My Truck was crashed into ....replace or repair ?

[Black06ram]

Saturday 3/10/18 at 9:30 pm I had just come from visiting with my parents, my brother and his wife and his two young daughters in New Providence. My brother is getting deployed to Iraq this week, so that weekend he flew up to visit with family for a few days prior to deployment (USMC 9 yrs). So, I was traveling westbound on RT 10 in Parsippany in the right hand lane at the normal speed along with traffic. In an instant there was a car that pulled out right into the lane I was traveling in. They were unable to see me (and I had been unable to see them) because there was a 4 foot tall snowbank at the area where they were to merge into traffic. They had pulled out from the exit driveway of the Hilton Hotel, onto Rt 10 westbound. There were other vehicles in the lanes nearby me, so if I had swerved fully around this vehicle, I probably would have caused a multi-car wreck and that would have been worse. I did my best to brake and squeeze past the vehicle that just jumped out into the road, but the truck is so wide that my front passenger side hit their rear drivers side. It was inescapable. Nobody was injured and I was not at fault for the accident. However the damage was more than just a fender-bender, and now I am stuck sadly with a busted up truck and an array of options to more forward with.

After looking the truck over, aside from the obvious body damage (core support, hood, passenger and driver side fender, passenger front door, blend paint on both sides, bumper, grill, lower valence, headlight) the steering knuckle was snapped off at the lower mount. you can see it in the wheel photos. the upper mount ball joint looks to have simply popped out as the wheel assembly disconnected. The A-arm is still attached to the frame and although it was probably ground down from the blacktop, does not look twisted or tweaked. I happen to have brand new EBC rotors and pads, as well as brand new bilstein shocks sitting in my garage($800 total)....that I had just freaking ordered 4 days prior to the fateful crash. . The wheel and tire is trashed. The front wheel hub/bearing I had just installed in early February actually too.


My options are, to take the $12,500 payout from State Farm and buy a "replacement" truck of the same caliber, while totaling mine and sending it off to the car graveyard (a very sad thought for me)

or perhaps to buy it back from them, have it repaired using the money paid tome by State Farm, and have a salvage title....with a hopefullyfully fixed truck.

I have had a difficult time making this decision since I was really really attached to that truck. I was hoping to have it towed to a trusted body shop for an evaluation (at my own cost) to help me use their expert advice to make my final decision. However, They suggested to send them a few photos of the damage first.


Attached is a link to an album of all of the related truck crash photos.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/123927...57692930075421



I have spent countless hours over the last 8 days looking at trucks for sale to "match" my truck. I am stuck in my ways and want to get soemthing very similar. 2002-2008 Dodge Ram 1500 in black with a crew cab and short bed. 2wheel drive is what I was used to, but 4 wheel is a bonus. I have driven to test drive and see many trucks in the past few days, some of them I immediately crossed off my list and some I am still considering.. but I am on a time crunch.

My top choice is this one in North jersey:
https://newjersey.craigslist.org/cto...535341906.html
I looked at it for 90 minutes yesterday and it is very very clean (inside, outside, underside) 36,000 miles since 2005. I will have to remove all the "chrome" dress up pieces he put on it, but that should not be a big deal. 2wheel drive is fin. interior is clean but does nothave all sorts of modern features (and I am ok with that). the guy also had a 68 camaro project car in the garage. he is selling this because his wife convinced him to get a brand new chevy equinox instead since he is getting older (+65). it is truly mint, with only one small body damage are in the drivers side bed by the tail light. truck was only posted for sale sunday 3/18/18 and I called within hours of the posting to get first shot at it.
https://newjersey.craigslist.org/cto...535341906.html


https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/1D7HU18278S509642
My second choice is this one, which I also saw and drove yesterday. It ha 100,000 iles on it, but is 4x4. The interior is pretty good, some expected cosmetic stuff. It has some extra interior features, including the power sliding rear window that I like. Underside has some rust, and this one has the begining of the typical "dodge rot" which is that the inside lip of the rear wheel wells begins to rust. engine ran strong and 4wheel drive works. will need all 4 tires asap. has been on hte sale lot for 5 months.
https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/1D7HU18278S509642



otherwise, these were some of the others on my list:

. 2006 SLT black 48,000 miles $17,500 connecticut (overpriced)
http://www.roadreadyusedcars.com/200...9/Details.aspx

. 2007 1500 slt 108,000 $13.9k Lakewood nj SALE PENDING
https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/1D7HA18267S248866

. 2007 1500 slt 101,000 $13.9 hatboro PA
https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/1D7HU18277S168743

. 2008 1500 SLT no photos RWD 54,000 $13.5k connecticut
https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/1D7HA16228J197800


. 2008 silverado Z71 extended cab $14,900 83,000 miles Kenvil (cab too small)
https://www.autoconnectmotors.net/in...tails/38108170

. 2010 SLT $16,900 68,000 miles woodbridge
https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/...520387448.html

. 2008 SLT blue 61,000 $16000 ct
https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/1D7HU18268J126023

. 2006 Laramie Blue 82,000 $13,000 New york state
https://www.affordableimport.net/200...Y_14837240.veh

. 2009 Silverado Z71 black 99,000 miles $16,9000 allentown
https://www.carfax.com/vehicle/2GCEK23M891127297


. 2008 1500 black 108,000 $7,000 Chester NJ (SOLD)
https://newjersey.craigslist.org/cto...528417483.html

 

[MADDOG]

Don't know why you are wasting time here. You should buy that 2005 NOW!

Also, make sure anything you get what want off your old truck before they lock it up and break it down.

 

[Black06ram]

I left the guy $100 as a "deposit" and asked him to hold off for a few days with potential other buyers while the insurance paperwork is finalized. He was very cool and understood. I told him if things dont change by the end of the week I will be back with the balance of the $.. and if things do change, he can keep the $100 for his troubles and for waiting. That truck WILL sell quick if I don't buy it.

I checked and my EBC brakes and rotors as well as the 4 bilstein shccks will bolt right up to the 2005. I'll have to see if this truck "needs" them yet or if I'll keep them for the future.

I pulled the subwoofer and amplifier out of the truck already. I plan on taking my K&N air filter out also. I asked them about my $700 magnaflow cat back exhaust and they said I can NOT take it unless I replace it with another exhaust. I will be going there in 2 hours from now to take off the license plates, maybe pull some of the "dodge Ram" and "hemi" badges off of it for the garage.

i also have the reinstall the foctory tune with my Diablo InTun so that I can unlock and use the Diablo on the next truck. or If i fix this one, reinstall the tunes later on


man, that truck was so damn nice, such a mint truck. it had too short of a life. heartbroken about it still.. probably will be for a LONG time

 

[Ian_Olivas]

My wheel bearings broke while I driving about 2 weeks and I was rolling down the road at 50mph for about 100 yards with no brakes cause the caliper broke off with the wheel, and I am fixing mine up. The truck has alot of sentimental value that can not be replaced and I'm dedicated to making that girl drive for 1million miles. I might be like 70 years old when it happens though lol.

Well point of my sad truck story is, it is doable to repair. I would have it checked for frame damage first before you decide cause frame damage is really expensive to fix. But the fenders cost $77 on summit a new bumber is a little over $200, now you will need a new a rack and pinion cause it looks like the tire ripped the tie rod out of the rack! And you'll probably want to get 2 new lower control arms and then upper control arm, lower ball joint, inner & outer tie rod ends and new sway bar links. New shocks for sure and since you're going through the trouble of all that a set of new coil springs is $100 might as well do it since impact could have cause some sort of structural damage to that passemger coil spring. If you're mechanically inclined you can get this running and rolling yourself so you don't have to pay for labor. And then drive it to the paint shop. I can't send you a list of all the parts that you need and prices if you would like cause I'm basically in the same boat as you with mine I just don't have hood and door damage. I was very lucky and only ended up with a banged up fender, my bumper and door was magically saved somehow

 

[Jarhead57]

I'm with maddog, I would take that 2005. It sounds and looks like sweet deal.

 

[Black06ram]

Thanks guys. I went there yesterday to look at the truck again. Its a shame because once I jacked it up and let it sit "level" body panels (like the door area) began to fall back in place. I do understand that much of the damage lies beneath and it would have to be put on a proper frame jig with lots of measuring. If I had the time, space to store it, and money, I would without a doubt buy it with intentions to repair it over the summer somehow. problem is, I don't have the time space or money.

I took off the license plates yesterday, pulled off some of the HEMI and Dodge Ram badges, and reinstalled the factory tune with the Diablo InTune. Signed some release paperwork, and took more photos (added to the album in flickr the link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/123927...57692930075421


Called state farm and they will be cutting me a check in exchange for the title. It will be taken by Copart, where it is stock #29478918 and be heading to Somerville/Hillsborough NJ for an online auction. From there, who knows.. hopefully someone can/will use everything else off of it for a good purpose.


I will probably be moving forward with the 2005 since that one I feel is the most mechanically un-molested. I will have to spend a good amount of time taking off the dress-up chrome pieces on it. Aside from goof-off what is another good product to use to spray behind the chrome pieces (on the lower part of the cab) to loosen up the glue/adhesive on the backside of those?
Also I am not a huge fan of those style wheels. I really liked the style wheels my truck had, so maybe I should plan on a swap. what do you guys think, do you think it is realistic for me to put those wheels up for sale? Are Ram owners even in the market for those anymore? Shipping cost would suck.

 

[kwb377]

I really liked the style wheels my truck had, so maybe I should plan on a swap. what do you guys think, do you think it is realistic for me to put those wheels up for sale? Are Ram owners even in the market for those anymore? Shipping cost would suck.

Someone will buy the wheels if you decide to swap. I just bought a set of chrome wheels/tires off a '15 model for $400 from a member here this past weekend (we were close enough to drive and meet w/o having to deal w/ shipping). I turned around and listed my wheels/tires (same as yours in the photos) for $500 yesterday on CL and they're already sold and gone.

You should be able to find the wheels you want and then recoup your money if you're patient.

 

[Black06ram]

Thanks again guys.

I did end up buying the 2005 and I am very happy with it. There is one engine isue that surfaced a few days after I bought it so I am desperately tryign to get it figured out.

I created a separate post for it here:
http://www.ramforum.com/threads/my-brand-new-to-me-2005-rams-odd-engine-issue.118032/


I will always always miss the 2006 as it was really good to me. This 2005 is a proper replacement due to the circumstances, and it will get very good treatment by me for years to come. I just hope to solve the engine stalling issue (that apparently never existed until this week).


LINK BELOW for photos of the new truck. I will get way better photos after I pull off the chrome trim and clean it up a bit more. I wil probably sell off the wheels after I find a set I like in a few months time

https://www.flickr.com/photos/123927173@N02/albums/72157695126717895