babyGS3

I'm pretty sure that the frame on my car was at the least, slightly damaged in the 3 rear ends that I've had in owning this car. I keep hearing everyone cautioning me about cars that have structural damage...that i should get rid of it as soon as i can... that it will be problematic in the future... But what specifically can go wrong? Can anyone tell me this? This will really help me in deciding on whether or not to keep the car or sell it within the next year even though i will take a big cut in what was invested into the car as of yet. I dont know if this is the correct section to put this in.. but this is mostly where i've heard this being discussed. so... if anyone out there can tell me...'preciate it!!

~Manny

J.P.

I knew someone with a bent frame once, he was buying new tires very often.

Johnny Mo

If you have frame damage you will certainly get uneven tire wear, as mentioned by jpa. Have you ever driven behind a car and it didn't look quite right...like it was almost "crab-walking' down the road....that's what fram damge will do. I also suspect that you'd feel some degree of instability at higher speeds. Good luck...hope it's not too bad.

LexCiting

Honestly, I don't know any body shops that would touch a car with a damaged frame, and stand behind the repairs. I wouldn't bother with the car. Worrying about getting new tires is the LEAST of your problems. The reason for the excessive wear is because the frame is actually moving in the opposite way the wheels are guiding the car. Eventually the frame will either crack, or break completely! The problem is that it could happen anytime. On the highway at 65mph, hitting a pothole, making an evasive move, even taking a sharp turn. Now I have actually seen a car break in 2 on the highway, and it is not a pretty sight! It is not worth it! IMHO.

Lee

Hermosa

Wow I would have paid bucks to see that. Like cracking open an egg. The people in it must have spilled out all over the place. Everyone in the car survive? I hope.

Reminds of of an old Herbie(aka Love Bug) movie where he cracks in half and wins the race.

BananaGS

another problem with car that involved in serious accident :
major shock caused by the accident, every single component in the car (ie the engine) is effected at micro-structure level (not sure what they call it) when your car get old, thing will start breaking at a faster rate than a normal car. but it's all depend on how serious was the accident.

Anh

meZoom!

oh yeah, my ES was rear ended maybe 10-15 mph? on the freeway going uphill and frame was not damaged, but because the engine was "shaken" from the impact, my motor mounts collapsed after a few years. Yeah I know many ES owners experience motor mount collapse but mine was very premature. Think if you have been rear ended 3 times that impact would be kinda like my experience times 3.

Ag02M5

Why not get your car checked out and see for sure if the frame is damaged. Some shops out there have machines that can check the frame and others that can straighten them. Not sure why this wasn't done in one of the previous accidents. The person who rear-ended you should be responsible for it.

Personally, if there was only slight damage, I would try to get it straightened and drive the car. This is also assuming there are no other issues. As long as it is deemed safe too.

If the frame is badly damaged, I would get ahold of insurance.

Good luck.

ryan

Check the gaps on your body panels/doors/hood/trunk/etc. If the edges don't line up or doors stick, I would think the frame was bent.

LexCiting

It was an Acura Legend coupe that split on the highway. I was about 6-8 cars behind, in the left lane, and the Legend starts wobbling, then looked like a fishtail, and all of a sudden the whole back of the car went one way, and the front seemed to keep straight with sparks flying, before turning, and going into the median ditch smoking. The back rolled forward for about 4 secs, before it started turning, and then flipped, and the rear wheels, stuff from the trunk, plastic parts, and muffler parts went flying all of the place. The back seat went under a car, which tried to turn (too late), and spun out, causing more cars to break hard, and hit each other. It looked like a movie! Everyone put on their hazards, and traffic came to a stop. There was parts everywhere! The back part came to rest in the middle of the highway on fire. There was a trail of fire to the front part. I took the next exit (plus I didn't know if that tank was going to exploded), and they closed the highway for a medivac. Don't know if anyone was killed or not. But it was crazy to say the least. If anyone was in the back of that car, they definitely were DOA.

Jmai22

is some cases the car will always go eighther to the left or right. the alignment will be very bad. and even a very good alignment won't fix that problem totally. don't even mess with a bent frame. once you get in a car accident with any car try to sell it soon. it usually means the car is bad luck.

i had a accord got in 2 accidents with it. and finally said fawk it and got a first generation GS. dad started driving the same acccord now and he just got in a accident. some cars are just cursts

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

Would that be 'premature engineculation"? Sorry, couldn't resist.

babyGS3

Thanks for all your replies!

It's too bad though about this car. It actually looks really nice... changed color...kit... etc. I will have the frame checked. If it is minor, I'll live with it. if it is major... Is there a way to sue the other party and the insurance even if you have signed a release, releasing the party of future property damage claims?

~manny

babyGS3

hei bit.

'premature engineculation' ... wouldnt want that happening... by the way, how do you pronounce engineculation? hehe...

~manny

mooretorque

As I understand it, you can never sign away your right to sue someone.

As far as frame damage, it is certainly possible to get it checked. Plus, since the GS is unibody construction as opposed to body-on-frame, the frame would HAVE to be straightened (if bent) in order to replace any damaged panels. But you'd almost certainly experience more rattles and squeaks down the road regardless of any other issues.

babyGS3

I completely forgot that the GS was a unibody... well... when they put everything back... everything aligned very well... so i guess the frame was not damaged too much? anyway.. I still expect many creaks and rattles.... no problem... i can live with that. The car looks and feels good.. so that's all i will count on for now. well it'll probably not last the 20 years that I thought it would now! heheh.. but who keeps a car for 20 years anyways?


~m