What Does Oppo Think? New Car Damage

"LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com" (limitedtimeonly)
06/11/2016 at 15:48 • Filed to: Autobody repair, What does Oppo think?, Auto Insurance

Stupid interstate truck tire debris.

Less than two weeks into ownership of a brand new 2016 VW GTI, on a crowded interstate, a shredded truck tire appeared in front of me. Hit it going 70 mph, and thought, “Well, it’s rubber, it couldn’t have done much damage.” Yes and no.

So, I jacked it up, took a look, and found more damage than expected, shown in first photo. Not shown is some sort of black plastic sheet with clips on the end, behind the grille, that was halfway torn and no longer attached to anything.

I managed to push things back closer to where they belong, but some clips are broken and in general it would benefit from professional attention.

Some improvement.

I know this group ranges from people with cars that basically aren’t working, never mind cosmetic issues, to those with some fancy and carefully waxed rolling works of art. If this car was over 100,000 miles, I might leave it alone, if only to avoid having to get a rental and be at the mercy of an autobody shop. It has just hit 1,000 miles. So I’m wondering . . .

What do Oppos think? Make an insurance claim and have it fully restored to new? Or have an autobody shop try to put things back together pretty well on my dime to avoid an accident claim?

Relevant data:

A dealer thought that the new bumper cover and other miscellaneous parts together with labor might put it about $800-$1,000 if they were doing it and just replacing everything.

I have only a $250 deductible on my insurance and no claims in about 13 years, same insurer. Also, I already told my insurance company, and will almost certainly get it fixed up all the way. Still curious on thoughts.

How it looked when I bought it.

DISCUSSION (20)

N51fanatic > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
06/11/2016 at 15:54

i would take it to your local GOOD body shop and have them take a look. If its a few hundred to reattch clips etc, i’d go out of pocket. Claims on ins are for like multi thousand dollar accidents

daender > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
06/11/2016 at 15:58

If it’s only some clips, then it might be worth searching Amazon or Rock Auto for some replacements on a budget. Otherwise, I completely agree with N51fanatic.

f86sabre > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
06/11/2016 at 16:09

I had something similar happen after I got my Evo. I used JB Weld to patch things back together and it held up for 10 years, but it is starting to fall apart.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
06/11/2016 at 16:21

Nice looking GTI. It’s the right color. Has the right number of doors.

Do I see the SE moonroof? And PP brakes?

DSG or 6MT?

I have very close to the same car. Same color. An SE 4dr, 6MT with PP. But I made the dealer swap the cloth seats from the S; because plaid is awesome.

My plate: GON PLAD

jkm7680 > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
06/11/2016 at 16:26

Id say pay out of pocket

Aaron M - MasoFiST > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
06/11/2016 at 16:45

I made a claim for highway damage when my windshield was hit by debris coming off a truck (glass is zero deductible in MA). Didn’t affect my rates, really. That’s the sort of thing where it happens to everyone in a blue moon, but if you make claims like this every year, then your adjuster is going to think you have something to do with it.

Of course, get an estimate first.

Thunderface > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
06/11/2016 at 16:58

Ouch.

Old Red Wagon > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
06/11/2016 at 16:58

That take sucks. As a fellow MK7 GTI owner I wouldn’t be pleased if this happened to mine. Hell any new car for that matter. I would get an estimate from a good body shop around you and go from there.

PotbellyJoe and 42 others > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
06/11/2016 at 17:00

This exact situation happened to me. I reattached it cheaply and have since had to do it again and finally cut the offending portion off.

Do it right the first time, save yourself the hassle.

(i had 70,000 miles when it happened to me, so not exact )

1111111111111111111111 > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
06/11/2016 at 17:13

I’d just wait. Perhaps you’ll hit something bigger in the future.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > 1111111111111111111111
06/11/2016 at 17:43

I have a couple of long road trips coming, so I may wait until after that.

BLCKSTRM > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
06/11/2016 at 17:51

Had a similar issue.

Stuff like that isn’t too hard to fix sometimes. Get a quote for the whole undertray part and new clips, then pull it off and see if you can just do it yourself. It might not be too bad.

If you’re really clever you might be able to stitch it back together where it ripped (assuming you may hit something again in the near future and don’t want to buy a new one yet). I use my smallest drill bit to make holes, and then either use zip ties or literally use heavy black thread to sew it, then I go back and soak the thread with superglue.

The thread+superglue is indestructible. In fact, I’ve used that trick to to fix all kinds of things not worth replacing. Works like a charm every time.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
06/11/2016 at 17:53

Autobahn w/ DSG, PP, LP and DCC.

I wanted the all way adjustable seats and nav is very useful for me,so Autobahn, and occasional knee problems and stop-and-go commuting meant DSG. I wanted to help save the manuals, that was my original plan, but it changed with how much the DSG feels like a manual, especially in sport mode.

1111111111111111111111 > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
06/11/2016 at 17:54

It also makes hitting cones easier too.

FoilyDoily > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
06/11/2016 at 17:55

Have it repaired. Whether you pay out of pocket or have the insurance do it. Also - check to see if your insurer offers claim forgiveness. With no claims in that amount of time, it’s unlikely that one relatively small claim will impact your premium.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > 1111111111111111111111
06/11/2016 at 17:56

That has to wait until out of warranty, of course.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
06/11/2016 at 19:33

Okay.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
06/11/2016 at 20:23

Sorry if that was too detailed - it was my go-to response on VW forums, eventually.

sellphones2493 > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
06/11/2016 at 22:11

My thoughts: you pay for insurance - utilize it. Granted, I’m a bit OCD, but it’s a new car, and you have ~1.5 years to milk that. Make it look that way.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com
06/11/2016 at 23:23

No. It’s cool. I was giving you shit for not getting a stick. As one does on Oppo. Nice car. Despite the auto. :P