I'm not sure where exactly I should put this, so I'm just making a general post.

I got a great deal ( so I thought) on a used 2006 is250 about 3 years ago. We were told it was in a minor fender bender and that no airbags went off but the insurace totaled it becuase of its age. They had pictures to back up their claim

After a year, the rear bumper cover fell off while I was driving on the highway and so I realized there was more to the story. Haven't had the means to get it fixed until now. Body Shop is telling me they don't want to fix it because its a salvage title - I think they feel they would be liable. The car was purchased in a state with no lemon laws and I now live in MA which has about every law you can think of.

So I have a couple questions if you are still with me. I just ran the car-fax and it was indeed in a rear-end collision in 2016 which is showing "moderate" damage. Says Rear end collision with front end damage also. Show that 3 months later it was deemed a total loss.

It appears the dealership that sold it to us purchased it at auction and just slapped a bumper cover on it to get it flipped quickly. There is some kind of putty that was holding it in place on the passengers side and it wasn't secured to the impact bar. The impact bar is viably bent. Of course I thought they'd just be able to slap a new cover on but I guess I was wrong.

The body shop will be getting back to me tomorrow but I"m kind of freaking out because I really love this car. Do you guys think I should go forward with finding someone else to repair it if they are unwilling? They say at this point if i were hit from behind I'd be dead meat, which scares me. If I am able to get impact bar and cover fixed what are the chances the damage to the frame is that severe? I included a photo of it just after it fell off, not sure if that will tell anyone anything.






TLDR: Moderate damage reported to car-fax with rear-end collision with font end damage, salvage title, Impact bar bent and bumper cover slapped on by ******* dealer. Worth fixing or no? Would carfax say moderate damage if frame damage?

 

Get a good, used rear crash bar and install it AND have a new bumper cover installed.

I've never had automotive business dealings in MA, so I cannot speak to this; but it sounds weird that a body shop couldn't just slap on a bumper cover onto the car regardless on its title status.

 

OP, this is not all inclusive but typically, frame damage shows itself as buckles in large panels, door, hood, or trunk gaps that are not even (your trunk looks tight on the left), buckles in the roof or C pillar area.

Less obvious are deformation of the unibody frame rails whereby they are caved in, buckled, bent, or torn from the glue and spot welds to other panels.

So, pull the trunk carpet and topper as well as the spare and look it over. Also look underneath for areas that should be symmetrical but are not. The next big thing is measurement forming an giant X from known equal plugs in the frame rails. Do they measure equally?

What do the rear door sound like when they close? Do both sound the same? Do they have equal gaps around them? With no bags deployed, no trunk panel damage it was a low hit, right on the bumper and looks to in good shape. Do as was posted above and get all new clips, a skin, and the bar and assemble it.

 

I’m the OP I don’t know how but I have two accounts


they said the rear end is pushed in about two feet and they can’t do anything for me. I’m pretty heartbroken because I love this car.

 

It doesn't look that bad to me but if I were you I would also double check the front end repairs. You can buy pre-painted bumper covers on ebay for fairly cheap. How did they justify saying you would be dead meat if rear ended? Are the airbags all intact? Seat belts in good shape?

"they said the rear end is pushed in about two feet and they can’t do anything for me. I’m pretty heartbroken because I love this car."

What? It doesn't look like it but I have never had the rear bumper cover off on my car. Usually there is a piece of foam between a bumper and the bumper cover... My car was rear ended a long time ago. My wife was driving it and was stopped at a red light. A lady driving an SUV ran into her while doing 45mph because she wasn't paying attention while on her phone. It pushed my wife into the intersection but luckily there were no further collisions. The total damage on the car was a new bumper and bumper cover. About $2k in repairs. I would think you would see some serious other signs if your car was damaged that bad.

As you look over your car, I just want to point out that our cars have something referred to as the Lexus lean. They lean to the drivers side. So if you notice this, it is normal.

 

there is nothing obvious to me whatsoever but they did say the frame bars are bent. My trunk opens and closes without issues as do my doors.

I asked if they could just replace the bar and they said it wouldn’t do any good.

I’ll post more pics when I get it back. Now I’m petrified to drive it.

 

Lets say you are smacked straight in bumper as this appears. If the structure was compromised, more than likely the trunk would overhang, the doors rub the aft section, and the bags would have deployed.

You have none of that. They are giving you the finger because that can't skim the insurance co for $$ off the top. Go somewhere else.

Mind you a solid 22mph impact will trigger bags. So unless the bags were disabled before impact, you are safe. Get your car back!

 

I really, really hope you're right. I've never had one single issue with this car besides the bumper flying off on the highway and I'm in love with it, I REALLY don't want to get rid of her - but they scared the **** out of me telling me if I got rear ended "they'd come right through your car". But you're right, if the airbags never wen't off the impact couldn't have been that severe, not to mention car-fax has it listed as a moderate damage accident and I know the windows didn't break,etc.

Thanks again, I'll keep you posted.

 

Everything about the car suggests it's in great condition,. except obviously its missing a bumper cover and the hood is a little bit crooked like it doesn't seat quite right - but I knew it had front end damage before I bought it so I always assumed it was from that. The seatbelts, the seats, airbags - everything is in perfect condition as far as I can tell. It only had 60k miles when I bought it 3 years ago and now it has 102. I figured because it was an 06 and the accident happened in 2016 they insurance just totaled it because the cost was too close to the value.

The shop says my spare tire wont lay flat but I've never noticed that, and obviously the person who sold it to me Jury Rigged the bumper cover, presumably because of the collision and to get it sold fast.

Mind you I'm a nurse, so I see pretty heinous injuries which I think is why I was inclined to believe these people but I'm definitely going to get it looked at somewhere else. I would even pay to have it reinforced if I needed to, as long as I won't be mince meat but these people are telling me it cant be done. UGH! I hate not knowing about this stuff. My Dad was a mechanic for over 50 years and took care of all of this stuff for me, he can't help me from heaven though.

 

How much does everyone thinks a repair like that would cost if the original damage was the bumper and the bar? If it's only a few thousand, I think it's suspect that the insurance company would total the car.

 

^^ except that OP bought it this way with a branded title.

So the fix is bumper, paint, clips, foam, and rear crash bar. That statement about it being pushed in two feet cracks me up. Please remove the spare and take a picture of the pan and trunk bottom.

 

it def lays flat but I recently used it so I just kind of threw it in there.


the cR had front end damage as well as rear ended damage, idk if they’d total it for that or not but the other thing is the car fax says moderate damage.

and it was 10 yers old at the time of the accident.

I just want to be able to drive it with some semblance of peace of mind. I’m gonna have it looked at by another place and see if they’ll do the work for me.

 

Everyone here thinks your car has minor damage. I suggest that you stop speculating and get a second opinion. It's done in the medical field all the time. DO NOT tell the second shop all about your concerns because it's not necessarily objective. Just do like you did the first time, tell them you've been saving to get it fixed. Let them go in with a clear mind. After they give you their opinion, you can tell them all about it if you feel the need. Just my suggestion to get an honest evaluation and give you some peace. Good luck.

 

Injured but not dead. She has pulse and needs an MRI! A little ortho and she'll be fine!

But ya, definitely need a quote from another shop! I think I would have hit the floor laughing at their immoral tactics and told them to go **** themselves! Shoved in 2 feet my @ss! What message were they really trying to send? I don't want your money?? Who knows....

 

Thanks so much, that’s great advice. I think I’m just anxious while I get through a couple double shifts till I can take it somewhere.

I appreciate everyone’s advice and opinions.