[roy1010]

My first major accident repair experience!

Wife was approaching the highway from a minor road and a bus, which had just jumped the previous signal, rammed onto the driver side. Driver side window and right ORVM mirror smashed. All airbags on right side deployed. Car tried to move laterally but wife felt the entire car gripping the road - MCB in action.
Wife was lucky to survive the crash as per witnesses. Nothing happened to her apart from the emotional trauma of the crash and sound of the airbags deploying.
Reliance wanted to declare a Total Loss since initial assesment was looking like more than 75% of car value. Luckily the quote came to around 8.6 lacs.
Work started and seemed like forever. Had to supervise and give constant reminders to workshop for everything. Work took around 2.5 months to complete ! Insurance settlement took about two weeks.
I had to pay 10% salvage charge which I contested with Reliance Grievance,IRDAI and almost wanted to go for Ombudsman but gave up since it had taken so long. My final liability was around 35k including consumables,salvage and ECU and ACM resets.
They actually did a decent job. Panel gaps are not that off and all edges seem flush.
The job looks big but it is not. In the end, it is tearing down the car inside - to the floor and cut/weld/grind the joints for the new panels.
Running board and rear 1/4 panels were cut/welded. A pillar outer/inner and front bracket had to be renewed along with door hinges.
New door panels,front fender,rear 1/4, door pads, roof lining, seat belts and airbags + controller and impact sensors - these costed the most, apart from the seat cushions.
If anyone wants to see the invoice for an idea of how much body panels,sensors and trim panels cost, let me know.
I was not happy that the entire car surface had paint overspray/paint fog on them. Dealer wanted to polish and do a teflon. I refused and just got a Ceramic coat done for the whole car including the annual Ceramic Coat Maintenance.

In the end, apart from the trauma and the long period of waiting - the car did what it was built to do - save the occupant. If there was better training for the workshop technicians in India , these jobs should not take long. A lot of wait was also for some parts that had to come from Europe.

[Lalvaz]

Originally Posted by roy1010

My first major accident repair experience!

Wife was approaching the highway from a minor road and a bus, which had just jumped the previous signal, rammed onto the driver side. Driver side window and right ORVM mirror smashed. All airbags on right side deployed. Car tried to move laterally but wife felt the entire car gripping the road - MCB in action.
Wife was lucky to survive the crash as per witnesses. Nothing happened to her apart from the emotional trauma of the crash and sound of the airbags deploying.

First time I heard of MCB(multi collision brakes). Also surprised to know that it worked even for a lateral collision, but glad it worked and helped in keeping your wife safe and sound.

Is there no impact to the structural rigidity of the vehicle post accident and replacement of certain impacted panels?

Also could you share pics of the car as it looks currently?

[Raghu M]

I am glad that there were no major injuries. By looking at the pics, it doesn't look like the car can be written off as total loss. Insurance companies try this route if the repair bills are high (Skoda as such has high spare prices). The airbags deployed, the wheels look fine (after the impact). I think the car was able to retain the overall structure with very little impact. I hope I am not missing anything obvious (from the pics).

[roy1010]

Originally Posted by Lalvaz

First time I heard of MCB(multi collision brakes). Also surprised to know that it worked even for a lateral collision, but glad it worked and helped in keeping your wife safe and sound.

Is there no impact to the structural rigidity of the vehicle post accident and replacement of certain impacted panels?

Also could you share pics of the car as it looks currently?

My car was also in motion when the impact occurred. And I guess MCB kicks in as a response to airbag trigger and other inputs.
No impact on the chassis - I am told. They could not give me a print of the wheel alignment figures due to some tech issue. Am going for another alignment check tomorrow to see the results myself since it was hard to believe. Skoda workshop here does not have the equipment to do a chassis alignment/measurements so I do not really trust them. For now, the car feels and drives even better than before the crash! Not a single sound inside the cabin - I am really surprised by it !

Originally Posted by Raghu M

I am glad that there were no major injuries. By looking at the pics, it doesn't look like the car can be written off as total loss. Insurance companies try this route if the repair bills are high (Skoda as such has high spare prices). The airbags deployed, the wheels look fine (after the impact). I think the car was able to retain the overall structure with very little impact. I hope I am not missing anything obvious (from the pics).

Write off was speculated due to overblown repair estimate , which is normal, since the car wasn’t opened up and dealers always over estimate the damage. Luckily we didn’t go down that road and I managed to keep my car - which I’m happy and surprised to say - feels incredible. And yes, you are right - was not a major crash in terms of structure damage. The impact , I am told was quite severe. I am told there was no impact to frame/or other components - hard to believe.

[W16rocks]

I am glad to hear your wife is safe, since there is no pain bigger than loosing a family member. This was possible due to the fabulous build quality of the Octavia.

I am glad to see you could get your car back and the car is performing as good as before, just had one question if only the panels were damaged and the Octavia was a CKD then what parts were sourced from Europe as the panels should be available in India itself.

Regards
W16Rocks

[CEF_Beasts]

Glad to hear that your wife is safe.

This kind of accident also shows why side airbags are an absolute necessity on our roads, and especially because of trucks and buses whose impact once they hit the car is huge.

From the pictures, the repair job looks satisfactory to me.

[Pancham]

Originally Posted by roy1010

My car was also in motion when the impact occurred. And I guess MCB kicks in as a response to airbag trigger and other inputs.

One question. Did your wife get a shunt or (got hurt) when the airbags from all sides deploy?

[BNG-motorhead]

What happens if the car was declared a total loss?

Its painful to see the car coming apart like this. I have been self servicing my skoda and everything feels good but over engineered. Even the clips that hold plastics in place are very tight and stubborn. There is a trick or a tip to navigate each part which only a skilled guy can do.

[DeKay]

Originally Posted by roy1010

I managed to keep my car - which I’m happy and surprised to say - feels incredible.

Congratulations to your wife and you for making it to the other side happy

I always thought doing such a big repair job which involves stripping the car down to its bones and building it back up at a workshop will take its toll on the car's fit and finish. Does the car feel as tight as ever? Any rattles/squeaks, loose ends that weren't there before? What about the body itself; is there any flex that you've noticed?

[Guru_Shikhar]

Firstly thank god your better half is very safe after this horrific incident.

Secondly the European car quality is reflected in this event since you have mentioned the car rides even better after the incident. These things keep you pulling towards the European players overlooking the flaws they have.

The basic estimate is always high from dealers in most of the cases; also they take their own time to fix once car lies at their end for repairs. Best way is to make relations with the car advisor at the time of servicing and try to make it quick. But for imported parts there is nothing can be done.

Please keep updating about the after drive experiences.

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers.

[roy1010]

Originally Posted by W16rocks

I am glad to hear your wife is safe, since there is no pain bigger than loosing a family member.

I cannot agree more on the car doing its job and managing to still get it back after so many uncertainties and the fact that it now drives better! It was a big intercity private bus that rammed on the car. Witnesses say they really thought my wife was a goner. Unfortunately I don’t know how my dash cam didn’t record the crash. I could not get the traffic footage since I was away on sail.

Airbags and seat belts were not available in the country. They came from Europe.
There were long lead times for the parts. Almost 60 parts and most of them were big/expensive parts/panels. This is where it took most of the time.

Originally Posted by Pancham

One question. Did your wife get a shunt or (got hurt) when the airbags from all sides deploy?

Negative. No bruise as such from the seat belt or any significant external injury. She did go see the doctor for a general check up and for trauma. Spotted isolated blue marks at some paces. Side air bags really helped in cushioning the impact reaction.

[AKSarkar1]

Another reason why the Octavia keeps winning hearts after all these years. Truly these cars are made like tanks! Really happy that in the end the only damage was to your wallet (to a limited extent) and not a family member.

I think the situation would have been very different had it been another car. I have been a VAG owner for over a decade and know just how hard it is to damage doors to the extent that they have been damaged in that photo.

There is always a plus side though, the car looks brand new with the repaint and repairs. Should keep you happy for another 50-75K kms!

[roy1010]

Originally Posted by BNG-motorhead

What happens if the car was declared a total loss?

Its painful to see the car coming apart like this. I have been self servicing my skoda and everything feels good but over engineered. Even the clips that hold plastics in place are very tight and stubborn. There is a trick or a tip to navigate each part which only a skilled guy can do.

Not sure but I guess nothing much can be done if the calculations by the adjuster point to a TL. I was lucky the impact did not damage or knock any other critical sensors or windows.

Can’t tell you how painful it was to see the car opened bare and sitting in the dust for so long at the workshop floor. They did a pretty decent job in the end - I was only afraid of all the rattles I would hear from so many panels and trims being taken apart - but the cabin actually sounds quieter now !

Skoda manual lists exactly what to do for chop/weld on body panels. It is not difficult if you know what to look for - as long as it is not the strength members that are impacted.

You need plastic trim removal tools and you need to know how the trims and panels are attached - it becomes easy then and you avoid damaging the edges if/when using a flat head.

[sunikkat]

Glad your wife is safe.
Instances like this indeed give confidence on these well built cars. Octavia has indeed taken the impact well.

[roy1010]

Originally Posted by DeKay

Congratulations to your wife and you for making it to the other side happy

I always thought doing such a big repair job which involves stripping the car down to its bones and building it back up at a workshop will take its toll on the car's fit and finish. Does the car feel as tight as ever? Any rattles/squeaks, loose ends that weren't there before? What about the body itself; is there any flex that you've noticed?

Thank you! Like I have mentioned, even after stripping down the entire insides and cut/weld on panels on the right side - the inside feels quieter than before the crash. Most of the niggles and rattles are from panels rubbing or trim clips being loose or door seals getting old and dry. I never had any of them before the crash. But I still do feel the cabin is absolutely quiet and the car drives even better. Which goes to say that a decent job was done. Sound insulator, new cavity wax and panels sealant, new door seals, new door pad with new clips and several trim pieces have been changed. Along with the headliner. So a lot of trim and panel has been removed and put back/ renewed. And everything seems fine.

Car drives rock steady, specially with the new rubber. Cannot seem to feel any resistance or sway/sounds when driving around tight bends or over bumpy road.

Almost forgot that while I was away , my wife had the tyres switched to MP4ST just before the crash and I got to drive only after the repair. So a lot of it,if not whole, is also because of the new rubber !