Need advice

[bowtieguy]

when our 97 accord was totaled, i couldn't let it go for small change or parts. our damage was/is much less however.

NO WAY i was going to let someone offer me charity for a car w/ a perfect interior, cold ac, smooth shifting AT, and a motor that burns less than a qt of oil every 5k miles.

i'm repairing it a little at a time. i didn't even make an insurance claim.

[FrugalFloyd]

??? I'm mystified by those who think this car is repairable. Just the cost of one airbag replacement (seriously, it didn't deploy?) raises the estimated parts cost to the $2000 mark. What good are replacement fenders, a hood latch, passenger headlight, AC compressor, etc. without a structurally sound and aligned frame to bolt them to?

[theclencher]

If it was mine I wouldn't replace the bag.

Metal is "plastic" and if it isn't bent too severely and/or too often, it'll be OK. If there is a questionable spot, there's nothing saying that piece couldn't be replaced or even left alone but add your own home-baked reinforcement.

It hit a deer, not a semi or a tree. Looks to me like the main chassis is OK or at most, minorly tweaked; while the radiator header took the brunt of it. That isn't a major structural part that would cause me to worry about the integrity of the car.

I've done some driveway bodywork and straightened a front end hit although it didn't look as bad as this one (didn't need fenders). I was lucky to own another identical car so I was able to go between the two for measurements and looky-sees as much as I wanted.

[GasSavers_JoeBob]

That's a hell of a way to go deer hunting...did you at least keep the deer?

I'd vote for finding a cheap, cosmetically good car with a bad engine...then transplant stuff. Keep the good parts from the damaged car, junk the rest.

[trollbait]

I agree that you should spend the time, money, and effort trying to locate a different car. I do think that you will have a hard time finding an Accord with a bad motor but is in decent shape otherwise... those are really durable engines.

Honda had problems with the transmission behind the V6 in the 2000 and possibly later years. Engine plus transmission swap is more work, but that improves the odds of finding another car.

[tradosaurus]

Originally Posted by JoeBob

That's a hell of a way to go deer hunting...did you at least keep the deer?

I'd vote for finding a cheap, cosmetically good car with a bad engine...then transplant stuff. Keep the good parts from the damaged car, junk the rest.

[tradosaurus]

Originally Posted by theclencher

If it was mine I wouldn't replace the bag.

Metal is "plastic" and if it isn't bent too severely and/or too often, it'll be OK. If there is a questionable spot, there's nothing saying that piece couldn't be replaced or even left alone but add your own home-baked reinforcement.

It hit a deer, not a semi or a tree. Looks to me like the main chassis is OK or at most, minorly tweaked; while the radiator header took the brunt of it. That isn't a major structural part that would cause me to worry about the integrity of the car.

I've done some driveway bodywork and straightened a front end hit although it didn't look as bad as this one (didn't need fenders). I was lucky to own another identical car so I was able to go between the two for measurements and looky-sees as much as I wanted.

The main structure looks OK to me. However there is bending back the radiator support frame. If I replace it I have to grind off the existing and somehow attach it to the main support frame.

I'm adding up the parts that I could sell and I'm up to about $1500 WITHOUT the engine and transmission.

[N2UAD]

Try hooking up a chain from the point of impact to a tree. Back the car up carefully and safely. See how much you can straighten before you buy anything. I've done this with many cars. You would be surprised to see how wimpy that metal is.
This may get the basic shape of the front radiator support back. It may be easier to replace just the right section of it instead of the whole thing.

[Kendaddy126]

DON'T FIX IT! You need to part it out. That looks like unibody damage. I know that the front core support. That's a lot of work, and unless you know alot about body work, It will never look right. Look at it like this, if you paid someone to fix it and do it cheap, you are looking at at least 3500. You need to sell parts off of it. Motor 800-1200, trans 500-700, stereo 75, ac compressor 100, etc. then crush what's left. You'll come out better.

[Kendaddy126]

Let whoever buys eng and trans pull it out themselves, i've done it before