My wife was hit yesterday by a a mid 2000s Lexus on the front corner of the GLE. She was a bit rattled as three air bags went off, but I was grateful that the car kept her safe. It spun the GLE 180 degrees.
I think it is likely totaled, it had fresh motor oil running down the wrecker ramp (alot). Passenger door still opened good, some plastic scraping in the jamb.

Anyone know how the what factors the insurance company uses to determine valuation?

 

The old (and probable obsolete) Rule of Thumb was - if the damage exceeds 50% of the Replacement Value (still an important metric), it was a total loss.
Now, however, the phrase "Hidden Damage" is probably a more dominant factor. The don't want to have a continuing claim with "the heater keeps quitting" claims for years - they want to close the claim.
Other factors include how many airbags went off and if there was front cross-member damage.

Your confidence in a repair will likely cause you to trade/sell the car. In the 90's (last time I looked) the figure was that most (>75%?) of people with major damage, traded their car within a year.

I'd say you have two major concerns: Hidden Damage (use that word early and often), and a body shop that "plays the game."
That game is: They underbid the job, so they get the job because it's not 50% of "Replacement Value," then they find Hidden Damage that would exceed their guidelines, but the Insurance company (and you) are trapped because they've already spent 5 figures on "discovery." So they complete the repair.

You've hired the Insurance Company to Make You Whole. That means that 1. the repairs are 100% satisfactory repairs without Hidden Damage, or 2. they have bought you (yes) a substantially similar vehicle (equipment, mileage, warranty...), or 3. they write a check that gives you funds to find that replacement on your own.

Because of the airbag deployment, the value of your car even if 100% OK after repair, will be diminished, because it's the first question asked on a trade or even an Edmund's Used Care Value survey.
The Insurance Company knows All the Above, so the likelihood of a write-off determination is large. Hidden Damage is a nemesis for them, and negotiating around the diminished value is difficult.

What you can do to improve your outcome:
Be proactive in determining the Replacement Value. The Easy Way Out is for the Company to look in a Kelly Blue Book and write a check. (KBB because it's reliably lower than the NADA book value)
a. Do your own research in determining value. Don't let them Low-ball you with a Book Value. (It should be Retail value, not Trade-in.)
b. Shop and find a similar car, one that you would actually consider as a replacement, and say "I want that one. Buy it and deliver it to me."
c. Have your Dealer provide a written appraisal of Your Car Before - retail, or what they would ask. They might write an Opinion Letter because they're helping you buy another one from them (if they're lucky).
d. Shop and find a list of similar cars around the country, to show real world values, today. CarGurus is good at this. Present the cars themselves, determining a realistic Replacement Value.
Your Dealer or Salesperson can be a good (and accepted) source. Have then do a Search for a similar car.

It's all about Making You Whole. "Whole" can be influenced by you.

Glad nobody was hurt.

 

Mikapen, thanks for the input.

I am friends with the general manager of my dealership and he sent me over an email of what they would offer the car for in its pre-damage condition. This will help.

Given the amount of oil that ooozed down the wrecker I think the front sub frame bent in with that side hit and intersected the oil pan. Also the front spring mount (cast aluminum) looked tweaked when I looked in the wheel well.

My thing is if the vehicle is worth about $42k would they total it if the value got past $21k I wonder? Even with the dealer/authorized MB body shop I really would not want to keep it long term due to the extent of the damage.

Bummer is I was enjoying having a car paid off......

 

Look at cargurus listings and enter the necessary information on kbb to get an instant cash offer. You will then know the range.

 

Sorry about your wife's car and I'm happy to hear nobody was hurt. I'm curious, how fast was each vehicle traveling during the impact?

 

I'm sorry about the accident but I'm grateful that your wife wasn't hurt. My engineer father would never keep a car if the frame is bent because he always said that that bent frame area will always be a weak point even if it gets straightened. Looking at the pictures you've provided, there's a good chance that the frame on your vehicle is likely bent. It's important to put the vehicle up on a lift to see what's happened underneath. Vehicles today are designed to absorb the impact of the crash in order to protect the vehicle occupants. These means that that there may well be considerable damage underneath that was done in order to absorb the impact of the crash that's not visible from just looking at the exterior of the vehicle. It never seems to fail that the vehicles that get hit are either paid off or brand new. I had it happen to me with my previous daily driver that I'd had for 7 years. About a month before I traded it it was rear-ended so I understand your frustration on that front.

 

Good question on the speed. My wife says she was doing around 6-8 mph as she was turning, the kids in the Lexus had to be going 25+ mph. It is a school zone and it was pickup time but the impact energy to spin my wifes car 180 degrees had to be more than 25mph in my opinion.

Bummer is the wife was issued a citation for failure to yield.

 

Yeah, the location of the damage is usually prima facie evidence of fault, again by Rule of Thumb. A hit on the front third "usually" indicates At Fault. It can be argued, but it would take some extenuating circumstances. Like the other car speeding and arriving unexpectedly quickly. Looks like a court date will be important.

Good luck. The paid off part hurts.

As far as an insurance write-off, keep saying "hidden damage." I wouldn't be surprised if they take it directly to a salvage yard.

 

This is why I have a dash cam. Answers a lot of questions.

 

Glad no injuries. Insurance companies generally total the vehicle if cost of repair equals or exceeds 75% of its market value.
Re diminution of value, if you're at fault and your insurance company pays, there is likely language in your policy that they don't pay for diminished value on your vehicle. However, if other owner's insurance pays for your repair, then diminution of value is on the table.

 

I did not claim hidden damage loud enough when my wife’s 2018 E class was rear ended last year. The car protected my wife well but there was substantial damage.

I think the body shop played the game of estimating just under 50% so the car was not written off.

Repair took months. Something told me subconsciously I was going to have future problems so we traded it for a new GLE.

I wish I had said hidden damage often and loudly.

 

This shouldn't even be a fight. That's totaled....

You also have the right to reject a car after an accident...

 

There's no way that's getting repaired. Looks like most of the airbags deployed, the entire front right suspension has been obliterated. The impact likely also damaged/shifted the front differential and who know what else was smashed by the lower control arm and halfshaft being pushed over. I'd also be shocked if the right A pillar isn't tweaked and all of the structure that the suspension attaches to is likely mangled. Those are pieces that can't simply be removed and bolted back on.

 

Had a great call with the body shop manager today. He feels like it will not be a fight to get them to total it. The major components are damaged are;

Front Suspension (all), Sub Frame, A pillar structure, Passenger Door, Fender, Hood, Engine is moved over 3" in engine compartment, Evidence from heat shield on fender well it came in contact with engine which is like 4" away, Front rim...etc....

My worst fear was them wanting to repair it, but knock on wood the will determine total loss. Body shop said at 50% of current vehicle worth they begin to consider the likelihood of concealed damage. at 55% and up they will likely recommend total loss on 3 year old car. Scary part is if it was only a year old they would likely repair it!! Should know by the end of the week.

Still impressed how the chassis took the hit.

 

The GLE scores very well with the nhtsa.gov safety tests. 5 star overall and only one 4 star rating for rollover (suv body). It's quite good. Glad no one was seriously hurt.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/ratings

 

Assume insurance company totals the vehicle, then negotiations may be over value. My Nationwide policy has an "Agreed Value" and they would just write the check for that amount if vehicle totaled. If your policy does not have that feature then you may have to negotiate the value. You might go ahead and search cars.com and other online sites to find vehicles comparable to yours in features and mileage to be ready should they try to low-ball you.

 

The GLE held up pretty well all things considered. Those LS are tanks and that cars definitely totaled. The GLE will be totaled, there’s so many little sensors that the price will quickly balloon. On the secondary market that is a easy fix though. The oil spill is probably just a transmission cooler. I had an identical GLE and was rear ended by an older GLE and what looked like a simple fender bender was $8K becauce the tow hitch got tweaked and that alone was over $4K.

 

The speed of the other vehicle won't matter if that vehicle had the right of way. Given all of the damage that the body shop has already noted and the high likelihood of more hidden damage, it sounds to me like it's best to total the vehicle. My engineer father always taught me that vehicles with that level of damage will never be the same as they were before the accident. It's frustrating to total a paid for vehicle but imho, the future safety of anyone driving or riding in the vehicle is more important. Again, I'm grateful that no one was hurt in the accident.

 

The NHTSA is the least comprehensive crash test agency to look at crash data from. Regardless, it still fairs very well every where else it’s been tested.

Definitely totaled.

 

Nothing definitive yet back from Insurance, but everyone on the dealer is in agreement that they will total it. Scary part is you probably could put this back together "cosmetically" and I it makes me even more scared to ever buy a used one. If they offer me what the General Manager told me the FMV, Fair Market Value is it would have only cost me $6,270 per year to own. Not too bad.

Hoping i can get the $1800 in new Michelins that I bought 4 days before the accident included in the value (along with the OEM floor mats/loadspace mats),

 

You will probably need to work the insurance company a bit but they should cover the tires, floor mats not to sure about that one. That truck will be easily rebuilt but it will have a salvage rebuilt title. It might be sent overseas with subtracted mileage where no one would care about that. This is cost effective because it’s a beautiful, highly desired vehicle. They will use used or aftermarket parts and as a branded title vehicle no one will care if it’s only 92-95% perfect, so they have wiggle room. The insurance company would have to make it match pre accident conditions which is allot pricier, and given how many parts makeup a simple bumper now a days it’s usually not cost effective to do so.

 

It will probably go to Coparts, who don't do any dismantling or rebuilding. They sell hulks that are towed away. Maybe parted out by the buyer, or scrapped, or repaired.

 

I could see one of them Youtubers guys buying it and fix it for resale.

 

Oops.