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I'm really curious to know your explanation for how frame damage isn't a thing. Typical passenger vehicles all have a frame, whether it be unibody, ladder, etc.
Therefore the frame can be damaged if impacted...so I'm not sure how frame damage is "not a thing".
Agreeing with you here Sasnuke. Frame damage is most definitely a thing.
Prior to purchasing my 3IS, I remember seeing one for sale at a small dealer- no accidents on any report. Brought it to the Lexus dealer for them inspect and they brought me in the back to show me the front frame rail was twisted indicating there was a significant impact and someone did a s*** job in attempting to repair it.
I'm talking from the perspective of explaining this to someone who knows little about cars or their construction. Some do loosely use the word "frame" interchangeably but it's technically not really correct. A "frame" in the context of vehicle construction refers to a heavy duty boxed section of heavy gauge steel for heavy duty applications (trucks, dump trucks, etc). It typically runs internally from front to back. Think Tundra, F150.
In a normal passenger car having a monocoque unibody, the entire car is "the frame." There's really no ultra-hard point. It's a fully integrated design. The entire structure works in harmony and is itself rigid as a whole. Using various thin gauge stamped steel in various strengths from 900-1500 mpa (or higher for newer cars) There is a simulated frame, as literally every car has, they have a thin gauge boxed section running fore-aft. But in the true sense of a word, our cars do not have "frames." And neither does any other car such as BMW 3 series, Kia stinger, Ford Taurus, Honda Accord.
This is one subject i've been studying in great detail for quite sometime now.
The term "frame" in this instance of a modern passenger car is a misnomer, coming with all sorts of false implications if the disctinction is not made.
I'm talking from the perspective of explaining this to someone who knows little about cars or their construction. Some do loosely use the word "frame" interchangeably but it's technically not really correct. A "frame" in the context of vehicle construction refers to a heavy duty boxed section of heavy gauge steel for heavy duty applications (trucks, dump trucks, etc). It typically runs internally from front to back. Think Tundra, F150.
In a normal passenger car having a monocoque unibody, the entire car is "the frame." There's really no ultra-hard point. It's a fully integrated design. The entire structure works in harmony and is itself rigid as a whole. Using various thin gauge stamped steel in various strengths from 900-1500 mpa (or higher for newer cars) There is a simulated frame, as literally every car has, they have a thin gauge boxed section running fore-aft. But in the true sense of a word, our cars do not have "frames." And neither does any other car such as BMW 3 series, Kia stinger, Ford Taurus, Honda Accord.
This is one subject i've been studying in great detail for quite sometime now.
The term "frame" in this instance of a modern passenger car is a misnomer, coming with all sorts of false implications if the disctinction is not made.
So in an attempt to explain a frame to someone who presumably doesn’t know much about cars (by your unilateral decision), you’ve made it as complicated as humanly possible...good job with your google search result response!
And a unibody is exactly that, a combination of the body with the frame. You know those things that stick out in front and behind the cabin...they aren’t called unibody rails, they’re called “frame” rails. And in the event a “frame” rail is damaged in an accident, it can be cutout/removed, and a new “frame” rail welded in place.
While an IS doesn’t have the same type of frame as a Tundra, the two different designs are just that, two different designs.
Doesn’t mean when speaking about both vehicles, and certain parts of there structure, that the word “frame” no longer applies.
Keep studying this topic, and when you learn something, let us know.
Initial estimate is at $14k although the collision center said it would likely be more than that, but not near being totaled. They did note unibody damage which I see has a bunch of labor allotted to it for "unibody pull" on the paperwork.
Initial estimate is at $14k although the collision center said it would likely be more than that, but not near being totaled. They did note unibody damage which I see has a bunch of labor allotted to it for "unibody pull" on the paperwork.
I think that’s a mix of good and bad.
At least the impact wasn’t hard enough to severely bend a rail in the rear...either it was a slight bend or the unibody itself collapsed a little. With a good frame machine and an operator that knows what they are doing, a proper pull can correct that.
Since they’ll have to do an alignment at the end, I would request a copy of the alignment printout. It will be a good indicator if the pull was done correctly or not. If it wasn’t it would be hard to get the alignment specs proper.
Too bad it wasn’t going to be a total...but now the accident claim against it will be pretty substantial, so either you’re keeping it for a long time, or selling it off at a loss.
I hope the repair goes well and it’s returned to you at a condition that is as close to the pre-accident condition as possible.
A “unibody pull” could mean a slight rail pull but more than likely means a pull to the rear body panel before a new one goes on. If you have anything you’re in question about, ask away. I have a degree in Collision repair, spent 10 years as a tech, 2 as a shop manager/estimator before I left crash industry.
See if you can negotiate in lost value into the claim. You won't be able to sell this car for as much as a car with the same year, similar mileage, condition, etc, because it has that major accident on the Carfax report now. I'd get as much out of the insurance company and then list it for sale or hopefully trade in to a dealer that doesn't check the carfax.
See if you can negotiate in lost value into the claim. You won't be able to sell this car for as much as a car with the same year, similar mileage, condition, etc, because it has that major accident on the Carfax report now. I'd get as much out of the insurance company and then list it for sale or hopefully trade in to a dealer that doesn't check the carfax.
Absolutely do this. This can help you to get a new car if you don't want to keep driving one that's been in a major accident, or you can just pocket the cash. I had to go through this process when someone T-boned our GX 3 months after we bought it. It did a ton of damage, but not enough to total it. We ended up getting almost $10,000 for diminished value, on top of them paying for the repairs from a Lexus collision center.
One thing is that the cost of the report itself will most likely not be reimbursed because "you chose to take that cost on yourself". However, it's totally worth it.
This is the company I used: https://diminishedvalueexpert.com/
They are Texas-based, but they say they can help people in any state. The phone consultation is totally free. I actually never even had to meet the guy in person, even though I am local. I sent him pictures of the repaired vehicle (he tells you what angles to get) and the complete repair invoice from the shop. He generated the document, I emailed it to the adjuster, they mailed me a check for the exact amount the report suggested. We were done within a month or so total, from impact to completely settled. The DV guy was actually surprised that it was so painless, because the insurance companies usually put up a fight. For what it's worth, the company of the at-fault party was Allstate. We really didn't have any major problems with them paying up.
As mentioned above, talk to your insurance about a diminished value claim, you will get a check for the lost value in the vehicle due to the accident. As far as "no such thing as a frame" I had a car that got totaled out in an accident due to frame damage, the frame rail in the front had a bend in it. The labor involved in that, which would require pulling out the motor, was what totaled it out. Good luck, and the number one thing is you walked away!
From what I understand, the diminished value claim would be filed against the driver who caused the rear-end collision? Seems like I have to wait until the car is repaired before I can contact lawyers specializing in such cases.
I would doubt there would be much of a fight from the other side about diminished value claim. A rear ending accident is usually 100% fault on the other party.
A good shop can definitely do as good a quality job or better than a manufacturer. With a unibody you’re just replacing small pieces like a jigsaw puzzle.
I'm not here to argue i'm here to tell you that frame damage will never be the same like original doesn't matter how good the body guy is, paint damage also will never be the same as original If from Lexus Dealership or a good bodyshop you'll might get 95% back to normal, if you go ask an honest Body guy he will tell you.
Its a different between the Guy that talks and the Guy that Do , the internet forums and the Youtube Videos , the Online and the real life !
I'm not here to argue i'm here to tell you that frame damage will never be the same like original doesn't matter how good the body guy is, paint damage also will never be the same as original If from Lexus Dealership or a good bodyshop you'll might get 95% back to normal, if you go ask an honest Body guy he will tell you.
Its a different between the Guy that talks and the Guy that Do , the internet forums and the Youtube Videos , the Online and the real life !
Why wouldn’t it be as good? What are you basing your knowledge from? Experience? Word of mouth? Not only can someone make a car just as good from the factory......you can make it better, all it takes is to know how.
Why wouldn’t it be as good? What are you basing your knowledge from? Experience? Word of mouth? Not only can someone make a car just as good from the factory......you can make it better, all it takes is to know how.
I've worked for V-Max auto body and collision in Toronto for 2.5 years from 2007 to almost 2010, before i jumped into learning suspension and left for another career, pulling frame cutting car in half and joint them together, we buy damaged cars from auction repair and sell, you see that guy half rear end picture there ? that when we can't fix we have to buy other rear end from other car. Its not an easy job bro, every body shop guys says they'll make it back to original but when they return the car , i know you're trying to tell there is someone can restore it back to at least 99% original , yes there is but they don't want to do it, they don't make money that way its business, because it takes a lot of their time. PS: when frame damaged the car will be "Rebuilt Title" they said another same collision frame will not as strong as original thats why rebuilt title car is cheaper sometimes Rich people don't wanna buy
To the owner of this Thread : Trust me tell your insurance to write it off this car, don't waste time on body shop you'll not like it after you fix it, also its a Luxury car with many electrical parts , i thought it was only rear end but yours front end damaged too
I've worked for V-Max auto body and collision in Toronto for 2.5 years from 2007 to almost 2010, before i jumped into learning suspension and left for another career, pulling frame cutting car in half and joint them together, we buy damaged cars from auction repair and sell, you see that guy half rear end picture there ? that when we can't fix we have to buy other rear end from other car. Its not an easy job bro, every body shop guys says they'll make it back to original but when they return the car , i know you're trying to tell there is someone can restore it back to at least 99% original , yes there is but they don't want to do it, they don't make money that way its business, because it takes a lot of their time. PS: when frame damaged the car will be "Rebuilt Title" they said another same collision frame will not as strong as original thats why rebuilt title car is cheaper sometimes Rich people don't wanna buy
To the owner of this Thread : Trust me tell your insurance to write it off this car, don't waste time on body shop you'll not like it after you fix it, also its a Luxury car with many electrical parts , i thought it was only rear end but yours front end damaged too
You won’t have a rebuilt title from frame damage. Maybe in Canada though. Lmao you did builders
07-28-18, 11:00 AM
, i know you're trying to tell there is someone can restore it back to at least 99% original , yes there is but they don't want to do it, they don't make money that way its business, because it takes a lot of their time. PS: when frame damaged the car will be "Rebuilt Title" they said another same collision frame will not as strong as original thats why rebuilt title car is cheaper sometimes Rich people don't wanna buy