Matt writes:
Hi Sajeev, Long-time listener, first-time caller. I have a 2011 Volvo C30 that was recently rear-ended pretty good. As a result of the collision, the car has just had $8k+ of work done in a body shop. Included in the list of work done (among the obvious paint, bumper cover, tailgate, etc) is 4 hours of labor for a "unibody pull". Like everyone else, I know people who have horror stories about cars that have never been the same again after accidents. I've only had the car back for a couple of days and everything feels ok so far, but I do fear lingering issues.
What are your thoughts on a repair like this making the car 100% again? Would you dump it immediately to avoid any potential issues or hold on to it and see?
Sajeev answers:
Oh boy. As Reverend Lovejoy from The Simpsons would say, "Short answer yes with an if, long answer no with a but."
Short Answer: Too many variables to consider, so you must hope the collision center and the insurance company are both honest in their damage assessment and intelligent in their repair procedures. Those with frame repair issues probably had a problem with human error.
Long Answer: We have the technology to repair just about any car, but doing so requires a cost/benefit analysis. For many cars, if the roof shows signs of structural damage, your insurance company will happily scrap it for you. And if you are a wannabe Gas Monkey with an absolutely hammered Ferrari F40, you buy that heap at auction, make it into a rolling death trap and sell it again. But that's not the point…
An honest assessment from a collision center with proper frame straightening tools easily measures and tweaks the frame until every part is back to factory specifications. All the doors close perfectly. The wheels sit just where they should. Everything bolted up back as designed. And back to the short answer, it boils down to the quality of decisions made by the people involved.
I remain optimistic that your repair was sound, that you'll enjoy this Volvo for years to come with zero problems. None.
Send your queries to sajeev@thetruthaboutcars.com. Spare no details and ask for a speedy resolution if you're in a hurry…but be realistic, and use your make/model specific forums instead of TTAC for more timely advice.
from The Truth About Cars http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com
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