AboutDavid Caulfield Expertise All collision repair related questions. Experience in Production, Independent and Dealership style bodyshops.
Experience 32 years in the collision repair industry. past 20 years as a large collision repair facilty in O.C. California.
Organizations California Autobody Association, Fix Auto USA Network.
Publications California Autobody Assoc. / UpdatePromise.com / Smartent.com
Education/Credentials Teach owners and managers across the country production methods and how to be a profitable repair facilty. Software author/inventor/creator for collsion related products.
Awards and Honors Gross Profit Award for 2007 Fix Auto Netwrk. Top 10 CSI shop for multiple years.
Past/Present Clients Tens of thousands of clients in the Southern California area.
Question I was wondering if you could tell me what I should be expected to see as damage structurally from being hit directly in the center of the driver side of my 2004 Chrysler Concorde. My car a 2004 Chrysler Concorde LAX sedan was at a stop a 2004 Chrysler sebring that was directly in front of me made a left hand turn and was hit by a Toyota Tacoma, the sebring jumped the median after being T-boned in her passenger side and hit me directly in the center of the driver side of my car bounced off slide past my back end and across the three lanes of traffic. My drivers door is dented in and won't open and the passenger door is extremely dented in such that it is no longer closed. What is the normally outcome of something like this are they able to fix the car for a reasonable amount should I be worried about the frame being bent etc.
Answer Hi Shelly. Your question is difficult to answer without seeing the car. I want to help you; so i will give an answer based directly on the way you asked the question. When a door has a significant direct hit to the center, the impact will pull in anything the door is attached to. For example; the door is connected to what is called a windshield pillar post via door hinges. This post gets pushed in as well even though it is not at a direct impact point. Because it is connected to the door and the door moved; it most likely will bend as well. Same goes for the pillar post that is behind your front door towards the rear of the car. As for the passenger side door; sounds like it was hit on the door towards the front of the car. If so, the door will seem very stiff and difficult to close because there is pressure on the right front windshield post that holds the door hinges on. These posts I talk about are structural parts Shelly. They need to be fixed properly by a professional. Based on 2 doors being replaced and inner structure damages plus other damage I cant see, the repairs may exceed the value of a 2004 Concorde. I hope not for your sake. A good bodyshop and or your insurance company can determine this pretty quickly. I am sorry this happened to you. Hope all gets worked out for the best. David
