who's driving a collision repaired FD?
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who's driving a collision repaired FD?
Just curious cause mine was just stolen and smacked into a mountain. The insurance is going to fix it and I'm gonna be driving a crashed FD. It's sucks, but I'm gonna do my best to get it repaired by a very good body shop.
So who's driving a crashed FD and how does it drive.
Thanks,
Anthony
So who's driving a crashed FD and how does it drive.
Thanks,
Anthony
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The first owner, a doctor who obviously couldn't handle a car like this FD, rear ended another car.. He wasn't going very fast, like 25 mph or so and only damaged the bumper, hood and both front quarter panels. Title lists it as $5k damage. No frame damage or engine damage however, the shop did a good job fixing it and everything is a perfect fit.
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Re: who's driving a collision repaired FD?
Originally posted by Piston Pete
Just curious cause mine was just stolen and smacked into a mountain. The insurance is going to fix it and I'm gonna be driving a crashed FD. It's sucks, but I'm gonna do my best to get it repaired by a very good body shop.
So who's driving a crashed FD and how does it drive.
Thanks,
Anthony
Just curious cause mine was just stolen and smacked into a mountain. The insurance is going to fix it and I'm gonna be driving a crashed FD. It's sucks, but I'm gonna do my best to get it repaired by a very good body shop.
So who's driving a crashed FD and how does it drive.
Thanks,
Anthony
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Crashed??
I too am in the same position... however, i am negoiating a $3-4K payment to me, as lost value when i sell my car(if i do) As it's no longer pristine i'm good with driving it the way i do. However, as a collector car( which the fd is) i have lost value........ cartercs
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Thanks guys. Good points from all. A really good body shop is #1. Unfortunately, my car did suffer frame damage which is why I'll slave to find the best Doctor for this procedure. Too bad this had to happen, I also was going to make this a life long collector project.
Any others?
Any others?
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I would try to find a shop with one of those laser guided frame alighnment machines (don't know the real name).
I'm told they can get everything back to factory specifications on those things.
I'm told they can get everything back to factory specifications on those things.
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You'll want to talk to a good frame straightening shop, which isn't necessarily the same as a body shop, although sometimes a business will be able to handle both jobs.
There are a couple of things to keep in mind. 1. Can the bent frame be brought back into factory specs, or are they just going to get "kind of close"?
2. When metal is bent, then bent back to its originial shape it loses some strength. This is where a judgement call comes in. You'd want to ask the frame straightening guy if the car is going to lose any significant amount of structural integrity.
The 3rd Gen RX-7 is a very precise handling car. Think about the strut bar in front. Can you imagine the minute amount of chassis movement that is meant to prevent?If you've ever been around an alignment machine when a car is hooked up to it, you'd be amazed at the way the numbers move on the machine when you do something as simple as press on a tire with your hand.
On a wallowy Buick, frame damage can probably be corrected to the point where you'd never notice it. But on a tight, precise handling car like the RX-7 the job has to be done very well otherwise you lose the great handlling the car was designed to deliver.
There are a couple of things to keep in mind. 1. Can the bent frame be brought back into factory specs, or are they just going to get "kind of close"?
2. When metal is bent, then bent back to its originial shape it loses some strength. This is where a judgement call comes in. You'd want to ask the frame straightening guy if the car is going to lose any significant amount of structural integrity.
The 3rd Gen RX-7 is a very precise handling car. Think about the strut bar in front. Can you imagine the minute amount of chassis movement that is meant to prevent?If you've ever been around an alignment machine when a car is hooked up to it, you'd be amazed at the way the numbers move on the machine when you do something as simple as press on a tire with your hand.
On a wallowy Buick, frame damage can probably be corrected to the point where you'd never notice it. But on a tight, precise handling car like the RX-7 the job has to be done very well otherwise you lose the great handlling the car was designed to deliver.
Last edited by JConn2299; 06-09-02 at 11:26 PM.
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I would get it totalled.
Sometimes, a shop and the insurance company prefer to fix the car. I will give you two different view from these two entities.
Shop: They will quote a pretty low estimate, so that the insurance company will just pay the repair. Because any repair cost > 75% car value will be totalled. Then whille the shop is working on the car, they will start jacking up the price, saying more is damage, than they thought. So in the end, it may end up > 75% car value.
Insurance Co.:
They prefer to fix the car because it cost them less than totalling the car. Say the car is $12K(KBB). Cost to fix $8K, they will fix it, better off than paying you $12K.
I never like insurance company. They are there to basically rip us off, and the federal would not touch them. I heard too many stories of people getting ripped off.
Reza
Sometimes, a shop and the insurance company prefer to fix the car. I will give you two different view from these two entities.
Shop: They will quote a pretty low estimate, so that the insurance company will just pay the repair. Because any repair cost > 75% car value will be totalled. Then whille the shop is working on the car, they will start jacking up the price, saying more is damage, than they thought. So in the end, it may end up > 75% car value.
Insurance Co.:
They prefer to fix the car because it cost them less than totalling the car. Say the car is $12K(KBB). Cost to fix $8K, they will fix it, better off than paying you $12K.
I never like insurance company. They are there to basically rip us off, and the federal would not touch them. I heard too many stories of people getting ripped off.
Reza
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Thanks everyone, I'll keep all this in mind. I know going into this that some of the structral integrity will be lost. Hell, it's already gone due to the idiot driver that smashed it. I'll try and work into a relationship with the frame shop so as to get the most reliable truth about my cars future. I wish there was a way to get it totalled though.
#11
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Mine was in a front-ender but was repaired pretty well. The front bumper does not quite line up with the hood, but it's anyone's guess as to which one is truly bent. Look CAREFULLY. You will see the tell-tale signs of a former collision. However, they are still difficult to spot.
Here are some visual aids in my usual 56k-friendly thumbnails:
Here are some visual aids in my usual 56k-friendly thumbnails:
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i'm in the same boat as jonski, down to the front bumper lining up a little off. I recently bought a fd with a salvage title- it was rebuilt and painted in maryland and it looks great. however, i dont have a clear title yet, the process takes a while, so i only got to drive the car once locally. I drive an 88 legend right now, so i'm not exactly sure what the handling of this awesome car is supposed to be, but it feels like a ferrari to me. not that i've ever driven one, but anyway. the alignment is near perfect, which is a good sign. hope everything works out man, that really blows.
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Pete....
I HATE to see another FD get totalled, but you should have NO problem getting it totalled. 3 years ago I purchased a 1999 mazda miata 10th anniversary edition. The sticker was 28,975, out the door was 33K. NO JOKE. Anyway the day I bought it , it was stolen and found stripped in richmond district. The shops gave it estimates of 7,000 to repair it. They stole the wheels, tires, glove box (dont ask me), seats, spoiler, shift ****, Anything that is bolted down .
They told me that they would repair it. I fought with them told them its a limited edition car and It would lose value and I will not accept it bieng repaired. they cut me a check and totaled the car.
I would call your insurance agency. Also, if you get body shops to tell you that it will not be 100 pct , especially with the frame I am sure the insurance company will have to total it.
I HATE to see another FD get totalled, but you should have NO problem getting it totalled. 3 years ago I purchased a 1999 mazda miata 10th anniversary edition. The sticker was 28,975, out the door was 33K. NO JOKE. Anyway the day I bought it , it was stolen and found stripped in richmond district. The shops gave it estimates of 7,000 to repair it. They stole the wheels, tires, glove box (dont ask me), seats, spoiler, shift ****, Anything that is bolted down .
They told me that they would repair it. I fought with them told them its a limited edition car and It would lose value and I will not accept it bieng repaired. they cut me a check and totaled the car.
I would call your insurance agency. Also, if you get body shops to tell you that it will not be 100 pct , especially with the frame I am sure the insurance company will have to total it.
Originally posted by Piston Pete
Thanks everyone, I'll keep all this in mind. I know going into this that some of the structral integrity will be lost. Hell, it's already gone due to the idiot driver that smashed it. I'll try and work into a relationship with the frame shop so as to get the most reliable truth about my cars future. I wish there was a way to get it totalled though.
Thanks everyone, I'll keep all this in mind. I know going into this that some of the structral integrity will be lost. Hell, it's already gone due to the idiot driver that smashed it. I'll try and work into a relationship with the frame shop so as to get the most reliable truth about my cars future. I wish there was a way to get it totalled though.
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Originally posted by Piston Pete
Anyone else driving a front collision repaired FD that had frame damage?
Anyone else driving a front collision repaired FD that had frame damage?
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Piston Pete:
I don't know if you read Sport Compact Car's Project RX7 series a few years back, but they a had a mechanic take their car for a joy ride unbeknownst to them and crash it, and it did get a little frame damage. But, they did take it to a body shop somewhere in Concord (I saw that you're in the Bay Area), I don't remember the name of it, it was some sort of Chinese guy's name I think, but if you find the article where they document the repair process you should find it. Go to www.sportcompactcarweb.com and see if they have the Project RX7 series online or find a buddy who has the mag. The guys at the magazine were very impressed with the job this body shop did, so I'd say take it there since they've fixed at least one FD well!
Good luck man
I don't know if you read Sport Compact Car's Project RX7 series a few years back, but they a had a mechanic take their car for a joy ride unbeknownst to them and crash it, and it did get a little frame damage. But, they did take it to a body shop somewhere in Concord (I saw that you're in the Bay Area), I don't remember the name of it, it was some sort of Chinese guy's name I think, but if you find the article where they document the repair process you should find it. Go to www.sportcompactcarweb.com and see if they have the Project RX7 series online or find a buddy who has the mag. The guys at the magazine were very impressed with the job this body shop did, so I'd say take it there since they've fixed at least one FD well!
Good luck man
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Thanks again. If mine was only a fender or bumper type deal well, I'd say no biggie. It's not though, it has frame damage. I mean the friggin front right shock tower bent and put a nice hump in the front strut brace. I'd appreciate the info on the woman getting hers fixed.
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90% of the fd's i see have been in some sort of accident, and most repaired poorly.
mike
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