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[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Some ba***d has run / reversed quite hard into the front of my MV6.....

I don't know when it happened. I only became aware of it, when I had trouble opening the bonnet. Everything has been pushed back about an inch. I have used two different coloured felt tip pens in order to demonstrate this.

Nothing is cracked or broken, but it is now impossible to get the top off the washer bottle( see pic). The WB tank is pushed tight against the fans. There is no leak and the fans are undamaged. The bonnet has a small kink in the corner (see pic). The cars drives perfectly.

As nothing is broken, would it be best to remove the bumper and try and pull everything straight.......or claim on my insurance? 

[05omegav6]

At least it's only metal.

Good news:

Bumper shell looks ok, will just need crashbar behind it. these are quite hefty, easier to bolt a good one on than repair. nice and easy to do.

Bonnet might be repairable, but easier replace. It is designed to fold in two places, so is probably donald.

Bad news:

The bonnet may have pulled the slam panelback slightly

Had a similar claim back in March. Repair bill was £1800: bumper, crash panel, and bonnet.
Fix yourself possibly £150 plus an afternoon. Bonnet really needs two people as it's bstard heavy,(and big).

Would gladly help with repair, time and work permitting.

Claiming only viable if you a: know who did it and b: have reliable witnesses to the event.

Notify insurers (or not), and fix yourself IMHO.

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

At least it's only metal.

Good news:

Bumper shell looks ok, will just need crashbar behind it. these are quite hefty, easier to bolt a good one on than repair. nice and easy to do.

Bonnet might be repairable, but easier replace. It is designed to fold in two places, so is probably donald.

Bad news:

The bonnet may have pulled the slam panelback slightly

Had a similar claim back in March. Repair bill was £1800: bumper, crash panel, and bonnet.
Fix yourself possibly £150 plus an afternoon. Bonnet really needs two people as it's bstard heavy,(and big).

Would gladly help with repair, time and work permitting.

Claiming only viable if you a: know who did it and b: have reliable witnesses to the event.

Notify insurers (or not), and fix yourself IMHO.

Thanks Al.

Yes, the bumper is undamaged.

Only real damage is the crash bar and the edge of the bonnet. I'm hoping that if  I can repair/replace the crash bar then the rest will be pulled back into shape.

[PhilRich]

I'm desperately sorry to hear this Opti! The swine who did it & buggered off needs to be struck down with a horrible affliction!!

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

I'm desperately sorry to hear this Opti! The swine who did it & buggered off needs to be struck down with a horrible affliction!!

]


Thanks, Phil. Much appreciated.

I'm guessing it was a woman having trouble distinguishing between forward and reverse gears, bless her little cotton socks....

[hotel21]

I suggest repair with parts from breakers on the forum.  Why add a potential insco write off into the mix?  Looks like panel damage, pretty much, with very outside possibility of slam panel being pushed back a tad.  A fit of replacement bonnet/crashbar etc will soon show.  If required, can be pulled out with either a rope to a solid thing and car gently reversed or my preferred method, a spanish windlass.

Google is your pal.....



 

[Entwood]

Beaten to it by Broocie ... A rope, a tree/lamp post, and a touch of reverse should be enough to ease that back in-line .. ( worked on SWTSMBO clit .......  )

[henryd]

I agree with H21,if insurance gets involved it will probably be written off plus loss of your own "no claims" unless protected

[cem_devecioglu]

best method for repair  is to find a miggy with an untouched front and measure all distances from front wiper motors to different front points.. in the past someone also reversed into me and the only thing broken was front plastic panel with amblem..  but when we chaked the distances in a body shop it was some mm's behind and pulling them involves some extra tools you may not own or know how to..so imo visit a body shop with distance specs..
 
ps: its easy for a shop to do so it wont cost you an arm and a leg.. 

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

I suggest repair with parts from breakers on the forum.  Why add a potential insco write off into the mix?  Looks like panel damage, pretty much, with very outside possibility of slam panel being pushed back a tad.  A fit of replacement bonnet/crashbar etc will soon show.  If required, can be pulled out with either a rope to a solid thing and car gently reversed or my preferred method, a spanish windlass.

Google is your pal.....



 

Thanks H21 and Entwood.

I believe this to be the best probable solution.

Not being the sharpest tool in the box, would somebody more enlightened than myself care to tell me exactly what the "slam panel" is?

[aaronjb]

ps: its easy for a shop to do so it wont cost you an arm and a leg.. 

Nah.. probably just a leg. Or an arm. Definitely not both, though..

(I can't imagine getting in & out of a bodyshop for under £200, though! I think I'd go with the ghetto straightening method myself..)

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

best method for repair  is to find a miggy with an untouched front and measure all distances from front wiper motors to different front points.. in the past someone also reversed into me and the only thing broken was front plastic panel with amblem..  but when we chaked the distances in a body shop it was some mm's behind and pulling them involves some extra tools you may not own or know how to..so imo visit a body shop with distance specs..
 
ps: its easy for a shop to do so it wont cost you an arm and a leg.. 

Thanks, Cem.

I guessing that the impact speed was well below 10 MPH, so I hope the damage is not more serious than it looks.

[Entwood]

I suggest repair with parts from breakers on the forum.  Why add a potential insco write off into the mix?  Looks like panel damage, pretty much, with very outside possibility of slam panel being pushed back a tad.  A fit of replacement bonnet/crashbar etc will soon show.  If required, can be pulled out with either a rope to a solid thing and car gently reversed or my preferred method, a spanish windlass.

Google is your pal.....



 

Thanks H21 and Entwood.

I believe this to be the best probable solution.

Not being the sharpest tool in the box, would somebody more enlightened than myself care to tell me exactly what the "slam panel" is?

When you slam the bonnet shut, the catch enters a hole in the cross panel between the two wings.....  That's what I've always known as the "slam panel" .. the top crossmember

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

I agree with H21,if insurance gets involved it will probably be written off plus loss of your own "no claims" unless protected

Thanks, Henryd, I agree...

She has just had a new cambelt and oil cooler fitted, and is far too good to be written off.....

[hotel21]

As nige says, slam panel is the panel that joins both front wings to each other and where the bonnet catch engages into.  As said, might be pushed back a tad but once replacement panels fitted, will soon know if slam has moved as panels wont fit!