Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night (now with pics)

[Papachristou]

As i was headed down to FL to see the family, some incredibly intelligent person literally stopped or were barely moving to look at a wreck on the opposite side of the interstate, at 70mph, i barely had time to hit the brakes, oddly enough, my airbag didnt deploy, but the passenger one did. it didnt mess it up past the fenderwells, but gosh, i really loved my jettta, it held up very well, only 45k on it, and i just put long beaches on it a month ago. we'/ll see what the insurance says. feel free to post your experiences with jetta accidents, should i have the dealer or a small timer fix it?

 

[jqian]

Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

My personal opinion is you'd better let insurance company total it if any airbag deployed. It's not worth fixing it anymore. sorry to hear that.

 

[Rustynuts]

Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

Damn it, that really makes me mad!

Whenever I see any sign of incident which I think might be interesting to other people, I disregard it and watch the other drivers. I know for certain that I've saved myself on 4 occasions from idiots "Rubbernecking" just by watching out for them.

Sorry to hear of this. Hope you (and passengers?) are all ok. Worst part is, I bet you get stung with the insurance for not being observant of what's going on around you.

 

[Papachristou]

Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

i didnt get a ticket, at least last night, they are investigating. i found my intercooler, and ironically, the vw logo off the front. my neck hurts a good bit. I am going to call the cop on monday, i dont know what makes an insurance company decide to total or not.

 

[ymz]

Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

Sorry to hear of your mishap! I recently had a small collision in which both front airbags went off... I can't really say that the dealer did even a decent repair, but I'm not sure if an independent shop would have the proper diagnostics to reset the computer codes...

As far as what an insurance company would use to determine whether or not to total it... I think it would come down to money.. if the projected cost of the repairs exceeds (or possibly even approaches) the "book" value, they'll total it... We also have a 2003, and don't think that they've depreciated that much that they'd total it unless it was a REALLY major collision. (BTW: I'm surprised that the driver's airbag didn't go off!!)

Good luck playing footsie with the repair shop and the insurance...

Yuri.

 

[dsclark]

Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

Total value varies, but is around 70-80% of its actual market value. If you have any questions, just ask. I used to be a multiline claims adjuster (but cars was what I mostly handled) and I know a lot about insurance law, body shops, and how to squeeze those extra nickels from a claim.

 

[Papachristou]

Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

i hit them at close to 70, i would say they were barely moving, i really want the insurance to total it but... i dont think they will. all the radiators, intercooler etc are trashed, i am going to get it from the wrecker tomorrow, i will probably post pics, i give the jetta credit on how well it withstood the crash b/c their mitsibishi galant looked bad

 

[Papachristou]

Re: Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

Kelly's Blue Book rates it worth $12.5 in good shape

 

[tradsailor]

Re: Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

My parents went through a dismasting this summer and their insurance company 'totaled' the boat because repairs were going to cost at least 80% of the insured value.
Then again, comparing boat and car insurance is like comparing apples and oranges, especially when the boat in question is 30 years old.
I'm sorry to hear about the demise of the jetta.

 

[Papachristou]

Re: Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

me too, i really loved my jetta

 

[VWWV]

Re: Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

Papachristou, sorry to hear of your misfortune. Hope you can find some way to involve the other driver? From some of your previous posts, can I infer that your body has a few miles on it? If so, you should not neglect that neck. There is a part of the upper vertebrae that can fracture and it can be dangerous if not diagnosed via X Ray and addressed, if a fracture is found. Do not, repeat, do not permit anyone to manipulate your neck without a qualified diagnosis. That could be more serious than allowing a non-qualified tech change your timing belt. Seriously, I'm sorry for your loss. Hope you can get back in a TDI soon. Paul

 

[HopefulFred]

Re: Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

From what I've heard, a single airbag can run a few thousand to replace. You've got superficial and structural damage (pretty extensive it sounds) plus machanical. I would be really surprised from the sound of it if you ended up having it fixed.

Maybe you can get it back to get your long beaches off it. Major bummer!

I hope you're feeling better soon. I know even very minor accidents can leave your sore for days.

 

[el_flasho]

Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

man, that is no good. i also hate rubberneckers, espcially when something on one side of the highway slows down the opposite side. if you do end up having to total it, let me know, there's a couple interior parts i need. oh yeah, and make sure to get yourself checked out! hope things go well.

 

[mtltdi]

Re: Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

sorry to hear it, hope your neck is ok.

 

[Papachristou]

Re: Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

my neck feels better today, still a little sore, i had to put new leaf springs on my trailer so i will be going tuesday morning to get it, will post pics tomorrow. police said i will probably get a ticket and so will she.
if its totaled i am definitely getting my long beaches off, and slapping the 15's back on. let you know tomorrow

 

[Luv My 02 TDI]

Re: Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

Let me guess your ticket will probably be...
" Traveling unsafe distance blah blah blah..."

 

[o2photo]

Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

First and foremost (!) is if they decide to repair it, check your state's guidelines for Diminished Value and how it is treated there, if at all. In my state it is mandatory the insurance company pay you the loss in value (on top of repairs) a now-fixed once-wrecked car has sustained due to a wreck. That could be a factor in putting the car over its total value and taking it off your hands. A car with major body repairs simply has less value than one that hasn't been wrecked.

Here's My Example. It's the other end, but we were clipped pretty good. Just repair costs were $12k. Add on diminished value and it's even worse. I had it 2 weeks, drove it 4k miles in 2 weeks, and the insurance company sent me off in the black when they totaled it. I even got a $1k owner loyalty rebate when I bought the replacement since I owned a VW for 2 weeks.

If you really like those wheels, get them switched before your insurance company sees it if at all possible. They probably won't help the value on, but just try to get them off once they assess.

Good luck. It sucks, I know.

Marc

 

[jasonTDI]

Re: Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

If you can fight the ticket on the grounds that you had no other lane choice you will get it thrown out. There are minimum speed limits on highways just for this reason and they are clearly at fault. I can guarentee that car will be a write off based on my years as an agent.

Good advice on the x rays. Get them, then get on a regimen at a great chiropractor or you will be miserable for the rest of your days.

 

[warrenite]

Re: Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

Sorry to hear about your car, been close a couple of times, pretty lucky so far. A couple of years back an old timer side swiped my wife's Trek (gasser) while I was bringing it to the shop for a new muffler. <font color="blue">BTW, not a good idea to say 'at least it wasn't my car' when telling your wife you wrote her car off.... </font>

The insurance company fixed it, not too sure why the repairs ended up costing almost $10k, this is more than the car was listed for. It has never driven the same since. At the time we were glad that they fixed it, we didn't have the cash to replace it after we paid the amount owing on the loan.

We've had some part go that VW Canada has never ordered before, the dealership had to order from the states.

<font color="red"> Papa, --> </font> I have broken my neck (literally) you can walk around with cracked bones that will hurt for years to come. At least I wasn't in a car and it was a rental when I smushed my neck.

 

[Papachristou]

Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

neck feels almost 100%( i am a young gun ), found a shop in memphis that is state farm certified (lifetime warranty on repairs and paint)

here are the pics

 

[swartzentruber]

Comments about Diminished Value

As far as I know, only Georgia requires the payment of diminished value. I was able to make (and get payment of) a diminished value claim on a GTI 337 I used to have (traded it in once it was fixed after diminished value payment). Unfortunately, if you are at fault at all, they probably won't pay diminished value (assuming you don't live in GA). That's because courts have ruled that insurance companies don't owe DV to their own policyholders, at least if the insurance company restricts it in their insurance language. If the other party is 100% at fault, then you can go through their insurance company, making a tort claim, which courts have held does allow for DV payments. In your case, you'll probably need to go through your own insurance company, to decide with the other company on percentage of fault, and they won't pay DV because they don't have to.

 

[GotDiesel?]

Re: Comments about Diminished Value

Bummer. Glad you're okay.

I have to say that the car doesn't look like it hit a nearly stationary object at 70. You may have gotten slowed down more than you thought?

 

[Long_Range]

Re: Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

I was thinking the same thing GotDiesel. Then I remembered he mentioned the other car looked real bad. Perhaps it absorbed the impact for him. Go VW.

 

[fredb]

Re: Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

So sorry to hear.
Have to agree i think if you were going 70 you would be looking in the back seat for your 1.9 .
Please Do not mess with your neck have it checked out.
The insurance comp will pay for it. If it is messed up
you could become disabled for the rest of your life.
don't sign off with the claim until you get that neck checked out.
Good luck
hope the other folks are ok too

 

[jequinn]

Re: Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

I bet they total the car and then sell it. It'll probably go for $6k or so - even totalled - at auction.

I paid $6k for a car with more damage than that and a trashed engine (yes it was STUPID). If it had been running okay it would've been a great deal.

Glad your okay - get a MRI not an x-ray of your neck in case you have soft tissue damage. I had back surgury a couple of months ago and am back to 99% - no damage on a x-ray - showed up great on the MRI.

 

[Papachristou]

Re: Bad news, wrecked Jetta last night

i already dropped it off at a state farm certified shop and told em to fix it, they are putting a oettinger grill on for me, maybe an ABD badgeless, i dont know