Rear ended - bent rear frame fixable?

totalgeek · 09-23-2007, 06:58 PM

The used 2004 Grand Cherokee I bought in Janurary was just involved in a rear end accident yesterday. I LOVED this car, and it was my dream car when I was a kid. The problem from reading what I have is that this car is "unibody" and it may have crumpled beyond repair.

I came to ask the experts do you think its fixable? The frame behind the rear passenger tire (I'm assuming its the frame) has a slight bulge in it, or kink, which is noticeable when you look at it. The rear passenger door doesn't open and close freely anymore the lines on that door, and the hood are 'off'. The muffler came off, the gas gauge no longer works, and the driver powered seat is broke.

Do you think the 'unibody' and frame are fixable? I only bought the car for about $16K. I'm not a mechanic so I don't know if its actually fixable. Plus, if it is the frame, that this bend is in do you think there is damage to the 4wd portion of my car? Will it be the same? I have full coverage and gap but I want to see what the experts (you) think of my car. If you need pictures please let me know and I'll upload them.

I'm sad, this really was my dream car

**ArloGuthroJeep** · 09-23-2007, 07:04 PM

Perhaps you should post up some pictures so people besides the psychics can see what the damage looks like?

rxl · 09-23-2007, 07:04 PM

Yep, thats normally a write off.

Briandl · 09-23-2007, 07:05 PM

You need a mechanic to look at it, not a bunch of people on the internet to guess based on a very limited ammount of information..

Who was at fault, insurance?

rxl · 09-23-2007, 07:20 PM

OK, so on a more serious note, your insurance company has a list of collision shops in your area they use. Once they look at it they'll send a report to your insurance company. Atleast thats the way it went when i got rear ended last fall. Mine was a write off. I got nailed by a Tempo doing between an estimated 40 to 50 mph. Nasty buisiness getting rear ended.I was still unconscious when the first cruisers arrived. It hurt for weeks.

totalgeek · 09-23-2007, 07:37 PM

Thanks everyone. I wasn't at fault I was stopped on the freeway because of traffic and someone rear ended me. I guess I'm just anxious, everyone is telling me bentframe = write off, and I don't want to get another car.

Sorry about no pics. Here is the links to the pics I uploaded to ImageShack. One of the pics shows a circle I drew on it, on what I assumed was the frame. Like I said I'm not a mechanic, so I maybe wrong. The other pics are of the rear and the door.

http://img530.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01431oo0.jpg
http://img530.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01446rv8.jpg
http://img530.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01443bk6.jpg
http://img530.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01441ix2.jpg
http://img530.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01440sj6.jpg

BucYouUp68 · 09-23-2007, 07:43 PM

Sorry for your Luck, It is Totaled. And if you were hit from behind, it is not your fault. At least in California.

QuadraTokn · 09-23-2007, 07:43 PM

its totaled. and use the IMG tags not the url tags

rxl · 09-23-2007, 07:45 PM

I am by no means a collision specialist, but I think if a shop says they will fix it, I would ask for a second opinion. Thats been impacted from rear to front judging by the roof seam

BucYouUp68 · 09-23-2007, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuadraTokn

its totaled. and use the IMG tags not the url tags

He Can't, he only has two posts.

QuadraTokn · 09-23-2007, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BucYouUp68

He Can't, he only has two posts.

true, but i was going to make his post no clicky and didnt feel like changing all the tags

totalgeek · 09-23-2007, 07:55 PM

Sorry about not using the IMG tags I thought I had to be a "premium" member to use it.

You are right it was impacted on the front here is what happened. My son and I came back from our local Mall. Traffic came to a stop, I hit the brakes and came to a semi-smooth stop. I misjudged my stopping distance but I was able to stop several feet from the car in front of me. I looked in my rear view and saw this sedan barelling down. It took a split second but I didn't think the car was going to stop. I PUSHED hard down on my brake, as the car in front still wasn't moving, and I knew my son and I were buckled in. I didn't say anything to my son because I didn't want him to tense up.... and BAM! I was hit from the rear which sent me into the car in front. So I was sandwhiched. The car in front said they took no damage, but the car in rear being it was a sedan. Slid under my car so I don't know what other kind of damage is down there.

However, the JEEP did its job and my son and I were able to walk away. I just don't want to go through the hassle of finding another car. This car took me several months to find, and winter is coming. I don't think I can rent a 4WD if they took the time to fix this car.

Thanks for all your opinions. Everyone's help and opinion is appreciated.

CMARJEEP · 09-23-2007, 07:58 PM

its totalled. i got rearended last year in my grand cherokee and my car didnt even have any panel damage or anything. all it was was a bent frame, bumper cover and a hitch and that cost 9,000. so with all the panel damage and the bent frame it will very well be totaled

FortCollinsZJ · 09-23-2007, 08:07 PM

Edit: I guess techincally my frame is bent... I rearended a volvo (I hit her going about 10-15 max) it clacked the front bumper cover a bit... I just recently took this plastcic cover off and the real bumper, being part of the "frame" has a bend in the middle. Oh well, time for an ARB or a Tomken.

totalgeek · 09-23-2007, 08:20 PM

*SIGH*... Well the major consensus is its totaled. I'll wait for the adjuster to come tomorrow to look at it, but I'm going to hate looking for a new car. Being a single parent, and a single car family is going to suck. I can ride the motorcycle until I can find a car, and hopefully all the insurance stuff is taken care of before snow, because I don't ride the bike in snow.

Thanks, again, everyone. So I should make sure to get a 2nd opinion, if they say its fixable?

09-23-2007, 07:05 PM	#4
Briandl Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 982 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	You need a mechanic to look at it, not a bunch of people on the internet to guess based on a very limited ammount of information.. Who was at fault, insurance? __________________ 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4.7L H.O. V8

09-23-2007, 07:37 PM	#6
totalgeek Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 7 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	Thanks everyone. I wasn't at fault I was stopped on the freeway because of traffic and someone rear ended me. I guess I'm just anxious, everyone is telling me bentframe = write off, and I don't want to get another car. Sorry about no pics. Here is the links to the pics I uploaded to ImageShack. One of the pics shows a circle I drew on it, on what I assumed was the frame. Like I said I'm not a mechanic, so I maybe wrong. The other pics are of the rear and the door. http://img530.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01431oo0.jpg http://img530.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01446rv8.jpg http://img530.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01443bk6.jpg http://img530.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01441ix2.jpg http://img530.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc01440sj6.jpg

09-23-2007, 07:55 PM	#12
totalgeek Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 7 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	Sorry about not using the IMG tags I thought I had to be a "premium" member to use it. You are right it was impacted on the front here is what happened. My son and I came back from our local Mall. Traffic came to a stop, I hit the brakes and came to a semi-smooth stop. I misjudged my stopping distance but I was able to stop several feet from the car in front of me. I looked in my rear view and saw this sedan barelling down. It took a split second but I didn't think the car was going to stop. I PUSHED hard down on my brake, as the car in front still wasn't moving, and I knew my son and I were buckled in. I didn't say anything to my son because I didn't want him to tense up.... and BAM! I was hit from the rear which sent me into the car in front. So I was sandwhiched. The car in front said they took no damage, but the car in rear being it was a sedan. Slid under my car so I don't know what other kind of damage is down there. However, the JEEP did its job and my son and I were able to walk away. I just don't want to go through the hassle of finding another car. This car took me several months to find, and winter is coming. I don't think I can rent a 4WD if they took the time to fix this car. Thanks for all your opinions. Everyone's help and opinion is appreciated.

09-23-2007, 08:20 PM	#15
totalgeek Registered User Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 7 Profile Gallery Classifieds My Jeeps	SIGH... Well the major consensus is its totaled. I'll wait for the adjuster to come tomorrow to look at it, but I'm going to hate looking for a new car. Being a single parent, and a single car family is going to suck. I can ride the motorcycle until I can find a car, and hopefully all the insurance stuff is taken care of before snow, because I don't ride the bike in snow. Thanks, again, everyone. So I should make sure to get a 2nd opinion, if they say its fixable?