NOT happy - wrecked my car tonight
5/27/14, 06:11 AM
#21
FR500 Member
Most importantly, you're OK.
I recently retired as an auto claims adjuster after 33 years, most of my career as a field appraiser. You're not in bad shape at all from what I see in the pics.
Yes...you have structural damage, but it appears slightly moderate at worst. That's the nature of the beast with unitized construction. If a car is impacted to the point of having some degree of structural misalignment and still considered to be repairable, a rear end hit under the bumper is where you want it to be, and it's an easy repair.
1) I see no evidence of abnormal gaps in the deck lid.
2) Not enough pics, I but don't suspect there is any quarter panel buckling. That would mean rail damage. I don't think the impact energy traveled beyond the spare tire well.
3) It's doubtful that your rear suspension geometry was affected.
4) The Camry braked at the last minute before the impact and the car dipped and went under yours. That's an ideal scenario in a rear end collision.
Sucks that it happened, but it did and you dodged a big bullet.
Good luck. You'll be back on the road in no time.
Tom
I recently retired as an auto claims adjuster after 33 years, most of my career as a field appraiser. You're not in bad shape at all from what I see in the pics.
Yes...you have structural damage, but it appears slightly moderate at worst. That's the nature of the beast with unitized construction. If a car is impacted to the point of having some degree of structural misalignment and still considered to be repairable, a rear end hit under the bumper is where you want it to be, and it's an easy repair.
1) I see no evidence of abnormal gaps in the deck lid.
2) Not enough pics, I but don't suspect there is any quarter panel buckling. That would mean rail damage. I don't think the impact energy traveled beyond the spare tire well.
3) It's doubtful that your rear suspension geometry was affected.
4) The Camry braked at the last minute before the impact and the car dipped and went under yours. That's an ideal scenario in a rear end collision.
Sucks that it happened, but it did and you dodged a big bullet.
Good luck. You'll be back on the road in no time.
Tom
Last edited by TripleBlack14; 5/27/14 at 06:15 AM.
6/5/14, 10:31 AM
#22
You will need rear bumper parts, mufler assembly, paint/paintblending... Judging from the damage report I got this morning on mine, I would guess close to $3,000 on yours...Counting entire bumper structure and hitch and paint....(Wild guess-untrained!)
Let us know after you get an estimate!
Let us know after you get an estimate!
6/7/14, 08:59 PM
#23
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Most importantly, you're OK.
I recently retired as an auto claims adjuster after 33 years, most of my career as a field appraiser. You're not in bad shape at all from what I see in the pics.
Yes...you have structural damage, but it appears slightly moderate at worst. That's the nature of the beast with unitized construction. If a car is impacted to the point of having some degree of structural misalignment and still considered to be repairable, a rear end hit under the bumper is where you want it to be, and it's an easy repair.
1) I see no evidence of abnormal gaps in the deck lid.
2) Not enough pics, I but don't suspect there is any quarter panel buckling. That would mean rail damage. I don't think the impact energy traveled beyond the spare tire well.
3) It's doubtful that your rear suspension geometry was affected.
4) The Camry braked at the last minute before the impact and the car dipped and went under yours. That's an ideal scenario in a rear end collision.
Sucks that it happened, but it did and you dodged a big bullet.
Good luck. You'll be back on the road in no time.
Tom
I recently retired as an auto claims adjuster after 33 years, most of my career as a field appraiser. You're not in bad shape at all from what I see in the pics.
Yes...you have structural damage, but it appears slightly moderate at worst. That's the nature of the beast with unitized construction. If a car is impacted to the point of having some degree of structural misalignment and still considered to be repairable, a rear end hit under the bumper is where you want it to be, and it's an easy repair.
1) I see no evidence of abnormal gaps in the deck lid.
2) Not enough pics, I but don't suspect there is any quarter panel buckling. That would mean rail damage. I don't think the impact energy traveled beyond the spare tire well.
3) It's doubtful that your rear suspension geometry was affected.
4) The Camry braked at the last minute before the impact and the car dipped and went under yours. That's an ideal scenario in a rear end collision.
Sucks that it happened, but it did and you dodged a big bullet.
Good luck. You'll be back on the road in no time.
Tom
You are dead on. Initial estimates (3) were all wiithin $100 but all said there was substantial more damage to be seen once disassembled. The shop has now approximately doubled the original to just under $7k. The trailer hitch took most of the impact into the left frame rail (crushed and will be replaced). The trunk pan / liner is also still questionable whether it can be pulled out with no damage or replaced. Replacement looks like it would have to be replaced all the way up to the back seat if that ends up being necessary. That scares me a bit. What are your thoughts, Triple Black? I have the utmost confidence in the shop I chose. The bigger issue now is the fact that they dont think I will have my car back until July. Really upset missing so much of my first summer with a convertible...
Last edited by Sbbamafan; 6/7/14 at 09:00 PM.
6/7/14, 09:19 PM
#25
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FWIW there are no exposed parts needing paint or any work except the rubber bumper cover. The quarter panels are not damaged or moved in any way nor is the suspension messed up at all. I will be getting new muffler and tailpipe on the left side along with a new trailer hitch and the new back panel on the rear of the trunk. I understand that this panel is single unit with both the inner and outer pieces.
6/7/14, 09:38 PM
#26
FR500 Member
I'd be surprised if the shop wanted to replace the trunk floor/spare tire well. It's not that bad. The way they's repair it is to put it on a rack/bench, secure it and make structural pulls using hydraulics.
Given the type of impact you sustained, the rail should not have torn like it did. However, my educated guess is that the trailer hitch did more harm than good. Notice the vertical indentations on the rail...those are your crumple points and they are designed to accordian when the bumper is hit hard enough.
I suspect that the trailer hitch attachment points unnaturally made the frame member stronger than it was designed to be and the hitch mount prevented the rail from doing it's job. That's probably why it tore.
The actual crush (more like a bend) is not that bad and looks like it could have been pulled back to specs along with the trunk floor. But the tear in the metal will likely mean a sectioning of the rail if that's a Ford recommended repair. I doubt if the entire rail needs to be replaced but the shop will know better what Ford's rail replacement vs. repair procedure is.
Ask your shop about the trailer hitch. I'm curious if he agrees.
Tom
Given the type of impact you sustained, the rail should not have torn like it did. However, my educated guess is that the trailer hitch did more harm than good. Notice the vertical indentations on the rail...those are your crumple points and they are designed to accordian when the bumper is hit hard enough.
I suspect that the trailer hitch attachment points unnaturally made the frame member stronger than it was designed to be and the hitch mount prevented the rail from doing it's job. That's probably why it tore.
The actual crush (more like a bend) is not that bad and looks like it could have been pulled back to specs along with the trunk floor. But the tear in the metal will likely mean a sectioning of the rail if that's a Ford recommended repair. I doubt if the entire rail needs to be replaced but the shop will know better what Ford's rail replacement vs. repair procedure is.
Ask your shop about the trailer hitch. I'm curious if he agrees.
Tom
6/8/14, 07:43 AM
#27
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I'd be surprised if the shop wanted to replace the trunk floor/spare tire well. It's not that bad. The way they's repair it is to put it on a rack/bench, secure it and make structural pulls using hydraulics.
Given the type of impact you sustained, the rail should not have torn like it did. However, my educated guess is that the trailer hitch did more harm than good. Notice the vertical indentations on the rail...those are your crumple points and they are designed to accordian when the bumper is hit hard enough.
I suspect that the trailer hitch attachment points unnaturally made the frame member stronger than it was designed to be and the hitch mount prevented the rail from doing it's job. That's probably why it tore.
The actual crush (more like a bend) is not that bad and looks like it could have been pulled back to specs along with the trunk floor. But the tear in the metal will likely mean a sectioning of the rail if that's a Ford recommended repair. I doubt if the entire rail needs to be replaced but the shop will know better what Ford's rail replacement vs. repair procedure is.
Ask your shop about the trailer hitch. I'm curious if he agrees.
Tom
Given the type of impact you sustained, the rail should not have torn like it did. However, my educated guess is that the trailer hitch did more harm than good. Notice the vertical indentations on the rail...those are your crumple points and they are designed to accordian when the bumper is hit hard enough.
I suspect that the trailer hitch attachment points unnaturally made the frame member stronger than it was designed to be and the hitch mount prevented the rail from doing it's job. That's probably why it tore.
The actual crush (more like a bend) is not that bad and looks like it could have been pulled back to specs along with the trunk floor. But the tear in the metal will likely mean a sectioning of the rail if that's a Ford recommended repair. I doubt if the entire rail needs to be replaced but the shop will know better what Ford's rail replacement vs. repair procedure is.
Ask your shop about the trailer hitch. I'm curious if he agrees.
Tom
6/8/14, 08:15 AM
#28
FR500 Member
Again - you are dead on everything you said including your comments about the hitch. The body shop will be sectioning the rail per Ford repair methods. They will first try to pull the pan. I am being a bit of a PITA but I want a PERFECT repair! The car was perfect before the woman hit me. In my opinion, if - when they pull the trunk pan, it is not perfect, I want it replaced. The body shop will pull it first, but if it is fatigued or weakened, the said they will replace it - following Ford's methods. Unfortunately, there is no good way to section this piece and it runs back under the rear seat and will be expensive. I realize the part is not structural. Am I being unreasonable in your opinion?
Actually it is structural. If it's welded to another part, it's considered structural. Even glass is now considered structural because of the bonding methods used. There are very few things on today's autos that isn't structural. It's unitized....the knee bone's connected to the thigh bone, etc, etc, etc.
I understand your concern about a perfect repair, but please keep this in mind:
The best way to do a repair of any kind is to do the LEAST amount of work required to bring the car back to pre-loss condition. Sometimes that means replacing an entire part or assembly, or it could mean just a structural re-alignment and a repair.
The last resort is to disturb factory welds, seams, and corrosion protection. You want as much as possible to be left intact the way the factory intended, including primer and paint.
Replacing a trunk floor is a very labor intensive operation. On top of cutting into factory seams and rust proofing, practically the entire interior from the front seats back must be removed for access. The exhuast will need to be dropped as well as the gas tank. Do you really want half of your car dismantled and take a chance that it isn't reassembled properly if it wasn't necessary to replace the trunk floor in the first place?
I understand the emotional aspect...I'm a car guy too. But at the risk of sounding like a cold, heartless, and (retired) insurance zombie wearing blinders, it's just a car. It's not an original 427 Cobra or a one-off Bugatti.
The hard reality is that it's no different than a Kia or a 7 Series BMW when it come to the body repair process.
Half the battle is finding a shop that you trust, and it sounds like you have. Let him do his job.
Good luck
Tom
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