Hey y'all,

You guys helped me so much the last few years and finally got my 1991 Dakota 2 door 2wd 3.9l running pretty darn good. It has less that 160.000 miles on it and has been serving me well....until yesterday when a mindless motorist hits me hard on the front left corner of the truck.
I'll get the police report tomorrow and it will show the other driver at fault. Aside from my injuries, the Ins. co. will probably want to Total my truck rather than get it fixed.
Anyone had this experience? The truck is unsafe right now - hood won't close completely and I think a control arm is bent cause it's pulling to the right now and I can't find that part anywhere - even if i did find the parts, no one in town will work on it.

Any idea what I can look forward to here? I fear I'll only get a couple thousand and be without a vehicle to drive.

Oh- i live in mississippi
thanks

 

A lot depends on which insurance company you deal with. With the current shortage of new vehicles, a lot of cars that would have been totaled are being fixed instead. If a control arm is bent, yeah, it can be fixed. If the frame is bent, the repair cost will be prohibitive.If that's the case, yes, it may be a total loss. I see similar Dakotas for sale from time to time. Some are reasonable and some are way too high for what they are. You might want to post some pictures of your truck as it sits now.

If the insurance company of the other driver wants to total the truck, see if you can get them to replace it instead of cash. They might be able to get a better vehicle at auction than you can buy on the open market.

I was in a similar position back in the 80's. I was hit from behind and my truck was visibly bent. They fixed it, but it wasn't ever right after that. Then again, I was at a dead stop letting an ambulance through an intersection and the impact shoved me half a block.

 

https://imgur.com/a/CUqkOUX

that link is to 'Imagur'. that's the only way I know how to post pics.

 

Had not heard of them possibly offering a replacement vehicle. when i get the report tomorrow, i'll be calling them. My disability lawyer said monday thet he'd be willing to inform me of all the options and advise me.

 

My truck got totaled almost 20 years ago. I kept it and fixed it. Good decision. I still have it and it runs and looks like a charm. But I was fortunate the frame wasn't bent. If it was, buh bye! It was mostly body work so I hired that out. Dash next to pass door is cracked up. Couple other small cracks in dash but can't really see any of it. Squirrel cage in blower would rattle now and again but that stopped about 10 years ago. Probably ground down whatever it was hitting.

Ol Grouch offers some good advice.

 

I hear you on your rear end crash. I got hit from behind once, the car was okay but my neck has never been the same.

 

Glad to hear you can out on repairing your totalled truck (didn't you have to get a salvage title after?) Thanks for the input Bronze and yes, that ol Grouch does indeed always seems to have good advice!

 

Ouch, that looks like you'll need a fender, inner fender, bumper, radiator support, headlight assembly, headlight door as well as the mechanical parts you've mentioned. The hood may be reusable although it might need a little straightening. It's going to be really close. That's assuming the frame isn't bent. The suspension collapse SHOULD have taken the brunt, but there again, it'll be close.



I copied the photo and posted it here for you.

Let's see what the insurance people say. Anything else is just speculation.

 

I know you're right on that sir; i'll likely have to let the scrap yard take it, get all the money I can from the ins. co and then fix up the '94 while i shop for something else. this has really rocked my world - like something is stealing life from me.
My mom's been in a nursing home here for a year and I have her 96 honda accord that runs - but it's got 330000 miles on it so that's another risky venture. i'm sure that timing belt is about to snap.
Hard to stay positive these days but I still have to hope!

 

Well, as long as that Honda was taken care of it should keep running. Those things are hard to kill. But yeah, if that rubber timing belt goes it’s bye bye. I’m pretty sure that’s an interference engine.