Woman Runs Something Over In Her Toyota. Then Her Mechanic Figures Out What It Was: 'Totaled The Car'

Anyone who's spent much time behind the wheel has seen something fly off a truck—be it your standard pickup or an 18-wheeler. In seconds, you have to decide whether to run it over or swerve to avoid it.

One woman learned the hard way that sometimes, it's better to swerve.

Auto techs and father-son team Sherwood Cooke Jr. and Sherwood Cooke III of Royalty Auto Service (@royaltyautoservice) recently explained what happened to the woman's Toyota.

In the clip, Sherwood III notes that they previously found damage to the woman's fuel tank and several punctures in the exhaust system. He also shows that several brackets on the underside need to be replaced, as does its destroyed subframe.

Its radiator support further needs to be replaced. To make matters worse, the Toyota's transmission was damaged, causing it to leak fluid.

What Did The Toyota Run Over?

The mechanics eventually identified the likely culprit behind the damage. Their client sent them a picture of what appeared to be a piece of rusted mechanical equipment. Their followers recognized the item as the “head of a Red Jacket submersible turbine pump used at gas stations.”

Sherwood III says that the woman was driving behind a truck when the piece flew out. His father highlights the incident as a good example of why driving behind larger vehicles is generally a bad idea.

“When you’re behind vehicles that have stuff in them, just get out of the way. It’s never a good thing," he says. "Don’t trust that they’ve got that stuff strapped down. Sometimes they don’t and in this case they didn’t."

Is The Insurance Company Going To Cover It?

The damage was indeed covered by the driver’s insurance. But they were stunned by the company's decision.

“We put an estimate together, sent it to the insurance company, and the insurance company came back with a higher estimate than ours. Insurance said it was $15,000 worth of work, and they said, they’re done, totaled the car, unfortunately. ”

The tech called the company’s decision “a sad thing” because the vehicle was only 5 years old with around 70,000 miles on it. He also holds that it could've been completely repaired, which isn't always the case following an accident.

Cooke Jr. said he would rather do the work so the vehicle wasn't declared a total loss, but the insurance company didn’t see it that way.

What Happens When A Car Gets Totaled By Insurance?

Since the vehicle was destined for the junkyard, the client opted to remove the tires so they wouldn’t go to waste.

Cooke Jr. explained that cars sent to a junkyard after being declared a total loss typically have their tires removed.

While he was disappointed by the Toyota's fate, Cooke Jr. said all is not lost. Many of the ride’s unaffected parts will probably be re-purchased by others looking to fix their rides.

“Hate to see a great car like this going to the junkyard that’s for sure. But, you know what? The engine, a lot of the hybrid stuff … they’ll find a new home," he said.

How Do Insurance Companies Decide To Total A Car?

According to Geico, a car is declared totaled when “the cost to repair the damage exceeds the vehicle’s actual cash value.” In short, the insurance provider says that “fixing it costs more than it’s worth.” It notes that a total loss distinction is made “using repair estimates, appraisals, and state-set thresholds.”

In Royalty Auto Service’s TikTok, Cooke Jr.’s revelation that the customer was getting a higher insurance payout would seem like great news. And to some, it very well could be, depending on what they’d like to do with their car.

If a vehicle is determined to be a total loss, drivers must register it as a salvage vehicle, which greatly limits its resale capacity.

On the flip side, if you or your mechanic is confident that the vehicle is otherwise roadworthy, this could work to your benefit. The payout from insurance, in the Toyota driver’s instance, could cover the cost of repairs. They might even have some money left over.

One person who commented on the video suggested that the woman keep the vehicle. "She should buy it back from the insurance company for the scrap price," Bicentennial Man wrote.

Jeremy Wallace agreed, "If it’s paid off I would buy it back and repair everything."

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Others felt that the Toyota shouldn't simply be hauled to the junkyard. "Omg a 5 yr old Toyota?!?! It’s an infant!! That’s crazy," one said.

Motor1 has reached out to Toyota and Royalty Auto Service via email for further information. We'll update this article if either responds.

 

 

 

 

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