Does this look totaled to you?

[zach7685]

Hey guys, I was rear ended by a ram 1500 last week and I think my Pathfinder is totaled. Here is a video of the damage and some images. Keep in mind that both rear doors are shut all the way https://youtu.be/aUvYMJ00Erg
I'm looking for a 2003-2004 Pathfinder LE. These things are difficult to find at a reasonable price!

[AZhitman]

Hey Z!

That one's gonna be hard to tell without getting underneath it, but my guess is that it is.

The door fitment is a pretty good indicator that the entire truck is tweaked, and that ain't a simple fix.

Make SURE you don't get the runaround by the other driver's insurance company, and don't talk to ANYONE from there until you talk to your own agent... I'd almost lean towards consulting with an attorney first, because they're NOT gonna want to pay out (or provide a rental car).

My back hurts just looking at it - Because the hitch transmitted all the force to the frame, the 'visible' damage is relatively minimal, but the doors tell the whole story.

[rgk]

Does that mean I should remove my hitch if not in use, so that the bumper absorbs the force of a rear end collision?

[EdBwoy]

Can't tell if it will be totalled for sure, but as said above, the body is definitely well buckled. There's a safety concern in straightening bent panels out, but also there's undercarriage and suspension component damage that is possible. If not propetly fixed, this could cause serious alignment issues, in addition to the already sway-happy rear.
Take the pathy to a reputable body shop and pay an inspection fee, if you feel like no one's talking about an undercarriage inspection.

Rgk: strictly in terms of impact transmission, yes, the hitch is not good for you as it offers no crumple zone. However, the bumper covers are usually rated to about 5mph...speeds under which a tow hitch will probably do just fine in most cases.
Plus they kinda help in case you have parking lot bumps.

[Hawairish]

Yes, that doesn't look promising. My hunch is that if you crawl underneath rear doors and inspect the area, you'll see a crease or ripple along the structural zones. It'd be tough to repair, and may not restore the original integrity of the vehicle, if even reasonably possible. Can't quite straighten it out the way you could with a frame, unfortunately.

[zach7685]

@RGK

I have been rear ended 3 times in 2 different pathfinders . I was hit by a trailblazer in the back without a hitch and the car was totaled.

In a different pathfinder with a hitch I was hit by a frontier and totaled it when it hit my hitch. my car had no damage and I had it inspected. This time I was hit very hard by the bumper wich is attached to the frame of the Ram directly in the trailer hitch. of corse I lost because the ram weighed more than my car.

In my experience having a hitch on protects the car better than if you didn't have it. My friend totaled a 2014 f250 with his 2011 ford escape with a hitch on it. It all depends on how your hit.

[EdBwoy]

@RGK

I have been rear ended 3 times in 2 different pathfinders ...

. It all depends on how your hit.

Damn, tough luck man. Glad you've been able to survive all your hits.

It depends on the hit, true. Mass of the hitter, relative velocity of both, and angle of the hit.

[zach7685]

[Karona]

Zelda rocks

[zach7685]

Zelda rocks

[zach7685]

UPDATE: The insurance company did total the car (surprise) and offered me $4,089 for it. I feel like this is a good payout seeing as I paid $4,500 for it more than 3 years ago and 100,000 miles ago. The only thing is I put a rebuilt transmission in it which cost me $1800 if I recall correctly. I plan on asking for 500 more because comps are about $4,500 here. Kbb is $3,316.I was actually surprised they offered that much.

[fueler]

That will be a total loss, if claim is made through insurance. If you didn't have comprehensive insurance then i'd tell you to get it straightened for a few hundred bucks. It would still have a clean title, and this event would not show up on carfax. That thing is 95% repairable.

EDIT: I should have read the whole thing. I assume Dodge ram is at fault, and his insurance is paying you out? Do not settle for $4k. The going rate for a Pathfinder like this, is $4800. Find some similar Pathfinders for sale on craigslist, and email to adjuster or supervisor.

Last time an insurance tried to lowball me on car value, they told me that their figure was based on similar cars for sale in my area. I asked them to show me these cars for sale... turned out they made their estimate based on one used car that they found, over 1000 miles away from me. I told them "OK then, buy that car and deliver it to me in San Diego." "Sir, we can't do that" "Exactly, neither can I, with the amount you are offering me" I argued like this for three weeks, got $1500 more than their initial offer.

Good luck to you

[rgk]

I told them "OK then, buy that car and deliver it to me in San Diego."

"Sir, we can't do that"

"Exactly, neither can I, with the amount you are offering me"

[AZhitman]

^ THAT. ALL DAY LONG.

I, too, have had good luck with fighting the insurance company for an appropriate settlement. The more they drag their feet, the more likely you are to start looking for an attorney and going to a chiropractor for your neck pain.

[jiannichan]

Never take the first offer they give. That is the best advice I can give you. The insurance companies job is for them to pay out as little as possible. Even if you think what they gave is fair, they can give more. I would try to go for $4500-5000, seeing as you spent $6300 total on the car. Find a few you want and avg out the price and ask for that or slightly more to cover taxes/registration etc.

[Niti QX4]

UPDATE: The insurance company did total the car (surprise) and offered me $4,089 for it. I feel like this is a good payout seeing as I paid $4,500 for it more than 3 years ago and 100,000 miles ago. The only thing is I put a rebuilt transmission in it which cost me $1800 if I recall correctly. I plan on asking for 500 more because comps are about $4,500 here. Kbb is $3,316.I was actually surprised they offered that much.

So, was this the final outcome?

Having the same issue in SC as you. Other insurance company might total our QX4 and that's not what we want. It's a great car, has a hitch we use for towing things, and is constantly maintained. In SC "total" is determined at 75% of ACV, but we want replacement pricing.

[Mike W.]

You really want to start a new thread, piggybacking onto an old one usually doesn't work well.

I don't know about SC, but from what I've seen, total means if salvage value, plus repair cost exceeds the value of the vehicle, it's a total. Literally an older vehicle could be "keyed", and be totaled as a quality paint job would exceed the value of the vehicle.

For whatever reason, from what I've seen, insurance companies try to lowball on older vehicles. They cherry pick absolute junk as a comp and make an offer off that. Lawyer up and see a doc for that neck pain.

[Rogue One]

So, was this the final outcome?
<SNIP>

I wouldn't wait for a reply as the OP hasn't been on here for the past 6 years. I'd take Mike W's advice and start a new thread. Oh, and his other thoughts were spot on as well.