My 2002 Tahoe was rear-ended and I need some advice

[dawr]

Hi,

I have a 2002 Tahoe that I love! I was rear-ended by an Avalon going 40 mph (just guessing). The driver had fallen asleep at the wheel, his car had substantial damage and my Tahoe hardly had any visible damage. I had a trailer hitch on and that took the brunt of the impact.

Here is where I need some expert advice. I took it to the designated repair shop today and they looked at my Tahoe and wrote down I will get a new bumper, trailer hitch, and muffler. I mentioned that my Tahoe was making noise when I drove it and asked if the appraiser wanted to drive it, but he said he did not need to. I also asked that he check my frame for damage and he glanced for one second under my car and said there was no damage. Based upon this I have my doubts about the repair shop.

What concerns me is that my bumper pushed into my lift gate so that you cannot open it. The right bottom corner is bent in slightly and they told me that they would be able to straighten it and that it would not need to be replaced. I am a little worried that there will be leakage issues down the road if it is not a new lift gate. Should I be worried?

I appreciate any advice that anyone has. I have 2 small children and just want to make sure my Tahoe will be safe down the road. It has never really needed any work up to this point other than regular maintenance and it really is solid.

Thank you!

BTW, My Tahoe has 135,000 miles on it and never has had a major problem/ work done on it until now It has been so reliable.

 

[DougK109]

Insurance will tell you sometimes you have to take it where they say. You have the right to take anywhere you want. Go get one or two more quotes, and get it done where you feel comfortable.

 

[jplinville]

Find reputable repair/collision shops that are known for high quality work in your area. Stay away from the box stores like Macco, they go as cheap as possible and are referred and preferred by insurance companies due to price. Get at least 3 estimates and compare them to see what they say, then go with what your gut tells you.

 

[dawr]

Thanks! I still was a little shaken from the accident and did not think to go anywhere else.

I just called my mechanic, he does not do body work, but he is going to put it on a lift and look it over for frame damage and see if he can see what is making the noise while I drive. I trust him. I have my husband asking around to see if he can find one more shop that does body work for an estimate to see if I can get a better idea of a good lift gate fix.

We sometimes tow a friend's 6,500 lb boat rig behind my Tahoe, so I want to make sure our towing capacity is not diminished and it is still safe.

 

[NJTahoe]

Insurance will tell you sometimes you have to take it where they say. You have the right to take anywhere you want. Go get one or two more quotes, and get it done where you feel comfortable.

Exactly, take it to where you want it to get fixed at. And shop around for quotes. Ask friends, family, coworkers about where they had their vehicles fixed, if they ever have. That is your best bet to finding a shop that will do the job right and at the same time it will help you steer clear of those places that won't do a good job because they will tell you if they had to bring their vehicle back because the shop didn't do it right the first time.
The person who hit you is at fault so that persons insurace is going to have pay for the repair as long as it's less than what the Tahoe is worth. If it ends up costing more than what it is worth then they will end up paying you for the book value of it.

 

[dawr]

Exactly, take it to where you want it to get fixed at. And shop around for quotes. Ask friends, family, coworkers about where they had their vehicles fixed, if they ever have. That is your best bet to finding a shop that will do the job right and at the same time it will help you steer clear of those places that won't do a good job because they will tell you if they had to bring their vehicle back because the shop didn't do it right the first time.
The person who hit you is at fault so that persons insurace is going to have pay for the repair as long as it's less than what the Tahoe is worth. If it ends up costing more than what it is worth then they will end up paying you for the book value of it.

Thanks! That is my worry that my Tahoe might be considered a loss, but instead of giving a full estimate up front the place I took it to just said they might find things as they go.

They have a hidden damage assessment for my liftgate once they can get it open. It involves removing my bumper and bending metal to get it to open. They have told me they can just bend it back into place, but there could be internal damage once they work on it. A friend told me I should demand a new lift gate and not let them bend the old one back.

I am still waiting to hear from my mechanic about my frame.

 

[jplinville]

An estimate is just that...an estimated cost of repair based on visual inspection. Techs generally find things as they get into the job. It's impossible to find everything without tearing it apart, and they won't tear it apart unless they get you to sign a contract to have them do the repairs.

 

[Dirtiest Hoe I Know]

F that shop...
I'd take it somewhere else
Frame damage is a important topic, rather have them replace than "fix"
But if there was frame damage the insurance most likely would've totaled the car

Like others have said, look around. You should feel comfortable with whomever is working on your car