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Minor accident - what do you think?

16K views 98 replies 21 participants last post by  A Guy 
#1 ·
So within a few months of getting my 2018 Challenger GT, I had the first ever "at fault" accident in my driving "career" (it figures - right after I get a brand-new'ish car, this happens!). I'm 46 years old and while I've wrecked cars over the years, it was always either someone elses fault or there were no other cars involved.

Anyway, quick description of the accident... I was trying to pull out of my sons school parking lot after dropping him off for school. The road I pull out onto is pretty busy at this time with cars going both directions and cars turning into the school lot at the same place where I'm exiting the lot. Well, I swear the car coming one direction on the main road had her turn-signal on to pull into the lot I was exiting from, so I made sure nothing was coming the other direction and started to pull out onto the main road (again, thinking that she was turning into the lot I was pulling out of). The road I'm pulling out onto is a 15mph school zone at this time. So I start pulling out and "bam!" - I wreck right into the front-side of her car as she continues straight instead of turning like I expected.

I was probably going less than 5mph and she was probably going ~15mph (I'm assuming). Most of the damage on my car is not from the impact, but from her car "dragging" across my front end. I was really surprised at the amount of damage done to both cars given the speeds involved (they don't make "bumpers" like they used to!).

Anyway, her car was drivable and my car was drivable after I ripped the bumper cover off (was hanging only by one plastic rivet and the side-marker light). I drove it home and all seems well mechanically. No air bags deployed on either car.

My question is this - do you think there is ANY chance this could be totalled?? I would NEVER think so, but I saw how they totalled the "Tall Guy Reviews" Hellcat with what looked like pretty minor front end damage, so I'm a little nervous now. :) I *think* that all of the damage on mine is "cosmetic" (no frame damage, etc) - I'm thinking front bumper, one or both fenders and the hood. I didn't see any damage on the radiator or anything like that - or any main "support" beams bent up.

I know that it's impossible to be sure about this from these pictures, but just curious what you guys think...

Thank you!

My car:



Just FYI - her car:


As an aside... Like an idiot, I called the cops, not knowing for sure if my car was drivable and thinking it was "the right thing to do". DUMB MISTAKE! Not only is it now formally documented that I was "at fault" (not that I was denying it), but they also said that they MUST write a citation for accidents like this!?!? So I got a $25 citation (that added up to ~$150 with all of the add-on fees). The cop was very cool and did tell me to plead not-guilty and they will basically drop the charges at the trial, but still... I thought I was doing the "right thing" by calling the cops to get everything formally documented for insurance purposes, etc - but no - was a rookie mistake!!! <sigh>

I'm *so* bummed by all of this... So go easy on me. :)

Thank you!
 
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#39 ·
I now have State Farm on all of my vehicles. I have been with them for over 30 years but did not have all of my vehicles with them until last year. When my truck got hit from behind my insurance (not State Farm at the time). They gave us the runaround for weeks. The other guys truck was already fixed and back on the road. We finally called his company (Gieco) and it was settled with a check in our hand in 30 hours. No requirement to get the truck fixed or where. I had the frame fixed and I did the rest. When my Javelin got hit, the other guys insurance would not deal with me. I had State Farm take it over for me and they also gave me a check for over $10 and I fixed it myself. That part is probably not an option for a financed vehicle but mine were fully owned by me. After the truck incident we cancelled that company and switched everything to State Farm. My new widebody is also there.
 
#41 · (Edited)
That's the thing, while technically they may have no say-so over the repair, they really do - becuase they are the ones paying the shop. :) If they tell you that they will not authorize the use of OEM parts for a repair, what can you do, other than fight with them and take them to court if you don't get what you want? Most people don't have the $$ or time to go through fighting them in court, espeically when they are out of a car until it gets resolved (which may take a long time in court).

There is "in theory" and then there is "real world" - and in my experience, they don't always line up. :) Usually, you have to settle with something in-between - unless you are willing to "go the distance" and take them to court and deal with the ramifications of doing so.

Let's face it - if EVERY insurance company used OEM parts for EVERY repair, insurance costs would probably be a lot higher. I get it. They have to be selective as to which repairs get OEM parts and which don't (depening on age of car, repair type, part availability, timeframe the customer is willing to work with, etc, etc, etc). No easy solution, really... In my opinion, that is. :)

Another example - people always mention the Magnuson-Moss warranty act when it comes to aftermarket items (such as catch cans, etc). But if a dealer refuses to warraty something becuase you have used an aftermarket part (for example), then you would have to fight them in court. What the Magnuson-Moss warranty act says doesn't do you a damn bit of good unless you take them to court, which again, is very time consuming and expensive...
 
#49 ·
If you read the description, they are broken (the clips that bolt them to the car). I already have headlights with broken clips. :) What the hell is Mercari?? Never heard of that one before!

I didn't scour Ebay, but the few I did see when looking quickly were very $$$. New ones were like $900+ *each*.

It's funny - I asked my wife what she thought the "total damage" would be on my car - her guess was $1800 - so there is at least one other person that knows even less about body work than I! :)
 
#50 ·
So - does anyone care to guess at what the estimate will be to fix this damage? Closest guess, without going over, wins! You're prize will be earning the title of "Best Internet Damage Amount Estimator Using Completely Insufficient Information" - with the easy-to-remember acronym of "BIDAEUCII"!! Who wouldn't want that title?!?!?!

Like I said, closest guess, without going over, wins (have to use "The Price Is Right" rules! :)
 
#57 ·
After reading all this, I’m so glad that I’m leasing my Challenger. I would just fix it and not worry about it because it will be given back to Dodge at the end of 3 years. Let someone else worry about it. The worse thing that one can do is keep a car that got into an accident. If I were you I would fix it and sell it and get another new Challenger. But if you’re upside down on it, then you’re going to have to drive it until it’s paid off and then get another car. It sucks both ways because the 6 cylinder Challenger is a “wanna be” Challenger and it loses a lot of value in such a short time. You should’ve got the Scat Pack. It would’ve had much more value compared to the 6 cylinder if you were to sell it and/or trade it in for another Challenger.
 
#61 ·
To repeat what was said previously, turn signal means nothing. You always make sure they turn before you pull out. My father was nearly killed when someone turned in front of him. The guy told the cop that my father had his turn signal on. Cop told him it doesn't matter, you failed to yield the right of way. My father had just signaled to changed lanes and had just turned off the signal when the guy turned. Permanently damaged his hip joint requiring a hip replacement years later.

Just last week my challenger was almost destroyed for a similar reason. The lady ahead of me in an SUV was signaling to turn right. I was going straight. A guy in a pickup was wanting to turning left in front of us. The pickup driver started turning left and lucky for him the lady in front of me was actually turning right. I didn't realize he was turning because the SUV in front of my was blocking the view. Tested the horn and anti-lock brakes big time on the challenger. Got it on dashcam as well.
 
#62 ·
First off- sorry to hear about your Father. Nobody wants to injure someone else because of a mistake they made.

Like mentioned from the start, I realize this was my fault - not trying to deny that. That being said, turn-signals are just one bit of "information" that is used when making decisions while driving. You also have to take into account many other factors such as the speed of the other cars, whether they are slowing down or not, etc. I'd be lying if I said that I always wait for someone to actually start turning before pulling out when they have their turn signal on. Right or wrong, it's something that you almost have to do at certain intersections/in certain situations. I don't rely on the turn-signal alone, but it definitely plays a part. Regardless of the "at fault" aspect in the case of an accident, people rely on other peoples turn-signals to make decisions all of the time - it's why they exist.

In this particular case, I obviously made a mental error. I don't have a "log" of what happened, so I'm not exactly sure *why* I started pulling out when I did. I pull out of this intersection every weekday - so I'm very familar with it. It's a really bad intersection at this time of the day - tons of cars making tons of turns into and out of the school lot as well as just "passing through". If you don't use other people turn-signals as part of your decision-making, traffic would be so backed up that you'd never get where you are going. Of course, it doesn't help that 90%+ of the drivers don't "respect" the 15mph school-zone speed limit either. I would love to know *why* I did what I did, but unfortunately, I have no way of rewinding time to understand why (I really wish I could - it *still* bothers me!!). Humans make mistakes - this was obviously one of them - I'm just glad I didn't hurt anyone else due to my mistake - that is what is most important.

Changing the subject... I do now have the estimate amount for the repairs - will hold off on posting details for another day or two, just in case anyone else wants to make a guesstimate on the estimate amount...
 
#64 ·
I'm very happy to report that all of the damage done to my car was cosmetic (no mechanical, electrical, suspension or support-related damage).

All parts being replaced are being replaced with brand new OEM parts - I didn't even have to "fight" for that (although, the repair shop did). The insurance company agent complained about a few things - mainly, the brand-new OEM headlights (~$2050 for parts alone - $907 for each bare headlight) - and the OEM bumper cover ($437). The repair shop estimator told them it was a new car and to have their manager contact him if they had issues with it - he never heard back from them. :)

So far, I have been VERY happy with "customer service" from the shop I selected. We'll see how happy I am when I actually get the car back, but so far, so good... They don't mind spending time to answer questions over the phone and do seem to "fight" for the customer if/when needed. Not only did they insist on using brand new OEM parts even though the insurance company balked, but they also hooked me up on a few other things as well. I can't go into too much detail, but they fixed an unrelated "paint defect" that I posted about elsewhere on this forum and did something else for me at no cost (also completely un-related to this accident).

The estimate amount was higher than anyone guessed. The initial estimate amount was.... $9,442.54. However, the shop gave the insurance company a 6.9% "Pre-Tax Discount" - so with the discount, the estimate actually came to $8,791.00.

So - the new "Best Internet Damage Amount Estimator Using Completely Insufficient Information" (aka "BIDAEUCII"), who submitted a (damn good!) guesstimate of $8,600 is....

@MEKrunner!!

After the discount, he was only $191 dollars off! That is pretty damn impressive, I must say.

Damage is estimated at 8 days to repair and the expected return date of my vehicle is this Thursday (5/16).

Will post pictures after I get it back. Thanks to all that played along!

Also, I specifically wanted to thank @OregonScat for spending the time to get me a recommended shop. While I did not end up using that shop, mainly becuase of how far away it was, I truly do appreciate his willingness to research it for me and provide the recommendation. If it were closer and/or under different circumstances, I probably would have went that route. Thank you, sir.
 
#65 ·
I'm very

The estimate amount was higher than anyone guessed. The initial estimate amount was.... $9,442.54. However, the shop gave the insurance company a 6.9% "Pre-Tax Discount" - so with the discount, the estimate actually came to $8,791.00.

So - the new "Best Internet Damage Amount Estimator Using Completely Insufficient Information" (aka "BIDAEUCII"), who submitted a (damn good!) guesstimate of $8,600 is....

@MEKrunner!!

After the discount, he was only $191 dollars off! That is pretty damn impressive, I must say.

Damage is estimated at 8 days to repair and the expected return date of my vehicle is this Thursday (5/16).

Will post pictures after I get it back. Thanks to all that played along!
Sooo, what do I win? A new Hellcat, or a box of Altoids breath mints??
 
#68 ·
Actually, @MEKrunner, if you are intested, you can "win" these door sills that I purchased and didn't use. They have never been installed, but are not "mint" condition. There are some very fine scratches that can't been seen when installed. I ended up getting another set that was "mint", so I didn't use these.

I just ask that you pay the shipping if interested...



I purchased them from this Ebay ad:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Stainless-...or-2008-2018-Dodge-Challenger-TZ/273792315111

I don't have any good pictures of them installed on my 2018, but here is "a" picture (not very good - taken in dark garage):


Please - let me know if interested! Otherwise, they are just going to sit around and will never get used...
 
#70 ·
I know that you were just kidding, but since I realized that I had these sill plates sitting here, I figured I'd ask! Obviously, you already have some though!

If anyone else is interested, let me know - otherwise, I know they'll sit around forever and eventually I'll end up tossing them the next time I move or something. :)
 
#71 · (Edited)
Sigh - I should have listened to @OregonScat.... I actually got the car back Wednesday (was ready Wednesday *morning*) and after getting it home and doing a good "inspection", here is a list of the issues I found. Some of these are just pure corner-cutting and some are just the result of laziness and sloppy work... I'm taking the car back on Tuesday to go over the issues with the estimator (who has been my contact) and the General Manager of the body-shop. I'm giving them a chance to correct the issues before taking my complaints "up the ladder"....

I'm very happy with all of the paint work - it matches perfect both in color and texture. They even blended the fenders with the doors, which is not always done on "simple" colors, such as white, from what I understand. Just some alignment issues and the "corner cutting" issues like 5 out of 11 plastic rivets missing in the hood seal and the missing push-pins...

Also - just to be clear - the passenger fender and hood were repaired instead of being replaced (which I'm ok with - the damage was very minimal).

Major Issues:
1. No foam blocker (5112925AE) in new drivers side fender - can see from drivers door door-jamb all of the way through to front end of car (circled part in picture):



2. Not sure what else, if anything, is missing behind fender, such as "Silencer Wheel House" (68240961AC).


3. Drivers side rocker cladding is loose behind front wheel (side where fender was replaced) - missing/broken clips? Suspect entire rocker cover needs replaced (68185193AF) since I don't think they sell the clips separately - or clips on cladding may be broke (not sure how it is secured)



4. Passenger-side front hood corner not lining up properly - too high (cannot fix with underhood hood adjuster knob):



5. Front of hood, where repaired, is not lining up with bumper cover properly (lower than bumper cover)



Moderate Issues:

1. General bumper cover->fender alignment on passenger side



2. Repaired passenger fender is not right on inside



3. Hood-to-radiator seal is missing 5 out of 11 plasic rivets




Minor Issues:- can probably take care of these myself, but annoying nonetheless:

1. Drivers side *rear* wheel liner is missing push pins at the bottom, so it is extremely loose, allowing water to get in easily - suspect someone removed them to use elsewhere (no other reason to touch the rear wheel liners)?!?! I took one push pin from rear passenger well so at least both sides are somewhat secured at the bottom.



2. Paint overspray on left side of engine, near bottom of engine cover



3. Paint overspray behind passenger-side lower grille
 
#74 ·
That God I wasn't in a major collision with major support, mechanical or suspension-related damage! Geez - I can only imagine.

I mean in reality, this is a V6 daily-driver in a state where there is winter, etc - so it's not like I'm going to keep it forever with plans of it being a "classic" someday, but still.... Some of the issues are just ridiculous. I mean how do you not put that foam piece at the end of the new fender?? How do you leave paint overspray like that? How you "skip" half of the plastic rivets that secure the hood-to-radiator seal? How do you not fix the small bend on the inside of the repaired fender (hell, I could probably grab it with my fingers and bend it back into place!). And the panel alignment just seems really poor to me for a $10k repair...

Just annoying that I now have to take it back. I just want it done right. Sure, they used brand new OEM parts, but that doesn't mean squat if they can't align them properly!

Trusth is, though, there are a LOT of people that would have never even knew these issues still existed. My wife would have been 100% fine with the repairs, for example. I guess they were hoping for someone like her. :)
 
#75 · (Edited)
It's not too late. Call the shop I recommend, and ask about having a PRI (post repair inspection done). I was serious when I said that most shops are incompetent.

Don't bother taking it back to the shop that hacked it out. Was the car even measured? Is "setup and measure" on your estimate?
 
#78 ·
Why are you waiting till Tuesday?

State Farm won't care, you picked the shop.

Its a catch 22, use their shop for crappy work, pick your own shop for crappy work, neither leaves you much remedy. You should not have taken the car to begin with. but that doesn't help now.

This is exactly why cars tagged with accident history take a beating. Stupid little stuff not completed by incompetent people. There probably isn't $2k worth of stuff for that repair, they get discounts don't cha know, lol.


Decent people get taken all the time. So sorry to hear this is happening to you.

Knock on wood I never have an incident, I would have no idea where to go anymore.

PS, white is the hardest color in the world to match, blacks the easiest. They have to blend the paint onto other panels to have any hopes of you accepting the repair.
 
#79 ·
After complaining (in writing) of the issues and sending pictures of the issues to the body shop for their review, I spoke to them and we set up an appointment for Tuesday to go over the issues with the general manager of the shop - so that they can get my complaints addressed. So that is why I'm waiting until Tuesday. I'm approaching it in a "civil" way first to hopefully work with them to get the issues fixed (instead of going in "on the spot" screaming and yelling, which will probably get me nowhere).

State Farm is the one paying the body shop - State Farm is the one insuring my vehcile - I'm their customer. State Farm also has some "leverage" with the body shop since they "steer" people to that body shop - so it's in the body shops best interest to keep State Farm happy if they want to keep getting business through them. The body shop probably cares about their relationship with State Farm more than they care about their relationship with me - so if I can't get any satisfaction through the body shop directly, I'm *hoping* State Farm can flex their muscle with the body shop to make it get done right and/or "authorize" me to take it somewhere else to get it fixed right. In the end, State Farm is paying the body shop (I wasn't involved in the money part at all) - so I would think that State Farm can withhold payment if things aren't done right - and either way, I need them to "approve" payment to someone else if I end up having to take it elsewhere - so they are still involed in the process.

I'm *trying* to get the issues worked out at the original body shop - becuase if I take it somewhere else now, who knows what will happen or how long it will take to get straightened out. I don't think State Farm will be jumping at the opportunity to pay someone else to do the work again.

Honestly, I have a feeling that things will work out just fine in the end - just sucks that I have to go back at all... Will follow-up after I know more...
 
#80 ·
Your hood is aluminum and should have been replaced. You can't bend the front edge without bending the under structure. The rockers are one time use and $60, they should have been replaced. The fasteners should have also been replaced.

Tramming the upper structure is not good enough, it needs to be measured with a 3 dimensional computerized measuring system. 1.5 hours is inadequate for setup, measuring and structural analysis.

It doesn't look like it, but did the wheels get hit at all?

If it were my car, it would never see the inside of that shop again. The real question is what can't you see. I could make anything look fantastic while still being completely wrecked in areas you can't see.
 
#83 ·
I had those little covers on my car before I painted everything under hood. It seems to be hit or miss people have them. It's painted under them, and they are just "stickers" so no idea what their specific purpose might be. No issue with them being gone I can see

A Guy
 
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