Need advice - Odd Damage

First I want to thank everyone for looking at my post. I am new to ExplorerForum, but it has been very helpful already. I am a huge Ford fan, but my wife's 2017 Explorer Sport was in a wreck a couple of weeks ago and the damage seems oddly excessive.

My wife was pulling into the parking garage at her work and when she pushed the brake pedal there was nothing there. That's the least concerning part of my story. So we called the insurance and they looked at the damage (see pic) and they estimated about $ 6k. It was a low speed impact, no airbag, no seat belt marks, so roughly 3 to 5 miles per hour. Regardless, we have it taken to our repair shop of choice. They have it for about a week taking it apart and identifying any damage missed by the claims adjuster. The new total was $ 14,500 and about 6 weeks. Ouch. The driver side upper rail and lower were bent which apparently means removing the whole front end as well as the dashboard. The body shop wanted to review the quote internally before finalizing and ended up rejecting the repair because they were afraid of the liability.

At this point I am pretty nervous. I am trying to decide if the vehicle was defective from the start or if this much damage makes sense. I am a fan of Fords and have a F250 I use on the family farm that has proven very rugged so this whole thing puzzles me. Any advice? Any Ford mechanics experienced a low speed collision that caused the upper and lower frame rails to be "buckled over itself" (adjuster words).

Thanks!

Kevin

 

[MONMIX]

Offended at what?

That you would automatically get out of a vehicle with 14k in repairs.
As someone in the industry who has done repairs like that and even more so, I ( personally) take a great deal of pride in what I do in returning vehicles to pre-accident condition, equal or greater in fit, finish, safety, and corrosion protection. I am not alone. Granted I am not in great company. There are certainly more than a few who are more concerned with their paycheck over a quality repair, this is something I am hoping to walk through with the OP.

 

[Mbrooks420]

If every collision repair professional was as thorough or prideful as you I wouldn’t be so leery.

I personally wouldn’t want to make years more payments on a vehicle that had been stripped down and fixed so much. You have no way of knowing if a repair like this has been half assed, until it’s too late.

If I personally knew the guy doing the repairs, it might be different.

 

[shucker1]

And thank God for that !!!!!!! The survival rate in significant collisions had skyrocketed.

I'm old school I guess.

I would still rather "The Feel of Steel" than "Wrap Your Ass In Fiberglass".

 

[Mbrooks420]

I'm old school I guess.

I would still rather "The Feel of Steel" than "Wrap Your Ass In Fiberglass".

The old cars surely weren’t safer in major crashes. It sucks to do a ton of damage in a fairly small crash, but the crumple effect does save lives.

 

[BigDaddyEllison]

I really appreciate everyone's help with my wife's Explorer. I will pm a copy of the quote @MONMIX . The shop that did the estimate has a great reputation. As I mentioned in the first post, the owner of the shop actually refused to do the repair because he felt that too much of the SUV would have to be taken apart and posed too much risk.

The insurance company is having another shop review it, but at this point it has been two weeks since the crash and I am a bit nervous about the vehicle and my options. I have been restoring my Grandfathers 79 F150 for about 8 years (an old truck is never really done) so I know first hand that a vehicle can be put back together better than it was originally. Honestly it is the unibody part that I know nothing about. The technician at the original shop said he would be worried about possible damage to the unibody where it connects to the frame. How concerned should I be and should I push back on the insurance?

Thank you again to everyone for your help.

 

[BigDaddyEllison]

I really appreciate everyone's help with my wife's Explorer. I will pm a copy of the quote @MONMIX . The shop that did the estimate has a great reputation. As I mentioned in the first post, the owner of the shop actually refused to do the repair because he felt that too much of the SUV would have to be taken apart and posed too much risk.

The insurance company is having another shop review it, but at this point it has been two weeks since the crash and I am a bit nervous about the vehicle and my options. I have been restoring my Grandfathers 79 F150 for about 8 years (an old truck is never really done) so I know first hand that a vehicle can be put back together better than it was originally. Honestly it is the unibody part that I know nothing about. The technician at the original shop said he would be worried about possible damage to the unibody where it connects to the frame. How concerned should I be and should I push back on the insurance?

Thank you again to everyone for your help.

 

[MONMIX]

@MONMIX

Good points.

Ballpark figure..how much would you charge to replace a front bumper on a 2nd gen?

No clue, I am a shop guy, not an office guy.

 

[MONMIX]

I'm old school I guess.

I would still rather "The Feel of Steel" than "Wrap Your Ass In Fiberglass".

Energy management is the name of the game.
Directing the force and energy of a collision around the passenger compartment. I will get a modern car in the shop with the front end crushed up like an accordion and the back end on a 90-degree angle to the rest of the car and I can open and close each door with one finger. It is truly amazing.

Here, look at this...

 

[allmyEXes]

In my area the Ins Companies are wanting to total vehicles involved in the types of accidents, IE, light accidents,newer vehicles, older drivers, to get them OUT of there full coverage part of the system, IE, SF for one

 

[shucker1]

@MONMIX ,

Not disputing you sir.

Please don't take it that way.

Energy management is the name of the game.
Directing the force and energy of a collision around the passenger compartment. I will get a modern car in the shop with the front end crushed up like an accordion and the back end on a 90-degree angle to the rest of the car and I can open and close each door with one finger. It is truly amazing.

Totally agree with what you are saying.

However, if I were given the choice I would much rather the steel of a 73 LTD, Caprice or Dodge Charger over what is being sold today.

From the pictures of the impact damage from the OP do you really think a 73 Caprice would have that much damage?

I don't think it would even scratch the chrome off the bumper...

Perhaps I may be jaded by my past younger days of being young and stupid oil field hand.

76 Pontiac Lemans = Totaled
80 Corvette = Damaged but Salvaged
75 F-150 = Totaled
73 LTD = Totaled

(2) Production Platform Fires

(1) Helicopter Fire

OK, We are getting into HiJack territory so I'll stop here

 

[imp]

Energy management is the name of the game.
Directing the force and energy of a collision around the passenger compartment. I will get a modern car in the shop with the front end crushed up like an accordion and the back end on a 90-degree angle to the rest of the car and I can open and close each door with one finger. It is truly amazing.

@MONMIX
One of the most moving videos of it's type I have seen! Thank you for posting it. Now, we wonder if given the public's feeling of greater safety inherent today, do they drive even less cautiously, more recklessly, today, than 50 years ago?

Ya gotta love that old GM "X"-Frame don'tcha? Half the material used, zero side, front, rear beam protection! imp

 

[MONMIX]

@MONMIX ,

Not disputing you sir.

Please don't take it that way.




Totally agree with what you are saying.

However, if I were given the choice I would much rather the steel of a 73 LTD, Caprice or Dodge Charger over what is being sold today.

From the pictures of the impact damage from the OP do you really think a 73 Caprice would have that much damage?

I don't think it would even scratch the chrome off the bumper...

Perhaps I may be jaded by my past younger days of being young and stupid oil field hand.

76 Pontiac Lemans = Totaled
80 Corvette = Damaged but Salvaged
75 F-150 = Totaled
73 LTD = Totaled

(2) Production Platform Fires

(1) Helicopter Fire

OK, We are getting into HiJack territory so I'll stop here

There are two factors in any automotive collision. Physical damage to the vehicle, and personal damage to the occupants.
I don't know about you, but I know which I would prefer to take the brunt of any given impact.

Yes, I agree based on the description of the accident it does seem like a ridicules amour of damage. That said if you would prefer to be in a steel land yacht at anything 30mph and higher you clearly don't understand the process.

 

[MONMIX]

No clue huh?

Okay, I believe you.

I mean to just replace, the labor, it is crazy simple. Four bolts and the bumper is off.

 

[MONMIX]

@MONMIX
One of the most moving videos of it's type I have seen! Thank you for posting it. Now, we wonder if given the public's feeling of greater safety inherent today, do they drive even less cautiously, more recklessly, today, than 50 years ago?

Ya gotta love that old GM "X"-Frame don'tcha? Half the material used, zero side, front, rear beam protection! imp

Yeah and with all this lane assist, auto-brake, collision avoidance stuff, drivers are getting lazier and lazier.

 

[shucker1]

That said if you would prefer to be in a steel land yacht at anything 30mph and higher you clearly don't understand the process.

Didn't intend to tick you off so much.

Yes I do understand physics, crumple zones, human anatomy and the combination all of these things and others have on each other during a sudden stop....

 

[MONMIX]

Didn't intend to tick you off so much.

Yes I do understand physics, crumple zones, human anatomy and the combination all of these things and others have on each other during a sudden stop....

No, not ticked off at all.

 

[imp]

Better to be prayed up with your creator than payed up with the insurance company.. noone can say when there last day is or what flaming plane crash they might walk away from. (Even better if you can stay payed up with both!)

No doubt the advances in auto body structure that came with the technology (CAD, 3D modeling, advanced simulations..) over just the last 15 years have saved lives. And money is the trade off.

Used to drive like a maniac in a tin can just like this..

Never wrecked that bad though..


Making it mandatory to wear a 3 point seat belt has probably saved more lives than advances in body construction, i would think. 59' Belaires only had lap belts?

Makes me think of Mr. Earnhardt. What's safer than a full tubbed chassis?.. but what happened? Broken seat belt killed him.



Or was it eight bolts?

@Centaurus5.0

In thinking back, it seems like my '65 Mustang was the first car we had with belts:lap belts at that. My Dad's '59 Ford surely had none at all, so I suspect neither did the '59 Bel Air. imp

 

[shucker1]

No, not ticked off at all.

Good to hear that, I respect your opinion.

 

[shucker1]

Makes me think of Mr. Earnhardt. What's safer than a full tubbed chassis?.. but what happened? Broken seat belt killed him.

Dale died due to a basilar skull fracture. A separation of you skull from the spinal column.

This injury could have been prevented by the use of a Hans Device which is basically a tether between your shoulders and your helmet.

Think of it more or less, for lack of being crude, like popping a rattle snake by the tail like a whip and knocking the head off.

Yes it works...

 

[shucker1]

This was @6mph.

Typo?