Help me Oppo

"Alex B" (alexb420)
03/02/2015 at 14:45 • Filed to: Nissan Leaf

So the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! is currently sitting in this parking lot. We tried driving it to the body shop where my dad is planing on taking it, but it wasn't safe enough so it's parked there. Anyway, I'm trying to convince him to have it towed to the certified LEAF dealer where we bought it vs. the third party shop. After reading into similar stories, some have had extreme hidden damage (I.e the whole steering system needing to be replaced) I just don't think this third party shop will take the proper precautions/have the same knowledge as a certified LEAF mechanic would. What are some other reasons in favor of having the real Nissan dealer do it?

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

DISCUSSION (16)

Sweet Trav > Alex B
03/02/2015 at 14:47

SEND IT TO THE DEALER.

I am assuming that you're still paying for it, If Insurance will cover the dealer, take it to the dealer.

Also you might get lucky and it might just be a bent control arm.

PS9 > Alex B
03/02/2015 at 14:48

Weird electric car repair = visit to the dealer. Trust no one else with something like that. Unless it's that guy who made his own Jurassic Park SUV. He can fix any bloody thing.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > Alex B
03/02/2015 at 14:49

I'd try to get him to take it to the dealer, but when it comes down to it, it's his car, and he will have to face any and all consequences if a non-leaf certified shop fucks it up.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Alex B
03/02/2015 at 14:51

Damage to the battery due to mistreatment=$$$$$$$$$$. If there's one thing people understand it's cash. This isn't an average Corolla every backstreet mechanic can fix.

Alex B > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO
03/02/2015 at 14:52

True, I just feel that even if the non-certified shop makes it seem okay, I could never trust that it's exactly the way to was.

Alex B > PS9
03/02/2015 at 14:53

We've thad that shop do work on other cars of ours, but they weren't (a. Electric or (b. sturctural. As far as I know they don't have a guy who has made his own Jurassic Park SUV!

Alex B > Sweet Trav
03/02/2015 at 14:54

Yeah, we were going to pay for it out of pocket, but I'm assuming if the damage amounts to around 3k like the steering system replacement did, he might try to get insurance involved.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > Alex B
03/02/2015 at 14:56

I'd feel the same way. My mom for example has this cheap body shop that she takes her cars to whenever she manages to rip off her bumper (it has happened twice in the last year on two different cars), or scratches up her doors. I don't particlearly care for the shop, and have tried to send her to a better one, but she is stubborn, and doesn't like spending tons of money. The work is good enough for most people not to notice, so I just let her do what she wants to do. Meanwhile, whenever one of my cars has been damaged, I take it to the dealer, I feel that they know my car better.

nermal > Alex B
03/02/2015 at 15:00

Yep, get it towed to the dealer. Let them check it out.

Depending on the accident, the crumple zone may have been compromised. Even the tiniest bit of movement in it means it needs replaced.

Sounds dumb & expensive, but the car is designed to disintegrate upon impact in order to protect the occupants.

Sweet Trav > Alex B
03/02/2015 at 15:10

Even then if it is JUST a bent control arm, expect to pay 500-600... from the dealer 300-400 if it's a mechanic.

Here's a diagram of the front suspension

Rico > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO
03/02/2015 at 15:14

Whoa how did she rip off two bumpers?

Rico > Alex B
03/02/2015 at 15:17

I say take it to a mechanic for an estimate and see if they can determine everything that's screwed up, if it's something super simple they can fix it and if not then he can take it to the dealership.

Alex B > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO
03/02/2015 at 15:40

I feel the same way. It may cost more, but that piece of mind knowing that it was done well is well worth it.

Alex B > Rico
03/02/2015 at 15:42

That sounds like a good plan.

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > Rico
03/02/2015 at 16:07

First, she was driving my grandma's old 2011 Sonata, and was trying to do a 3 point turn. She ended up clipping the bumper on a curb, and when she backed up, it fell off. The second incident happened a few months ago in her recently traded in 2013 Xc60. She backed into an old Honda passport, resulting in half of her bumper falling off. The passport got a nasty dent, but the owner, who also happened to be the owner of the store that she had been shopping at, said not to worry about fixing his 20 year old suv

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > Alex B
03/03/2015 at 01:38

Well, I'm constantly working on cars that were previously repaired at cheap body shops. Things that were done very poorly, wires misrouted and chafing, missing/incorrect fasteners, loose panels, VERY shitty paint and body work, improperly sealed panels causing water leaks and further electronics damage. In fact I've got a car in the shop right now needing more than $20k worth of work entirely because of poor body workover two years ago. Numerous water leaks due to poor workmanship that essentially turned it into a flood vehicle. And the original accident damage wasn't even that extensive, the insurance company showed me the pictures. Interestingly, the owner took the car to a cheap shop of his choice and pocketed the extra insurance money.

GO TO SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THE CAR AND IS FAMILIAR WITH ELECTRIC CARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!