Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[raywilb]

today as I went round a roundabout about to exit & the car went into a spin & I ended up into a sign. the only damage is a slightly bent bonnet. the damage is near o/s headlight & bent back about 2" in length & 1" in height. the bonnet seems otherwise ok, but has lifted consequently it will not open. tried all the pressing down which usually sorts it but no luck. is there a anyway of opening bonnets from underneath ? . incidentally it turns out quite a few cars have spun out at the same spot. I was probably doing less than 10mph.

[BazaJT]

As I understand it on the earlier cars you could go up from below the bumper,however on the face lift cars you have to go through the grille[which means breaking it]More knowledgeable folk will confirm this/shoot me down in flames for being wrong.

[frostbite]

I once dropped my mk4 astra bonnet when a wasp went in my face as I was fitting the badgeless grill

Go on laugh

I had to poke a metal ruler in to unlatch it

[DrAndyB]

I once dropped my mk4 astra bonnet when a wasp went in my face as I was fitting the badgeless grill

Go on laugh

I had to poke a metal ruler in to unlatch it

Unlatch the Wasp or Bonnet 

[raywilb]

another problem is unless I can open the bonnet the bumper cannot be removed .

[omegod]

I would break out the crowbar most likely 

[Doctor Gollum]

If you can get a hand on the edge of the grill frame next to the busted head light, pull it forward whilst someone sits on the front corner... Then whilst the weight is still sitting pull the handle inside the car, should pop...

Might need a third pair of hands to simultaneously release the safety latch... Especially if the slam panel has moved...

Fiddly repair but perfectly doable if you're that way inclined... Just as easily turn it into a Cat C

And regardless of age or how good a driver you think you are... Book yourself onto a skid pan course... No excuse for that sort of prang

[Migv6 le Frog Fan]

Unless there was a big patch of diesel on the road, in which case we are all passengers. 

[terry paget]

Unless there was a big patch of diesel on the road, in which case we are all passengers. 

Agreed, in a RWD estate (higher tyre pressures at rear than the saloon) one is always at risk of a back end breakaway on application of throttle. I have had a couple of frights in a 2.5 estate, none in Omega saloons. I know the ropes, off the throttle, dip the clutch and steer into the slide, but unless I am jolly quick I shall spin. I am now always wary applying power on a bend in the wet.

[Doctor Gollum]

None of my 3.2s had that problem, and drove over 200 miles today in the pissing rain in a 190bhp rwd saloon with no abs or tc and didn't come unstuck once

That includes a stint on a fast twisty A road that I use for fun... (A272)

Point is, if he wants the bonnet open, the instructions are in my first post

[raywilb]

If you can get a hand on the edge of the grill frame next to the busted head light, pull it forward whilst someone sits on the front corner... Then whilst the weight is still sitting pull the handle inside the car, should pop...

Might need a third pair of hands to simultaneously release the safety latch... Especially if the slam panel has moved...

Fiddly repair but perfectly doable if you're that way inclined... Just as easily turn it into a Cat C

And regardless of age or how good a driver you think you are... Book yourself onto a skid pan course... No excuse for that sort of prang  

If you can get a hand on the edge of the grill frame next to the busted head light, pull it forward whilst someone sits on the front corner... Then whilst the weight is still sitting pull the handle inside the car, should pop...

Might need a third pair of hands to simultaneously release the safety latch... Especially if the slam panel has moved...

Fiddly repair but perfectly doable if you're that way inclined... Just as easily turn it into a Cat C

And regardless of age or how good a driver you think you are... Book yourself onto a skid pan course... No excuse for that sort of prang

  nothing is busted . the bumper should fix its pushed up about 10mm jamming the bonnet. the only damage is where the bonnet reaches the o/s bumper a strip bent back about 50mm long & 30mm high . that is stopping the usual method of pushing down. if I could force it forward I could fix but in the area nothing to lever against & don't want to damage xenon

[Doctor Gollum]

Kneel on bumper to push it down. You can pull the grill surround forward from the bottom edge if headlight undamaged...

Any bonnet damage, however slight, will mean that the position relative to the slam panel has changed... you need to reverse the direction of damage to release the bonnet. if the bumper has pushed up and back, you'll need to force it down.

Quality pics, both wider view and up close, are essential to direct you accurately...

[Lizzie Zoom]

GD is right.  Just get someone to push down on the bonnet and pull the handle, it will release.

My prang of a few months ago pushed in the bumper and creased bonnet, but was still released by that method.

http://www.omegaowners.com/forum/index.php?topic=138892.30

 

[raywilb]

update . tried in vain to open. I measured the best I could from bumper water jets & at first glance look ok, but actually the o/s is just over 20mm nearer to headlight than n/s. tomorrow I have the use of a garage with a hoist. though I now positive its a bumper removal.

[Doctor Gollum]

Impossible to remove the bumper without further damage unless you can get the bonnet open to correctly remove the headlight trims...

Suspect the repair bill will be well into four digits