i got in a front end car wreck 2 days ago and the car doesn't look too bad. Took it to the shop guy told me $3000 using oem parts and $2100 using aftermarket parts. I got the list and found everything for $500 give or take a hundred.

Here what i have so far:

Hood (junkyard)
Headlights (using my old oem)
Front upper tie bar
Radiator
Hood latch
Grille
Front Bumper (junkyard)
Front Bumper reinforcement (junkyard)
Bumper puck clips
Radiator Support(do i really need this)

this is using all aftermarket parts, or should i be using oem? any ideas of what i'm missing. Any help be appreciated thanks

 

Doesnt look like 3k worth of work to me. To weld in the rad support would be about an hr worth of labor, even thought they'll give you book time of like 8 hrs which is bs. And my rad support was way worse than that and it was just hammered and shaped back into place.

Id suggest you go to at least 2 more shops and get estimates, also I believe theres a section in ht specifically for bodywork and paint

 

Do the work yourself. Get some experience. There are 4 bolts holding on your hood, very simple. Headlights are simple, Bumper support simple. As far a the hammering part for your RAD support I would pay for that if you want it back to normal again unless you're good with a hammer.

 

From the pics of your rad support it looks like you may be able to remove everything, heat it, and bend/force it back into shape. As long as there are no cracks or popped spot welds.

If you are going to do everything yourself it shouldn't be too bad. The rad sport will be the part that takes some time to get it back into the proper position.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Cannon Man &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Doesnt look like 3k worth of work to me. </TD></TR></TABLE>

If you take your car to a body shop they do not bargain shop through a junkyard to find parts. By the looks of your photos a complete front end including all the parts, labor, paint and body work. 3k isn't bad considering..... But if you are able to do the work yourself and find parts that are in relatively good shape from a J yard. yes you can save yourself a lot of cash.


<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Cannon Man &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">To weld in the rad support would be about an hr worth of labor, ..... </TD></TR></TABLE>

I would love to see you remove the entire front end including drilling out the spot welded rad support. Weld in a new support and put everything back together in an hour.

 

i can do everything myself, i opened it up and doesn't look that hard just take some time. the radiator support shows no crack just bent in the tie bar where the hood latch sits. i found the hood and the bumper is the junkyard everything else is aftermarket

 

Then you are Golf Tango Golf!

& good luck with the repairs

 

i was trying to find a hood and this guy offered me a new aftermarket hood for $100 how good are aftermarket hoods? and also is it better to get the radiator support from the jumkyard or a new aftermarket one? like these http://www.autopartswarehouse....+9221

thanks


Modified by ali7up at 11:07 AM 10/19/2008


Modified by ali7up at 1:04 PM 10/19/2008

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by GhostAccord &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I would love to see you remove the entire front end including drilling out the spot welded rad support. Weld in a new support and put everything back together in an hour.</TD></TR></TABLE>

When I asked my questions and got suggestions from people that do body work my car was completely stripped and only had to have the rad support removed and reinstalled. Thats the amount of work I was reffering to.

OP, I went with an aftermarket hood and it looks ok for what it is but you can see where its off just a little bit. The price was right so I have no complaints though

 

found one parts store in atlanta called Keystone Automotive Industries. he told me 130 for radiator support and 140 for hood both aftermarket capa certified.