GTEASER Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 Your car doesn't look like it was hit square on and not at high enough speed to bend frame rails. I was rearended in a Saturn once, square on, and I could have sworn that something was bent under the bumper because the hit seemed so hard to me. The repair ended up just replacing the bumper beam, foam, and bumper cover. If the frame rail part of the unibody was hit hard enough then it may get bent, but a good body shop will measure the car based on the manufacturers specified tolerances to determine that. Typically when repairs get beyond the non-structural "skin" of the car, that's when cars get totaled. If your damage was like mine, it was all just non-structural skin that was damaged and it can be put back easily with new panels. GTEASER's 2012 Legacy GT - Sold GTEASER's 2009 XTeaser - Sold GTEASER's 1992 Legacy SS - Sold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLlegacy Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 I can see what you are asking, and generally speaking the front and rear of the car are able to absorb impacts the best without major damage. If the unibody was to be damaged in a rear section the shop would most likely leave it to the adjustor to total or repair the vehicle. My understanding is in a repair to a unibody the shop removes an entire section up to the factory seam so you don't end up with half a crumple zone replaced and welds in the middle of a structural part of the unibody. I hope that makes some sense. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTEASER Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 I will post this to help you understand what we are talking about when we talk about panels or sections. These are welded together and can be removed and replaced easily, heck, I even replaced the radiator support and headlight panels on a 2003 Legacy, myself, and the headlights, grille, hood, fenders and bumper all lined up properly. Aside from learning to weld, it wasn't hard. This is my car after the accident, during disassembly and partially reassembled and ready for paint in Nov. 2012. GTEASER's 2012 Legacy GT - Sold GTEASER's 2009 XTeaser - Sold GTEASER's 1992 Legacy SS - Sold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTEASER Posted January 21, 2016 Share Posted January 21, 2016 You can see in the 4th picture that the top of the passenger's side frame rail is just the floor panel of the trunk. The frame rail was fine but that floor panel extends all the way to the corner of the trunk that was crunched. The panel is removed and replaced easily by drilling out the spot welds and spot welding the new panel in. The quarter panel skin on the fender is just that, a skin, but they do the same thing and drill out the spot welds where the quarter panel meets the wheel well, rear window frame, and door jamb, and then weld the new quarter panel in. The structural stuff in the "safety cage" around the passengers in under that skin. GTEASER's 2012 Legacy GT - Sold GTEASER's 2009 XTeaser - Sold GTEASER's 1992 Legacy SS - Sold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
computersoc Posted January 21, 2016 Author Share Posted January 21, 2016 Looks like we had similar damage, other than my trunk, since a pickup hit me higher. Thanks for the info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
computersoc Posted February 10, 2016 Author Share Posted February 10, 2016 An update, I got it back last week. Looks good. They even fixed a rust spot on my passenger side front door for free. They said I didn't need an alignment also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTEASER Posted February 10, 2016 Share Posted February 10, 2016 Great news! What was the grand total for repair costs? GTEASER's 2012 Legacy GT - Sold GTEASER's 2009 XTeaser - Sold GTEASER's 1992 Legacy SS - Sold Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
computersoc Posted February 12, 2016 Author Share Posted February 12, 2016 About $7000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talespin Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Manufacturers are required to make oem collision parts for 10 years... Actually, that isn't correct. Manufacturers are required to provide parts only until the warranties run out. Subaru has a 5-year corrosion warranty, so their only responsibility is to be able to replace any body parts damaged by corrosion during that 5-year period. And those parts don't have to be OEM - there's also no requirement that the manufacturers make the replacement parts themselves. Another thing most people are unaware of - there's no requirement for a manufacturer to offer any warranty at all. Not offering one would be sure death in the marketplace, so that's why they do it. Any warranty they offer must comply with federal law, though. I learned all this a few years back when I worked in a state agency that licensed and regulated car manufacturers and dealers. That "must make OEM parts for 10 years" myth will apparently never die. I've heard it since at least 1985. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLlegacy Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Interesting, my auto body shop told me most oems followed a 10 year rule. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talespin Posted March 9, 2016 Share Posted March 9, 2016 Interesting, my auto body shop told me most oems followed a 10 year rule. Maybe they do, but it's by choice, not because they have to. I can't see a lot of demand for new OEM collision parts on a 10-year-old car. Apologies to the OP for hijacking his thread. Glad the story came to a satisfactory conclusion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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