Vehicle Accident

[aidan80]

I was driving along today and slowed as traffic ahead slowed. I looked into my mirror for a split second and seen a pickup come steaming along then a loud crunch. A second later another impact, louder and more extreme than the first. Long story shot I got hit in the rear, traffic ahead vanished. Everyone was ok luckily, I appear to have whiplash and damage to my Versa appears confined to my rear hatch which is dented and won't open anymore. The bumper is also scratched and pushed in a bit. There is also scratches on the driver side rear panel where the bumper came up and over removing some paint. The drivers seat now clunks in and out and won't sit up right correctly. The second impact actually launched me up and out of the seat then of course i slammed down into it again. Driving the car now feels, lumpy kinda bumpy and has a slight pull to the right. There was no frontal damage at all to the car just in the rear. I'm now waiting on the insurance people to do their thing with this as I've a job to go to.

I was wondering what experiences people have with accidents in this car and getting it repaired. I assume the dealer is the best place to have it checked out mechanically and a good body shop to repair the cosmetics? My worry is if the frame was damaged but it all looks fine apart from the back. I've always heard after an accident car's are never quite the same again

[Andrews Chalmers]

Unfortunately your frame is likely damaged. Uni-bodies don't repair well - period.

[aidan80]

That's what I'm afraid off. If that frame is damaged I don't think I want that car anymore.

[aidan80]

Alright here's a few pictures, I'm going to be optimistic here and hope when it's checked out it's only cosmetic damage and nothing else. The lumpy driving and pulling to the right has me worried though.

[JHR16DE]

That blows dude. Most of us go through it at some point in our lives so dont feel bad. I'd go throught the insurance company as far as repairs though, delaerships always overcharge(thats what I usually hear).

[aidan80]

Thanks. Dealerships may overcharge but this vehicle is still under warranty and I don't want anything to crop up or cause issue 6 months or a year down the line with work done that wasn't by Nissan. I understand insurance companies have approved places to carry out work and I've no doubt at rock bottom prices but since this is covered by the people that hit me I'm sending it to the dealer to be repaired then to a good body shop for the cosmetics. That is I'm hoping if there's not frame damage to the car. Even if there isn't frame damage the value of this car has probably taken a major noise dive after being hit which will cause issues if I attempt to sell or trade it in at some point.

[ADOversa]

That sucks!

Are you able to open/close all the doors normally? Are the gaps still the same around the doors? Have you checked to see if there are any dimples or dents on the roof? These things can indicate structural damage.

[JHR16DE]

Thanks. Dealerships may overcharge but this vehicle is still under warranty and I don't want anything to crop up or cause issue 6 months or a year down the line with work done that wasn't by Nissan. I understand insurance companies have approved places to carry out work and I've no doubt at rock bottom prices but since this is covered by the people that hit me I'm sending it to the dealer to be repaired then to a good body shop for the cosmetics. That is I'm hoping if there's not frame damage to the car. Even if there isn't frame damage the value of this car has probably taken a major noise dive after being hit which will cause issues if I attempt to sell or trade it in at some point.

Good point. Any idea of how much it will cost to fix it?

[iluvmyVersa08]

Aww, this sucks to see

I think that you should just go through your insurance, and take the car to where they recommend. My brother was rear-ended when travelling in the US. He was driving his 02 Protege. He saw the guy coming, and with a car in front of him, turned his wheels (so he smashed into the curb as well). Front tire blew on the spot, and rear end was damaged. For such an old car that was rusted like crazy, the insurance paid to fix it all. They had to basically put a brand new bottom on the car since it was rusted so bad. Front and rear bumpers were replaced with brand new ones, and repainted. Now his front end looks better than mine, lol. The car had over 200K on it, and he wouldn't have minded if they had totalled it. Now he just has to fight to get the deductible back; much harder to deal with when it happens in another country. *Just continuously call your insurance so that they can get it fixed asap. Let us know the progress and what happens.

[aidan80]

That sucks!

Are you able to open/close all the doors normally? Are the gaps still the same around the doors? Have you checked to see if there are any dimples or dents on the roof? These things can indicate structural damage.

I hadn't checked the doors until yesterday. All opened/shut correctly apart from the rear passenger side door. It was stuck and I had to pull. It popped open and appears to shut again correctly although it sticks slightly when shutting. There is a deep straight scratch in the paint on the door panel that wasn't there when I washed the car last week. I haven't noticed any dimples or ripples in the roof. Although when I got in the back pulled down the seats I notched the bumper has intruded into the trunk by maybe half an inch. It's not noticeable from the outside but It looks like there's been some movement on the inside.

[aidan80]

Aww, this sucks to see

I think that you should just go through your insurance, and take the car to where they recommend. My brother was rear-ended when travelling in the US. He was driving his 02 Protege. He saw the guy coming, and with a car in front of him, turned his wheels (so he smashed into the curb as well). Front tire blew on the spot, and rear end was damaged. For such an old car that was rusted like crazy, the insurance paid to fix it all. They had to basically put a brand new bottom on the car since it was rusted so bad. Front and rear bumpers were replaced with brand new ones, and repainted. Now his front end looks better than mine, lol. The car had over 200K on it, and he wouldn't have minded if they had totalled it. Now he just has to fight to get the deductible back; much harder to deal with when it happens in another country. *Just continuously call your insurance so that they can get it fixed asap. Let us know the progress and what happens.

Thanks for the advice. In this instance I'm not willing to trust my insurance company as I've no doubt they'll move quickly to put a $ value on this make an offer then leave. In an older car the insurance would be great but in a car that's 17 months old with 16,000 miles on it I'm kinda worried that they'll want to send me to one of their "shops" and install "compatible" parts that maybe fine or may fail prematurely. One of my many concerns is if these products fail how they impact my factory warranty and if I'll be out more $ down the road. Which is why I'd like to go to Nissan for repairs. I'm also worried about how much value this has knocked off my car and of course the structural concerns. I've been calling my insurance and it seems they are all but shut on the weekend. At this point I'd just like to get my car fixed and back to exactly where it was before the accident which is what I'm hoping for but I'm also going to remain cautious.

[br4dysays]

wow that first pic is seriously 1 minute from my house. Sorry about the accident! Sucks! Be sure to update us on the insurance turnout.

[frankoV]

In this instance I'm not willing to trust my insurance company as I've no doubt they'll move quickly to put a $ value on this make an offer then leave. In an older car the insurance would be great but in a car that's 17 months old with 16,000 miles on it I'm kinda worried that they'll want to send me to one of their "shops" and install "compatible" parts that maybe fine or may fail prematurely.

another good reason to live in Canada, I guess.Insurance companies have a list of recommended repair ashops that are warranty-approved. You can opt out and go to a non-covered dealership, but that slows down the work. My insurance company didn't quibble on the repair and didn't cheap out -- the work was done, period. And when I wasn't happy I went back and the repair was re-repaired no problem, with an apology.

Good luck!

[aidan80]

Well after much talking at last I got some movement from my insurance company. They'll let me take it to a shop or dealer if I want and cover a rental as well. It's about time but this is what happens if my agent vanishes and the other person is on vacation for a week plus toss in a couple of other insurance companies/claims as well.

[aidan80]

wow that first pic is seriously 1 minute from my house. Sorry about the accident! Sucks! Be sure to update us on the insurance turnout.

It's a small world! Looks like all is well, repairs will be under way soon and I'll be as good as new in no time I'm sure. I'll let the insurance companies eat each other alive over costs lol

[JHR16DE]

Well after much talking at last I got some movement from my insurance company. They'll let me take it to a shop or dealer if I want and cover a rental as well. It's about time but this is what happens if my agent vanishes and the other person is on vacation for a week plus toss in a couple of other insurance companies/claims as well.

Glad to hear that. Sounds like it's getting fixed soon. And according to br4dysays Im guessing you live in central Fl? If so, we should meet up after the V is fixed!

[aidan80]

Well after much talking at last I got some movement from my insurance company. They'll let me take it to a shop or dealer if I want and cover a rental as well. It's about time but this is what happens if my agent vanishes and the other person is on vacation for a week plus toss in a couple of other insurance companies/claims as well.

Glad to hear that. Sounds like it's getting fixed soon. And according to br4dysays Im guessing you live in central Fl? If so, we should meet up after the V is fixed!

Thanks, yes I'm glad too it's getting fixed. I use the hatchback all the time and it's been frustrating that I haven't had use of it for two weeks now lol but this time next week am sure it'll be back to normal. Yes I'm in central Florida, sounds like a plan we should do that in a few weeks.

[sooner4x4]

Thats unfortunate about getting hit, but hopefully you will have your V back soon. My Sedan suffered damage in the rear when my daughter backed into a mailbox causing $4000 in damage. It was a brick mailbox. There was some frame damage. The biggest problem was having to wait on parts. We were in a rental for about three weeks.

The repairs on mine went ok. The white paint matched up perfect. Sometimes the plastic panel behind the rear tire will pop loose at one spot at the seam where it meets the metal panel above it. A light hit and it pops back in. The hatch is different in that location I think. Had an issue with the fuel filler door release, it is a pretty flimsy design from the release all the way back, but got that fixed. Somewhere in the back the cable has to loop around from the driver to passenger side, and the cable must have been routed in an area where repairs were made. No leaks, which is something you will really want to watch for on the hatch.

[JHR16DE]

Thanks, yes I'm glad too it's getting fixed. I use the hatchback all the time and it's been frustrating that I haven't had use of it for two weeks now lol but this time next week am sure it'll be back to normal. Yes I'm in central Florida, sounds like a plan we should do that in a few weeks.

Lol I hear you man, and which part of central florida are you from? Let me know, I know a few local members(br4dysays being one of them).

[aidan80]

Thanks, yes I'm glad too it's getting fixed. I use the hatchback all the time and it's been frustrating that I haven't had use of it for two weeks now lol but this time next week am sure it'll be back to normal. Yes I'm in central Florida, sounds like a plan we should do that in a few weeks.

Lol I hear you man, and which part of central florida are you from? Let me know, I know a few local members(br4dysays being one of them).

I'm not actually from Florida but I live in the Orlando area.

[frankoV]

Lol I hear you man, and which part of central florida are you from?

I'm not actually from Florida but I live in the Orlando area.

ah, the nuances of the "English" language. the question is not "where are you from", Aidan, but "where do you live?"

trying to remember . . . how long have you lived in "the new world"?

[aidan80]

I know the english language is a bit too overly complex at times and others backwards lol. The the question has been answered, I live in the Orlando area. I've been in the "new world" for about five and a half years so far.

[JHR16DE]

I'm not actually from Florida but I live in the Orlando area.

Sounds good. I know 2 Versa owners so we can have a mini meet.

[aidan80]

Well I got what i hope to be the final estimate on damages to my car and found one item that's got me scratching my head. Google didn't seem to have an answer for me and without jumping to conclusions I thought I'd ask where there was experience than I have.

The estimate is reading quite a number of things most of which I have an understanding of apart from this entry:

Unibody-Frame >> Setup, BUCKLED (listed was) 4 hours labor

I'm hoping that isn't what I think it is? I was told the bumper wasn't repairable and had to be replaced. If it is what I think it is, is it safe to assume things are just as good as they were before the accident? I've read a bit and found many arguments for and against repaired frame or unibody damage.