[rohrt]

My wife was in a car accident with a run away car thief. He smashed into our 2002 Grand Am pretty good but it doesn't look like the frame is bent. Given the circumstances that we only carry liability coverage and the other car wasn't even his, we may very well be screwed as far as getting any insurance paid out.

That all being said looking at the damage it doesn't look all that bad to me. Hood, fender, front fascia and radiator support should take care of most of the body issues. I know the junk yard will want about 5-600 for the parts. What I'm concerned with is messing with the air bags.

It looks like it blew the switches off steering wheel for the radio. The passenger side blew too. I don't know if there was any damage to the dash?
I don't know how the switch works that sets them off. Is it resetable?
Does the dash need replaced for the passenger side? Do I just need the whole steering wheel for the driver side?

Anyone ever mess with these things?

[mgarblik]

I have repaired numerous air bad deployed vehicles. If you have a good source for used parts and don't mind lots of remove and replacement of parts, it's not too bad. If both sides have deployed bags, you are in for lots of work. To make it look and function like new you will need at a minimum: 1. drivers side inflator module, 2. steering wheel switch assemblies. 3. entire padded dash carrier assembly cover for passenger side closure. 4. clock spring module assembly 5. passenger side inflator module assembly. 6. possibly front impact sensors, 7. possibly air bag control module. All that stuff new would approach 4K, so it is easy to see why any bag deployment on a car that is 5 or more years old and under 30K new instantly totals the car. That's because this doesn't include body and paint repair and hidden or unknown damage. In your case, being car guy, you can probably get all the needed parts for 5-6 hundred as you said and then spend the time to change all the damaged parts. Typically the passenger bag is designed to break out the windshield on purpose before someones head hits it. Check this area carefully if the glass is not broken, it may still have moved the glass. Many times the impact sensors can be reused as well as the air bag control module. I generally replace the inflators and clock spring, first. Then attach a scan tool and run the diagnostics. If codes remain, run down the codes and replace the additional needed components. If the car has significant personal value to you and you don't mind the work, it can be repaired.

[MUSLCAH]

An '02 with blown bags is not worth the effort and expense...I'd look for another ride and you must have some frame damage to make those bags go off,unless the sensor was behind the grill and not on the frame rails ,like today's cars. Been fixing crashed cars since 1976... So I know a little bit...just my .02

[pugslyx234]

I would consult an attorney about whose liable, if you caused it then yes you eat it but since the other (pos) thief caused it. And was the other car fully insured? And also check maybe the scumbag has assets!

[salem1912]

X2 on insurance . The driver is not the insured the car is.

[rohrt]

Thank you both for the replies.

Originally Posted by mgarblik

I have repaired numerous air bad deployed vehicles. If you have a good source for used parts and don't mind lots of remove and replacement of parts, it's not too bad. If both sides have deployed bags, you are in for lots of work. To make it look and function like new you will need at a minimum: 1. drivers side inflator module, 2. steering wheel switch assemblies. 3. entire padded dash carrier assembly cover for passenger side closure. 4. clock spring module assembly 5. passenger side inflator module assembly. 6. possibly front impact sensors, 7. possibly air bag control module. All that stuff new would approach 4K, so it is easy to see why any bag deployment on a car that is 5 or more years old and under 30K new instantly totals the car. That's because this doesn't include body and paint repair and hidden or unknown damage. In your case, being car guy, you can probably get all the needed parts for 5-6 hundred as you said and then spend the time to change all the damaged parts. Typically the passenger bag is designed to break out the windshield on purpose before someones head hits it. Check this area carefully if the glass is not broken, it may still have moved the glass. Many times the impact sensors can be reused as well as the air bag control module. I generally replace the inflators and clock spring, first. Then attach a scan tool and run the diagnostics. If codes remain, run down the codes and replace the additional needed components. If the car has significant personal value to you and you don't mind the work, it can be repaired.

Some great info there. I watched a couple quick video on what a clock assembly and impact sensor and and how to remove the steering wheel on the car. The entire padded dash carrier assembly sounds like the whole Dash???? That sounds like a lot of work.

Originally Posted by MUSLCAH

An '02 with blown bags is not worth the effort and expense...I'd look for another ride and you must have some frame damage to make those bags go off,unless the sensor was behind the grill and not on the frame rails ,like today's cars. Been fixing crashed cars since 1976... So I know a little bit...just my .02

Yep it very well may NOT be worth the effort. If the frame is bent then its done for me. I guess in the crash the car rolled up over the top. There was grease on the bumper from the other car. If you were to look at it, it doesn't look bad at all.

[rohrt]

Originally Posted by pugslyx234

I would consult an attorney about whose liable, if you caused it then yes you eat it but since the other (pos) thief caused it. And was the other car fully insured? And also check maybe the scumbag has assets!

This is a $3900 car at most. So it would be a small claims court deal.
My insurance guy said if the car owner did not give permission to the thief to drive the car then should wouldn't be liable for any thing. If I go after the guy, even if I won how would payment be enforced?

[TedRamAirII]

Originally Posted by rohrt

This is a $3900 car at most. So it would be a small claims court deal.
My insurance guy said if the car owner did not give permission to the thief to drive the car then should wouldn't be liable for any thing. If I go after the guy, even if I won how would payment be enforced?

You cant get blood from a turnip. If he has no assets ( I would be surprised if he has ANYTHING ) You wont get anything. The court can have holds and liens, but forgetaboutit. You will never see any money, ever. BTDT.

[Elarson]

If the other driver is a car thief, then the odds of him having assets to get are minimal at best.

And before any court proceeding against the guy, you'd have to satisfy yourself that you're comfortable establishing an information link between your family and a known criminal.

Just my 2 cents,

Eric

[Don Keefe]

Before you do anything else, check to see if you or the other owner has "uninsured motorist" protection, which would likely cover this situation. Personally, I can't see putting that kind of effort and money into a car in that value range.

[rohrt]

The body shop that we towed the car to confirmed the frame is bent. So it will be taking a happy trip to the junk yard.

Any parts I should take from it before it goes?

The cop that handled the case isn't in until Wednesday and the police HQ couldn't tell us nothing today. Have to wait until Wednesday before we find out more.

I agree with you all about squeezing water from a rock. I'm sure we are going to be SOL on this one.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by Don Keefe

Before you do anything else, check to see if you or the other owner has "uninsured motorist" protection, which would likely cover this situation. Personally, I can't see putting that kind of effort and money into a car in that value range.

For some reason this above bolded by me statement reminded me of all of the now worth mega $$$ vehicles that would've been mere scrap back in the day...any Pontiac, etc.

Not or intended...prolly more of a note of what is it worth time v effort v monies now...then who can read the future?

[CraigGT37]

I was involved in a hit and run accident leaving my work. One of my coworkers followed the guy and called the police with his location. The guy totaled my truck, and since he didnt have insurance, mine covered the truck, minus the deductable. We had to go to court for it ( he was also dui). The prosicutor told us we would never see any money from the guy. 2 years later we got a check from the courts, he actually made restitution. So it does happen.

[Don Keefe]

Originally Posted by Alvin

For some reason this above bolded by me statement reminded me of all of the now worth mega $$$ vehicles that would've been mere scrap back in the day...any Pontiac, etc.

Not or intended...prolly more of a note of what is it worth time v effort v monies now...then who can read the future?

It's simply the fact that there are still a lot of other good examples out there. Personally, I would probably look for a newer Grand Am GT or a Grand Prix GTP.

If you want a tip on a future collectible that is affordable now, find a Sunset Orange Metallic Aztek Rally or a G6 GT retractable hardtop/convertible. They are rare now and will be what aging millennials will want in 30 years. Laugh all you want- you heard it here first!

[rohrt]

The car was one the wife and I bought for the oldest daughter in who is in HS. It not one of our daily drivers but the daughter just got a job and would rather her drive that then my death trap rusted to the bones pickup truck.

Junk yard will only give $50-70 bucks for the car. I'm thinking I should bring it home and sell it.

[Ben M.]

Originally Posted by rohrt

Junk yard will only give $50-70 bucks for the car. I'm thinking I should bring it home and sell it.

If you don't mind it sitting in your yard\driveway for 6 months to get $250, go for it. These cars are worth practically nothing, even if the engine runs and drives great. Unless I know I can sell a wrecked car quickly, I'm not interested in holding onto carcasses for months or years trying to get rid of them anymore.

People have trouble selling decent examples of these cars for $1500 on the various for sale ads I've been watching.

[MUSLCAH]

The price of metal is in the toilet right now...5-6 years ago that would fetch 400.00 ...take what you can for it .....and you won't have to mow around it all summer.

[salem1912]

Originally Posted by rohrt

This is a $3900 car at most. So it would be a small claims court deal.
My insurance guy said if the car owner did not give permission to the thief to drive the car then should wouldn't be liable for any thing. If I go after the guy, even if I won how would payment be enforced?

You need a new insurance guy. The car is insured not the driver, doesn't matter who was driving. Also how do you know the owner wasn't driving?

[Mr Twister]

Originally Posted by MUSLCAH

An '02 with blown bags is not worth the effort and expense...I'd look for another ride and you must have some frame damage to make those bags go off,unless the sensor was behind the grill and not on the frame rails ,like today's cars. Been fixing crashed cars since 1976... So I know a little bit...just my .02

Agree, the juice ain't worth the squeeze.

[Simple Man]

Let it go......