# Does my car look like it's totaled? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** corolla, toyota\ **Created:** [December 22, 2022, 11:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-car-look-like-its-totaled/188087 "2022-12-22T23:07:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![vaydrioness\_183446](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/9d8465/32.png) [@vaydrioness\_183446](https://community.cartalk.com/u/vaydrioness_183446)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 11:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-car-look-like-its-totaled/188087/1 "2022-12-22T23:07:27Z")
Hi, I wanted some feedback on my situation. I got into an accident recently and was trying to determine what plans I needed to make. The front tire was flung off during the accident, and the passenger side door had to be forced open. I understand ultimately I have to wait for the mechanics findings but wondered if anyone could give a guess based on similar situations as far as how this looks. My car is a 2017 Corolla LE. [https://i.imgur.com/LAFlfcZ.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/LAFlfcZ.jpg) [https://i.imgur.com/Hu6IcfI.jpg](https://i.imgur.com/Hu6IcfI.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2022, 11:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-car-look-like-its-totaled/188087/2 "2022-12-22T23:12:36Z")
It makes no difference what anyone thinks by your pictures . That will be done by the insurance adjuster . Of course you did not say who was at fault or even where you live . I am until not even going to look at the pictures because the major damage might not even be seen from the pictures . ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 1:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-car-look-like-its-totaled/188087/3 "2022-12-23T01:37:32Z")
Looks repairable to me ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 2:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-car-look-like-its-totaled/188087/4 "2022-12-23T02:21:19Z")
On a 5-year old Corolla, it all depends on what the estimate comes out to be As said, it IS repairable, but it may need more than just body work I don’t personally think the repair will exceed the value of the car, but it might be close Who knows . . . maybe the adjuster will move to total the car? ---
**Author:** ![TheWonderful90s](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thewonderful90s/32/29584_2.png) [@TheWonderful90s](https://community.cartalk.com/u/TheWonderful90s)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 2:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-car-look-like-its-totaled/188087/5 "2022-12-23T02:26:47Z")
IF the door was stuck because the fender was pushed in to it then it shouldn’t be totaled. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 2:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-car-look-like-its-totaled/188087/6 "2022-12-23T02:31:21Z")
There could be a lot of hidden damage that the pics don’t show. Really impossible to tell. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 2:32am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-car-look-like-its-totaled/188087/7 "2022-12-23T02:32:30Z")
> [@TheWonderful90s](#): > > IF the door was stuck because the fender was pushed in to it then it shouldn’t be totaled. Unfortunately, it’s not always that simple One of my coworkers had an accident which looked FAR less serious than OP’s One of the doors wouldn’t open properly It was determined the cost to properly fix the car would exceed its value ---
**Author:** ![bcohen2010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@bcohen2010](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bcohen2010)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 2:34am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-car-look-like-its-totaled/188087/8 "2022-12-23T02:34:54Z")
This is a 5-year old Corolla with relatively minor (visible) damage. It is still worth a considerable amount of money. All of the necessary parts will be readily available, both from Toyota (OEM) or from the aftermarket. This is not a 20-year old car, which is fully depreciated, and parts no longer available. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 2:39am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-car-look-like-its-totaled/188087/9 "2022-12-23T02:39:21Z")
If the unibody is tweaked to the point that the door posts are messed up, causing the doors to not open up and align properly, maybe it will get totaled Body shop hours add up in a hurry and that bill will get huge ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 5:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-car-look-like-its-totaled/188087/10 "2022-12-23T05:16:06Z")
Is the driver side wheel at the same angle as the front passenger side wheel? My guess is close to totalled, if it was a lease hope it has gap insurance. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 5:29am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-car-look-like-its-totaled/188087/11 "2022-12-23T05:29:37Z")
Doesn’t look too bad, $6,000 to $10,000. Request a rental car while they sort this out. Unlikely a 6-year-old car is leased. Suspension damage is a given however not the greatest expensive of the repair. ---
**Author:** ![old\_mopar\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/6bbea6/32.png) [@old\_mopar\_guy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/old_mopar_guy)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 5:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-car-look-like-its-totaled/188087/12 "2022-12-23T05:42:56Z")
The insurance carrier i worked for had a hard rule: if the estimated cost of repairs exceeded 70% of the car’s actual cash value, it was totalled. ---
**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 11:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-car-look-like-its-totaled/188087/13 "2022-12-23T11:31:29Z")
We had a 2015 Mazda 3 that was involved in a freak hail storm. While the car was perfectly fine mechanically…the roof, hood, and rear hatch looked like a golf ball. Insurance ended up totaling that car. It was a shock to me. On the bright side… insurance paid us nearly 2X what we’d paid for the car barely 2 years prior. The used car market is a little crazy right now. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 2:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-car-look-like-its-totaled/188087/14 "2022-12-23T14:51:31Z")
> [@db4690](#): > > One of my coworkers had an accident which looked FAR less serious than OP’s > One of the doors wouldn’t open properly > It was determined the cost to properly fix the car would exceed its value +1 When my friend’s 5 year old Accord suffered a side impact, at first it looked like the only damage was to the driver’s side front and rear doors. However, a _very slight_ buckling of the roof adjacent to the rear door led to the car being totaled. ---
**Author:** ![dhallis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@dhallis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/dhallis)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2022, 4:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/does-my-car-look-like-its-totaled/188087/15 "2022-12-23T16:01:42Z")
I didn’t look at the pictures, because even if I did I would have no idea whether your particular car is going to be totaled: I’ve got no idea what the car is worth. I’ve got no idea what the parts cost for it. No idea what your insurance company’s policies are regarding totaling a car. No idea what your state’s laws are which would drive the insurance co’s policies on totaling a car. So you’ve got a smashed up car. Don’t be surprised with anything that comes from the adjuster! I was shocked 5 years ago when our $30,000 SUV was totaled. It looked like one tire was damaged and some front fender damage. I drove it to the body shop, about 2 miles. Turned out the front axle was bent and the frame was bent. Even the drive shaft to the rear wheels was bent. There was $25,000 worth of damage. Insurance totaled it. On the other hand a deer ran into our beloved, but very old Solara Convertible (worth about $8,000). The whole front end and windshield looked severely bashed in from bumper to windsheld. The car had to be towed. It sure looked totaled. But parts were cheap and there was no frame damage. Total damage estimate was about $3500 I was given the choice of repair or a check for $8,000. We love the car, it has low miles. It was an easy repair.