:( Car Wreck, is this fixable??

[Buzioid]

I was on my way to pick up some pizza at the pizza place and take back some movies that were rented the night before. When All the sudden I arrive at an intersection. Everyone is stopped, watching the blurring red light ahead anticipating the changing of it to green; watching the cars pass one by one inside of the intersection of two merging 4 lane roads. Suddenly two bright white lights appear on the rear of the car in front of me. The car starts to move towards my front end. I have my hand on the leather steering wheel ready to press slightly on the horn when they stop. Looking to the right I see a dark blue car with a glowing orange light that flashes ever so readily; waiting to attempt a turn to her left. Not noticing a red car coming from the east in the 3rd lane, I notice the dark blue car slowly mover her way out into the first, second, and then the third lane of the road. Flying at 35 miles per hour the red car makes its way down the road into the third lane. The blue car pops out just in time to see the red car and SMASH! into the back door of the red car. I watch as the red car makes its way down the road as it has just been hit, and also making its way towards me. Before I can even think of what might happen, I hear the bolting sound of metal against metal sliding past one another pushing against my door exposing the dark guts of the door. I whip to the right and back to the left side of the car. The car continues on and slides over the aluminum rims gouging through the aluminum pushing the tire sideways and sliding against the fender, atop the black tire, smashing it upwards cracking the body paint and exposing insides of the car. Soon after the red car pulls away only to continue on its rampage against another car stopped directly behind me. I pull over to the side waiting for orders from a police officer. Then I make my way home. The sleek leather steering wheel slowly moves to the left at a forty five degree angle. I think for a second, and yes, I am going straight. I continue on trying to hold down the steering wheel. I look at what is to come ahead and all I see is a manhole. Suddenly the left tire makes its way across the manhole in the middle of the street, and WHAM! the car hits the manhole with no absorption of shock. Eventually I make my way back home across the treacherous highways and make a safe landing inside the motionless brown garage where the day had begun. I sit, thinking about what had just happened, and although I can't believe it, I must do so, however unfortunate it seems.

Well, now that everyone knows the story, I was wondering some things.

Is this fixable?
I mean, the whole tire now is at an angle and the side of the fender has been bent almost flat against the top of it with the paint chipped.

Can you even fix the paint?

You probably would have to paint the whole fender over again, but still would it match the rest of the car?
Does anyone know what could cause the steering wheel to be at an angle like that? Is that frame bent up or something?

And with the shocks, it feels like there is no shock on the left side.

I feel like the car will have permanent damage and will stil be seen if any attempt at fixing it occurs, unless the parts are totally replaced.

Input would be appreciated.

[JacobM5727]

sue them, if your insurance wont pay, and then afaik, if the frame isnt bent, you can fix just about anything else, if you have the cash

[Buzioid]

This is a question I ahve had for a while, what the heck foes AFAIK mean?? LOL

[Brainchild]

What kind of car are we talking about here?

Without pics it is hard to venture a guess.I would take it to 3 maybe even 5 reputable body shops for estimates,and tell them you want OEM replacement parts.Its good to have hte estimates for insurance reasons anyway.
Minor frame damage isn't uncommon in these situations,and can be repaired,and a good body shop can do a paint match that will look like it was never touched.
Ask the shops for reference pictures of cars they have fixed,a lot of them will have pics hanging on the wall,around here they do anyway.

What do you mean by the steering wheel being at an agle? You have to hold it crooked to go straight, or it's actually bent in a different angle? If it's bent, your car is probably totalled.

[Brainchild]

As Far As I Know AFAIK

[NeoStarO1]

Hmmm sounds to me you were in a car wreck that was not at your fault. Thinking that damage was not severe enough at the scene of the wreck it sounds like you or police determined it was safe to drive the car. Now on your way home from the scene of the accident you relieze thier is more damage than orignally thought off. Possibly bent tire axel which would I think cause the car to go out of alinement and possilbely a twisted frame structure. This would fall under the insurance of who's fault the wreck is.. Did you get the driver(s) infromation so you can submit a claim to thier insuranc ecompany?

If not talk to your insurance agent and find out how to go about getting the other fellas informaiton so his insurance pays for the damage of your car.

[Buzioid]

heehee, thanks.
Well, I mamaged to break my digital camera, so I'll try with my digital vider cam tommorrow and get some pictures.

It's a 2001 pontiac bonneville loaded with every feature.

Well, the wheel isn't bent, but it is turned at an angle when I go straight whir.

Then chances are, from the sounds of it, you've destroyed the arm assembly. Probably bent the tie-rod. That entire side will have to be replaced. Anything else is probably just superficial body damage. Since those cars are unibody, if the frame was twisted anywhere, the car would be totalled, usually. But it sounds to me like it's just a matter of replacing the suspension assembly one whichever side you were hit on, and the body panels that were trashed by the other car.

But what do I know?

[Ed_S]

Sounds relatively minor, but then, I'm in the auto body business & see lots worse - in other words, my idea of "minor" is likely to differ from many folks...

ANYTHING can be fixed on a car - just takes time & money. Whether or not it's worthwhile to do so is the question. That car's new enough to definately get fixed - probably a couple grand in damage, that's all. Any competent body shop can match the paint by blending it.

Sounds like the front end's knocked out badly, probably the spindle or knuckle is wiped out, along with the tie rods. Wheel's bent, fender's toast. A fender just isn't often worth fixing, cheaper to replace one.
One thing for sure - park that car!
Don't try to drive it, it's dangerous. Not only is it hard to drive, but those parts are severely stressed & could give at any time!! What if something sharp is rubbing a brake hose?? Lose fluid & you've got a hard-to-steer car with no brakes, that's a sure way to get somebody killed....

If it sounds like I'm trying to scare you, you're right!!


***
brainchild mentioned to "tell them you want OEM replacement parts." I'll seconf that, and clarify what he meant. In the language that insurance co's INSIST the industry uses, replacement parts are termed:
"OEM" = Original equipment manufacturer (GM, Ford, etc)
"Quality replacement part" = aftermarket, copy made by somebody, may or may not meet OEM specs & quality. Often inferior.
"Like kind & quality" = salvage. Used part of same age & condition. Junkyard parts.

All three sound the same until you read the definition, huh!