Here is what I know so far on getting my 04 truck repaired. The damage is probably around $8000, although not official yet. The reputable repair shop says there is minor frame damage that they can easily straigten. Nothing serious. ummm, good as new.

so I called my dodge dealer. He says if I trade it in they will probably reduce the value by 25-30% . Now I should be able to recover this "diminished value" from the insurance company.

Everyone so far agrees, get the diminshed value and trade it in.
What say you?

 

If you can get the difference from the insurance company, order an '05!!

 

I'll tell you this, if there was frame damage, minor or not, the truck will never drive the same again.. Id be trading in if it were me.,... of course, then dodge will more than likely fix it, and sell it to some unsuspecting customer, who will then have nothing but issues with it.. not to mention rattles... But thats the reality f a vehicle once its been in an accident.
Scott

 

So what's the question
I just can't believe that you aren't driving a NEW 05 or at least one hell of a deal on an 04.5

 

I'd ditch it! Been there and done it. When it happened to me, I bought from the dealer I towed it to and did the deal there. Just my input, nothing else. Good Luck! By the way, my deal worked well for both sides.

 

No doubt I'd trader her in for an 05, but you'll probably take a sizeable $ loss on all the tax, license, and extra's you've put on it (i.e. your signature list of goodies). $8000 is really not that much to repair a brand new $40,000 truck.

 

That truck looks like a good candidate for a flatbed/tractor setup... or maybe not because it's a SWB.

What rear ended you? Aside from the "minor frame damage" and lots of body damage is any of the suspension/axle/shocks/brakes/fuel tank messed up???

How much would the dealer give you for it?

 

Yeah, I agree with the others... trade it if you can. They might be able to repair it to where you can't tell at first, but a year or so down the road, it might be driving crooked (crabbing) down the road, have a door or body panel that doesn't fit quite right, sqeaks/rattles, etc. Also, if you're obsessive/compulsive like me, even if you don't experience any significant problems with it, it will be in the back of your mind, making you constantly question whether it's right or not. Plus, when you go to sell it down the road, you might have trouble finding a buyer since it was in an accident.


On a sort of related note, I thought I was going to be in the same boat as you after this morning. Got stuck in front of some dumb (enter expletive of choice here) woman in her minivan... not paying the slightest attention to the road. Not even kidding, she almost rear-ended me SIX times!! I was keeping a close eye on her... she kept looking down and messing with something between the front seats, then something on her lap, only glancing up to see the road occasionally. She was veering over the lines, falling back as we accelerated, then flying up behind me when coming to a stop. A few times she had to hit the brakes so hard that her van was ducking to one side or another and all I could see over my tailgate was the top of her van! I was waiting to see smoke from her fronts locking up. On several occasions, I tried to "gesture" to her that I was displeased with her driving, but of course she wasn't paying attention. I can't believe people like this are allowed on the roads. Some people never learn, it never even phased her. One near miss should make you pay attention, two should make you pull over and collect yourself (and perhaps change your shorts)... 6 should make you admit yourself into a mental hospital. I wish I was a cop in situations like that, I would have revoked her license!

 

If your not going to get a fair price from the dealer, it might be better to let a body shop fix it then trade it for a new 05 at another dealer. There shouldn't be a reconstruction title since it wasn't totaled. I don't know if they do a carfax when they take in a trade.

 

That won't matter, There is some paper work that asks if there were any repairs or was it wrecked if it cost more thatn a certian $ amount then you have to report it, beside if yo take it to a DODGE dealler then it will be in the computer system that they use to track the VIN's

 

Too soon to tell about any of the $$ stuff. The insurance Co hasn't yet figured things out. Then I'll call my dodge dealer.

I was hit by a Grand Prix, it's totaled. Don't think any of the items above that you listed are damaged, but again, the estimates are not yet complete.

By the way, I did talk to my dealer, and he said they would not sell a repaired damaged truck. If they took it on trade they would broker it out. I probably won't know everything till next week.

So I guess it's Unanimous, trade it in. Now what color.

 

Beavermike, could let me know how much the dealership would give you for it before you trade it in?

I might be interested in buying it if the price is right.

(Get them to quote you really low on your new truck order since you're trading in and then sell it to me !)

 

Trade it in! Now would be a good time for a deal on a 2004.5!


And to Biggrigg, Lord save me from Mini-vans!