Got Pounded today by a Mazda

[BadQ45t]

I got rear ended today by a POS older 2003 Mazada Protege. The Q was hit hard, I mean I didn't get hurt but it was loud and scary. So I get out and the Q has like just scratches, her Mazada POS has at least 3k of damage, probably a total. I am sure with how hard I got hit that there must be damage on the inside. Anybody had the bumper taken apart to see what is under the plastic cover? Since there were some other pieces of scratches etc. I will plan to have it repaired (20 years and no new paint) but wondering if there is stuff inside there that can get totalled without showing on the outside.

[Q451990]

First of all, I'm glad you didn't get hurt. I haven't had the bumper cover off, but I'm going to guess that if you don't have any visible buckling, etc - you're probably OK in terms of your car not being totaled. In SC a "total loss" is 75% of the vehicle value, but it looks like CA uses a total loss formula:

Cost of Repairs + Salvage Value ≥ Actual Cash Value

KBB shows a suggested retail of $2649, and I can't imagine salvage value would be much over $500, so as long as your bumper replacement and paint work isn't over about $2000, you should be OK.

[94Q45Beast]

our Q's are one tough SOB's, as some of you might remember my hit and run accident where i got rear ended full speed on the driver side at a stop light and only the paint flew off and bent the exhaust, no other damage, if your bumper cover isnt cracked then I wouldn't suspect damage behind it, but if you look under the bumper cover where its mounted with screws and see any bending over there then id take the cover off and see whats up with it, its not hard to take off, took me a good half hour

I striped the OG Beast down to the frame

as of know id say your caster is way outta spec which would be your biggest concern other than a repaint of the bumper cover

[AZhitman]

Unless the alignment of the panels is off, or wheel alignment is way outta whack, I wouldn't go tearing things apart.

Beneath the bumper cover is a huge chunk of foam, and behind that a dense polycarbonate grid.

We owned a 03 Protege. It's a simple function of mass. Great car, but won't take a hit like a Q.

Glad you're ok. Don't be afraid to go get checked out, though... doesn;t take a hard hit to cause permanent internal damage.

[BadQ45t]

I have them on the hook for this so going to have a local shop do the full amount of work.

I have a set value on the car with my insurance of $5,000 so the KBB (which is BS price) would be out the door. I did the pictures of the car to them and they said aroudn $1,000.

This car is for sure a beast, it took that hit with very little damage.

[ZMARKUS]

Yeah, definitely take it to a body shop and let them asses the damage. My 99 Q45t experienced damage from a hail storm back in 2011. The adjuster had the damage at $2400 but my body shop called my insurance and had it bumped to $3300. My point, the body shop will discover damage that won't be visible to those not trained. Also, it wasn't your fault. You pamper that Q by having the other driver's insurance company do all the body shop requires.