Never heard that, but if you say so. Not disagreeing, just have seen different scenarios.
Never heard that, but if you say so. Not disagreeing, just have seen different scenarios.
Boatless Bank Trash for now
I have seen plenty of 1-4 year old vehicles with both the front bags deployed, they didn't total the vehicle.
Yeahhhhh front airbags are cheap these days. Just depends on the dash though as to how that relates to the repair cost.
Heck, I started my towing business in Jan 85, and remember back early 90's a buddy that I'd worked in the grocery store with had gone to Vo-Tech school get his A&P license (Airframe and Powerplant) hoping he'd get a job at Delta. He ended up working at Chris BMW. I'd pop in and see him from time to time. BMW came out with the quad headlight 740i and those darned things must have been made out of Swarovski crystal because they were $1400 PER SIDE!Then the airbags were THOUSANDS - each!!!
Damage the front bumper, grill, hood, fenders, HEADLIGHTS, and pop an airbag on one of those puppies and you were looking at 30K in a hurry! They totaled a LOT OF THEM!!!
It's all relative these days, if it's a domestic vehicle, airbags won't total it unless there is substantial damage on top of that. Insurance companies, in addition to cost vs ACV... use a component rule, and if 3 or more major components are damaged that'll usually total the vehicle. Say front clip, rear clip, roof. That'll likely total it. Front clip, busted engine (like water pump cracked, oil pan cracked, exhaust manifolds etc), plus passenger compartment (A pillar and/or B pillar) could also total a vehicle. Then there are variables like electronics and the ungodly amount of computers and wiring in them these days to take into consideration.
Later,
Dixie Chicken
I checked online and found GM truck air bags can be bought for $513 each. That's cheaper than i thought. You have three for the dash, and that's what I assume were inflated. Most vehicles also have side air bags, but they most often do not inflate unless there's a side impact. The modern vehicles have front and rear and side sensors all over the cars--requiring body shop technicians to also do electrical work very often.
I would bet there are some salvage operations in the Atlanta area that specialize in used, uninflated air bags if you happened to be picking up the repair out of your pocket. I have bought $450 Lexus wheels in Atlanta for $125 from specialty parts businesses.
Deer cause substantial damage to cars and trucks when they're hit. And the main reason hunting season is so important is to keep the deer population down to where they don't cause damage to cars and thus to the individuals driving cars. I had a Lexus totaled out by a deer.
Last edited by Bamaman; 12-19-2018 at 05:19 AM.
BUT, does deploying airbags have an impact on the type of title afterward? If repaired by a body shop wouldn't this raise a flag on the Carfax report and depreciate the value?
My friend in east Tennessee hit a cow last week........running 59 MPH. He had just topped a hill and it was in the road. Didn't even know it.....the air bags just went off. 2017 Denali pickup destroyed. He was sore but fine. Good thing his kids were not in the truck.
No, it doesn't. At least not on the title.Originally Posted by billnorman1
Yes, ANY (reported) accident, that was repaired by an insurance company, WILL show up on Carfax and other agencies like that.
IF you paid the repair out of your pocket though, it wouldn't show up at all.
The only thing that'll show up on the *title* would be if the car were a total loss because of an insurance claim. In that instance, once it is sent through a salvage auction by the insurance company.... it'll either be branded "salvage" or "parts". As I mentioned earlier, my wife works at one of the only two nationwide companies in the country that provide that service to insurance companies. She's been there 35 years now (actually longer than the company has been in existence as she came with the furniture when they bought an independent company with 11 branches). In fact, she's a title branch manager and processes 150~250 (or more) titles per day for various companies.
FYI a vehicle doesn't have to have ANY damage to be declared a total loss. Could be that it was a theft and wasn't recovered right away. They'd total it and cancel the title. Then it could be months, or years before it's recovered. And of course I touched on flood vehicles earlier, and those are a dangerous situation to get in as when you look at it... you'd never know it'd been under water. Some states are much more lax in their laws regarding the situation which SCARES THE CRAP out of me! I'd ALWAYS SUGGEST that ANYONE that buys a used vehicle do their homework on it with a thorough inspection. One place where it'll show up is under the seats. Most seat mounts and slides will rust when ANY water gets on them, and ALL seat springs will! Same thing with console and dash braces/brackets, where you'll see slight surface rust.
Typically however if you're buying from a regular dealership (Chevy, Ford, Toyota, Honda, even Carmax etc. etc. etc.) they'll do their title homework and those cars will (usually) not make it on their lot(s).
BUT IF YOU ARE SHOPPING AT A "TOTE-YOUR-NOTE" CAR LOT IT IS BUYER BEWARE!!!!
As far as how the title is handled.
AFTER it's been repaired by someone that bought from an Insurance salvage auction, THEN it'll have to go through an inspection routine that your particular state has in place. Typically, you'll have to show all receipts for the parts that are installed, new or used (with a copy of the title from vehicles that the *used* parts were obtained from), then it'll have to be inspected by the State DMV Inspectors. Most states now also require that during the repair/inspection process that the inspection is done BEFORE the vehicle is painted. (So they can see what you've done.) From that point you'll get the paperwork from the DMV inspector and take that, along with your salvage title and apply for a *rebuilt* title. Anything branded as "parts" can NEVER be rebuilt. Only a salvage title vehicle can be rebuilt.
FWIW, during the repair process, even if the vehicle is completely repaired and ready for inspection, it CAN NOT be driven. Has to be towed both to and from the inspection station(s).
Later,
Dixie Chicken
A lot of vehicles have way more than two airbags. My MIL hit a deer that deployed all 6 of hers in a 2013 RAV4. Late and the wrecker was going to be forever, so the deputy helped me pry a couple of pieces away from the moving parts and I drove it 2-1/2 miles to their yard. No lighting or alternator, but it drove fine. The adjuster took about 10 seconds to say it was totaled.
If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity,
nothing else matters.
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