Hello forum,

First post, Hi!

Somebody backed into my Acura 1996 3.2 TL's front bumber. I was not moving, the guy was backing out from a parking space and was not looking back. His was a Ford SUV.

His rear bumber hit my car's front bum0er and the front grill. Damage is not that obvious on the bumper itself, other than a short but nasty scratch. The grill and hood, however, are visibly bent. The grill's one side pushed in by an inch or two, and the hood is not aligned properly anymore (it is raised by half an inch or so and has a bend).

The guy's insurance has accepted all responsibility and is going to pay for the repairs.

Now, the insurance company asked me if I wanted to have it repaired at a body shop of my own choice. Since I am not very knowledgeable in these things, I have chosen a shop that is in their list of approved shops.

So, apparently when I take the car in, the company's adjuster will give an estimate. Can somebody explain what I should expect in that discussion? For starters, I am not even sure what is the extent of any internal damage. What should I look for before I show up for the appointment so that I am informed enough to get all the work done and to not miss any repair?

If you like, I can post pics later in the night. Meanwhile, if the hood and grill is bent, should I expect them to repair it or replace it?

Should I specifically ask them to examine for any damage under the hood (radiator or other parts displaced, etc.)?

Any other tips in order to not miss anything due to ignorance are much appreciated.

Thanks.

 

When you visit a shop, always make the appraiser aware of the damage that you know of. If he/she is professional, then he'll know which additional parts of the car to inspect. I'm not sure how it works in the state you reside in, but the in Canada the car can be repaired in any shop you want. Do not limit yourself to the only shop you visit. Visit a few that were on the list supplied, but visit shops recommended by friends and family. Find a shop you feel comfortable with.

Also inquire what type of parts being used to repair the car. Are they jobber? Factory replacement? Demand that the parts used are of a good quality.




Terry

 

What are jobber parts?

I understand that I should describe only what is obvious to me. That is what I did when they asked me over the phone. Are there any telltale signs I should lookout for to see that they are going to do their due diligence?

I will post some pictures in a short while.

Thanks.

 

Here are a couple of pics:

https://i.imgur.com/91f75.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/Eq1k8.jpg

 

Jobber parts tend to be parts that are not factory replacement and are generally sold at a discounted rate. Some of them aren't really all that bad, while others are questionable in quality. Think of going to a grocery store and buying "no name" generic items, and you'll get the idea. Other shops sometimes use used parts if they're available. I'm not saying all this stuff is generally bad, and much of it really depends if you're a stickler for factory original, but my opinion is that factory replacement items tend to be the way to go.






Terry

 

Right. This is a 96 TL. Can I get oem parts? But before that, does the hood need to be replaced in this case?

 

Whether the factory stuff is available for your car I can't comment on. Same as the hood. It's hard to tell without seeing it if it's repairable or not. Anything can be repaired, but it's dependent upon the labour costs to do so. This is where the appraiser and independent shop come in. One shop may try to repair it, another may choose to replace it. And then one may use a used or jobber part, while another will want to use factory original. Again, as the owner you need to decide on the shop you feel most comfortable with. And you can also certainly make your concerns and wants known to most appraisers.





Terry

 

Terry, thanks for the info, I will keep this in mind.

Also, since I am not familiar with these things, are there chances that there was some internal damage under the hood? I know this is a vague question, but if somebody could give a some idea, it would help me in going over the repairs thing with the ins guys.

Thanks.

 

The adjuster and body shop should know enough to look at the radiator and radiator supports too.

With a 1996 TL, new OEM parts may not be available, in which case the body shop will have to use aftermarket/jobber parts. You might try specifying "OEM parts unless unavailable."

FWIW, in California, I would have picked the best body shop I could find, then dropped the car off.
The adjuster would go there to look at the damage and come up with an estimate (unless the body shop personnel are already approved estimators for the insurance company). If additional damage is encountered during the tear-down, the body shop would contact the adjuster and get approval for additional repairs.

 

Also, if they allow, an Acura dealer will send it to one of their body shops. And the chances of getting OEM parts is higher, but so is the cost.

If you listen to Terry, you will not go wrong.

 

Just wanted to sort of close the thread. The body shop fixed the hood by replacing it with a new OEM part, painted it and also painted the top of fenders to blend the new paint with the older on them.

So far, it all looks good. But I am going to give a couple of days to see whether any issues crop up.

Thanks.