Cars after a fender bender

[tuffstuff]

I had my first fender bender today. s**t

I've never had to do a claim or had a care repaired before either so looking for some peace of mind hopefully.

I have VT commodore, rear ended someone going about 40. He did something unexpected but I could have been further back and ended up hitting him so my fault.

Smashed up the front bar, bent the bonnet and broke both the lights.

I hope it shouldn't be a big deal? Any reason this shouldn't be an easy repair for the smash repairer?

Thanks guys.
*feeling stupid*

[Mr.x]

Post up some pics.

Can you open the bonnet ok? Taking it to any reputable panel shop recommended by your repairer and there shouldn't be any problems what so ever. Any dramas or questions you have with the car after it's been repaired take it straight back to the panel shop to rectify it, their repairs and paint will be covered by lifetime warranty too.

Cheers.

[on_one_wheel]

Did a bonnet, headlight, guard, aerial and scuff on the door from a roo with the VZ Commondore. $3000.

[tuffstuff]

Mr X,
The car is with the smash repairer at the moment so can't take a picture. On the day the bonnet wouldn't open straight away, but the guy got under there with a screwdriver and opened it in 10 seconds so there wasn't anything too serious in the way.

The repairer seems good, he had a few cars on the lot when I was there that were finished. They looked brand new. Some had new doors or bonnets and fronts like mine and they looked perfect. Good to know they give lifetime warranties on the stuff though.

on_one_wheel,
I've got full comp so not worried about the cost to much. Just paying the excess sucks

I was worried about long term problems after the repair not the cost, but it sounds like it's not a big deal after others I've spoken with too

[jennageit]

Hit a wombat in my husbands 2008 Mondeo, and if you looked at the front of the car, it looked like all i'd damaged was the grill that had a small crack in it. You could even open the bonnet. however, when it got dragged off to the repair shop, they found $11,800 worth of damage. the damned wombat had grabbed everything possible on the way through. ripped heat shielding off fuel line, punted radiator back about three inches etc etc.

Hopefully it's an easy fix for you mate, and not like what we had.

Jenna

[Mr.x]

When you pick the car up have a good look at it, open the bonnet and have a look inside, check the bonnet to guard gaps also the gaps around the headlights and bar, they should be fairly even even from new cars gaps arnt perfect, if you have any questions don't be afraid to go back in and ask,.most panel shops are pretty good these days as there all governed by insurance companies. That being said tho there is still plenty of dodgy shops around willing to cut corners to make a profit.

[1sikxt]

Have they said that there definetly fixing it being a vt there market value isn't very high and if I recall correctly if damage is over 75% of market value they will wipe it off and pay u out

[Mr.x]

Yes your right there a VT isn't worth much these days and does t take much to write one off, when you pick the car up they "should" give you some paperwork detailing the work involved, if it says that repaired certain parts have a look at the repairs, it will also says what they used new or secondhand or worse aftermarket.

[jennageit]

As of March last year, 85% of market value damage is considered a rightoff now. It was a close call for our Mondeo because we thought it'd be written off, but nope. it didnt' sustain enough damage.

[tuffstuff]

Have they said that there definetly fixing it being a vt there market value isn't very high and if I recall correctly if damage is over 75% of market value they will wipe it off and pay u out

Should find out on Monday now.

[jennageit]

Sorry guys, I was wrong. It isn't 85% of the value for a rightoff, it's 80%.

Thought i'd better clear that up.

[tuffstuff]

Thanks for the update Jenna.

Found out yesterday they're going ahead with the repair as it's apparently not a big deal. No write off this time.

Now just waiting 2 weeks for the work to be finished.

[jennageit]

Hey Tuffstuff,

Glad to hear it's not a writeoff, unless that's what you were hoping for.

I hope that it is ony a two week repair for you. Ours went from three weeks to eleven weeks

Jenna

[Lorgar]

I hope that it is ony a two week repair for you. Ours went from three weeks to eleven weeks

That's what I was worried about too - I had a FB a couple of weeks ago.

The smash repairer turned out to be great though, I got the car back 2 weeks later to the day and it looks brand new again (it's 2 years old).

[jennageit]

Our car wasn't the same again unfortunately, and we ended up selling it. word has it, not two months later the auto packed up and cost a fortune to replace. thankfully we got rid of it just in time!

[Lorgar]

I was worried about that too with mine but it seems all good as far as I can tell from driving it for a week.

Fender bender like I said, new bonnet, front bar, 1 quarter panel, light... Nothing got through to the engine bay or anything structural though so all good. The airbags in mine go off at 40km an hour I'm told too and they didn't, so was going less than that at the time of impact.

Time will tell but no worries so far