FatherTo1

Hi all, I was just rear-ended and am not sure what to do. It was lightly raining and I had a green. Traffic was starting to flow but I realized traffic was already backing up at the next light. I stopped on the green because I didn't want to block the intersection in case the light changed. I could see the Chevy S10 behind me slam on his brakes. I tried to inch forward to give him more space but he still made contact. It wasn't a hard impact and I'm fine, and our daughter wasn't in the car, thank goodness.

We pulled into a nearby parking lot and the other driver rolls down his window and asks if we touched. His question was sort of amusing. Of course he touched my car! He was cooperative though. He is a young fella, maybe 21 or 22. We exchanged info and he asked to be contacted before involving insurances. He seems insured but the first copy he provided was expired. He downloaded the current policy and it lists a different car.

I have all his info and haven't called it into insurance yet because a visual inspection doesn't show any obvious damage. If I had to guess, he probably made contact at 10-15 MPH. His bumper had damage but he said that was all pre-existing. I would probably compare the impact to when you brake in an emergency and the car dives a little. I don't really want to cause any unnecessry drama or problems for this kid, even though it's his fault (as I see it). I am fine going our separate ways but want to make sure my car is truly fine.

Driving during lunch something feels off but it could be my paranoia. The impact wasn' that bad and should be able to be absorbed by the bumper. I can imagine an emergency braking situation causing more motion than the rear-end impact I received. However, idling at a stop light I can feel a vibration in my steering wheel that has a pattern (slight vibrate for a few seconds, then no vibration, then repeats). The gearshift lever has the same vibrating pattern but the gearshift has always exhibited a slight vibration, but never the steering wheel. Is it just my imagination??

I haven't had a chance to review my rear dashcam footage yet, but here are some preliminary photos.

rick3242

If you can not see any visible damage and your parking sensors are working I probably would not worry about it. You could go to a body shop and get their opinion.

FatherTo1

I don't see any cracks or damage beneath the bumper. I should probably just put in the claim. Just part of me likes the kid. I don' know the young man at all but I found him amusing and he was calm throughout and cooperative. As much as I'd like to help him out, if reasonably possible, I don't know how it's really going to work. Most body shops won't really know the damage until they get it on a lift and open things up. There probably isn't even anything the body shop can write up as an estimate since visually there is not any obvious damage. To really know for sure would require "repairs" to begin. I am just concerned about the transmission or engine mounts shifting from the impact, or the air suspension components getting jarred out of spec. Too many complex systems at risk. If no damage to the bumper them the force had to get distributed elsewhere, right?

FatherTo1

Thanks, rick, the backup sensor seems to work but seems not as sensitive (could be the rain interfering though). I still need to test the RCTA.

SW17LS

I'm sure there is in fact damage. Try taking some pictures and posting them from an angle looking at the bumper, and examine it when its all clean too.

Shad034

I've had this kind of accident in my BMW. In short, you're probably fine. If the parking sensors didn't pop out, it was just a nudge. It takes nothing for them to pop out as they are just clip mounted. I had to go through insurance with mine since it was a multi-car accident; I was first in the line so it pretty much petered out by the time it go to me and I just got a bump.

ong story short, if you put it through insurance, the adjuster will cost out a removal of the bumper for inspect, and a respray for whatever minor scratches you might have. You'll get a check for about 500 bucks tops and you'll have put up with a fair amount of irritation while you deal with insurance and make an appointment to have an adjuster look at etc.

If it were me, I'd probably just let it go if you like the kid. Or maybe take a couple hundred cash from him to have a bumper buff done on it. I would be floored if there was any real damage under there, the plastic is much weaker than the substructure. If the plastic isn't damaged, nothing else probably is either.

My two copper.

FatherTo1

Thanks, Shad. That is a good point about plastic versus metal. I can't see any of the clips and glancing underneath did not reveal any cracks in the bumper. My impression of the LS 460 paint is that it chips easily but I am very impressed how it doesn't have a scratch after the little impact. It won't rain tomorrow so I'll clean up the bumper and get a better idea in the morning. I also emailed my mechanic to ask him if he has seen damage caused by what I assume to be a 10 MPH hit. I thought cars have 5 MPH bumpers. Maybe the LS is designed to absorb more, but do I have to worry about replacing the energy absorbing parts after this minor hit?? I also have an appt in the morning with the body shop just to see if their trained eyes see something that I don't see. Hopefully the LS proves to be stout and we can just shake it off.

Shad034

I know the thought process you're going through. What's under there that might have been crunched or used up or whatever. I did the same exact thing. Body shop guy and insurance adjuster both told me it was probably fine. Anything that would crunch something up under there would split or damage the plastic in some fashion. Adjuster said she would be happy to cut me a check to have it checked out (hence the $500) and body shop said they'd be happy to take my money, but honestly they aren't going to find anything. If you're having to look real hard to find damage to the plastic, you've probably got nothing to find underneath either. I just took the $500 and called it even.

I would caveat that you are technically entitled to an insurance claim to have it examined and the paint buffed out and whatnot. Even if you'd probably just take the $500 check and call it a day. However, I personally would not do that as the accident record that will show up on Carfax/Autocheck potentially, is going to cost you more in resale value that the checks value. So either have the kid cut you a couple of bills for the trouble or just let it go, that's my advice.

EDIT: I should add. Most body shops have seen it all by now. They're really good at writing estimates based on what they can see and knowing whats probably under there or not. In my case, I had a few minor scratches, the kind you had to look at just right in the light to see and not much else. Body shop appraisal guy told me that its fine, they'll take it apart and see if I want them to, or I can just pocket the insurance cash and go on my way.

Nospinzone

I can't imagine that an impact that was so light as to not cause any visual damage could result in any steering wheel vibration. It could damage the material behind the bumper, but that also seems unlikely.

Looking at the kid's truck I'd say this isn't his first accident!

FatherTo1

All good points. It helps hearing from your experience. Thank you, Shad.

Thanks for the voice of reason, Nospinzone. Also, the wife said the same thing about the kid's truck, lol. Reviewing the dashcam video, it appears he was looking down (possibly at his phone) and then looks up before slamming his brakes. If he was looking forward then he easily would have noticed my brake lights well in advance. He must have not been looking at the road because he was still accelerating while surrounding traffic was slowing back down. At least he followed me into the parking lot instead of leaving the scene...not that it matters with my dashcams.

SW17LS

I’m sure there’s no serious damage, I agree with Nospinzone. However, I bet that once you clean the car you will find that there is SOME cosmetic damage. I’ve never had another car touch a painted bumper on a modern car and not leave SOME mark. Especially an already busted, pointy looking bumper like that.

rick3242

I dont know guys - last week my son was following me and BAM. He hit me hard enough that his two license plate screws put small punctures in the bumper. I went to two body shops yesterday and they said that nothing should have happened to the car other then the paint damage. Apparently there is a lot of protection under the skin to protect for such an event. In fact one said going over bumps caused much more stress. None the less it will be about $500.00 to paint and clear coat.
I have his labor for a lot of weekends

FatherTo1

Thanks for all the input and advice, everyone. Cleaned up the bumper this morning and body shop provided two estimates. Scratches are visible and it is either $39 to have body shop buff it out, or if it doesn't buff out then $980 to repaint and blend the bumper. The kid hasn't called me back. I would appreciate him at least calling me back. I will email him the larger of the two estimates and hope that motivates him to call me. I plan to just ask him to buy me some Meguiar's Scratch X and for him to pay it forward and do something nice for someone else.

FatherTo1

FatherTo1

Have not contacted the kid yet. That steering wheel vibration is more noticeable and consistently happens as I idle at stoplights. No steering wheel vibration when the gearshift is in Park, but it is definitely felt while in Drive. I do not think I am being overly sensitive about this because I can feel it through even the leather portion of the steering wheel. The vibration is more noticeable at the bottom of the steering wheel where it is wood. I rarely place my hands at that position so I wasn't sure if it has always been like that. However, I can feel this humming pattern, hummmm-nothing-hummmm-nothing..., and I can feel it through the leather part of the wheel. I would have noticed the vibration through the leather in the past if it has always been like that. This is definitely a new feeling after my bumper was bumped. My mechanic has offered to put the car up on a lift to take a look this afternoon.