ADVERTISEMENT

OT: Car destroyed by flying tire last night (need advice)

Rokodesh

Heisman Winner
Aug 30, 2007
14,009
9,835
113
nHLyl2d.jpg


u9QNh64.jpg


UO81Hl5.jpg


Was driving down route 22 westbound in hillside last night around 8:30pm, a tire came over the concrete barrier from the oncoming direction and went flying, and came down directly onto my hood, all within a second before I had any chance to react. The front of the car looks completely destroyed. Called the cops, filed a report, and waited for the tow truck to take to the shop. Since it was closed they had to store overnight in a garage, to deliver to the body shop this morning. Got home and called insurance immediately to tell them the situation and how quickly they could give me the damage estimate.

My only question is, if the car is considered a total loss, which looks possible, with the frame damage and possible damage to the engine, which I could hear right away, is it possible for them to replace the full car, or more likely would they just give me the check of the market value of it, which would cost thousands to replace. It's a 2012 Toyota Camry, full coverage with Geico, but I never bought the gap insurance from the dealer. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Never been in this kinda situation before. I didn't even realize how lucky I was that it didn't kill me until I got home.
 
All that matters is that you're safe. Geico will take care of you, though they'll probably want to save the car if it's possible. Claims service is something they excel at. All you can do is await and see what the adjustor says.
 
Glad you are ok, it cold have hit higher and wiped you out. How did you not lose control of the car and hit something else?

Something like this happening is probably lottery type odds. I hope insurance takes care of you, but again, happy you didn't get hurt.
 
Glad you are ok, it cold have hit higher and wiped you out. How did you not lose control of the car and hit something else?

Something like this happening is probably lottery type odds. I hope insurance takes care of you, but again, happy you didn't get hurt.

thanks. I never lost control or panicked when it happened, I just knew it was bad and had to exit immediately. I'm lucky the car kept running after the hit, it had enough to let me drive about 200-300 yards just so I could exit the road into a parking lot. The engine was clearly damaged, it made all kind of sounds that were just awful, and just started leaking from the under the hood as soon as I pulled into the lot.
 
Last edited:
Years ago, frame straightening was a joke, I know the machines are much better now, but metal once forged and bent,,and then bent back, does not have the same tensile strength. If the frame is bent make it clear you're going to nit-pick them to death unless they total the car. ex: you will only accept factory parts, you slammed on the brakes and skidded for 40 yards so you need new tires, you sweat on the upholstery,...
 
They'll give you market value for the car. It's usually very fair, so don't panic about that.
 
They will give you equivalent market value. The adjustor will look for similar 2012 Toyota camrys and give you a value based on that.
 
You'll get fair market value or repair. I would take the cash, cars don't always run the same with those kind of issues. And if you do have issues and need to buy another car, the background check (carfax) will show a nasty history and you'll take a hit on the trade in.
 
It's not such a rare thing. I knew of a case, a few years back, where the same exact thing happened here in Massachusetts. The wheel came off of an eighteen-wheeler, right into/through the windshield of car. The driver was killed.

You are very lucky, Roko. Now, go out and play the PowerBall.
 
You'll get fair market value or repair. I would take the cash, cars don't always run the same with those kind of issues. And if you do have issues and need to buy another car, the background check (carfax) will show a nasty history and you'll take a hit on the trade in.

Unless the repairs are not as bad as you make it sound I would take fair value. The downside is you will need to pay off your current loan if you have one. A quick search at cars.com for 2012 Camry's shows an average selling price of about 20k. Hopefully what they give you more than covers what you owe on the damaged vehicle (if you still owe any money).

If they give you fair value think positively where in the 3 years since you bought your current car there have been many advances. The Accord and Camry top trims have LED DRLs and may have LED headlights too. They all have backup cameras. You can get blind sport monitors and maybe rear / forward collision warnings. The 2016 Accord will be very similar to the Acura TLX but that vehicle may not be available for a couple of months.
 
It's not such a rare thing. I knew of a case, a few years back, where the same exact thing happened here in Massachusetts. The wheel came off of an eighteen-wheeler, right into/through the windshield of car. The driver was killed.

You are very lucky, Roko. Now, go out and play the PowerBall.

Lol, I'm in a powerball pool at work that I always complain we haven't won yet.

I do realize now how easily I could've been killed as well, I was so worried about the car last night that it didn't occur to me
 
Had a great claims experience with Geico. Glad you're alright.
 
There is unlikely to be any frame damage there, or significant engine damage (maybe an alternator or AC pump if it is located right at the top there). I would be very surprised if a 2012 car was totaled for that.

Looks like a new hood and grill only from the picture. Maybe passenger headlight, fender and bumper if sufficiently damaged. Looks like the fender and bumper are fine from those pics, cant tell about the headlight. Possible radiator/radiator surround, that looks like about it.

Let us know what the shop says...be very interested in an update.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DT Hawxhurst
There is unlikely to be any frame damage there, or significant engine damage (maybe an alternator or AC pump if it is located right at the top there). I would be very surprised if a 2012 car was totaled for that.

Looks like a new hood and grill only from the picture. Maybe passenger headlight, fender and bumper if sufficiently damaged. Looks like the fender and bumper are fine from those pics, cant tell about the headlight. Possible radiator/radiator surround, that looks like about it.

Let us know what the shop says...be very interested in an update.

think its more than that, the hood was pushed far down into the inside and driving it for 200 yards after you could definitely tell there was more than just cosmetic damage. I could hear the sound, it sounded like the engine dying to push me off the road, and as soon as I pulled over I could hear a hissing sound and fluid leaking out from the bottom. I'll update this thread as I find out more.
 
And the car from which the tire flew off of went where?...Did the police ( assume Hillside or Newark) take a look around for a car missing a tire?...Surprised
you mention nothing about the other vehicle involved since this would impact the recovery or replacement of your Camry...glad you are ok since I had a similar incident 30 some years ago up on S.Orange Ave. near the Mall in Livingston...
 
think its more than that, the hood was pushed far down into the inside and driving it for 200 yards after you could definitely tell there was more than just cosmetic damage. I could hear the sound, it sounded like the engine dying to push me off the road, and as soon as I pulled over I could hear a hissing sound and fluid leaking out from the bottom. I'll update this thread as I find out more.


Yeah let us know. What kind of fluid? I would imagine coolant, as it looks likely the radiator was ruptured.
 
And the car from which the tire flew off of went where?...Did the police ( assume Hillside or Newark) take a look around for a car missing a tire?...Surprised
you mention nothing about the other vehicle involved since this would impact the recovery or replacement of your Camry...glad you are ok since I had a similar incident 30 some years ago up on S.Orange Ave. near the Mall in Livingston...

I dont know where the tire came from. There were no trucks in front of me, nor did I see anything unusual, except for a large tire coming from the oncoming direction, over the divider, at the last second before it hit me. Assume it was a spare that fell off somehow as it was intact when it collided. The tire bounced off the car and continued rolling. Where, I have no idea, as it was already getting dark, and complete darkness once the cops had arrived. They didn't bother looking for the tire as it was too dark and dangerous with cars flying by on the road next to where I had pulled into.

CIcghwZ.jpg


it was exactly in this area on 22 in Hillside, where it jumped over the barrier in the middle.
 
Can't believe no ones said this yet... But thats what you get for driving a Camry instead of an Accord.

(seriously though, glad you're okay)
 
  • Like
Reactions: RUSK97
Cars can be fixed or replaced. I am glad, and a little amazed, that you were not injured.

I drive Rt 22 in the Union/Springfield/Mountainside area but try to avoid going east of the Parkway. Its a crazy road.
 
1- you are lucky to have been uninjured, A tire (as you can see from the hood) can go through a windshield.

2- no airbag deployment, I doubt any frame damage by looking at it. I'd place cost of repairs at 8-10k, should be just repairable. If you owe more on the car than it's worth, that's a good thing. if you really want to have it totaled, that's tough. Geico doesn't have to give you OEM parts due to the age of your vehicle.

3- if it's totalled, listen to their value of the vehicle. I would go on cars.com or autotrader.com and see what your year make model mileage kind of car is selling for, and shoot for that.

4- make sure they are paying this under comprehensive coverage, not collision (assuming your deductibles are the same). Comp coverage for GEICO I don't think will affect your rates
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rokodesh
My car ('99 neon) was broad-sided awhile ago on rt 46 by a deer - NJM considered it totaled even though I drove it for a month or so afterwards. They gave me a check for the market value of the car. Only way I knew it was a deer was the fur stuck in the passenger door handle (it happened very quickly and the deer must have run off).

You were very lucky.
 
thanks everyone, just got back from the dealer where they towed it, took some more pics

L8Rg6ZO.jpg


LA1esBb.jpg


cJ0Jhfu.jpg


B23L3KX.jpg
 
be careful posting pics with your license plate online. You don't know who is trolling these boards. Best is to black out the license plate using MS Paint.
 
be careful posting pics with your license plate online. You don't know who is trolling these boards. Best is to black out the license plate using MS Paint.

RU, what do you think someone could do with that license plate that they couldn't do with literally any other plate they find walking down the street? It's not like it's a SS#
 
RU, what do you think someone could do with that license plate that they couldn't do with literally any other plate they find walking down the street? It's not like it's a SS#

I wondered that also....
 
Could only be a new front nose, hood and windshield and probably radiator etc. It just may be repairable and depending on your evaluation of the car as far as liking it, mileage, $$ owed etc you may have a decision to make as to what you may want to push for.
 
Glad that you are ok. That tire caused more damage than I would have thought possible. You must be a good driver to have maintained control and not veered into the Jersey barrier or into the next tlane. Drivers near you should also be thankful that you are are a good driver and did not cause a chain reaction. I hope you either get a fully repaired car or a generous insurance payout.
 
Looking at the pictures, I think that is very repairable. Looks like the windshield did not break nor did the airbag deploy. The frame (uni-body I think) looks fine to me, I don't see any roof bucking or anything. Thank Goodness that freakin tire didn't hit you right in the windshield.

A few years ago I was on 22 west and a dump truck going east had his tire explode. I did not change my speed and a huge piece of tire few right over my car. I was thanking the good Lord that day.
 
1- you are lucky to have been uninjured, A tire (as you can see from the hood) can go through a windshield.

2- no airbag deployment, I doubt any frame damage by looking at it. I'd place cost of repairs at 8-10k, should be just repairable. If you owe more on the car than it's worth, that's a good thing. if you really want to have it totaled, that's tough. Geico doesn't have to give you OEM parts due to the age of your vehicle.

3- if it's totalled, listen to their value of the vehicle. I would go on cars.com or autotrader.com and see what your year make model mileage kind of car is selling for, and shoot for that.

4- make sure they are paying this under comprehensive coverage, not collision (assuming your deductibles are the same). Comp coverage for GEICO I don't think will affect your rates

just checked the website and they do have it listed under comprehensive. Thanks
 
Where you able to retrieve the tire? If so, it should have a serial number on it and track it back to the owner who should be responsible for the whole incident. I also wonder if anyone else was hit or hit it after you.
 
Where you able to retrieve the tire? If so, it should have a serial number on it and track it back to the owner who should be responsible for the whole incident. I also wonder if anyone else was hit or hit it after you.

No, the tire bounced off the car and kept flying, I don't know if it hit anyone else, as it was already getting dark and my instinct was immediately to find a place to pull over. I didn't see any cars with any major damage, and nobody else pulled over. I wasn't about to start walking on route 22 at 9pm and get myself killed. I stayed in the parking lot for almost 3 hours until the tow finally came.
 
Last edited:
Glad that you are ok, you were kept out of harms way (not getting hit personally, and you were not in an accident afterward). Let us know what happens with the car. Kudos to you for keeping your cool, this happening can startle you to say the very least.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rokodesh
ADVERTISEMENT