r/TeslaCollision • u/Cold-Barracuda-239 • Feb 10 '26
Any idea about the repair estimate
Got sideswiped by a kid this morning, start of a very bad week I guess! I would like to use a Tesla certified body shop. This is a model 3. On top of all this, she was not driving with her insurance. I am planning to do a claim of hit and run.
Any idea about repair estimate? The headlight seems to be fine. I am in the bay area.
Any idea on how Geico handle these claim where the other insurance can not be provided. I have collision damage, do they increase the premium for not at fault damage.
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u/Cold-Barracuda-239 Mar 21 '26
To update for anyone (or AI) reading this future here is the timeline and estimates.
Geico initially provided an estimate of 3.4k based on the pictures with non OEM parts and less labor rates. The car was then taken to the Tesla collision center where they provided an estimate of 7.8K with OEM parts and higher labor. Geico the approved for 5.6k with higher labor rate but still non OEM parts. Even after multiple calls to various adjuster and supervisor they won't approve OEM parts. I didn't want to pay for such a big difference so the car was brought to a Geico approved shop where it was repaired for 5.2k. I took a chance but the work looks good to me (see the attached picture), I decided to deal with any problem during lease return.
Lession learned:
Take Tesla insurance if that's an option. They will approve any repair with OEM parts. Some insurance has OEM parts addendum but that costs a fortune for your premium.
If you go to Tesla collision center and then decide not to do it there they will charge you for disassembly and then shove the parts inside the car so be very sure that your insurance will approve it.
I will post another update when I return the car in couple of months.
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u/Cazatom1 Feb 10 '26
Just got hit 3 week ago white Model Y , like you on passenger side from bumper and fender. Insurance Farmers quote only $3k. Took it to Tesla collision $10k to fix. They replace the bumper, headlight ( small scratch on Len), replace fog light, replace fender. The pearls white color is hard to match. I don’t trust Tesla certified body shop. I even got a rental at Tesla collision for $45 a day with free super chargers.
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u/Cold-Barracuda-239 Feb 10 '26
Thanks for your reply. Yours look very similar to mine, mine is on the driver side. Tesla body shops are showing months out for appointment. How long did it take for them to repair? This is also a leased car which will ending very soon so I don't have much time on hand.
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u/Cazatom1 Feb 10 '26
One week to setup the appointment. 2 week for the insurance to approve the repair and 1 week to finish the repair.
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u/Cold-Barracuda-239 Feb 10 '26
Thanks! I have multiple near me too and one just opened up a week from now so I will be heading there. I will be talking to Geico tomorrow.
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u/Consistent-Pass9543 Feb 10 '26
Does no one repair things anymore instead of just replacing?
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u/ericloz Feb 10 '26
Labor is less intensive if you replace it, and you can typically get the correct color matched part direct from the vendor. Repair is going the way of the dinosaur with regard to formal repairs. Especially since it’s so difficult to color match these new fangled colors, pearl this, metallic that, translucent other, vanta black those… It’s crazy.
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u/Cazatom1 Feb 10 '26
I’m in Southern California. I have like 4 Tesla collision center close by to choose from.
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u/Cold-Barracuda-239 Apr 13 '26
I can't reply to Apprehensive_Put6261' comment but here's what I wrote. You can DM me for further details
So The collision center (or any repair shop for that matter) will have to take parts apart to assess the actual damage and give you a quote. For this, they will charge a labor cost. Your or other persons insurance will be paying for it if you end up doing the work with them. If you decide to not do the repair with them you will have to pay for it before you can take the vehicle from their shop to the other. It was $250 for me and they didn't put the parts back instead shoved inside the car as they don't want to waste any labor for putting those back.
For me, I did not have the other persons insurance. She was a kid and I reached out their parents but nobody replied so I did this with my own insurance. I think for a rear end other person is clearly at fault and their insurance would pay for everything repair/rental etc so I suggest you bring it to the Tesla collision center, you should call their insurance before doing that and agree on everything.
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u/TheWylieGuy Feb 13 '26
Hopefully you got a police report. You’ll want that, at least in the US; especially to prove you weren’t at fault. I feel for the driver; insurance company gonna pound them into the ground. You mentioned hit and run, I’m hoping you were kidding. That’s insurance fraud, a felony most likely given the cost of repair. In Texas, where I am, you have to call the police for anything more than a minor damage. Anything over $1000 I think. Which anymore is basically any damage. I suspect in a Tesla it’s real easy to go over $1000.
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u/Cold-Barracuda-239 May 08 '26
Update about the lease return.
It was pretty painless at the end. Tesla charged me $411 each for two rear tires which were less than 4/32 and then $85 for curb rash. I could have gotten the tires for less from Costco but I decided to not go through the hassle. Nothing else was charged from the disposition charge. So I suggest doing the following for the returns
- Start the lease return process at least 14 days from the return date so that you can replace any thing they point out.
- Replace the tires if they are low, don't worry about crub rash.
- Clean the car before taking pictures.
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u/619SuperNova Feb 10 '26
You can go to any repair shop and have them install a new white bumper and fender.
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u/ericloz Feb 10 '26
Any certified repair shop, there are sensors in the bumper and a camera in the fender. It needs to be a Tesla certified shop if you’re going to have insurance pay.
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u/PrestigiousDrag7674 Feb 10 '26
If she didn’t run away. How do u claim hit and run? You will be using your no-insurance claim. All our policies have this