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Car repair place with straightening frame/system?

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  1. #1

    Car repair place with straightening frame/system?

    Is there any known car repair place with a car straightening frame/system? A LGV went into my rear and my car is now 8cm shorter as it used to be. I get so far only quotes for replacements in the range of $40,000 , not worthwhile for 8 year old car. I still like to keep that car.


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Sep 2012
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    1,756

    i think once your crumple zone has been used then u might wanna just scrap the car and get another one!

    whole frame could be bent or warped.. not safe - scrap it.

    imparanoic likes this.

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    if your car has bent chassis, it's considered a write off, so probably not worth repairing.

    first thing first, where did you take you car for a quotation, HK island or Kowloon or NT, as you can cheap and decent repairs in NT, but some are dodgy, some are decent and trustworthy

    why are you not claiming off the perpetrator's insurance for this accident, are you in the wrong or more likely, the driver behind you?

    I presume your car value is slightly more than the cost of repair, hence, why you are asking, have you consider taking to other garages for a quotation?

    huja likes this.

  4. #4

    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by happy_camper:
    Is there any known car repair place with a car straightening frame/system? A LGV went into my rear and my car is now 8cm shorter as it used to be. I get so far only quotes for replacements in the range of $40,000 , not worthwhile for 8 year old car. I still like to keep that car.
    Frame-straighten is kind of a misnomer. They'll never get it straight as new. Plus, modern cars are designed to crumple to diffuse the energy of a crash. The integrity of the frame will never be the same.
    scrambler likes this.

  5. #5

    A bend frame can be mend up to a certain degree. However, I doubt my car has any structural damage that would influence the wheel geometry. It's just the back metal sheet a bit pushed inward and actually jamming the reserve tire.

    Can still open (the now glass-free) back door with a little bit of force.

    To give a better idea about the rear damage: all rear lights still work fine.

    Quote Originally Posted by imparanoic:
    first thing first, where did you take you car for a quotation,

    why are you not claiming off the perpetrator's insurance for this accident, are you in the wrong or more likely, the driver behind you?
    So far just checked in Fotan due to lack of time. But 3 places had very similar prices.

    I think insurance will only cover a certain amount and will leave me a few 1000 short. I keep that option open though and still investigate.
    Last edited by happy_camper; 05-12-2014 at 02:15 PM.

  6. #6

    $40,000 is probably about right, I had a taxi do the same to me and quotes were $60,000 with new parts (insurance was covering mine), Friend of mine said 2nd hand parts would have been in the $40k to $50k range.


  7. #7

    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    11,711
    Quote Originally Posted by happy_camper:
    A bend frame can be mend up to a certain degree. However, I doubt my car has any structural damage that would influence the wheel geometry. It's just the back metal sheet a bit pushed inward and actually jamming the reserve tire.

    Can still open (the now glass-free) back door with a little bit of force.

    To give a better idea about the rear damage: all rear lights still work fine.



    So far just checked in Fotan due to lack of time. But 3 places had very similar prices.

    I think insurance will only cover a certain amount and will leave me a few 1000 short. I keep that option open though and still investigate.
    so how much have you declared your car value ? BTW, what car are you drive, mileage and age?

  8. #8

    Zero Gravitas
    Did the insurance pay 100% of the damage/repair? Will they pay for a rental car?

    It's an old Smart 44, 2006, about 180,000Km


  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by happy_camper:
    Zero Gravitas
    Did the insurance pay 100% of the damage/repair? Will they pay for a rental car?

    It's an old Smart 44, 2006, about 180,000Km
    I had to pay in the end about $9000, 6k was the excess and 3k in depreciation costs, mine is a 3 year old Toyota though. My policy did have a clause to claim for a rental, but I didn't bother with the rental for the period, I think its a set amount per week for rental for mine. It probably states it in you policy document what the limits are.

    I got mine repaired by Toyota, their original quote to me was $100k, but the insurance adjuster bargained them down to $60k, mainly by cutting their labour costs by a third. I'm now waiting while the Insurance helps me claim back the excess.
    shri likes this.

  10. #10

    So no known place that has a hydraulic stretcher? I would like to avoid the hammer method.


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