Totaled or repairable ? 3 years 26k miles Long range FSD. Need your opinion

[8Rnity]

Got driver side front collision by left turn only lane driver. There were solid green for both side through traffic. Will it be repaired or totaled ? Airbags popped up at driver side only. Other sides are not affected. What will be good options to take out of two ?

 

[Tiger]

Looks totaled. Ofcourse can be fixed if you love DIY and don't need a car for long time.

Here is a story about repair costs:

Here is a story of what can be done with love for DIY:

 

[jjrandorin]

OP I am not sure I understand your question of "what would be a good option to take out of two" (totaled or repaired). The reason I dont understand the question, is because you do not get to choose. Your insurance company will, or will not, total the car based on the cost of repair and how that compares with the rules for totaling a car in your state.

It looks like, in texas, a summary is (from a quick google)

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What Is Considered a Total Loss in Texas?

wallethub.com

(text from link below)

A car is considered a total loss in Texas when the cost of repairs plus the salvage value is at least 100% of the vehicle’s actual cash value. Actual cash value refers to how much the car was worth immediately before the damage, while the salvage value is the car’s worth in its damaged state.

When a car is totaled according to the Texas totaled car law, the policyholder will receive the car’s actual cash value from the insurance company if the loss was covered. Insurance companies in Texas are also required to pay for applicable taxes and title costs if the policyholder purchases a replacement vehicle.

Texas Total Loss Threshold​

The Texas total loss law is also called a total loss threshold. Threshold systems account for the fact that damage is often more extensive than it appears. For instance, the threshold of 100% assumes that a car with that much damage is likely to have even more problems that won’t be visible until a mechanic starts repairing the car.

Texas Total Loss Law Example​

• Pre-crash value: $15,000
• Cost of repairs: $3,000
• Salvage value: $8,000
• Sum of salvage value plus repair cost: $11,000 (less than 100% of the pre-crash value)
• Result: car is not declared a total loss

In this example, the driver’s car is not totaled according to Texas law because the sum of its repair cost plus its salvage value is less than 100% of its pre-crash value, or actual cash value (ACV).

It’s also worth noting that the vehicle used in this example probably cost more than $15,000 when it was originally purchased. The ACV is meant to reflect the car’s worth in its depreciated state, not the cost of replacing the vehicle. If you want a higher payout in the event of a total loss, you should look into optional coverage add-ons like new car replacement or gap insurance.

For more information on what it means for you if your car is totaled, check out WalletHub’s totaled car guide.
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So, you will not be choosing, so there is no "option for you to take".

 

[8Rnity]

@jjrandorin Thanks. Useful info which I was not aware of.

 

[jjrandorin]

@jjrandorin Thanks. Useful info which I was not aware of.

Sure, Np!

One thing about teslas, is they are both expensive to repair, AND are currently retaining a high value on the used car market. The combination of those things means that the repairs will likely be expensive, and the worth of the car on the salvage market is pretty high. THAT means that teslas sometimes get totaled out for repairs that would not necessarily total another car.

One thing you have to be aware of, is that the body shop you take the car can have an impact on this. Many times, the body shop "wants a job" so they will initially quote a pretty low price to repair. In many cases (most?) the cost to repair goes up, once exterior panels are removed and the total extent of the damage can be seen. Sometimes, at that point, the repair is fully in progress / process, and the insurance company may not want to total the car at that point.

If you want a chance at getting the car totaled out, use a top tier / highly rated (thus usually expensive) shop. Using a tesla repair center would likely be the "most expensive" because I hear they usually replace instead of repair for many parts (thus are more expensive).

I dont know if DFW texas has any tesla body shops, but there are likely tesla approved / authorized ones, and pick one of those (if you are thinking you would rather have the car totaled). No guarantee, but higher cost to repair = more chance of totaling the vehicle.

 

[chickensworth]

I’m dealing with something similar - https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/front-end-damage…-totaled.247606/#post-6218206

so far, my car has not been declared totaled… but I’m hoping after all the back and forth with the insurance company it will be. Its really up to the insurance company and how they value the car… also depending on where you live, the laws may make it more or less likely to be totaled.

hope your resolution is fast and to your satisfaction… my whole process has truly been a pain.

 

[Andy7]

I'm sorry about your accident and hope everyone is OK.

 

[thesmokingman]

Replacement parts are really expensive too and Tesla has not really provided the aftermarket with replacement parts. And really why would they when they have orders for new cars tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands deep? Thus it's often more expensive to fix than to replace a Tesla. The flip side to this is that these totaled cars are worth a lot of money.