After 5 months...WRECKED my 5.

[Katner]

OK, so maybe the thread's title is a little dramatic, but listen to this.

So I'm sitting peacefully at a red light this afternoon, on my way to my in-laws' place with my wife and baby, when I see out of the corner of my eye a car traveling at a respectable velocity get spun out of control. I say almost casually, yet urgently "Holy Crap." One second later he slams into the left side of my front end.

My wife was sitting in the second row passenger side seat and didn't really see it develop (in all two seconds total) so she wasn't braced for impact. She just screamed when it happened. Once things had settled she was crying (obviously) and was like "Are you ok? Are you ok?" She was talking to our (just) one year old baby of course who was rear-facing right behind me so you'd think she definitely felt the impact. But she was still peacefully drinking her 'baba.'

Anyway the damage was decent...took some pics with my iPhone:

At first glance it doesn't look too bad, but the doors on the opposite side of the car have to be pried open to access the car. It doesn't turn over, the wheel was ripped off, and the rear camber looks all whacked now. The cop there says that he thinks there is frame damage. GREAT. There goes all my resale if this thing isn't a write-off. And when body shops bend these frames back into place do they ever actually get it right again? Or will my car just feel a little off for ever now?

Anyway, we all appear to be fine. My wife is a little sore on the back of the head and upper neck from the impact, but she's tough, and baby seems fine.

 

[protojason]

Some nasty weather there. Glad everyones ok!

Here in San Antonio, drivers spin out/drive poorly in the off chance it ever rains.

-jason

 

[coolmazda5]

Metals and plastics only and everyone sounds OK, that is the best outcome given the circumstances.

Now good luck with the insurance

 

[Heat]

What wheels / tires are those? Look much more "car-like" than the OEM.

Let us know how the frame goes. Of course try to run it by at least a couple of bodyshops to get estimates, hopefully the frame is OK.

One piece of advice - assuming that it can be fixed (it's not totaled)... tell the body shops that you are paying cash but want it back to original and that insurance won't be involved. They'll give you a cash price. Then find out what the insurance company is willing to pay (they'll send an inspector out to look at it). Assuming that the insurance estimate is higher than the body shop quotes, tell the insurance company to make the check out to you since you will be having the work done at several different shops (piecing out the repairs). Pocket the difference.

Just tossing out some numbers here, but say the insurance company says the price will be $4,000 and the body shop says they will do it for $3,500. If you have the check made out to the body shop, there is no way that they will give you the $500 difference... they'll pocket it.

 

[Katner]

Well, what I didn't mention for the sake of saving space in my original post is that the person who hit me was actually hit first. They came perpendicular to us through the intersection at I'm guessing about 65-75kph and someone coming the opposite way (to me) ran the red and hit them causing them to spin out of control. Since I was a sitting duck and the impact happened so close to me and at such high speed there was no chance of dodging. But like coolmazda5 says, all in all we were very fortunate. The party who hit us got carried away in stretchers.

What wheels / tires are those? Look much more "car-like" than the OEM.

For my winters I used the exact same size wheel/tire combo as the Canadian GS version they actually don't look bad normally. The damage has pushed the wheel well away from the edge of the tire so they look tiny in the picture. But size wise they are exactly the same as the OEM GS version. These are 205/55/R16. Specifically they are Michelin Primacy Alpin PA3's.

Let us know how the frame goes. Of course try to run it by at least a couple of bodyshops to get estimates, hopefully the frame is OK.

One piece of advice - assuming that it can be fixed (it's not totaled)... tell the body shops that you are paying cash but want it back to original and that insurance won't be involved. They'll give you a cash price. Then find out what the insurance company is willing to pay (they'll send an inspector out to look at it). Assuming that the insurance estimate is higher than the body shop quotes, tell the insurance company to make the check out to you since you will be having the work done at several different shops (piecing out the repairs). Pocket the difference.

Just tossing out some numbers here, but say the insurance company says the price will be $4,000 and the body shop says they will do it for $3,500. If you have the check made out to the body shop, there is no way that they will give you the $500 difference... they'll pocket it.

That's fantabulous advice! I'm going to try that.

 

[Heat]

Oh, one more thing, any car that’s been in an accident loses value in the minds of buyers. Ask your insurance agent about compensation for diminished value – what I’ve seen (and I’m not in the insurance field nor the car repair field) is a flat 10% of the cost of repairs to compensate for diminished value.

Some companies will do this, I suppose that some won’t. Doesn’t hurt to ask.

 

[Davicho]

If you are still paying a note on your Mazda (there is a lienholder), the insurance will not cut the check to you directly because technically you are not the owner of the vehicle, and it is to the lienholder's interest to repair their asset (your Mazda) rather then you pocketing the money and stop paying on your note and buying another vehicle with the repair money. If you do have the tittle of the vehicle then, Heat's idea will work and it's the way to go. Sad but true.

 

[Katner]

Update

An UPDATE: my wife and I went to the chiropractor today. Both of us have stage two whiplash (out of 3 stages). She was more severe than me since I was braced for impact. I actually felt very little pain until he went through some tests with me and I was like "Ooooooweeeeeee." Now I'm scheduled for 21 visits.

AND: we rented an '09 Mazda6. Like the car but it sure isn't as Zoom-Zoom feeling as the outgoing gen' car.

Oh, one more thing, any car thats been in an accident loses value in the minds of buyers. Ask your insurance agent about compensation for diminished value what Ive seen (and Im not in the insurance field nor the car repair field) is a flat 10% of the cost of repairs to compensate for diminished value.

Some companies will do this, I suppose that some wont. Doesnt hurt to ask.

Once I saw that everyone was OK this was the FIRST thing that I thought of. I was like "well I guess we either have to drive this thing into the ground or take a huge loss when we sell it since it's been in a frame-bending accident. Who will want to buy this car????? My father is in the industry and thinks it's unlikely I'll get compensated for the decrease in value. Unfortunately.

If you are still paying a note on your Mazda (there is a lienholder), the insurance will not cut the check to you directly because technically you are not the owner of the vehicle, and it is to the lienholder's interest to repair their asset (your Mazda) rather then you pocketing the money and stop paying on your note and buying another vehicle with the repair money. If you do have the tittle of the vehicle then, Heat's idea will work and it's the way to go. Sad but true.

Of course. And there is a lien holder, my bank. And I'm really good friends with my banker and I'm sure he'd be flexible with me on things like this. I.e. he may let me take the cash myself if I'm putting it down to pay back the loan.

 

[Captain KRM P5]

Anyway, we all appear to be fine. My wife is a little sore on the back of the head and upper neck from the impact, but she's tough, and baby seems fine.

despite everything else, this is great news. very glad to read this.

 

[coolmazda5]

^^ +1, that's what matters

BTW, I also rented an 09 Mazda6i Sport or something like that. I did not feel a radical oomph increase on the 2.5L to be honest and, the same thing, it was not as Zoom-Zoom as I expected it to be i.e. steering was a little bit "heavier" and less road sensitive than the Mazda3 or the Mazda5, plus did not feel as precise.

For the oomph my theory is the gearing vs. RPM, I really like the Mazda5 ratios

 

[Katner]

despite everything else, this is great news. very glad to read this.

^^ +1, that's what matters

Indeed. As I consider how severe the accident actually was I can't help but feel fortunate and blessed. I mean at the speed we were struck, if we were one foot further ahead we could have endured much more serious injuries. As it is my two girls are sleeping soundly atm.

BTW, I also rented an 09 Mazda6i Sport or something like that. I did not feel a radical oomph increase on the 2.5L to be honest and, the same thing, it was not as Zoom-Zoom as I expected it to be i.e. steering was a little bit "heavier" and less road sensitive than the Mazda3 or the Mazda5, plus did not feel as precise.

For the oomph my theory is the gearing vs. RPM, I really like the Mazda5 ratios

I know heh?! I just think that they removed the flavor and emotion from the car. The Mazda spirit. I'm hoping that the higher trim level V6's feel different. But my guess is even though they make the same power, they will feel diluted compared to a MazdaSpeed6. I actually like the 2.5. I agree that it has no real oomph, but I think the power comes more linear than the 2.3 (I suppose I will always welcome more power even if it's in little steps). But for me the biggest let-down is in - like you say - the road feel. The steering just isn't communicative or precise like it is in the 5, the 3, and even the previous 6.

 

[FLOODED5]

As long as the shop has the right equipment, these days they can do a pretty good job at getting them right. There are many measurement points on the car and the shop can use a tram gauge to check all of them. I've seen some cars with problems like you mentioned on the non-impact side of the vehicle and it ends up being just a panel alignment issue because of the primary impact. Anyways, good luck. Looks like about a $4,500 hit if the radiator support is not cracked.

 

[bgibb68]

usually with cars these days if there is frame damage, the car will be totalled out

 

[Katner]

UPDATE: So indeed they are going to try to fix it. I'm guessing it will come in well north of $5000 though. Simply because EVERYTHING costs more in Calgary.

I'm not taking any chances on the repairs. I'm going to Maranello Auto Refinishing. Every time I drive by there I see at least two exotic cars parked out front waiting for paint. They do tons of high-end stuff. In fact today I pulled up to make the appointment and asked Josie why there was only ONE Ferrari out front when they usually have a few. She was like "Oh, we're actually painting one right now."

As long as the shop has the right equipment, these days they can do a pretty good job at getting them right. There are many measurement points on the car and the shop can use a tram gauge to check all of them. I've seen some cars with problems like you mentioned on the non-impact side of the vehicle and it ends up being just a panel alignment issue because of the primary impact.

That's what Jossie said today at Maranello. She said that making it perfect won't be a problem. I guess their machinery can adjust frames to be exactly perfect and it's all done by computer. And she says that she's done several racked up exotics with this machinery so that's comforting.

usually with cars these days if there is frame damage, the car will be totalled out

That's the reason I thought it would be a write-off. But it looks like they are going to try to fix it.

 

[antlind]

Check yr PM.