Minor Fiesta accident, looking for some input

[Ashlander]

So my wife has a 2015 Fiesta SE, and we were in a low speed left turn collision (mostly at fault, so no insurance money). The hood, hood hinges, front bumper and cover need to be replaced, but it doesn't look too bad aside from that, as far as parts. The only thing I'm concerned about is end of the front framerails got pushed over an inch or so, because the other vehicle basically hit right on the side of the bumper. I can post some pics, but I'm wondering if anybody has had the front rails straightened out before, or any ideas what it might cost.

Also wondering if the ST bumper cover will fit on the SE sedans?

 

[Thirty-Two]

So my wife has a 2015 Fiesta SE, and we were in a low speed left turn collision (mostly at fault, so no insurance money). The hood, hood hinges, front bumper and cover need to be replaced, but it doesn't look too bad aside from that, as far as parts. The only thing I'm concerned about is end of the front framerails got pushed over an inch or so, because the other vehicle basically hit right on the side of the bumper. I can post some pics, but I'm wondering if anybody has had the front rails straightened out before, or any ideas what it might cost.

Also wondering if the ST bumper cover will fit on the SE sedans?

Honestly I would just replace with the original bumper cover, cheaper, easier and will get you back on the road faster. But if you're already tearing the front apart I don't see why not. I believe it would fit though it may not line up as the cover is shaped differently especially around the grille and is lower meaning it will look weird without sideskirts and such. It would also require changing some of the mounts but I don't see how that would be worth the hassle with it just being a commuter. The original taller bumper is much better for parking lot navigating and curbs and the like.

Now if it's just the frame rails at the front I wouldn't figure it would cost much especially the primary impact piece is bolted and easily replaceable with a junkyard car.

https://rts.i-car.com/collision-repair-news/collision-repair-and-the-2011-ford-fiesta.html

There is no way anyone would be able to give a good price unless they had experience in doing so in the same area and same damage as you. Take it to a reputable shop. They will be able to give you accurate labor cost and parts cost for your damage and area. Take special care to insure that car is aligned and riding straight afterwards and don't sign a form which removes them from covering further repair if for example in 3 months you find that the alignment is coming apart or something. Take detailed pictures of before and after work, maybe even measurements. Go to Ford even and take pictures of a new car there to compare if needed. Document everything and cover your butt because in the end its your money.

 

[Ashlander]

Honestly I would just replace with the original bumper cover, cheaper, easier and will get you back on the road faster. But if you're already tearing the front apart I don't see why not. I believe it would fit though it may not line up as the cover is shaped differently especially around the grille and is lower meaning it will look weird without sideskirts and such. It would also require changing some of the mounts but I don't see how that would be worth the hassle with it just being a commuter. The original taller bumper is much better for parking lot navigating and curbs and the like.

Those are good points. I didn't consider the look without skirts, I just assumed the ground clearance difference was just attributed to the ST having a lower suspension. We probably going to just get a prepainted bumper cover, heard of some good results from some of the places on ebay. There was only like a $60 difference between the ES and ST ones, so I thought it might be worth the extra $60 for a better look. But if the mounting and everything is different, as well as hanging lower, I probably wont bother. Still trying to track down a hood of the same color, or a place that sells them prepainted.

Now if it's just the frame rails at the front I wouldn't figure it would cost much especially the primary impact piece is bolted and easily replaceable with a junkyard car.

Yeah I noticed that. They look like they're actually welded to the bumper. The problem here is that since the bumper was hit right on the side and pushed toward the driver side, it pulled the crush boxes, and thus the ends of the framerails over.

There is no way anyone would be able to give a good price unless they had experience in doing so in the same area and same damage as you. Take it to a reputable shop. They will be able to give you accurate labor cost and parts cost for your damage and area. Take special care to insure that car is aligned and riding straight afterwards and don't sign a form which removes them from covering further repair if for example in 3 months you find that the alignment is coming apart or something. Take detailed pictures of before and after work, maybe even measurements. Go to Ford even and take pictures of a new car there to compare if needed. Document everything and cover your butt because in the end its your money.

I drove it to a few shops around and most of them wouldn't do unless I gave them the whole job, but they all referred me to the same place that specializes in frame work. The guy there said from looking, he figured it'd probably be $800+ to pull the frame out. They have a more in depth way of repairing them than most places I think though. He took me back and showed me, they like cut out the crimpled section from being bent, straighten it out, then weld in a new piece. I'm pretty sure most places just yank them straight.

 

[Thirty-Two]

I know it differs with shops. A BOF I remember from shop days would definitely be pulled straight in something minor like that. A uni-body construction is alot more finicky, I don't think I shop that would just pull that crush structure out would survive as their work would easily fail in another incident, though cost-cutting is rampant and I'm sure it happens with more shady shops.

If it went back into the apron and crush structure than, yeah, that would warrant more labor cost. I have no idea if 800 would be reasonable being that I haven't dealt with anything resembling a Fiesta's unibody structure.

For parts this is my primary source and it is what the shops use as well. http://www.car-part.com/. Helpful so you know where and how much the parts are in case of anything. Once I had a 90s Accord that needed the same sort of repair and I specifically asked for a certain piece to be replaced that likely had been damaged as well. At first insurance told me they couldn't find it, printed it out on carparts after confirming with yard, and what do you know they didn't see that yard. (In this case it was pulled because otherwise labor would have scraped the car and being that I had just changed internals, that power and money would have been for nothing)

Since you're paying yourself it is another source to simply find parts since I understand and would encourage to complete the parts replacement yourself.

 

[Ashlander]

I know it differs with shops. A BOF I remember from shop days would definitely be pulled straight in something minor like that. A uni-body construction is alot more finicky, I don't think I shop that would just pull that crush structure out would survive as their work would easily fail in another incident, though cost-cutting is rampant and I'm sure it happens with more shady shops.

If it went back into the apron and crush structure than, yeah, that would warrant more labor cost. I have no idea if 800 would be reasonable being that I haven't dealt with anything resembling a Fiesta's unibody structure.

For parts this is my primary source and it is what the shops use as well. http://www.car-part.com/. Helpful so you know where and how much the parts are in case of anything. Once I had a 90s Accord that needed the same sort of repair and I specifically asked for a certain piece to be replaced that likely had been damaged as well. At first insurance told me they couldn't find it, printed it out on carparts after confirming with yard, and what do you know they didn't see that yard. (In this case it was pulled because otherwise labor would have scraped the car and being that I had just changed internals, that power and money would have been for nothing)

Since you're paying yourself it is another source to simply find parts since I understand and would encourage to complete the parts replacement yourself.

I've looked on car-part.com for some of the stuff we'll need already. One of the first places I check. I found the Mach 1 engine for my Mustang on there in fact.

 

[Thirty-Two]

Awesome stuff. That site is so fun to browse for random cars.

Seems you are on the right path. Godspeed