I GOT IN TO A ACCEDENT!!!

[blade]

Hi guys i eed some help, was rearended on saterday night and i need some hints on how to fix this mess . Here are some pics to show you what has happened.

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now i have painted the whole back corner with some rust proibiter for safty facts. so any help would be much appreseated.

[takza]

Think that's why they put bumpers on these. I got hit squarely in the rear a few weeks back...pretty solid bump...but no apparent damage...though the foam under the bumper cover looked to be collapsed some...it looks about the same now.

A hit on the corner might have been different. And even though it was an SUV...it didn't ride up and hit the hatch.

That's a deep crunch...a shade tree fix might be find a good sized slide hammer and try to pull it out that way...or drill some holes...put in some heavy eye bolts with washers and nuts and try to pull it out with another car using a tow hook only? Need to remove the tail light...etc.

[Petros]

It looks like the car is still safe to drive at least. But that is not an easy fix, the rear quarter panel is part of the unibody. With it crumpled like that it tough to get behind it and pound it out. I think most body shops would cut it out and weld in a new section. If you can weld, or have access to a welder that would be the best way to go. if not than there is no easy fix except to take everything off and out of the car in this back corner and start pounding away with hammer, blocks of wood and metal pipes and bars to get it back out to shape. Than use bondo to make it smooth again.

If the car that hit you is insured they will almost certainly total the car since their "book" value for your car will not be much, and the cost for a body shop to fix it is going to easily exceed the value. If you get an offer you might just take a check and keep your car, and see about fixing it yourself. It is a big job, but it can be done. Personally I would rather overhaul a trans than do body work, but that is just me.

Do not allow the insurance company to take advantage of you, it is job of the adjuster to save the company money (so they are not your friend no matter how "nice" they are).

Good luck.

[ARCHINSTL]

Do not allow the insurance company to take advantage of you, it is job of the adjuster to save the company money (so they are not your friend no matter how "nice" they are).
Good luck.

This is exactly why I have kept every single receipt for parts and tools I have ever spent for Goldie. It might be anal, but if it came to that, at least I would have a mountain of material with which to fight! I'm sure "totalling" one of our cars would boil down to only a few hundred dollars, no matter that people are getting over $2K for the little beasties nowadays - particularly unrusty ones like Goldie.
Tom M.

[blade]

well we are not going throw ICBC because i dont want my car to be totaled but the guy that hit me (my best freind) is going to pay for all damages so im set i think. so i am going to bang it out, i have a welder but very bad at it. so where can i get this slide hammer you speak of??

[blade]

oh and i did have the bumper on it broke off from the impact it was quite rusty so a new one is being made as we speak.

[ARCHINSTL]

AutoZones - and probably other chain-type parts outlets - rent the tools; at least they do in the States.
It's lucky your back lights escaped damage!
Tom M.

[takza]

That is some serious crumpling...very hard to pull out. IF you could find some strong eye bolts...drill holes and get a washer and nut behind...you COULD maybe pull it out with something....another car? But you'd have to be real careful where you hooked up on the other car. Or a massive slide hammer? 10 lb sledge and an iron pipe from inside?

[keith]

You can't pull out that type of damage, nor can you bang it out. What you need is a specialized jack known as a puck. It has a hydraulic cylinder that looks like a grease gun and on the end of the hose is a puck that expands when you pump on the cylinder. If you have enough access, you might get a scissors jack in there and use it to expand the metal. If done right, the metal will fall right into place. Good luck.

[blade]

ok so where can i get this awesome jack called the Puck?? i wish i knew what i was doing haha. well lets see how it gose.

[takza]

If you concentrate on the area above the moulding...it might be easier...the bumper cover will hide the rest?

[keith]

Probably an industrial supply house. We have one at work, but I don't know what it cost or where it came from.

[Barto]

search porta-power in google so you know what your after. Then start calling tool rental places to see if they have one. That is a huge job for a novice to try to complete, and will never look right if you try to fix it. If you want it perfect or even close too then leave it to the pro's. Having dealt with ICBC alot on similar situations there is no way that I would not make a claim for this (even if they were my friend). They have an option where they will pay you out 80% of the damage in cash and let you drive away to fix it on your own or pocket the cash.Is your friend going to do that? I seriously doubt that they would try to right it off because of that damage and if they did you can fight it. I got over $7000 for a 91 accord last year when it was stolen and burnt, I showed service records and pictures and argued until I was Satisfied. As a rearender the other driver will be held 100% responsible so it is a no brainer in my eyes as to what to do, I just hope you have not already tried to do "fix" anything as that will affect the claim with ICBC.

Good luck with it, Barto

[blade]

well i got most of it out it was acctualy extermly easy. and yes he is paying for the whole thing. he is going to get the car painted.

[garyfish]

let's see some photos of how things came out