My 99 got hit :(

[TargeT]

no pictures (I'll get some later) but I'm wondering if i can come out ahead on this deal, i'm in alaska, so shipping will suck but i bet i can still get a bunch of parts cheaper than the auto body shop can right?

both my air bags deployed, the right front quarter panel is crunched , a bit of the door and some of the hood also (tho its VERY minor on the hood, might be fixable)

the suspension is screwd (my tire got hit and shoved in, rim is prolly bent etc..)

can i have the car put back together with out air bags? there's no law mandating they be there right?

if i buy Z3 fenders or just stockers it should be cheaper too i think..

anyone been through something similar?

 

[sc2_ct]

I've been nailed and gotten the quotes from the insurance places and ended up getting the parts myself and doing the work in the past (it's a great feeling to pocket extra cash at the end ), but if you screwed up the frame, at least having the car put on a frame puller will be necessary even if you swap all the panels yourself. You can almost always save some of that big check they give you if you do as much of the work as possible yourself.

 

[TargeT]

if you do as much of the work as possible yourself.

I don't know JACK about body work, but the frame feels strait (driver door closes like new)

I definatly can replace the axle and control arm suspension etc... that stuff is easy.


its such a shame, the car has 26,000 miles on it

 

[sc2_ct]

Straight-up replacement of body panels is very easy (if you can turn a socket wrench or screwdriver you're all set). With a little reading and practice, I've yet to find the person that can't do prep work (light sanding, light filler work, etc). Even if you just swap the panels and do the prep work, it will save money over having a body shop do it. Try to locate as many corners in the front end that should be square and measure opposing corners with string to check that the frame is square and if not, bring it to a body shop to have the frame straightened. After that, prep all the replacement panels off the car (clean, sand, fill and prime), bring the parts to a paint shop along with an undamaged part for color matching (gas door, spoiler, mirror, etc), and then just bolt the new ones on.

If you find a mom-n-pop shop to do the painting, ask how much it would be by check/credit, and how much it would be for cash. A lot of times if you specifically mention cash they will give you a lower price because they either won't report it, or they're just going to moonlight the job. It's not very honest on their part, but hell, it saves you a little bit of $$$.

Just post on the board here or send me a PM if you need any advice or links to good primers on the subject -- I'm sure people here will be full of advice for you.

Seriously, body work is not as intimidating as it seems, so give it a shot.

 

[talontsiawd]

I had some minor damage and i got $1300 in insurance. I ended up paying about $500 to fix everything, including some body work that was unrealted to the incident. You can almost always come out on top if you hunt down cheap prices and do all the work (except paint unless you know how) you self. I really only should have gotten about $200 for a lightly damaged fender but my bumper and foglights were already cracked but my insurance company made an estimate when i was not there. They screwed themselves and i got nice 97 talon bumpers

 

[TargeT]

estimate came back at 6.4k

i thought airbags alone would be like 1,500-2,000 ish?

guess its time to start parts shoping..

 

[shamsulaswad]

u might find some air bags going below 100 bucks on ebay. just a suggestion.

 

[mitsuclipsegsx]

i have an driver side air bag from my 98 gsx,pm me

 

[TargeT]

I actualy want to totaly delete the SRS system, I don't have to have it do i?


airbags didnt do anything for me, hell i'm lucky i didnt hit another car cuz when they went off i was so disorented i didnt even hit the brakes....


i dont want that crap.

 

[Dr3wStx]

I actualy want to totaly delete the SRS system, I don't have to have it do i?


airbags didnt do anything for me, hell i'm lucky i didnt hit another car cuz when they went off i was so disorented i didnt even hit the brakes....


i dont want that crap.

Nope, you don't Need them if you don't want them.

 

[LeJeune123]

Atermarket steering wheel and just close the airbag door on the pasenger side. Take out the airbag control under the center console(Thats for my N/T, I don't know about yours). Then you have no more airbags and saved about 20lbs. Then just buy some CF or Fiberglas stock fenders and CF hood and another 99 front bumper with whatever lip kit you want. Then a good set of projector headlights and a junkyard door. So far that should only cost you about $1500-2000 with painting the fenders. So fix your suspension (high estimate) $1000, Then mod it out with the other $3400.

 

[TargeT]

well I'm not having them put any of the air bag stuff back in, but they said that they might not be able to release the car to me if they dont do the work, i figure they can just not "warenty" that part of the labor and i should be good,.. at least i hope

I'm giving them the downpipe and a fender, so that knocks a bit more cash off the bill, I desided to let them do all the work, and just get parts cheaper, cuz that way it will turn out looking better than if i did it

attached is a shot of the damaged area (notice the tire is pushed into the frame , need some control arm etc work down there...)

 

[shamsulaswad]

I'm sorry this happen to a very nice looking, sexy red car.

 

[4g63swap]

well atleast the Intercooler didnt get hit you should be fine with the repairs not that hard if your mech. inclined

 

[TargeT]

well atleast the Intercooler didnt get hit you should be fine with the repairs not that hard if your mech. inclined

I think *hope* its mechanicaly un harmed, so sad to see this happen to this car, it has 26,000 miles on it

 

[dave99gst]

im not entirely sure -- but i think its against the law to SELL a car w/o airbag if it orig came with them. ( ive just heard somthing like that,i may be way off )
I do know its against the law to remove them from a car that came with them. Im not sure if you remove them after they allready have been deployed

 

[TargeT]

im not entirely sure -- but i think its against the law to SELL a car w/o airbag if it orig came with them. ( ive just heard somthing like that,i may be way off )
I do know its against the law to remove them from a car that came with them. Im not sure if you remove them after they allready have been deployed

Yah, i'm hitting some resistance to it now, i'm going to try and sign a waver or something for my insurance company so i can have my "interior guy" instal the air bags for me (which i already have) (an ASE cert'd mechanic friend of mine)

at least, thats my story, then i'll just pocket the 2grand & remove the passenger airbag & close up the dash & i guess go with a momo steering wheel if i cant repair the stock one.

those bags did way more harm than help. I've never had them deploy & i've been in a few accidents, 1 real bad one. these poped on what i consider not too much more than a "fender bender"

anyway, i'll update when i learn whats up.

 

[Scrymerr]

but if you screwed up the frame, at least having the car put on a frame puller will be necessary even if you swap all the panels yourself.

Well, I have a big oak tree in my back yard ya'll can use...

 

[TargeT]

Insurance company said it was cool, I just have to sign something at the body shop saying i realize that the car didnt have its airbags worked on.

 

[TargeT]

update # 3

car should be done tonight/tomrrow

the Konig 6 spokes i had on aren't produced anymore so the 1 damaged (bent) rim = 4 new rims for me (or in other words, 1,000 dollars)

the air bag situation worked out so i can take my car else where, basicaly i'll just do the work myself, can the stock steering wheel be recovered/repaired or do i have to go with aftermarket(if so, any suggestions?)?

I also am going to get paid for the exhaust work I'll do (basicaly a new downpipe & the instal labor) plus i got a fender for less than half what they wanted to charge.

looks like the deal is going to work out great

 

[DarkTalon2GNT]

update # 3

car should be done tonight/tomrrow

the Konig 6 spokes i had on aren't produced anymore so the 1 damaged (bent) rim = 4 new rims for me (or in other words, 1,000 dollars)

the air bag situation worked out so i can take my car else where, basicaly i'll just do the work myself, can the stock steering wheel be recovered/repaired or do i have to go with aftermarket(if so, any suggestions?)?

I also am going to get paid for the exhaust work I'll do (basicaly a new downpipe & the instal labor) plus i got a fender for less than half what they wanted to charge.

looks like the deal is going to work out great

Sounds good to me, As for the steering wheel, you can go to a junkyard and find the middle section, the one that splits apart, and put it on without the bag in there, though you might need some kind of reinforcement...i've never looked in there before, so I dunno.... but it sounds all good to me...and i'm sure if you wanted to replace that rim, you could find it somewhere, that's the lovely thing about the internet.

 

[dis_ill_usion]

I don't know for sure but does that front wheel appear to be pushed back at all? It looks that way to me, and if it is...you have mechanical issues up the butt. It could just also be the picture, pictures have ways of screwing with you

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[DarkTalon2GNT]

I don't know for sure but does that front wheel appear to be pushed back at all? It looks that way to me, and if it is...you have mechanical issues up the butt. It could just also be the picture, pictures have ways of screwing with you

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please READ the post fully before posting... he's stated a couple of times that indeed the wheel is pushed up, and that he has to replace quite a bit of suspension, that he knows how to do.

 

[TargeT]

I really only had to replace the control arm, everything else was fine (belive it or not) the rim is an oval though..

I'm driving the car around right now, I have a minor oil leak that i'll have to track down but other than that the 52 trim is spoolin fine so good to be back in the car, I'd post some pictures but i have crappy rims that i borrowed from my buddies Silvia, so its kinda ugly atm..

still hashing things out with the insurance co & body shop. (I'm gonna make sure to charge them for the oil leak labor hehe)

aside from the month+ down time, i'm very happy with how this situation is working out

 

[TargeT]

well my turbo died ( http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1494112#post1494112 ) & i'm thinking its related to the accident, called the body shop & i have an apointment for monday to take the car down, the passenger door is slightly off when it closes & leaks a little water in carwashes at the front corner near the mirror

the drama continues....