# Question about body damage repair

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** chrysler, towncountry\
**Created:** [February 16, 2017, 4:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989 "2017-02-16T16:42:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![garzay79](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@garzay79](https://community.cartalk.com/u/garzay79)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 4:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989/1 "2017-02-16T16:42:26Z")

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I backed into a tree in my van and it had a little over 9k worth of damage. The roof of the van was supposed to have been replaced but the shop felt that it didn’t need to and that the money saved could go towards additional repairs they found. I have taken the van back 6 times now and it is still not repaired correctly. They can not seem to get the mapping correct… Besides the mapping issues my middle seats that are supposed to fold down no longer do. They hit the back of the drivers seat (down low). Could the repairs done on the roof have effected that?

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**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 7:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989/2 "2017-02-16T19:32:48Z")

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Geez louise…how fast were you going?

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**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 8:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989/3 "2017-02-16T20:03:48Z")

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You must move the front seats forward to fold the Stow 'n Go seats, that is normal.

What is the problem with the “mapping”?

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**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 8:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989/4 "2017-02-16T20:07:27Z")

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> [@garzay79](#):
>
> Could the repairs done on the roof have effected that?

The accident could have. It could have damaged or changed the orientation of the necessary mechanicals.

Your first suspect of choice for any problems you find must be the accident.  
You backed into a tree and the roof had to be replaced? Did you knock the tree down and did it fall on the van? How the heck can you back into a tree and do $9000 worth of damage to a van?

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**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 8:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989/5 "2017-02-16T20:08:08Z")

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**@garzay79**  
_" **They can not seem to get the mapping correct…"** _

**What’s _mapping_ ?**

**What does it have to do with the Body Shop?**

**Was this an insurance claim?**

**Does the insurance company know the roof was repaired and not replaced?**

I’m not saying that the repair was not a better choice than a replacement, but the money saved could belong to the insurance company (not to put towards other things).

_**"Besides the mapping issues my middle seats that are supposed to fold down no longer do. They hit the back of the drivers seat (down low). "**_

**Who’s _they_ ?**

_ **Could the repairs done on the roof have effected that?** _

I doubt it, but the impact from hitting a tree going backwards could have jammed something, I suppose. The seats could just be stuck. Take it back and have them show you how to fold the seats down.

Have a you got a _brick and mortar insurance office_ with a _real agent_? I’d get some help there.  
_ **CSA** _

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![garzay79](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@garzay79](https://community.cartalk.com/u/garzay79)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 9:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989/6 "2017-02-16T21:22:37Z")

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Sorry the gapping not mapping. It is capped more on one side of the hatch than the other and in other places as well.

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**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 9:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989/7 "2017-02-16T21:42:53Z")

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Sounds like the van may be twisted so the GAPS are not correct. If the unit-body is twisted, the gaps will never be correctable. also. if there is twisting in the floor that may be the reason the seats don’t fold. Your body shop did not fix your van correctly and probably never will.

They just put lipstick on a twisted pig and hoped you wouldn’t notice. You have a complaint with the body shop that may end in court.

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**Author:** ![garzay79](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@garzay79](https://community.cartalk.com/u/garzay79)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 9:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989/8 "2017-02-16T21:46:36Z")

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Sorry meant gapping not mapping. The gap on one side of hatch is wider than the other and it is like that in other places. I have Geico and my adjuster says to keep taking it back til done right. By using the money on other things I meant things that may have been found once car was taken apart. It was only like 500 dollars away from being totalled. I attached a pic cause could only put one but maybe it will help

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**Author:** ![garzay79](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@garzay79](https://community.cartalk.com/u/garzay79)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 9:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989/9 "2017-02-16T21:47:28Z")

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![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/4/49c556d40993a7a2a7b2e088c57882a0f994beba.jpg)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![garzay79](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@garzay79](https://community.cartalk.com/u/garzay79)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 9:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989/10 "2017-02-16T21:49:28Z")

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That is what I was thinking. I considered getting a post inspection done but don’t know if that would even help the situation. Every time I have taken it back they fix one thing and something else is off

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**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 9:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989/11 "2017-02-16T21:56:22Z")

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_ **@garzay79** _

I once managed a Body Shop for a couple of years. I took the time to read your post. So did others. I asked 4 questions and got one answer.

Others had questions, too. This has to be a 2 way discussion. Unless I can get additional information, I’m out of helpful ideas.

Please help us help you.  
_ **CSA** _

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**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 9:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989/12 "2017-02-16T21:59:31Z")

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I backed into a light pole with my VW and did $10 damage for a new bumper.

I dunno but the roof that would be replaced is just a sheet metal cover. They would not have replaced the supports that the roof is welded to. So likely there may be floor or frame damage that was not pulled back into alignment. That’s a lot of damage.

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**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 10:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989/13 "2017-02-16T22:05:53Z")

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**@garzay79**  
It’s no wonder the shop had left over money! It’s funny how that works.  
_ **CSA** _

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![garzay79](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@garzay79](https://community.cartalk.com/u/garzay79)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 10:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989/14 "2017-02-16T22:20:51Z")

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Gapping not mapping  
Insurance knows now. We were not informed first about repair instead of replace  
Insurance is Geico  
They meaning the seats

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![garzay79](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@garzay79](https://community.cartalk.com/u/garzay79)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 10:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989/15 "2017-02-16T22:23:43Z")

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![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/e/ec3cd78c2c7b8ebfd33332b40391828b4c19ca50.jpg)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 10:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989/16 "2017-02-16T22:24:12Z")

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> [@insightful](#):
>
> Geez louise…how fast were you going?

+1  
Somehow, this doesn’t sound like a “parking accident”…

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 10:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989/17 "2017-02-16T22:35:07Z")

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Just to be clear, you’re paying for insurance to put the car back in the original condition. You’re not expected to scrimp on one part of the repair to cover some other possible part of the repair.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![garzay79](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@garzay79](https://community.cartalk.com/u/garzay79)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 10:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989/18 "2017-02-16T22:51:00Z")

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Though a bad way to think I feel the body shop was wanting to make money and knew it was so close to being totalled that their way around it was by repairing and not replacing. They were just worried about making money

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![garzay79](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@garzay79](https://community.cartalk.com/u/garzay79)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 10:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989/19 "2017-02-16T22:54:05Z")

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No not a parking deal. I was backing up a drive and didn’t actually hit the truck of tree but a large overhanging branch. There for camera did not pick it up

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![garzay79](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@garzay79](https://community.cartalk.com/u/garzay79)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2017, 10:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/question-about-body-damage-repair/99989/20 "2017-02-16T22:58:39Z")

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