[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by svaid

Hi Folks
A friend's 2013 Altis was rear ended by another vehicle and suffered right tail light and bumper damage. Was thinking of recommending Trend automobiles in hosur road, Bangalore. But was not sure if they will be able to arrange tail light. I looked around in directory and found https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/banga...bangalore.html

Don't bother with Trend or outside. Just get it under insurance and repair it. The tail lights aren't cheap from Toyota or from outside. Even bumper isn't.

I had a similar accident and got it repaired by Ravindu (Avalhalli). Needed a new bumper, tail lights and rear quarter panel tinkering.

[varunsangal]

Originally Posted by svaid

b) For the bumper damage, will pointed repair work OR should we get the entire bumper replaced.

For the bumper damage, if the damage on the right side isn't a torn bumper,
why don't you try the DIY method (DIY: Fixing a Bumper Dent [No Painting])?

Try a bit of hot water to soften the plastic and push from inside, the bumper will pop right out. A bit of putty and Com-paint will cover up the chipped paint as well. DIY here (DIY: Fixing a scraped / scratched bumper).

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by svaid

...
A friend's 2013 Altis was rear ended by another vehicle and suffered right tail light and bumper damage...

If he has a bumper to bumper insurance, don't think twice. Send it to the Authorised Service Center (Assuming they do a good job) and claim insurance. If you have third party insurance, find out a good place where they do a good job at a moderate cost. Eg: Bumper painting in VW is around 7k, whereas, outside is just 2k.

If you don't have a bumper to bumper but only comprehensive insurance, let me share a workaround to get better insurance compensation. Since its a fiber part and the car is over 5 years old, you will only get 50% value if you plan on replacing the bumper. However, most insurance companies offer full compensation for labour and paint. So, go to a good outside garage and get it patched up and painted. Dont replace the bumper.

Originally Posted by varunsangal

For the bumper damage, if the damage on the right side isn't a torn bumper,
why don't you try the ...
... A bit of putty and Com-paint will cover up the chipped paint as well. ...

The damage looks a bit too much for him to try these techniques. Touch up paint might do, but from a proper paint shop.

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by varunsangal

For the bumper damage, if the damage on the right side isn't a torn bumper

The bumper is far too damaged, both disfigured and paint loss, to have a DIY repair. Plus, high likelihood that the clips are damaged for this bumper to be fit back in place.

[svaid]

Originally Posted by Vid6639

Don't bother with Trend or outside. Just get it under insurance and repair it. The tail lights aren't cheap from Toyota or from outside. Even bumper isn't.

Thanks Vid6639. Only reason for exploring FNG was to save any add on costs for > 5 year old car. Bumper would be covered only 50% via insurance. Hence we wanted to explore if we can get showroom quality done outside at a reasonable cost (though still need to evaluate if it will really offset for no claim bonus) while procuring original tail light.

Originally Posted by varunsangal

For the bumper damage, if the damage on the right side isn't a torn bumper,
why don't you try the DIY method (DIY: Fixing a Bumper Dent [No Painting])?

Thanks varunsangal, As libranof1987 mentions, we thought damage was a tad more than what comes under a DIY fix.

Originally Posted by dhanushs

If he has a bumper to bumper insurance, don't think twice. Send it to the Authorised Service Center (Assuming they do a good job) and claim insurance.

Thanks dhanushs. Because of extent of bumper damage, we were exploring if that can be fixed via Trend. I have seen them earlier fixing such kind of damaged bumper with pretty good results. And as you said, in that case it will come under denting/painting cost and not a replacement fiber part. However, tail light also needs to be fixed and hence was looking at one place which could do both. If nothing works - we will go for repair via Toyota.

Originally Posted by libranof1987

The bumper is far too damaged, both disfigured and paint loss, to have a DIY repair. Plus, high likelihood that the clips are damaged for this bumper to be fit back in place.

Thanks libranof1987. May be you are right. We will get the damage evaluated.

[boniver]

Happened an hour ago. Would this require the entire hood to be replaced?







I didn't dare to open the hood and check inside, since I'm sure it wouldn't shut again. Will be taking it to the local garage at 9am.

[NaXal]

Originally Posted by boniver

Happened an hour ago.

How?

Would this require the entire hood to be replaced?

If there are no damage to the radiator, then I don't think anything may require replacement. Specially looking at the age of this car, I guess you are on 3rd party only insurance?

I had a very similar accident with my 2003 Lancer & that too was with 3 party only. Denting paining & some plastic welding (don't know how they do it or what they do) got it back to original shape.

Thanks

[samaspire]

Originally Posted by boniver

Happened an hour ago. Would this require the entire hood to be replaced?

I didn't dare to open the hood and check inside, since I'm sure it wouldn't shut again. Will be taking it to the local garage at 9am.

Did you hit a pole? The point of impact is such that there is no damage to the headlight - lucky you. This should be easily fixable. Bonnet can be dented and painted. The bumper will rise back to shape easily and the number plate will have to twisted back. Some clips would have broken though.

[boniver]

Originally Posted by NaXal

How?

Originally Posted by samaspire

Did you hit a pole? The point of impact is such that there is no damage to the headlight - lucky you.

I sometimes take mom (license holder) to drive in the early hours of the morning, because she's not at all confident behind the wheel. I usually take the car out of the parking itself, and let her take the wheel once we're out on the main road. For a long time she's been asking me to let her drive it out of the parking spot, and I have always refused. Today she reached the car first, and was pretty adamant, so I let her. Barely 5 metres away, she smashed the car into the meeting point of two walls on the opposite side.

Attaching an earlier photo I had taken:

She drove straight into the political party's symbol (you can see red and white paint on the bumper)

Originally Posted by NaXal

If there are no damage to the radiator, then I don't think anything may require replacement. Specially looking at the age of this car, I guess you are on 3rd party only insurance?

The car has 3rd party insurance only, yes.

Originally Posted by NaXal

had a very similar accident with my 2003 Lancer & that too was with 3 party only. Denting paining & some plastic welding (don't know how they do it or what they do) got it back to original shape.

Thanks

Originally Posted by samaspire

Did you hit a pole? The point of impact is such that there is no damage to the headlight - lucky you. This should be easily fixable. Bonnet can be dented and painted. The bumper will rise back to shape easily and the number plate will have to twisted back. Some clips would have broken though.

That's reassuring to hear, thanks NaXal and samaspire!
Would you have an idea of how much this entire job is going to set me back by? A ballpark figure would be great, since I'm not really aware of all this and I don't want the garage guys to rip me off. Will be heading there in a while.

[NaXal]

Would you have an idea of how much this entire job is going to set me back by?

My accident with my 2003 Lancer happened 4 years ago. I don't remember exactly, but total cost from a FNG was around 3/3.5k

My accident was with a fully loaded vegitable rag/basket, which fell from a Tata 407 traveling opposite of my direction. My front bumper was in a really poor condition compare to your's. Initially they wanted to replace it but I couldn't find a spare so they decided to repair it with heat & plastic welding (not sure how it is done)

Labour is cheap in Kolkata, specially in northern suburban area so I don't think your cost should be more than 5k.

Problem is, as Samaspire pointed, cost may shoot up depending on the internal damage like how many internal clips are broken.

[boniver]

Originally Posted by NaXal

Labour is cheap in Kolkata, specially in northern suburban area so I don't think your cost should be more than 5k.

Problem is, as Samaspire pointed, cost may shoot up depending on the internal damage like how many internal clips are broken.

Thanks!

I've been quoted 2.5k (brought it down from 3k) for the entire denting job. I've opted to get the entire hood repainted (not sure if I'll do it today itself) and they've quoted 1k for it. Labour is indeed so cheap here!

I should get the car back by 5-6pm today, and will update then.

[boniver]

Originally Posted by boniver

I should get the car back by 5-6pm today, and will update then.

Update: Got the car back at 4pm, and paid Rs. 2500 for the entire denting job. The rain Gods gifted us with torrential rain in the afternoon, and I'm so glad I decided not to go ahead with the painting today. No part was broken, thankfully, except the brackets on the right headlight. The brackets were then custom fabricated, and the same headlamps were fitted back on. All that remains as a reminder of the accident is a small white patch on the hood, which will go away when I get the entire hood painted some other day.

Getting custom brakets for the right headlamp


Only thing to remind me of the accident


Back to its former glory (well, almost)!


Thanks to everyone who replied to my queries!

[samaspire]

Originally Posted by boniver

All that remains as a reminder of the accident is a small white patch on the hood, which will go away when I get the entire hood painted some other day.

Better get it painted soon or it may rust fast during these rains.

But more importantly, don't let this incident dissuade your mom from driving the car. Take her out driving and help her get used to getting the car out of the compound. Don't let it be a case of "once bitten, twice shy."

As for the accident - are you sure she did not try to hit the party symbol deliberately?

[Brumby]

Hi Friends,

My Swift suffered a damage due to a branch of tree falling on the roof of my car.

The roof had buckled in partially which I managed to push out. There is a huge dent in rear left side with a minor dent on the frame above rear passenger door.
The body shell is not deformed though.











Please advise how this type of repair can be carried out so as to bring back to original condition. Though I have comprehensive insurance, I would prefer to get the repairs done on own cost.

I would like to know:

Can it be repaired by denting/painting only;
Will it require replacement of the complete roof panel;
Other than MASS, which should be the best place in Thane/Mumbai area to carry out such repairs to the best of quality; or
Should I look for a replacement.

The car is a 7 year old ZXI with around 20K kms. I prefer this iteration of Swift over all others including the latest one and had plans to retain this for as long as possible.

There are no dents and only one or two minor scratches on the car, however I now also plan to go for complete body paint for this car.

I would like to have details of the bodyshop repair garages which can do the job to perfection.

Thank you for your time and advice.

Mods please make the post live for assistance, Thank you.

[ajmat]

Back in 2007, a big branch fell on my Swift. the Windscreen and front wing got the brunt but the car was drivable. The, roof had dents like your on the surface, it was impossible to dent it out so the panel was cut out and a new one was welded in.

The car was perfectly fine after that, no leaks, no scuttle shake, no rattles. You could not tell at all.