Subframe bent, best options?

[Jake007g]

Had an accident involving a curb two weeks ago. Initially I got told I'd only damaged the NSF wishbone, NSF track rod end and steering rack.

Just took it in to have the work done and been told upon closer inspection the subframe is also bent and all the work will probably cost in the region of £1000! That sounds like stupid numbers to me, but as I've been planning an F4r conversion for a while now I've been thinking is now the right time to do it?

Would like CS opinions and advice please, I've no idea what to do but I don't fancy spending mad money just "fixing" a 1.2 that isn't worth much more than a grand anyway!

Many thanks in advance xxx

 

[Daniel]

Either break it, or stick it on ebay for £500.

You can buy a half decent 172 for less than £1500 nowadays and that alone makes doing a 1.2 conversion utterly pointless.

 

[Chrisgti6]

How hard did you hit the kurb?!?

As above though, not worth going to the hassle of converting. Just sell up and move on would be my advice!

 

[Jake007g]

Being a young driver I can't get insured on a sport, especially with the SK postcode I live in! Breaking it isn't really an option either as I need my car to get to work etc! Basically I'm stuck with this car whether I just get it fixed or do a conversion etc... Does £1000 for the work sound excessive to you guys?

A Merc moved into my lane at around 35mph nearly sideswiping me, I was going around 30-35mph and slammed on and locked up as it was p**sing it down, instinctively I swerved to avoid him and smashed into the curb! I think because of how low my car is it took more damage than it probably should of

 

[G3 NYX]

Just get another 1.2 then, £1000 for repairs on a car that you'll probably crash isn't a good option.

 

[Daniel]

If you can't afford a 2.0, how are you going to convert it? :S

Are you planning on converting it and not telling the insurance? And if you need the car for work, how are you planning on converting it, overnight?!

As for how much the garage want, that's impossible to say without seeing the car.

 

[Chapster5]

I think they are about average figures mate for a bodyshop to do it. As they have to put it on a machine that pulls it and straightens it all out. Not sure what the process involved is though? Weather they strip everything off to do it or not.

 

[Jake007g]

If you can't afford a 2.0, how are you going to convert it? :S

Are you planning on converting it and not telling the insurance? And if you need the car for work, how are you planning on converting it, overnight?!

As for how much the garage want, that's impossible to say without seeing the car.

I can afford to convert it, just physically can't get insured on a 2.0! Strangely adrian flux quoted me £4000~ on mine with a 2.0 in it which I could afford as my insurance was £4200 on the 1.2 itself last year

I could go 3-5 days without a car but not much longer, so sorting mine out seems the best option

 

[Mark_P]

I take it you didn't get the Merc's reg number?

 

[Jake007g]

I take it you didn't get the Merc's reg number?

Nope I didn't, I pulled over straight away and he got off! I know I should of but in the moment I didn't think properly :/

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

F**k that for a laugh. Buy a dCi 80 and flog the rest.

£4k for a Clio insurance.

ROFFLEBURGERS !

 

[Pulsator]

If your not going to just buy a 172 because you cant get insured, no point getting yours fixed for £1000, may as well use the money and buy another Dynamique, and if you want a bit extra than a 1.2 offers, look around for a 1.4 or 1.6 Dynamique+ that you can afford insurance on,

prbs be able to pick up a 1.4 16v Dynamique+ with decent mileage and looked after for £1000 pal

 

[mark123]

I take it you didn't get the Merc's reg number?

What good would that do, they didn't hit each other.

 

[Hixle]

You're willing to pay £4k to insure a car worth less than half that?

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

You're willing to pay £4k to insure a car worth less than half that?

Including paying to convert the car....

 

[Pulsator]

I can afford to convert it, just physically can't get insured on a 2.0! Strangely adrian flux quoted me £4000~ on mine with a 2.0 in it which I could afford as my insurance was £4200 on the 1.2 itself last year

I could go 3-5 days without a car but not much longer, so sorting mine out seems the best option

Have you actually had a quote from Adrian Flux for a 2.0 ????

Reason i ask is i had the same issue i got a quote for my 1.2 last year and they said near on £1800,

This year when i got my 2.0 its actually dropped to £650 quid !!!

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Have you actually had a quote from Adrian Flux for a 2.0 ????

OP Location: Manchester.

 

[Jake007g]

I'm generally confused what to do... The garage said the subframe will cost around £400 but I've looked on ebay and used ones are around £65 including P&P? Would I be best sourcing the parts myself and shopping around for the cheapest labour and just getting it fixed....

Generally don't know what to think now haha

 

[Daniel]

Just fix the mechanicals yourself, then take it to a bodyshop to do the pantwork (if any is needed)
A subframe (whilst labour intensive) isn't that difficult to change. Bottom arms are easy, the steering rack can be done while the subframe is off... If you bought all the parts, you and a mate could do all that in a weekend.

And fcuking lol at paying £4000 to insure a clio.

I'd rather walk. Infact, it would probably be cheaper for you to get a taxi everywhere. Mental, just mental.

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Get a quote on a dCi 80 Clio .. get a quote on a Focus 1.6 .. pick anything at random < £2k from PH / AT and get a quote on that.

Sell your wreck and buy a new car.

It'll probably cheaper then the 6 large you're about to drop making a psuedo172.

 

[Pulsator]

OP Location: Manchester.

Oh yeah missed that bit - i do apologise :hail:

 

[JackJack]

Madness

 

[Jake007g]

Ok decided that I'm just gonna get it sorted, going to try and find the most cost effective route of sorting it though!

Would anybody advise me to not drive my car with the current damage?

Obviously it's going to take a few days for parts to arrive whether I source them myself or a garage order them in... And I need to get to work & back! I only work 5-6 miles away so could use the old pedal bike if it's unsafe to drive... Many thanks for all the responces guys I appreciate it a lot

 

[JackJack]

I wouldn't be driving it.

Get in touch with renparts on here (phone them though) they should be able to sort the parts you need.

 

[Mark_P]

What good would that do, they didn't hit each other.

Are you telling me that if someone ran you off the road (which is apparently what happened here) and you had their reg no. you'd happily pay for the repairs yourself?

 

[Jake007g]

Are you telling me that if someone ran you off the road (which is apparently what happened here) and you had their reg no. you'd happily pay for the repairs yourself?

Unfortunately even if I did have his registration yadayadayada, paying for the repairs myself is probably cheaper than the price my insurance would go up by for claiming :/ Life as a young driver is hard!

 

[mark123]

Are you telling me that if someone ran you off the road (which is apparently what happened here) and you had their reg no. you'd happily pay for the repairs yourself?

I wouldn't be happy about it but I don't see how else it would pan out.

 

[Budgie]

Are you telling me that if someone ran you off the road (which is apparently what happened here) and you had their reg no. you'd happily pay for the repairs yourself?

Prove it.

Unless you touch, there's no proof he was even there/caused the damage.

In a single vehicle accident, it can only be one person's fault unfortunately.

 

[Mark_P]

Prove it.

Don't get me wrong, I'm fully aware that it would be a massive pain in the a**e to prove. But the pain of getting hold of what useful witnesses you can find is a hell of a lot less than the pain of £1,000+ repairs.

paying for the repairs myself is probably cheaper than the price my insurance would go up by for claiming

remember though, if you had been hit (or were just able to catch the nobber on this occasion) there's nothing to say you have to go through your own insurance company to claim, you can go straight to theirs. Again, more of a pain but can be done.

One things that really gets my back up is premiums going up in the even of non-fault claims.......

 

[Martin.]

Sell it. Cut your losses. Get another car, maybe a 1.4 or even a 1.6 and wait until you can afford a 172 insurance.

 

[Jake007g]

Update for those who are interested. Sourced all the parts myself for the region of £170 (All new parts bar the subframe which is from a breakers).

Just dropped the car off at a friends garage who are doing all the work for near or near about £115 labour.

Not a bad price considering the original £900-£1000 I was quoted. Will let you all know how it goes on. Thanks for all your help + inputs!