Front bumper damage - joining the club

[denkigrve]

Originally Posted by Subie

My insurance company cut me a check for the repair cost less the deductible, but I can't say I would have gone anywhere else for the repair. Outwardly these guys looked good; they have several good user reviews, they're I-CAR certified, have a nice, modern facility, and as I stated, they're an authorized repair provider. I won't say anything else about them to protect their identity while they work to resolve this situation, but as I said, all indications were that they would be one of the better shops in my area. Worst-case scenario I may have to drive to Charlotte to go to one of the higher-end body shops, but I really hope it doesn't come to that.

Here is my before/after. The lighting is different so it looks like two different silvers, but you can't even tell the dent was there:

[SubieNate]

That looks like good work.

My dad was an insurance adjuster for years so I have a bit of an idea of how the system works. The other driver could easily claim that swerving to miss the debris could have endangered his passengers or caused a 'real' accident. Since the wood didn't fall off of his truck, getting him or his insurance to pay for it would be extremely difficult.

Insurance companies will [occasionally] bend over backwards to keep their policy holders happy. His insurance would have no desire to make you happy though, so they'd likely dispute the claim even if you did get ahold of them.

I agree that he should have missed it, and that it was likely due to negligence on his part. But proving that and then actually getting compensation for it is another thing entirely.

Nathan

[Subie]

Originally Posted by SubieNate

That looks like good work.

My dad was an insurance adjuster for years so I have a bit of an idea of how the system works. The other driver could easily claim that swerving to miss the debris could have endangered his passengers or caused a 'real' accident. Since the wood didn't fall off of his truck, getting him or his insurance to pay for it would be extremely difficult.

Insurance companies will [occasionally] bend over backwards to keep their policy holders happy. His insurance would have no desire to make you happy though, so they'd likely dispute the claim even if you did get ahold of them.

I agree that he should have missed it, and that it was likely due to negligence on his part. But proving that and then actually getting compensation for it is another thing entirely.

Nathan

Thank you for your insight.

I spoke with the body shop again today. They informed me that they are going to order a new bumper direct from Subaru in order to make my car look good as new. If the bumper takes time to come in I'll be driving my car in the meantime, so I'll be sure to take pictures of the damage if given the opportunity to do so.

[inimitable]

Originally Posted by xjohnx

same thing happened to me last week, except with a stray traffic cone. (+2 seconds!)

A fkking cone did that?!?!?!

I've run over cones for fun in some of my older cars because I never thought they could do much damage. Worst result was getting one stuck under the car a d dragging it down the road a bit.

But if a cone did that... then I'm extremely thankful to have VERY narrowly dodged a stupid possum 3 nights ago. I had my eyes off the road for a second, and looked back just in time to see this SOB frozen "like a deer in headlights," right in my path! If I didn't also happen to have two hands on the wheel I don't know what my instincts would have been primed to do! As it was, I was able to swerve right and safely dodge him while maintaining complete control of the car @ ~+/-60mph on a two lane road. I drove off cursing the life I had just kinda saved.

Moral of the story: Be Prepared for Anything! In my case, albeit I was distracted, as I commonly am between messing with my phone and/or the stereo (FWIW, I am now undoubtedly investing in steering wheel controls, ASAP), I did believe that I was A) an above average and very vigilant driver, and B) that I had adopted a number of defensive driving techniques over the years, and in advance, to have enhanced my chances of avoiding such hazards. For example, in this case, I was driving along a routine route after midnight in a fairly rural setting with no other traffic. How easy just such a setting can be for letting one's guard down! That is exactly what happened - I was too comfortable in the environment, and my most recent memories had no threats to report. While, I did go to lengths to drive in the left lane, just in case... - according to my theory that the vast majority of animals in the roadway will tend to enter from the right as they exit the woods, and therefore, driving in the left lane in these situations will afford me the most reaction time and safety zones to maneuver in - nonetheless, at this particular little, tiny spec of the roadway there happened to be a little median of grass made up and edged with curbs on an otherwise 4 lane road (2 in each direction) with no median nor divider other than the two solid lines. And wouldn't you know it, that, in this case, the possum came from the LEFT, right out of the median! I am just glad that he froze when sensed his impending doom, and that there was no other traffic at the time I had to make my move.


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[inimitable]

Originally Posted by denkigrve

Here is my before/after. The lighting is different so it looks like two different silvers, but you can't even tell the dent was there:

Looks beautiful!

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[DBacon1052]

Time for that new body kit

[xjohnx]

Yep, a cone. It's in the shop getting fixed now. It was kind of funny, when the adjuster entered the VIN of my BRZ Ltd to his estimating software it came back as an fr-s in his software and was showing all the yota parts. I had to point it out and he had to manually override it.

[xjohnx]

Originally Posted by xjohnx

same thing happened to me last week, except with a stray traffic cone. (+2 seconds!)

All better! Dropped it off Monday afternoon and got it back today. super fast service and great job on the paint!

[trackmagic]

Has anybody had this issue on the FR-S?

[xjohnx]

Originally Posted by trackmagic

Has anybody had this issue on the FR-S?

i'm pretty sure every car ever made has had the issue of hitting objects in the roadway.

[Subie]

Originally Posted by xjohnx

All better! Dropped it off Monday afternoon and got it back today. super fast service and great job on the paint!

<snip>

That looks really good! I take it they replaced the bumper?

[xjohnx]

Originally Posted by Subie

That looks really good! I take it they replaced the bumper?

Yep

[trackmagic]

Originally Posted by xjohnx

i'm pretty sure every car ever made has had the issue of hitting objects in the roadway.

That is not what my question is and I'm pretty sure you know what I meant.

I have hit a cone and not split my bumper.

[xjohnx]

It was one of the standard cones with two of those black runner collar/weight things, hit square on the base of the cone at about 60mph. I don't think it was in any way the fault of the bumper. Nothing to worry about on that front.