My wreck registry from 11/24/10

Today on the way to Lowes to pick up some materials I rear-ended a car in front of me. Traffic merged into surrounding lanes which exposed the traffic that was stopped in at a light. I should've reacted faster but didn't and as a result her car was totalled and mine was left like this...

The pictures don't show the damage very well so the damage list is as follows:

Hood dented and scratched up​

Grill broken in several places, especially the center​

Bumper obviously destroyed​

Passenger fog light completely demolished​

Passenger side fender bent from bumper impacting it. Missing paint and pushed out an inch or so. Plus the lower mount is bent in.​

Corner light housing has all mounting locations broken and is broken in area directly above headlight​

Headlight mounting tabs broke through the header panel​

Header panel is cracked and broken in several places and the holes for headlight/corners have been punched through​

Insurance should cover it except the $250 deductible. I had just painted the grill from the faded, peeling chrome to nice clean white too

Drive safe people, traffic is going to rough this week/weekend

 

[rhauf]

You should be able to get all the replacement parts you need from the JY for $150-200.

 

[drothgeb]

Went to the j/y today as soon as I got it drivable. Bumper: $150, Header Panel: $75, Corner light assembly: $25x2. That puts it right at my deductible of $250. The paint on the fender is all messed up and peeling off where the bumper bent it (it is bent out and up, from the front it looks like the fiberglass fenders that stick out more than stock) and the hood is dented in several places. I figure I'll just get the body shop here fix and paint it so I don't end up rusting out anywhere. I figure my insurance is going up either way so I'd get it professionally done. Am I being too much of a perfectionist?

 

[ranger-93]

If you want it to be 100% done with nothing left out than I say get the shop to do it cuz like you said your insurance is probably going up regardless.

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

glad u didnt get hurt that sux bout ur x

 

[Ranger379]

The only funny thing was that she kept telling her mom: "This is why I told dad I wanted a Ford. My car is a tin can!" Then her mom said that that is why she drives the Explorer in the family haha

priceless lol

 

[drothgeb]

Got the Explorer back today!! Looks great, new paint looks amazing. My hood now looks like a mirror. I'll post up some pics in a little

 

[Joe Dirt]

Okay, it's been 15 minutes- what the heck is taking so long?












J/K!

 

[drothgeb]

Fixed!!

OK, ignore the crappy quality of the camera phone.

It's almost too pretty to drive now...

 

[drothgeb]

I'm not sure if I like going back to a chrome grill...At least it's not faded like my old one was before I painted it and it has the dark graphite center instead of my old one's light grey. Still need to replaint the lower valence. I'm thinking the entire bumper goes white besides the chrome...What do you all think?

 

[Joe Dirt]

Gotta love the no stone chips!

Want a white Limited grille in exchange? I need a new grille for Wedgie and need the one you have now...

It was painted Oxford White for Snowball, but I just left the chrome grille on.
This is exactly what it would look like... It was on that weekend, then back off because I sold the truck with the chrome grille.

 

[Glen4X4]

The truck looks good, I don't think the chrome looks bad at all.

 

[drothgeb]

Gotta love the no stone chips!

Want a white Limited grille in exchange? I need a new grille for Wedgie and need the one you have now...

It was painted Oxford White for Snowball, but I just left the chrome grille on.
This is exactly what it would look like... It was on that weekend, then back off because I sold the truck with the chrome grille.

hmm...I'll think about it Joe, I've always liked those Limited Grills. Man, I'm loving how clean the inside of the front end is now. No rust or gime on the inside of the grill, bumper, or anything. They detailed it, it looks like a new Explorer.

 

[drothgeb]

Some more pictures...

Check out how clean even the inside of the header panel is!! JoeDirt eat your heart out! Haha j/k

 

[Glen4X4]

PERTY!!! lol, does look good though all clean and shiney.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Check out how clean even the inside of the header panel is!! JoeDirt eat your heart out! Haha j/k

Wow- it is clean!

Nice try- But MY header panels are ALWAYS that clean... LOL! :

I'd love to stay and chat, but I have to go work on Wedgie's header panel now... Needs a clean and wax...

Ha ha!!!

 

[drothgeb]

hey Joe I've always heard that you should wait 30 days before washing and waxing a new paint job...True or False? I'd hate for all this road salt to mess up my new front end

 

[Joe Dirt]

General rule of thumb is 45-90 days for the paint to out gas. New paint will release the solvents and stuff for a few weeks after painting... You should be able to use something like Deep Crystal Polish, as it's pure... But I would check with the body shop to be certain, since if something happens with the paint, they're on the hook I'd assume.

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[drothgeb]

Thank you for the great insight!

 

[safn1949]

Looks really nice,then I saw Joe's photo.C'mon man,at least warn a guy.

 

[AngelzExplorer]

that sucks, did you ever get it totally fixed yet? and i was just saying 5 out of 10 are texting, and im not one of them because i dont text and drive. i text while im stopped.