Will it be totaled?

[MX458Dave]

My 2016 90d baby was smoked from behind in a storm. I then hit the median and some other car. Who thinks it will be totaled? I’m not sure which I’d rather, since they both are bad options.

 

[Kuhz]

Image is not coming up. But totaled is better than waiting months for repair.

 

[MX458Dave]

 

[wariqp3d]

Yup. That's a goner.

 

[Keith909man]

Sorry for your lost! Were you rear ended and forced off the road?

 

[MX458Dave]

Slowed down on a downhill for a car that was sliding around. Hit hard from behind. Then tried to maintain control, but ended up slamming into the median. Basically there is damage to all sides, most aluminum panels. All doors did open. Screens went dark. Amazing that the interior is almost pristine. No airbags. No glass broken. We walked away from it. Kid has a concussion from hitting door, roof or dash. Tow truck driver said he’s seen 3 other major Tesla crashes, and thinks this is the safest car on the road, for what that’s worth.

 

[StealthP3D]

I would recommend winter tires for such conditions. It's amazing how much difference they make. People don't like the time and money required but if it saves one accident every 10 years it was worth it! If it saves one life every 1000 years it was worth it.

 

[MX458Dave]

I’m a fan of winter tires. It’s hard to prepare for some yahoo coming at you from behind on ice at high speed though. I’ve been amazed at how good the X does in the winter.

 

[sllvgl]

Slowed down on a downhill for a car that was sliding around. Hit hard from behind. Then tried to maintain control, but ended up slamming into the median. Basically there is damage to all sides, most aluminum panels. All doors did open. Screens went dark. Amazing that the interior is almost pristine. No airbags. No glass broken. We walked away from it. Kid has a concussion from hitting door, roof or dash. Tow truck driver said he’s seen 3 other major Tesla crashes, and thinks this is the safest car on the road, for what that’s worth.

No airbags? Looks like you hit that median pretty hard, why wouldn’t the airbags deploy?

 

[MX458Dave]

Isn’t that amazing? I think the front and back ends of the Tesla absorbed it mostly. We got tossed inside a bit, but the airbags might have made it worse, not better. not sure how it works, but there may not have been enough energy transfer inside to justify the bags. Which is a good thing.

 

[brkaus]

No airbags? Looks like you hit that median pretty hard, why wouldn’t the airbags deploy?

Air bags are dangerous and should only deploy if absolutely necessary. The computer measures speed, deceleration, and likely a few other parameters (rotation?) to decide if they are necessary. The greater crumple zone may allow the car to avoid airbags.

I know people that have broken bones, bruises, and burns from air bags. Yes, it probably saved their lives but not something to be used in all circumstances.

 

[Obsoletion]

My wife was driving our P85+ with our 17yo daughter going around 50 mph when a car pulled out in front of her, she drove straight into the drivers side door. The airbags are what hurt them the worst. But.... maybe it stop them from hitting the steering wheel and dash.

 

[brkaus]

My wife was driving our P85+ with our 17yo daughter going around 50 mph when a car pulled out in front of her, she drove straight into the drivers side door. The airbags are what hurt them the worst. But.... maybe it stop them from hitting the steering wheel and dash.

Probably hurt and saved all at the same time.

 

[CRASHER]

Glad you are safe. The car is not total, probably still drivable if powered up. Looks bad, but I have seen worse been repaired. Do ask your insurance for devaluation compensation, that may make them to reconsider their decision.

 

[OrbiterTI4]

Without pushing on the insurance company by your part, probably not a total.

Because airbags did NOT deploy, there will be a diminished value hit, but probably not "severe". That said, even a 10% DV payout, along with Tesla rental rate for the multiple months a repair would take, could push the car to "totaled" territory if you want to go that route. (Assuming this has been accepted by the insurance company of the driver who hit you from the rear and not as a first-party claim.)

(Speaking from my experiences as detailed in Collision, Repair and DV/LoU Lawsuit: My Nearly 500 Days of Fun).

Good luck.

 

[MX458Dave]

I read that whole thread with great interest, thanks. I’ll let you know what the insurance says. Total is not great, as I don’t become whole. Repair is not great, because of issues forever and lost value. Weird how you can have expensive insurance, but if someone hits you, you lose.

 

[MX458Dave]

For anyone’s interest, the answer was yes, it was completely totaled by my insurance company.

 

[jboy210]

For anyone’s interest, the answer was yes, it was completely totaled by my insurance company.

I think that is the best outcome. If they would have repaired it you would have been out of a car for months. And likely have to deal with suing the guy that hit you diminished value since no one pays top $ for a car that has been in a wreck.

Now you can move on to a replacement vehicle.

 

[OrbiterTI4]

Sympathies on losing the car, congrats on avoiding repair and rental absurdness.

Out of curiosity, was an estimate generated, or did insurance not want to bother? Was the offered amount fair?

 

[MX458Dave]

Insurance company took the car and did it’s own evaluation. Offered me $83k. That doesn’t buy me a new one, but does buy me a similar one. I wouldn’t have been able to sell mine at that price. But I was happy with my car. It had all the work done. It had no issues.