Any car driver knows that a car accident is not fun. The result of an accident, whether it be a collision with another car or an object, will result in serious damage and high repair or replacement costs. If you have a dented bumper, scratched paint, or broken tail light from a crash, you need to look into the rear-end collision repair cost. You may be surprised to find the answer ‘can a rear end collision total a car’ is YES – the repair cost is between $50 and $1,500, depending on the extent of the damage.
⚠️ If It's Broken, Don't Fix It - Get Paid Cash for Your Vehicle ⚠️
Five Serious Rear End Collisions
To get an idea of the answer to ‘can a rear end collision total a car,’ you need to be aware of five serious and most common rear end collision scenarios that can cause expensive repairs and replacements in your car.
-
Paint and Exterior Damage
When asking yourself can a rear end collision total a car, you need to look at the exterior and aesthetic damage that can occur after an accident. One common price you will have to pay for the rear-end collision repair cost is from deep paint scratches. Like most of these repairs, this fix’s total price depends on the scratches’ damage and location.
- If you have scratches on your rear bumper, the single enamel paint repair will run between $300 and $1,000, depending on your vehicle.
-
Cracked Rear Windshield
If you are researching can a rear end collision total a car, you need to look into the total repair and replacement cost for a cracked rear windshield. Although less common, the sheer impact can cause the glass to crack on your car. In most cases, this should require a small deductible. However, if you are not insured, this repair can be hundreds.
- The car owner can easily repair a small crack or chip to save on the overall rear-end collision repair cost. Repairing one small crack will set you back around $110, while it will cost upwards of $400 on more expensive cars.
- Some owners can pay upwards of $1,000-$2,000 on the rear-end collision repair cost for their windshield for more extensive damage from a high-speed rear-end collision.
-
Dented Bumper
If you are slowly reversing out of a parking spot and get hit in the back of the car by another vehicle, this can result in a dented bumper. When asking yourself can a rear end collision total a car, you need to keep in mind the longevity of your bumper. Bumper repair prices vary depending on the severity and location of the damage. If you have a luxury car and the dented bumper is across the entire back of the car, this will result in a higher rear-end collision repair cost than an older or used vehicle.
-
- Pricing to replace a bumper ranges from only a few hundred dollars on the low-end of the spectrum for an average car, while it can extend to thousands of dollars on a luxury or high-end sports performance car. If the damage is only minimal, you can prevent asking yourself can a rear end collision total a car.
- Today, the average price of the dented bumper repair is between $350 and $450 for most vehicles on the market.
-
Suspension Damage
Costs can vary spending on the damage of your car and the make and model of your vehicle. The suspension system is typically made up of various parts that all require different repairs and replacements.
- A full-suspension replacement when adding up the rear-end collision repair cost is around $5,000.
- You may also need to replace other parts that could be damaged in an accident or rear-end collision. Some of these fixes include repairing the strut and shock absorbers for between 4488 and $597, performing a wheel alignment for between $115 and $302, and replacing the ball joints for between $225 and $285.
-
Rear-End Collision Damage
When determining can a rear end collision total a car, the most common scenario is that you have suffered from rear-end damage from getting hit by another vehicle. According to the NHTSA safety board, nearly 2 million rear-end collisions in the US harm or kill drivers or passengers.
- When paying the rear-end collision repair cost, drivers can expect to pay upwards of $10,000 for a bumper that has been severely bent in a crash.
- In this case, you need to ask your mechanic can a rear end collision total a car?
-
Engine and transmission Concerns
The next category of problems that can be caused by rear end collision damage includes potential engine and transmission damage that can lead to hefty repair prices. The impact of a rear end collision can sometimes be so severe and harsh that it pushes the frame and structure of the front of your car backward, causing internal damage to the manor components.
If the engine and transmission are no longer working correctly, this can help answer the question of ‘can a rear end collision total a car?’
-
- Rebuilding an engine in your car is typically between $2,500 and $4,000 in most vehicles. In addition, purchasing a used engine can be bought for as little as $400 and as much as $700 depending on the make, model, and year of your car.
- If you decide to go with a full engine replacement, the total price of this procedure can cost upward of $6,000 in some luxury or high-end vehicles.
- Replacing your transmission typically costs around $2,600.
-
Steering System Damage
The steering mechanism, like the steering column, and the driving systems, like the brake and gas pedal, is crucial to keeping your car on the road, keeping the vehicle in control, and ensuring you do not sustain any front end collision damage.
The driving mechanisms, like the CV axles, transaxle, and driveshaft, all work together in tandem to prevent any safety concerns or performance issues. The impact from a car accident or a fender bender can end up leading to front end collision damage that can lead to a high repair cost.
- Replacing a car’s transaxle typically costs between $3,000 and $6,000 for the transaxle pat itself. The labor adds a few thousand dollars to the equation, since this complicated fix can take hours to complete. The labor will increase the total transaxle replacement cost by between $800 and $1,500.
- Replacing the CV axle in your vehicle is usually between $1053 and $1218, with the labor costs between $141 and $178 and the cost of the pats between $912 and $1040.
- Finally, replacing the driveshaft is typically between $320 and $750 for the average cost of the parts, while the labor will add an additional $150 to $200 for around 2-3 hours of work.
What is a totaled car?
A totaled car is a vehicle that has a very high cost of repair. If the cost of this repair is higher than the value of the car, then it is considered not worth it to do any repairs or replacements. However, if you want to refurbish your own, you can keep the costs as low as possible. You need to find the answer for can a rear end collision total a car when looking at replacement prices.
- For example, if your car was worth around $2,000 before an accident or structural damage, and the insurance company's estimate for repairs is over this number, the answer to ‘can you fix a totaled car’ is NO in this instance. When the repairs cost more than the car is worth, the car is considered a complete loss – in this case, the answer is ‘yes’ to can a rear end collision total a car.
Even if you want to repair your car since you like your vehicle, the insurance company is sometimes still required by law to register your vehicle as a complete loss. Once your car is totaled, you will be issued a salvage or salvage certificate. This means that your car, without any repairs or fixes, cannot be driven, registered, or sold. In this instance, you will find the answer is ‘yes’ to can a rear end collision total a car?
Typically, cars are totaled when the damage to the vehicle exceeds between 65% or 70% of the vehicle’s market value. This means that if the car’s repairs or replacement prices are higher than a certain amount of money, it will not be worth paying for the procedures.
Can a rear end collision total a car?
The short answer is, yes – a rear end collision can total a car.
If you find that you have been in an accident, your vehicle might be declared a total loss. In this case, when asking the mechanic can a rear end collision total a car, they will tell you the next steps of what to do with your insurance company to avoid spending hefty replacement costs.
Once your car has been inspected and analyzed by a mechanic, the typical protocol involves sending a check to the insured person for the value of the vehicle and sending the car to the local scrapyard. While this might work for some car owners, not everyone is ready to get rid of their car.
When you decide to refute a claim, the burden of proof must be provided to show the extra value of the car or to lower the cost of the repairs. To provide proof the vehicle is worth more than the evaluation of the car, extras like air conditioning, performance packages, high-tech features, and customized equipment can affect the answer of can a rear end collision total a car?
Can a repair shop fix a car after a rear-end collision?
The next step in researching a rear end collision total is seeing if a local mechanic or dealership can carry out the necessary repairs on your specific vehicle. Fortunately, there are many collision repair shops located all around the United States and worldwide. These specific stores can undertake the expensive and complicated repairs required for a totaled car.
- The most important step in this process is to talk to an auto body worker or mechanic and see if you can get an estimate for the total scrap cost. See what they say and ask the answer to can a rear end collision total a car. When it comes to totaled cars, the collision repair shop will determine the time involved and the hourly labor price.
You need to see if it is possible in the first palace to restore your car to a working condition, if the shop has available replacement parts, and if the mechanic has the skills required to do the repair job.
Can I keep my car after a rear-end collision?
After a crash, you need to find the answer to can a rear end collision total a car. If you find that your car is totaled, you may be wondering the next steps – can you keep a totaled car?
If you decide to accept your insurance company’s decision to total your car, but you still want to keep your vehicle, then your insurer will pay you the value of the vehicle. However, the insurance company will subtract the deductible due for your vehicle and the amount your car could be sold for at a used car dealership or salvage yard – like CashCarsBuyer!
Keep in mind that safety should be your number one priority and concern when keeping a totaled or salvaged car. You don’t want to keep a sentimental value vehicle if it is not working properly or safely for long-term use.
If damage to your car is mostly exterior, cosmetic, or non-essential, then you may be able to put your car back on the road for only a slight cost. If fixing your totaled car requires expensive replacements and repairs, you could be better off just getting a new vehicle and selling your old one. If you find that the answer is ‘yes’ when asking ‘can a rear end collision total a car,’ you may need to sell your vehicle to a local scrap or junk yard.
The Bottom Line
You may be surprised to find the answer ‘can a rear end collision total a car’ is YES – the repair cost is between $50 and $1,500, depending on the extent of the damage.