Car failed WOF due to bent chassis

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throbb

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#196488 2-Jun-2016 09:35

So, I took my car for a warrant yesterday and they failed it due to a bent chassis.

I have had the car for 14 years and this has never been seen before.

I have a had 3 "collisions" in the car over the 14 years

2x I have been rear ended at slow speed and had cosmetic damage to rear bumper, both fixed by insurance (8Years ago)
1x My brakes failed while parked on a steep driveway and the car went slowly through a fence, again fixed by insurance (5 years ago)

What I want to know from someone more intelligent than me is can a chassis get bent with out a collision ie over time

If the only probable cause is a crash, would it be possible to go back to the insurance company and say they didn't fix it right the first time?

Thanks

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#1564019 2-Jun-2016 09:55

I'd get it to someone who knows exactly what they're doing to assess it - I've been failed for things in the past (not a bent chassis tho) , and when taken it to be looked at, they cant find a problem, so take it back to original WOF station, and get it passed.

How old is the car and what is it ?

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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throbb

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#1564034 2-Jun-2016 10:01

xpd:

I'd get it to someone who knows exactly what they're doing to assess it - I've been failed for things in the past (not a bent chassis tho) , and when taken it to be looked at, they cant find a problem, so take it back to original WOF station, and get it passed.

How old is the car and what is it ?

The car is 20years old now, and its a Nissan Silvia. I got the guy at the shop to show me and one of the rails is defiantly deformed.

Sounddude

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#1564036 2-Jun-2016 10:04

throbb:

The car is 20years old now, and its a Nissan Silvia. I got the guy at the shop to show me and one of the rails is defiantly deformed.

I would go back to the insurance company and mention that their repairs were inadequate.

Might be a bit of a fight though due to the length of time

sbiddle

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#1564037 2-Jun-2016 10:05

Sounds like the car has had damage in one of those accidents that was never picked up previously.

MikeB4

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#1564049 2-Jun-2016 10:25

One of the collisions would have caused it, normal driving unless you are doing very high torque actions or very rough roads would not cause this. Monocoque construction can lead to subframe distortion with quite low speed impact.

Mattmannz

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#1564100 2-Jun-2016 11:18

Did they show you where it was bent?

It's possible that the chassis has been bent without you really realising ie driving over something, running up a curb or something like that. Chassis damage is repairable so the first step would be to understand where it is and see what's required to get it sorted out.

Matt.

richms

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#1564103 2-Jun-2016 11:22

I got failed at a picky wof place in the skyline where the sill under the door was lightly dented from when it hit a tree stump on a lawn at low speeds. Dent was about 100mm by 40 and was the type that would push back out if could get to the other side.

Happened 5 years before that and was never an issue akso was fine after that when I went elsewhere.

Richard rich.ms

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throbb

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#1564159 2-Jun-2016 12:04

Mattmannz:

Did they show you where it was bent?

It's possible that the chassis has been bent without you really realising ie driving over something, running up a curb or something like that. Chassis damage is repairable so the first step would be to understand where it is and see what's required to get it sorted out.

Matt.

They did show me where it was bent, the left hand rail has what I would class as a crinkle in it. I'm getting it quoted today, but if I could claim insurance for it that would be best for me. Its only a $6k car so I don't want to spend a lot.

throbb

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#1564160 2-Jun-2016 12:05

richms: I got failed at a picky wof place in the skyline where the sill under the door was lightly dented from when it hit a tree stump on a lawn at low speeds. Dent was about 100mm by 40 and was the type that would push back out if could get to the other side.

Happened 5 years before that and was never an issue akso was fine after that when I went elsewhere.

I have been told you cant go elsewhere anymore, they log all failed WOF in a system now. Can someone confirm this?

dickytim

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#1564177 2-Jun-2016 12:22

throbb:

richms: I got failed at a picky wof place in the skyline where the sill under the door was lightly dented from when it hit a tree stump on a lawn at low speeds. Dent was about 100mm by 40 and was the type that would push back out if could get to the other side.

Happened 5 years before that and was never an issue akso was fine after that when I went elsewhere.

I have been told you cant go elsewhere anymore, they log all failed WOF in a system now. Can someone confirm this?

I disagreed with what a mechanic had said on my car for a WoF so I took it to a testing station, it went straight through. I never had any issue with doing that.

I didn't persue the mechanic, which was good as they were owned by a motor cycle "club"

richms

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#1564179 2-Jun-2016 12:22

throbb:

I have been told you cant go elsewhere anymore, they log all failed WOF in a system now. Can someone confirm this?

They log it, other place sees that and says that they dont know what the other place was on about and pass it.

Richard rich.ms

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#1564187 2-Jun-2016 12:34

throbb:

Mattmannz:

Did they show you where it was bent?

It's possible that the chassis has been bent without you really realising ie driving over something, running up a curb or something like that. Chassis damage is repairable so the first step would be to understand where it is and see what's required to get it sorted out.

Matt.

They did show me where it was bent, the left hand rail has what I would class as a crinkle in it. I'm getting it quoted today, but if I could claim insurance for it that would be best for me. Its only a $6k car so I don't want to spend a lot.

I can't imagine them repairing something that's worth so little. They'll probably just pay out on it.

richms

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#1564194 2-Jun-2016 12:44

If you dont have agreed value they will also value it way down inorder to pay out less.

Basically they take any modification as a reduction in value and give you a really low offer. Insurance are scammers.

Richard rich.ms

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#1564257 2-Jun-2016 13:34

throbb: They did show me where it was bent, the left hand rail has what I would class as a crinkle in it. I'm getting it quoted today, but if I could claim insurance for it that would be best for me. Its only a $6k car so I don't want to spend a lot.

Does the crinkle look like a front/back collision or something pushing up? Any chance that someone has thrown a jack under the wrong place while doing tyre work since your last warrant. Your car would have had quite a few 6 monthly warrants since the accidents.

throbb

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#1564280 2-Jun-2016 13:57

Bung:
throbb: They did show me where it was bent, the left hand rail has what I would class as a crinkle in it. I'm getting it quoted today, but if I could claim insurance for it that would be best for me. Its only a $6k car so I don't want to spend a lot.

Does the crinkle look like a front/back collision or something pushing up? Any chance that someone has thrown a jack under the wrong place while doing tyre work since your last warrant. Your car would have had quite a few 6 monthly warrants since the accidents.

Can't remember having to jack the car up for at-least a couple of years.

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