SmootHHR

Damn! She did a number on it...if mine was much worse, I might have turned in a claim. $500 deduct makes it a little tougher to claim. Good luck with the repairs!

voigtsga

I just called and got things setup to drop the car off today or tomorrow at the collision shop. Should be interesting. She had to have really smacked that curb.

I'm really glad I have the $250 deductible. Having to pay out at Christmas time stinks, needless to say $500 would be even worse.

voigtsga

I called Advanced Collision (the shop doing the work) this morning to get an update on my HHR. The car gave them a bit of a run for the money because State Farm wants pictures to see what's damaged, but nothing visually from what the shop can see is off. They sent it to their alignment shop who of course couldn't get it aligned. I mentioned to them that the alignment shop I took it to before I brought it to them recommended replacing the right strut assembly, steering knuckle, and lower control arm. They said they were working the issue.

I just got a call back from the collision shop (about 6 hrs later). Somehow they got it worked out with the insurance and are replacing the parts above, plus they are replacing the left strut also as they said its leaking and are assuming it is damaged as a part of the curb incident. At least I'm getting two new struts out of the deal. So far I'm pretty impressed with this shop. They are pretty thorough. They don't have a total cost yet, but I know this is costing the insurance some change.

These newer cars definitely aren't made like the older ones are. Too much aluminum that bends way too easily.

voigtsga

Got the car back today. yikes! $2600. They had to replace the bumper as some of the supports were torn, the right strut assembly, right lower control arm, steering knuckle, hub, rim, left strut, and the rack and pinion. I may have them take a look at the alignment again though as it seems to be pulling a bit to the left.

843de

Good Lord! That was some hit, almost surprised that they didn't total it. I'd have the alignment done again, hopefully there wasn't any damage to the subframe or unibody that they missed.

voigtsga

Tell me about it. The funny part is that she told me that she scrubbed the curb. Some curb scrub! Then when I took a good look and saw that the wheel was bent in, she said that she hit it pretty hard. Yeah, I'll say.

I'm going to take it back in Monday and make the alignment shop (Firestone) that the collision shop used take another look at it. As much damage as was done to the right side, I'm honestly wondering if there is any damage to the front frame. We'll see what Firestone says, and if they try to give me some line without fixing the pulling issue for some reason, I'll have a frame shop take a look at it.

Greybeard999

Wondering something..... If the collision place did all this work, why didn't they also align the car?

BlackknighT

X2. The alignment should be part of the repairs and worked into the cost.

voigtsga

State Farm wants everything to be on one check to them. So the collision place hires out anything that they don't do in house. They use Firestone to do their alignment work, so yes, the alignment was done and was included in the repair cost that was covered by the insurance.

mrarff

If my wife did THAT much damage to mine, she would be driving it and I would trade her Lexus POS in on a new pickup. ( and she knows it!)