91 Talon AWD...Runs & Drives...Can it be Fixed?

[jrbachmann]

91 Talon Tsi AWD Automatic, leather seats, etc, with 77k original miles...about two weeks from being painted, some bi-polar woman drives over the curb, across the lawn and Smashes the passenger door on 4/5/14! It runs and drives...passed smog just fine in march. It's bone stock w/ federal emissions. Insurance says it's mine now and offers almost nothing for it. I can't dismantle it here, but can it be fixed? The door needs to be cut-out and the post needs to be pulled-out and the sill needs replacing. If it drives/rolls straight, then the frame isn't damaged, right? The right front fender is fine...the front bumper has a small gash...the left door mirror and fender are damaged.
I was a member at one time.... There was some great help here before...Thanks. I don't have rights to post it for someone that can bring it back to life or use the parts. Anyone near San Gabriel (91775) with suggestions or help with this?

 

[DSM1G90]

I'd take it to a body shop for final answer.

Where she hit the door high and well above the lower frame, that's just all sheet metal there and you can get another door-and if you can pull it your self from a yard, be to your advantage.

Shop can stretch that pillar out and the lower section.

Now, if she hit the vehicle right on the "C" pillar then came into the door, that would have pulled the floor pan up and twist the entire chassis, which then it's a complete total for that DSM.

Is her insurance gonna cover all of this (if she has any)?

-Good luck DSM

 

[mitsubishikid]

Pick-n-pull in Fresno has a 1993 talon might be worth the 3hour drive to get a set of new doors.
I know any body shop is not gonna want to re-bend em back to stock shape for cheep, so it would be worth it to get a good used door at one of the wrecking yards.

 

[cheapracer]

So, where'd you bury her body?
J/K, I just know I'd be foaming at the mouth pissed.

I hate to say it but that pillar looks tweaked.

 

[livedsm4g63]

Get the ladies insurance, go get a quote. Her insurance has to pay, not yours. If they say they wont pay for the damages, you sue.

Was she cited by the police? If so, there is no fighting it... She will have to pay.

 

[quickduc]

I think you'll find that the estimate will be more than the "book" value of the car. That is all the ins co is going to be willing to pay, generally. That box section under the door IS the frame, more or less. Pulling/jacking that into place, and keeping the correct measurements/dimensions of the rest of the body, is what is going to cost. It looks like a simple job, but it isn't, really. It's common for shops to screw it up.

After you settle with the ins, buy if for the salvage cost, and then get it fixed yourself.

It may or may not be pertinent to this particular job, but the number one mistake that body shops make is to remove the damaged parts prior to doing a frame straightening job. LOTS of bodymen never figure this out. (perhaps most don't) The whole point of it is to REVERSE the damage that was done. It crashed with everything "bolted" together. If you remove all of the bent metal first, the remaining structure will not react the same while you are pulling/jacking it. Then you chase your tail trying to get various parts to line up and fit properly. A lot of time is wasted doing this, and the end job is not as good as it should be. Customer satisfaction is low, because they can see that body lines/gaps don't match like they should. Plus, it frustrates the guy(s) doing the work.

What tends to happen is they send the apprentice/helper outside to the wreck and tell him to take it all off. They think they are saving money by using the low paid guy to start the job. Wrong!

 

[wrencher]

That is quite a hit. I would argue with the insurance for the best payout.
Almost anything is fixable, but there is a lot of work in that one.
Is the dash cracked from compression?
A/b pillars inner/outer rockers right rear quarter labor frame rack time will add up quick.

 

[jrbachmann]

Thanks for all the suggestions (and the humor/sympathy). I got the check for it (less the $400 salvage deduction), after only 3-months of deceit/delays from her insurance (Mercury) claims-handler. I hate to give it to their suggested junker for the guaranteed $400 (Rusty's offered me $250...they are dead to me). 77.4K on motor...what to do...

The damage seems repairable. The door didn't damage the fender when it folded. The door did push-in the dash corner enough to crack the vent louvers, but the dash doesn't appear cracked. The roof doesn't look hurt. My only real concern is how much it'll cost to get it all back correctly. If I cut-out the door, I could see how bad the door hinge area is damaged. I don't really have the time to deal with this. I just might drive it the ~mile to the shop anyway. I should probably spray paint "OUCH" on the door first? You know, so a cop might be less inclined to harass me.
Thanks again

 

[quickduc]

Look at the top of the dash. Clearly broken and cracked in multiple locations. Worst is just above the right side of the instrument/radio pod. This may just be from the door pushing in on the end of the dash were they meet when the door is closed. But, could be from the body itself being squeezed inward.

 

[jrbachmann]

OK...you mean the dash pad itself...that was bad all over already. I had started to work on the right side area just to get a dash cover to lay down. Cheers