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Metal Shaping and Welding Discuss metal shaping and welding techniques. Share your projects or tips and tricks. |
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01-18-2009, 11:40 PM | #1 | |
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Join Date: Jan 2009
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please explain the process in fixing this 2002 maxima-newbie.
Hi,
I am not a welder, however, my car was damaged and I want to try to fix it. i want to be informed when I go to the body repair shop. I appreciate your expertise thanks this is on a 2002 maxima . I know the trunk can be replaced, the back bumper can be replaced. 1)Is the gas tank, ok? ( i know it not the same as looking at the actual car.) 2) would a body person be able to pull out the bottom where the hood closes down on. I'm assuming a metal body person would pull out that part, and then would they bondo it to smooth it out? 3)what other problems should one expect when repairing this car? Thanks. 4)Over by the gas door cover, does it need anything else besides bondo work. |
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01-19-2009, 09:18 AM | #2 | |
Nothing scares me anymore
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Re: please explain the process in fixing this 2002 maxima-newbie.
Ouch, that's a bad hit. I hope you were okay.
It looks like you hit a post going backwards??? By the way it looks, all the crash energy was concentrated in one area which actually increased the damage. If you had hit a larger object, like a wall, etc, more of the crash energy would have been spread over a larger area and there would have been less damage done. If this is an insurance claim, I would be very surprised if the insurance company would fix this car. Likely it would cost more to fix properly than a 7 year old car is worth. I would have thought they would offer you a cash settlement. Imho, you should go for such a settlement. The way modern cars are designed makes them difficult to repair properly in hits this bad. Modern cars are designed to absorb crash energy by bending and deforming in a specific, engineered way. This slows down the rate of deceleration for the people inside and makes crashes more survivable. However, in doing so, such crashes tend to bend or twist the entire structure. You can end up with a car that does not look badly damaged, but is actually so bent, it will not drive or perform properly. In your case, the first step is to measure the car. A decent body shop should have a laser measuring device that records all the cars critical dimensions at specific points on the chassis and body. Then the results are compared with a master list of measurements for that model of car, so one can see exactly where the car is bent and deformed. Then the technicians have to plan the repair. Metal that is twisted too badly is cut away. In your case, I think the rear third of the car would be cut off because, likely the entire structure that supports and locates the rear suspension is too badly damaged. The technicians wouls remove much of the interior, rear doors and rear glass. The rear third would be cut off in specific locations, prefereably at the seams where the sheet metal panels were welded together at the factory (around the rear doorframes and under the back seat. I think the existing roof would be reusable. Then the remaining structure would be pulled straight on a jig if necessary, to correct any bend or twist. Then a rear third of another '02 Maxima would be located from a wrecking yard. It would be prepared and welded in place. A lot of precise measuring and metalworking would be needed to ensure the results are precise so the car will look and function like new. Then other items are reinstalled - interior, rear glass, gas tank, exhaust system, etc. and the whole car is repainted. Such a repair would cost ~$6000 - 10,000 or more, easily. If your car were nearly new or a much more expensive vehicle (2002 Bentley etc) it would be worth doing. But you could buy another '02 Maxima for that price. Like many jobs, there is good bodywork and bad bodywork. It might be possible for a shop to pull some of the bent metal straight, weld in a new trunk floor, bolt on a new lid, bumper etc and use metalwork and bondo on the rest... but this would not be a proper repair and imho would not restore your car back to it's original, un-crashed condition. If you are not making an insurance claim and are paying for this from your own pocket, try a different tactic. Ideally, you may be able to find a good 2000 - 03 Maxima that you can get really cheap because the engine or transmission is bad. Then you can swap in the parts from your existing car, so you can have a drivable car for less money than fixing the crash damage. |
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