sure I was going more than 2 mph, but the other car was moving also and most of the impact was on the corner of the bumper. So, all of the force was focused in one spot. Theres no way I was going 10mph though.

Well, I'm off to get estimates now.

HudsonValleyTitan · 03-22-2008, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yamatitan

I believe her there is no way you caused that much damage to push the bumper in the bed of your truck like that at 2mph. Unless our trucks are built really crappy. I backed into an older ford one of the square body styles in my 99 newer body style f150 going 2 mph it hit bumper to bumper and did not do any damage to my bumper but a little scratch and you couldnt even see anything wrong at all with the other truck.

Sorry but you had to be going faster than 2mph to cause that much damage to your truck.

You have to remember though that the other car was moving also so the combined speed is what you'd have to take into consideration. Two large vehicles can easily do that kind of damage without much speed involved.

**yamatitan** · 03-22-2008, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HudsonValleyTitan

You have to remember though that the other car was moving also so the combined speed is what you'd have to take into consideration. Two large vehicles can easily do that kind of damage without much speed involved.

Thats true i didnt think about the added force of the other car moving.

memsu · 03-22-2008, 12:39 PM

Just got a quote from one of the shops in town. They were one of the higher rated shops on citysearch. I wanted to go to another one, but they were closed today. I talked directly to the owner of the shop and they've been doing this since 1979. He throughly explained everything regarding the repair.

Anyway it looks like about $2500 in damage. They will replace the rear bumper, the passenger side panel of the bed, straighten out the misaligned part of the bed near the storage bin (might have to paint some there too), and touch up the paint on my tailgate and the cab where the bed hit it.

Clint · 03-22-2008, 01:02 PM

I did pretty much the same thing last year. I was backing up and looked left/right and left/right again and then crunch. I hit the brakes and looked in all my mirrors and saw nothing. I got out of the truck and saw that the car I hit/ran over (corrolla) had pulled out of a driveway behind me and she never saw me. My truck needed a tail light and the left side bumper step, I got away very lucky. Her car needed a quarter panel, trunk lid, bumper lights etc.
Now the best part of the story is she never got out of her car and I walked over to her window and while I'm thinking this is my fault or at least fifty percent my fault she said the following. "I think we should go" which made me think she was either without license and insurance or an illegal immigrant.
Whatever the reason it only cost me $107 for parts and life was great again.
Your truck will be perfect after the shop. So sorry to hear about this and hope it's fixed soon.

BULLTITAN · 03-22-2008, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HudsonValleyTitan

You have to remember though that the other car was moving also so the combined speed is what you'd have to take into consideration. Two large vehicles can easily do that kind of damage without much speed involved.

Well, not really. This same thing happened to me about two years ago and my bumper did the same thing. I was backing away from my kids' school and didn't see this lady snuck in behind me. I was back really slow because I was in a school zone and all I felt was a little resistance. I stopped, open the door and there she was, just looking at me, didn't even blow her stinking horn.
The driver side of the bumper had bend up into the quarter panel, just like that. That is the weakest part of the body, not to mention the bumper. I too went out after that and got me rear camera so sh!t like don't happen again.