Everybody seems ok, and that is the important thing. My son had an accident in our new-to-us Prius. It is a 2013 Five with Adv. Tech Package. We've never had an accident claim. It wasn't too bad, but the front bumper will need to be replaced, the driver's headlight, and there is a gap between the hood and driver's front fender. Also, I need to make sure the Adv. Tech is still working fine. There is no liquid dripping anywhere. Of course it is dark out and I may discover something else in the morning. It is so frightening to think of what could have happened. The intersection where it happened has been in the news as being dangerous, the town is considering changing the traffic pattern, and the police even brought that up to our son. Does anyone have recommendations of what else to specifically look for, regarding the Prius? Does anyone have recommendations of body shops South of Boston, or, should we take it to a dealer? I know that we need to have it looked at prior to accepting an adjustor's estimate, but I am not really sure how to go about this. The Adv. Tech package/radar is just behind where the impact happened. Any and all advice welcome! Thank you!!! ps - air bags did not deploy.
Most larger dealers have good shops -- Is your local dealer a stand alone or part of a group? The insurance company will do an initial estimate. This to determine if they feel the car is totaled. Just a matter of taking it to a shop you feel comfortable with after they determine that will fix -- all shops work with insurance companies ... it's very common to find additional damage once things get opened up. The insurance company will do a supplemental and normally pay the shop directly. I'm assuming you have collision coverage .. and your son was "at fault" ? Another car involved?
Ouch. I feel your pain. I have two local dealers with good body shops. Ask your local dealers who does their body work then check out the shops. The shops should warranty their work so if there is a problem the dealer can't point fingers. Schedule a Prius rental so the car will be there when you drop the patient off. The avionics & the inverter are going to be the biggest concerns. With the nose scrunched the AT is not going to be working fine. In NJ if the shop is pre-approved an adjustor won't look at the car. That will be handled between the shop & the insurance company. When you are getting estimates ask the shop if they will accept the insurance settlement as payment in full. Depending on your coverage you may only be out the deductible and a portion of the rental. If you don't have collision on your car and the driver is at fault then all of it is on you. Get estimates from at least two shops. Talk to them about how they intend to repair the car. Ask the guy about how they match the paint. What happens if they can't get the sensors or radar aligned? Test the systems in the lot as best you can before accepting delivery. When they are done you shouldn't be able to tell it was hit.
I'd second asking your dealership for a recommendation, worked for us: we've been using the same place for 25 years, for various makes of cars. Check their online reviews too, for sure.
