The experts at Eli's Collision Center have fixed a lot of auto body problems with our quality auto body repair services. One question we get asked a lot is, “Can car frame damage be repaired?” It’s a great question. Below, we answer this for those who are curious about our auto body repair processes near Los Angeles.Can Car Frame Damage Be Repaired After an Accident?
Yes, with certain caveats.
Modern cars have unibody construction, meaning the frame and body skeleton are a single structure using crumple zones in accidents that save people’s lives by absorbing a majority of the impact.
With a unibody structure in vehicles, frame damage is just as likely to occur with a side impact as it is with a front-end or rear-end collision. Even in a relatively minor accident in Beverly Hills, a crumple zone might take damage like it’s designed to.
It is possible to repair car frame damage, but it is very expensive. A vehicle’s insurance coverage may decide something different. Next, we’ll dive into how to fix a damaged frame if you bring your vehicle to us.
How to Fix a Damaged Frame
When repairing car frame damage, it’s important to assess the damage before we decide on how to fix a damaged frame. In some cases, we’ll dismantle the vehicle and use realignment tools and frame straighteners. For other types of car frame damage, we could use replacement parts like pillars or certain rails attached to the car frame.
Is a Car Totaled if The Frame Is Damaged?
It depends on the extent of the damage and how expensive the repair is. Dismantling a car completely to straighten a bent car frame is no small feat and takes precise work. An insurance adjuster from your auto insurance provider will assess the damage and consult with us about what repairs are needed. Then, it will be up to the insurance company to determine if a car is totaled if the frame is damaged.
For example, your car is worth $60,000 when you bought it new. But it lowered in value to $50,000 a year later. You’re in an accident in West Los Angeles that causes damage to the frame, and our team estimates the damage will take $30,000 to repair. In this case, our team might fix the frame because it’s less than the current value of the vehicle.
You must consult with your insurance company to see how best to proceed depending on your exact situation. So is a car totaled if the frame is damaged? Not exactly, a variety of factors come into play.