My car was parked on the street in front of my house when someone driving up the block slammed into the car’s rear causing approx. $9,000.00 damage. The car was repaired and about a week after getting it back I was driving and heard a sound and I noticed a crack had appeared low on the windshield just below the wipers.It went up for about an inch from the base and across for about 12" and then back down. This morning I heard the same noise and now the crack is across the whole lower windshield. My question is could this crack be caused by the accident or the repair? I’m sure they had to stretch the frame of the car. There was no evidence of a rock strike. I called my insurance and they are skeptical by giving other reasons. Any opinions? Also, my sun roof leaks and it never did. This is a 2005 Honda Accord.
The windshield crack and the sunroof leak may be connected to the crash, or they may be coincidental. There’s no way to prove it either way.
The windshield crack should be covered by your insurance, regardless of the cause.
$9,000 is a lot of damage, and your car doesn’t have a separate “frame.” Its uni-body construction means the frame and the body are all one piece, but, yes, they had to stretch and bend the uni-body back into shape, and who knows what stresses were put on it.
Maybe the sunroof drain tubes became disconnected and that’s why it’s leaking.
You probably won’t like my advice, but if this were my car I’d sell or trade it, even at a loss. I’ve had crash-damaged cars in the past, and they were never “right” after the initial repair, giving me problem after problem.
I will never again attempt to keep and drive a vehicle that has suffered significant crash damage. It’s just too much trouble, and I’m not convinced the vehicle’s structure is as solid as it was before it was bent and straightened. How well will it hold up if it gets hit again?
Just for the record, I had a 1970 VW totaled. However I really liked the car and asked to have it repaired. The other guy’s insurance company (he had been insured less than 24 hours) did agree to do the repair, even though it likely cost them more than buying a different 1970 VW. I had that car for years after that and never had a collusion related problem.
I suspect the insurance company was nice to me because my daughter had been injured (turned out minor, thank God.)
Your 1970 VW probably had a separate frame, which can be replaced if necessary. All other body parts attach to the frame, and can also be replaced. I believe it’s a different situation with a uni-body vehicle. This is just my personal opinion. I’m not an expert on auto body repair.
I’m sure there are people who’ve had crash repair and kept their cars with no problems. The quality of the body shop probably has a lot to do with it, but insurance companies tend to go for the lowest cost, not the best repair.
My experience with crash-damaged cars has not been good, and I won’t keep a badly-damaged car anymore, no matter how much I like it.
To each his own.
Thanks for the info. And you are right about the insurance. It is covered regardless. I think they are questioning the cause because if it falls under the fault of the collision I already paid my $200 deductible. The collision was a hit and run. If they consider it a separate incident I’ll have to give them another $50 for the deductible under my comprehensive. I hear what you say about the $9,000 in damage. I had an Audi A6 that was hit and it had over $18,000 damage mostly in the front and it was never the same and I got rid of it at a big loss. This one being in the rear might be alright.
Not on those old VW's One large floor panel with two box members running along each side that also conducted the warm air to heat the passenger compartment. The only reason I still don't own it is the rusted out floor boards. I found out who to correct that problem a couple of months after I sold it. Was really mad.Did you ask the insurance company about the car’s lost value? did they compensate you?If you do decide to sell this car you won’t get as much as if It was not involved in such a big accident.
If you sell will you tell the buyer about the accident? If you bought this car off a Dealers lot would you expect them to tell you about the accident?
The question of can a car be made as good as it was before a accident does not have to be solved technically,public perception says it cannot,you cannot change that perception,it may as well be true.
Well, yes, the floor pan is what I’m referring to. That’s the “frame” on these old Beetles, and it can be replaced if it’s rusted or damaged in a crash. I’m sure you can buy a brand new one today, if you need one for a Beetle restoration.