Minor rear ender or total loss? Answer inside. [Updated with underbody photos of damage]

[Area51BS]

Simply has to have a tow hitch "receiver", its a no brainer for most to NOT order a hitch receiver on any maverick for $100,,,from others experience it is harder and more expensive to order an after market hitch later...if you don't order a hitch receiver the entire rear plastic bumper is one solid piece and hitch has to be installed underneath, which is a pain and has to be jerryrigged.

it’s not one piece. It has the removable plastic panel. Which honestly looks hideous. Rather have it under.

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[Edge Haley]

But it's not a steel cross member. It's folded steel of roughly 18 gauge in thickness. Trust me, it'll bend like origami.

And of those rear end incidents, what kind of vehicles were they?

Both times hitting my Honda Element:
1) Elderly lady hit me at a red light, Large Lexus sedan, i was standing still, hitch went all the way thru her front plastic bumper. Felt really bad for her.
2) Yeaks, brand new Mercedes sports car, LADY had just picked up her new car that morning, not familiar with a new radio she was playing with it, hit me at a red light at 3 or 4 miles an hour at a rolling stop. Hitch went thru her plastic grill and into her radiator.... several thousand in damage. Zero for me.

Rear bumpers are protected by fan folding impact body parts, mostly plastic or light weight metal fan folding parts, separated by block of styrofoam, to protect against minor impact. I've been underneath the Maverick several times and there is substantial steel if the Mav has the trailer hitch receiver, has to be to pull a 2,000 lbs of weight...again, I'll take that any day verses a plastic bumper. Most of the bumper steps are rated at 300 lbs of weight or impact. Thats why they are called "impact bumper guards". it's not going to stop a substantial crash, but hopefully protect a plastic bumper.

 

[LSchicago]

Unibody vehicles are actually quite strong. All of the cars with 5 star crash ratings nowadays are all unibody. Ease of repair........that's a different issue.

5 star ratings are not an indicator of body strength. That pertains to how well it protects the occupants. as long as the cage around the passengers is stiff, the front and rear crumple zones can be made to accordion specs. All about keeping the passengers safe, and headlights being able to see in the dark for the most part.

 

[Bobinmi]

Ebay has a SALVAGE fixed maverick on it right now...bid over 19k....he's looking for 27k.... Don't listen to the "you can't sell it", or the "you'll die with that maverick" talk...real world is the market is 50 percent to 80 percent of retail value, depending on the vehicle. Here is more proof. 2 pics of the damage and 2 after repair on ebay. Salvage title.

 

[DavesMav]

As said, good reason for a trailer hitch. I'll be headed to Harbor Freight for one of these today $27 rubber hitch steps....should provide a little protection...hoping it fits in my garage door closes. Plus a bonus trailer hitch lighting.

Those don't provide this level of protection though. Very minor bumps and scrapes, such as kid running into it with their PowerWheel Jeep, sure, your plastic bumper cover might be saved. But in collisions like the OP's, I've seen those same type of hitch bumper/steps on rear end collisions that caused significantly more damage deeper than the initial eye can see. It's basically just one more thing that can be struck and shoved into the subframe. These unibodies will crumple as they are designed to, whether you have some bulky piece sticking out the back or not.

 

[DavesMav]

Ebay has a SALVAGE fixed maverick on it right now...bid over 19k....he's looking for 27k.... Don't listen to the "you can't sell it", or the "you'll die with that maverick" talk...real world is the market is 50 percent to 80 percent of retail value, depending on the vehicle. Here is more proof.

Yep, and that's the market RIGHT NOW. OP can't buy and repair the Maverick RIGHT NOW. The climate will look very different 6 months from now when Ford has cranked out another 30,000-40,000 Ecoboosts...

Also, talk about a black eye, that thing has one Lariat headlight and one XLT. if that's any indication of how the other repairs were completed, no thanks.

Look at the hood gap, that ain't right. The Lariat headlight on the passenger, XLT on the driver.. nah.

 

[MichaelG]

Simply has to have a tow hitch "receiver", its a no brainer for most to NOT order a hitch receiver on any maverick for $100,,,from others experience it is harder and more expensive to order an after market hitch later...if you don't order a hitch receiver the entire rear plastic bumper is one solid piece and hitch has to be installed underneath, which is a pain and has to be jerryrigged.

The bumpers are the same for non-hitch Mavericks. There is a piece of plastic covering the opening for the hitch.

Picture

 

[FabMav]

If you look at Copart and iAAi aution sites there have been a number of rear ended Mavericks with hitches that were salvaged after minor looking hits where the hitch was pushed at an angle causing the bed to be bent or the rear quarters to be kinked. I ordered mine with a hitch but am not going to add a protruding step.

 

[Bobinmi]

Yep, and that's the market RIGHT NOW. OP can't buy and repair the Maverick RIGHT NOW. The climate will look very different 6 months from now when Ford has cranked out another 30,000-40,000 Ecoboosts...

Also, talk about a black eye, that thing has one Lariat headlight and one XLT. if that's any indication of how the other repairs were completed, no thanks.

Look at the hood gap, that ain't right. The Lariat headlight on the passenger, XLT on the driver.. nah.

There has ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS been resale market for salvage/rebuilt vehicles...right now it is almost 100 percent of "resale" value, basically very little deduction for a rebuilt title. I am a believer that it is a 50 percent value, but in todays market, much much higher. He probably won't get his asking price, but will get low 20s. Again, more than actual value. Market is NOT changing any time soon...I have heard that "market will change" thing for 3 years now...since the beginning of the pandemic and chip problems. Much much deeper than that...its labor shortages, all materical shortages....everywhere.

My only point is, if the OP can buy it reasonably cheap, I would and get it fixed at a body shop that fixes salvage cars...there are a lot of them here in Michigan. Dearborn area is full of body shops that go to copart and insurance auctions, buy salvage cars, rebuild them and issue rebuilt titles. If it were me...if I could get it at 10k or under, I'd be "in". Any more, I would have to do some serious math.

 

[TheGriffin1313]

They are totaling it based on he MSRP price. They wouldn't if they had to pay you for what the market is asking for it.

 

[Exranger]

Here is a picture of my 2022 Velocity Blue Maverick before and after being rear ended. Believe it or not, what seems to be readily fixable was deemed a total loss by my insurance company.

DOES IT DRIVE OK? DID YOU TAKE IT TO A FRAME SHOP AND CHECK THE ALIGNMENT? OR TAKE IT TO A GOOD ALIGNMENT SHOP AND CONFIRM THE WHEELS ARE STRAIGHT. IF SO IT IS OK TO KEEP AND DRIVE. HAVE A USED CAR INSPECTION DONE TO SEE ANY HIDDEN DAMAGE. YOU CAN FIX OR JUST DRIVE IT UNTIL ANOTHER VEHICLE IS READY. SOME CAREFUL WORK WITH A HEAT GUN MAY MAKE THAT BUMPER LOOK PASSABLE. A USED TAILGATE MAY NOT BE AN OPTION YET. SALVAGE TITLE MAY NOT BE AS IMPORTANT ON A HIGH-DEMAND VEHICLE.

 

[DavesMav]

There has ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS been resale market for salvage/rebuilt vehicles...right now it is almost 100 percent of "resale" value, basically very little deduction for a rebuilt title. I am a believer that it is a 50 percent value, but in todays market, much much higher. He probably won't get his asking price, but will get low 20s. Again, more than actual value. Market is NOT changing any time soon...I have heard that "market will change" thing for 3 years now...since the beginning of the pandemic and chip problems. Much much deeper than that...its labor shortages, all materical shortages....everywhere.

That's fine. End of the day, I would hate to see the OP upside down on a salvaged Maverick because of advice they took on an internet forum. The only success I've had with salvaged/rebuilt vehicles is getting them repaired properly and running them until the wheels fall off. If OP isn't willing to do that, I would say they take the big fat check and start the search for a new one.

 

[TSAINTS1115]

5 star ratings are not an indicator of body strength. That pertains to how well it protects the occupants. as long as the cage around the passengers is stiff, the front and rear crumple zones can be made to accordion specs. All about keeping the passengers safe, and headlights being able to see in the dark for the most part.

Check out the crash ratings of pre-unibody cars and see the difference.

 

[BradGroux]

You give it 10 years to be all rusted out? my 99 van is just now showing rust.

If people are worried about rust, Blaster Surface Shield is only $10/can at Home Depot. 4-5 cans every two years, and you're set.

 

[BradGroux]

Can one of these be used on all Mavericks? Even a base hybrid XL without any tow options ordered?

No, you need a tow hitch. It fits in the 2" hitch receiver instead of a ball hitch.

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