Crashed Clio - what to look for?

[Pep]

My mate stacked his car the other day, said i'd have a look round it to see what needs repairing tomorrow.

Anything specific that I should look at that i might not notice striaght away? Front end, I think it drives. Bumper off etc, slam panel fooked too.

Any way to see if the engine would have been pushed back?

 

[Peperami]

Get underneath, check subframe, wishbones etc. These bend easily.

If you're taking yours a side by side comparison is an idea.

 

[Pep]

Yeah was gonna do that as well actually, although it's a 1.2 so will be a bit different.
It's past a write off by miles, but he wants to get it all fixed cos he loves it, V6 replica.

Gonna get it up in the air and have a good look round etc, just wanted to make sure I wasnt gonna miss anything important out!

 

[cat171]

Yeah was gonna do that as well actually, although it's a 1.2 so will be a bit different.
It's past a write off by miles, but he wants to get it all fixed cos he loves it, V6 replica.

Gonna get it up in the air and have a good look round etc, just wanted to make sure I wasnt gonna miss anything important out!

No, just no.

 

[Pep]

To be fair it was done properly, he bought it like that, original Renault bodywork (£££) needs some slightly bigger spacers on the wheels, and a bit lower on the back but from a distance it looks quite good.

Easy to say its rubbish on here as everyone knows the specific points about that so can pick one out a mile off, but to anyone off the street it's pretty convincing.

 

[cat171]

Any pics of it at all ?

 

[Pep]

I havent got any, ill get some tomorrow, obviously not in its glory though.

Feel gutted for him, renews his insurance early next year so was set on letting Ktec loose on 2.0'ing it as he could insure it when he renews.

Apparently he's had a quote of £4.5k to repair it!
Also been told it has got a kink above each A pillar, can these be straightened out?

He really doesnt want to get rid, but obviously if its not gonna be able to be repaired so it is structurally safe if he gets in another accident...

 

[cat171]

To me it sounds like it would be worth cutting his losses & getting rid. Do you know if the front wings etc are un-touched ??

 

[Peperami]

From what you've said there id either reshell, or let it be written off mate.

The latter will be easier! Can he not remove most of the kit/ parts and fit them to a replacement car bought with write off money if he really likes it?

 

[Pep]

Yeah he would be miles better doing that, i've told him too, but he doesnt want to let it go. It's his pride and joy.

Well the damage I know of:

Kinks on A Pillars
Bumper off and fooshed
Left (i think) wheel pushed back
Lights hanging by the wires
Cross member damaged

Thats what another mate has told me so unsure how bad it is, don't think any airbags went off. He hit the front right of a corsa at anything upto 40mph.

 

[Pep]

From what you've said there id either reshell, or let it be written off mate.

The latter will be easier! Can he not remove most of the kit/ parts and fit them to a replacement car bought with write off money if he really likes it?

Thats what I said to him about getting a new one, but he didnt seem too keen.

Can't be written off technically, he's only TPFT.

 

[cat171]

Get some pics of it tomorrow mate. If the bits are ok (the front wings etc) he can sell those on, as they are genuine they'll be worth a bit.

 

[Pep]

Yeah, I reckon if he decides to not repair he'll want to do it to another though. He'd just had a new exhaust fitted last week too. Gutted.

 

[Struggler]

you probs would find this without me hinting,
but see if the doors drop when you open them,
can be a sign of twisting, and would affect the resale value as its a dead give away its been in a smash.
split paint is an easy way to tell if metals moved, as long as the metals painted obv,

was the corsa doing another 30-40mph??
if so i would be prepared to find chassis damage cz that makes a 70-80mph collison,
1.2 arnt really designed to brave them and live,

hope your mate was ok.

 

[Pep]

Thanks mate, good point.

Everyone involved was fine

It wasnt head on, the corsa was turning right as he was overtaking, both cars in the wrong, although on the face of it it looks 100% his fault.

 

[bmh.01]

If the wheels been pushed back then bin it. It'll never be the same again. Doesn't make logical sense to repair it in that state.

 

[kevin.s]

tell him to get a nother car the same and just swap the good bits over or keep for spares then weigh the rest of the car in and try to salvage some cash from it

 

[Mells]

Any pics of the V6 rep.

 

[cat171]

^ I already asked, none as yet.

 

[Mostro]

Thanks mate, good point.

Everyone involved was fine

It wasnt head on, the corsa was turning right as he was overtaking, both cars in the wrong, although on the face of it it looks 100% his fault.

Time to learn a lesson by the sounds of it. Overtaking at a junction? :nono:

As others have said, it really isn't going to make any sense attempting to repair it. Time to face facts and let it go.

 

[Pep]

Didnt get any pics yet as it started raining when I went to look over it.

Damage I can remember is:

Front left wing smashed
Headlights hanging off
Bonnet fooshed
Slam panel fooshed
Front bumper ripped off
Gear linkage snapped
Front left wheel pushed back
Left whishbone bent upwards
Some kind of tie twiested on front left, dunno proper name
Roof creased at sunroof, not a pillars
sunroof misalligned
Wheels screwed

Mostro, passenger door was really bad, but was the torx screw holding the tie on being loose, tightened this up and the doors closed fine.

Persuaded him to buy another, 1.6 this time though, strip off what is good from the 1.2, buy the new bits he needs to build it up again properly, then anything left over i'm going to strip to parts for him and sell on to recoup some money.

The car he hit was at the side of the road, in the dark, then pulled off and turned right, so he wasn't to know until the last minute.

Has gone 50/50 but he's not going to claim as he doesnt want to lose his NCB.