Fender bender in Wal Mart parking lot

[Kevin]

The week before Thanksgiving, I was inside Wal Mart. They are remodeling the store and doing some landscaping outside. Well, they drove a forklift into the rear bumper of my truck.

I came outside to see them standing around my truck, parked within the lines as it should be. It was some people from the corporate office. Some field supervisor and the person who was driving the forklift. I wasn’t mad or anything, no one got hurt, just a silly accident.

So I go get two estimates. The first place never bothered to call back, but they told me about $4,000 and a month to repair once they have my truck. The other place said a month also and $6,502.94. Neither place could get started until January.

So I got a call from the Wal Mart insurance guy. He said they would not pay for a rental car for more than a week. He insisted it should only be about a weeks worth of work. Bumper, rear panel and broken tail light. And tail gate needs fixing also.

I thought about it and asked if I could just get a check and then get the truck fixed on my own. They agreed. What do you think? Honestly the damage isn’t that bad.

I’m actually thinking of just getting a new car or truck. What do you think the dealer will say about the bumper? Think this was the right move? I didn’t want a rental car for a month.

Here, give me a couple minutes, I’ll post a picture.

 

[Kevin]

I'm not sure how it can be $6,500. But I haven't had any body damage fixed lately. I think the muffler is bent also. The truck drives normally and the light still works.

 

[Robb Barnes]

I can see those estimates when you throw in the sheet metal body work and repaint from the crumpled area at the end of the bumper.

 

[ronto]

See what a dealer will give you on a trade. Check www.kbb.com and see how much you should ask for a private sale.

 

[Kevin]

Thanks, my wife and I are talking right now. She's all for a new car. This one is barely under warranty, probably until February with the mileage. I'm just hoping the dealer at trade in, won't devalue it more than $6,500 because of the bumper. The rest of the truck is perfect, just a little dirty.

 

[roarindan51]

My ford focus rolled back into a light pole and cracked the rear lens and did a wee crinkle, I drove it like that for a while. When I went to talk trade the dealer said it would be worth it to have it looked at by insurance. They paid for the repair and i got more for trade.

 

[Mobuck]

Take the upfront payment and trade/sell as-is. I know lots of folks who would drive it as-is and not give it a thought.

 

[Uncle Howie]

Take the upfront payment and trade/sell as-is. I know lots of folks who would drive it as-is and not give it a thought.

+1.

I’m not in the market, but that truck is a lot nicer than mine! :mrgreen:

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

Is that a steel or aluminum truck? I read a number of articles when Ford went to aluminum bodies and beds that repair costs involving sheet metal would go way up. Stuff's hard to work with was the explanation. Something like a one hour job on steel could take an hour and a half, maybe two hours, with aluminum. I dunno--that's what they were saying...

Rick C

 

[arfmel]

This is a terrible time to buy a vehicle. There’s a real shortage of new cars and trucks and from what I’ve seen they’re not doing much in the way of negotiating on price. Lots of dealerships around here don’t have even a dozen new vehicles on their lot. Used vehicle prices are sky-high because of this.

I’d hold off on buying until the supply of computer chips become available that are needed to complete the thousands of vehicles sitting in storage lots. There’s gonna be a glut of brand new year old trucks available someday soon.

 

[Mobuck]

Bumpers used to be for protecting the body of the vehicle. Now they're just extensions of trim.

 

[gramps]

Yep, I am in the take the money, and drive it camp. Which is what I have done my whole life. I drive my vehicles till they won’t go anymore. I live in the country, I off road a bit( just coming up my driveway is off Rd lol). “Go on take the money and run!”
gramps

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Dealerships have their own body shop to take care of things like that on trade-in.

 

[mike7mm08]

Right now is a great time to trade in. Dealers are looking for used as new inventory is so lean and getting so expensive. They want something to sell to those that want to replace what they are driving but don't want new or can't afford new.

I recently bought a 21 ram. Took me about three months to find it. Traded a 2012 F150. 150 thousand on it. Both cab corners rusted noticeably. I paid 19000 three years a go for it. I got 17000 on trade. I was shocked. Figured they would hold firm on truck price. Got them to shave 6 grand off the truck as well.

So I would shop it around dealers. Think you will be surprised as to what they might give you for it.

 

[kmoore]

Work out what you will take and then you use the money for any reason you want.
Neighbor just had someone damage his RV siding. He was paid 4500 and will not even fixt it. It is minor and does not create any problems.

 

[Selena]

Do yourself a favor and find some redneck engineer to weld you up an aftermarket bumper. The one on "old Red" is 3/8 inch steel that is bolted to the frame. Not only will it pull wagons full of grain through mudholes nothing short of a 35 mile an hour projectile is going to dent it.

 

[Paul B]

My late stepson did that paintless dent repair and he said it was almost impossible to do it on a Ford with aluminum sheet metal. Something to do with how the metal is stretched when dented. Steel was a lot more malleable, thus easier to repair.
Paul B.

 

[Kevin]

thanks for all the comments. It’s actually a 2020 RAM truck. I understand the problems with buying cars these days. It’s always fun to just look, but holy cow, there is nothing available.

I might just take the money and drive it for another year. Mainly because I thought about a new F150, but a Kings Ranch model is $79,000. And around here they don’t even have the 2022 models, just 2021 still.