Hello this is my first post so please be kind.
Right then my car is a Fiesta Zetec 1998 1.25 16valve 3door P reg (petrol), and i had a little knock in it. It was done at 30mph and i was driving along and clipped the curb and the car jumped a bit only to hit a wall (front/left) which was just standing there. It was one of those places where this is no walkway for people and only cars for a short time.
Anyways I'm worried because although this happened a while ago i was getting round to fixing it and back up and running. Only problem is i worried it will cost to much and if it does I'm screwed and stuck in a rut!
I'm hoping to get help here to get a better idea and help solve this problem.
Ok here are the pictures i took; (hosted by imageshack)
img501.imageshack.us/img501/4171/020gz9.jpg
pic 1. slight dent in the middle, and closest to u at an increased angle
img367.imageshack.us/img367/8121/017rg7.jpg
pic 2. bird eye view on the right side
img388.imageshack.us/img388/3239/015ir4.jpg
pic 3. bumper unhooked due to wall impact
img386.imageshack.us/img386/5430/014ht1.jpg
pic 4. scuff from wall and dent (however i'm not worried about a new paint job)
img258.imageshack.us/img258/4320/018yi6.jpg
pic 5. wheel is now slightly pointing outwards more an before which is my biggest worry
although someone has looked underneath to see if anything damage because of this and they found nothing as in seems the wheel took most of impact. I'm wondering what else it could be tracking/ alignment maybe??
img529.imageshack.us/img529/8287/013qd1.jpg
pic 6. front left light, btw both lights still work fine just light fitting snapped
img392.imageshack.us/img392/2818/012pt6.jpg
pic 7. center dent which has affected the radiator alignment, however radiator is fine
finally img366.imageshack.us/img366/5697/019ce8.jpg
pic 8. just bird eye for front left light fitting
Well thats them all i hope that someone here with a little bit more experience can point me in the right direction and maybe then i can be hopeful i can get it back up and running.
Thanks
Kratos
Edited by Webmaster on 16/07/2008 at 19:02
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It is more than likely that wheel alignment will have been affected. The solution starts with an alignment check from a properly equipped garage offering 'laser wheel alignment' or something of the sort. The check shouldn't cost the earth in itself.
The body damage - ouch! - looks well beyond the skill of an amateur, but well within the abilities of a proper body shop. If you don't have access to a competent garage able to do wheel alignment and a decent body shop, you will have to ask everyone you know and carefully assess any establishment they recommend. Recommendations from people who themselves know nothing about cars should always be treated with suspicion, unless they are shrewd individuals who have received genuinely good service from a garage over a longish period.
Get quotes from a couple of body shops if the car is driveable and you don't have a convincing recommendation.
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Thanks for your advice. I did forget to mention that car is un-drivable due to the lights not pointing forward correctly and the rid is very bumpy, however it can be driven just not legally i guess. I'm also looking to replace the battery but not sure which type will fit it.
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If the car is a P reg then it is a 1995/6 not a 1998 model. The damage was photographed on 17/10/07, what have you been doing since then?
I doubt this car is worth fixing, will cost more than it's worth. The light unit will need replacing and the front cross member needs straightening or the headlight alignment will be out. That's before any bodywork is repaired and the wheel alignment sorted.
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Hi doctorchris, to answer your question i have had a few operations on my arm and so i have not got round to sorting out the car problem. I took the photos soon as i could do at the time. Since that time the car has been stored away but i'm at the point now to weather i fix it or find it to be too much to fix.
Thanks for your thoughts so far
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