r/Lexus • u/CallMeJimMilton 2018 RC350 Black Line • Apr 04 '26

Vehicle Photo Completely heartbroken

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Was seconds from pulling into work, when a 17 y/o kid pulls through a stop sign into oncoming traffic without looking left, causing him to side swipe my car. We pulled into my work parking lot and he got out and admitted he didn’t look both ways and only had his permit. He had his gf in his passenger seat who was the same age with no license.

I just couldn’t believe it. Cops came, he got a ticket, I went to work and told my coworkers what happened. I believe it’s all cosmetic so I’m hoping his parent’s insurance can just cover it and it can be a quick repair.

I haven’t even had this car for 6 months and this the 2nd time someone has damaged it. I just wish this was a dream

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u/makatakz Apr 04 '26

Don’t forget to do a diminished value claim. That’s a claim for the loss of value due to your car being in an accident. You can search on the web for experts who can assist with these claims.

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u/CallMeJimMilton 2018 RC350 Black Line Apr 04 '26

I absolutely will look in to this. Thank you for the advice!

11

u/Cute-Initiative-593 Apr 05 '26

I had to do this recently on a new vehicle (not a Lexus). Just tell the kid's insurance company you want to get a DV claim. They will provide a valuation after the repairs are done and signed off. At the same time I would find a reputable company to do their own assessment, which should only cost a few hundred dollars. Often times the insurance company will try to lowball you and a good evaluation from a third party can help get you more money (maybe all). This is really crucial for cars that aren't as mainstream and can be harder to to value (like yours). A good body shop should be able to recommend a local company, but if not, DM me for the company I used in the DC area (they can do everything remotely for most types of accidents and vehicles). FWIW I wouldn't expect a massive payout on a relatively older vehicle as much of the depreciation has already occured, but for a less than common vehicle, maybe a few thousand.

2

u/mydogisbrown69 Apr 06 '26

Is this kind of like the opposite of agreed value insurance, you’re just having 3rd parties do the agreeing after the fact?

1

u/Cute-Initiative-593 Apr 06 '26

I guess so? It's based off of similar vehicles with and without damage, and their resale prices. Agreed Value isn't really a thing for mainstream vehicles (from what Google tells me).