Got into an accident...

[legotheboss]

Got into an accident today. Not fun since I have only had this car for 3 months now.

Axle collapsed, and could not really drive it much. Air Suspension also collapsed from the crash.

Fender is banged up, and headlight is cracked, apart from the rest of the bumper damage. Wheel was scratched up and tire was flat.

This is my first accident ever, so not sure what to expect. Doesn't look like it will be totaled but not sure what insurance will do. Any thoughts on what I can expect?

 

[demundus]

im shocked a broken axle resulted in such minor exterior damage. Thats a 30k repair in your picture, and im being conservative

 

[AMPd]

Accidents are definitely not fun, I agree that it doesn’t look like it would be totaled. Definitely expect to be without the car for a while, like @demundus I’m a little surprised the axle broke from what appears to be a minor hit.
Although the car is very heavy and the hot does appear to be in an area where the wheel would take most of the hit.

 

[SoCal Buzz]

Ugh, sorry to see this. It does appear that the wheel took most of the impact. Not sure where $30 K + comes from. It will depend on the frame, battery tray, etc. If you don't have fluid leaking or any error messages, and airbags didn't deploy (?), hopefully it was more of a glancing blow and less than you think. Good luck.

 

[AMPd]

Ugh, sorry to see this. It does appear that the wheel took most of the impact. Not sure where $30 K + comes from. It will depend on the frame, battery tray, etc. If you don't have fluid leaking or any error messages, and airbags didn't deploy (?), hopefully it was more of a glancing blow and less than you think. Good luck.

Wouldn’t surprise me if it does cost nearly 30k to fix. I’m sure the radiators behind the bumper will need to be replaced, quarter panel, bumper, headlight, suspension parts. Good thing op has insurance.

 

[demundus]

Ugh, sorry to see this. It does appear that the wheel took most of the impact. Not sure where $30 K + comes from. It will depend on the frame, battery tray, etc. If you don't have fluid leaking or any error messages, and airbags didn't deploy (?), hopefully it was more of a glancing blow and less than you think. Good luck.

30k is on the low end. @AMPd highlighted most of the issues.

Youre looking at:
Hood, front panel, wheel, tire, headlight assy, bumper, kick panel, fog light, paint blend finish. thats just exterior (and the side we can see)
Radiator, louvres, likely DCDC if it was dented or touched in anyway, coolant and perhaps HV lines for safety, and then the damage to the axle, which could have shear'd the spline in the DU (guess?)

For reference, i got one door skin, and a left rear QP replaced and painted for a 5mph parking lot crossing Tbone and it cost 22k

 

[cmarshack]

30k is on the low end. @AMPd highlighted most of the issues.

Youre looking at:
Hood, front panel, wheel, tire, headlight assy, bumper, kick panel, fog light, paint blend finish. thats just exterior (and the side we can see)
Radiator, louvres, likely DCDC if it was dented or touched in anyway, coolant and perhaps HV lines for safety, and then the damage to the axle, which could have shear'd the spline in the DU (guess?)

For reference, i got one door skin, and a left rear QP replaced and painted for a 5mph parking lot crossing Tbone and it cost 22k

Rear Quarter panel is a whole different ball game, that is why your repair was so expensive. Why would they need a hood, and it is definitely a stretch to think they needs a DU? I would be willing to bet their repair is closer to, and likely less than your $22k repair. It does not need any body work, just bolt-ons and paint.

But at the end of the day we are both just speculating...

 

[demundus]

Rear Quarter panel is a whole different ball game, that is why your repair was so expensive. Why would they need a hood, and it is definitely a stretch to think they needs a DU? I would be willing to bet their repair is closer to, and likely less than your $22k repair. It does not need any body work, just bolt-ons and paint.

But at the end of the day we are both just speculating...

If he snapped or dropped the half shafts he may have shear'd the splines inside the DU. Have you ever tried to remove the halfshafts? They are in there pretty damn good...

I'd say hood because our hoods are paper thin fragile aluminum. I've seen hoods bent/flexed from FAR less, and you cant just bend it back. I'd be shocked if they didn't replace it tbh.

And yeah the front QPs are easy to fix relative to the rivet job on the rear QP, doesnt make the part cheap

 

[OrbiterTI4]

I won't speak to axle/suspension costs, but I can tell you from experience that front collision and associated hood/radiatior/headlights plus driver airbags is $18k.

 

[TheWalkingDad]

I recently had an accident and it was only the rear axle / wheel and some of the underbody and it ended up being totaled. $34k was the repair estimate. I was pretty shocked. It does not take a whole lot to total a tesla. Any repair that involves the battery Tesla has to do replacement repairs they will not let a third party shop do it.

The more I think about it this is why insurance rates are through the roof on a Tesla. There aren't many body shops that are certified Tesla repair and even then they cannot do battery work. I guess its a win-win for Tesla, forces you to have to get a brand new car.

 

[ilyak]

I recently had an accident and it was only the rear axle / wheel and some of the underbody and it ended up being totaled. $34k was the repair estimate. I was pretty shocked. It does not take a whole lot to total a tesla. Any repair that involves the battery Tesla has to do replacement repairs they will not let a third party shop do it.

To add to this, Tesla does not allow any frame geometry work at all, so if there's any shift to that, then it's a total.

 

[legotheboss]

Hi all, thanks for the comments.

For starters, the impact was at around 10mph. So it was startling, but not a full impact like rollover or anything crazy. No airbags were deployed. Other driver's car had much less visual damage. I will update the thread after I get an estimate from insurance.

 

[2101Guy]

who was at fault?

 

[David3]

I had a very similar accident. So far $20k+ and they are still discovering more hidden damages after suspension parts are replaced each time. I think if they discovered all the damages upfront then it would’ve been totaled. But since the original estimate was around $10k they already started on the repair.

 

[AMPd]

I had a very similar accident. So far $20k+ and they are still discovering more hidden damages after suspension parts are replaced each time. I think if they discovered all the damages upfront then it would’ve been totaled. But since the original estimate was around $10k they already started on the repair.

That’s shady as ****
I get if they missed a few thousand worth of damage but 10k+? That’s just the shops taking advantage of Tesla’s BS “certified shops only” rule.

 

[David3]

That’s shady as ****
I get if they missed a few thousand worth of damage but 10k+? That’s just the shops taking advantage of Tesla’s BS “certified shops only” rule.

Ya seems shady to me too. I spoke with my insurance and they thought it’s not too unusual for Tesla. I think usually body shop would order parts twice. Once from the just looking from the outside and another order after taking the car apart. Mine already has like 7 supplemental orders..

 

[Fresh-popcorn]

Back on June 19th while on the expressway I was hit on my passenger front wheel which destroyed the suspension.
Took it to a Tesla Authorized body shop and initial repair costs is ~18K.
I have a feeling that I will be without my car for at least 2 months. Already going on 5 weeks....
Noticed that when the body shop orders parts for my vehicle I get emails on what parts and when they get shipped from Tesla.
There are two parts still not shipped and just received a new email the other day with more parts ordered as they peel away at more damage.

 

[ilyak]

Back on June 19th while on the expressway I was hit on my passenger front wheel which destroyed the suspension.
Took it to a Tesla Authorized body shop and initial repair costs is ~18K.
I have a feeling that I will be without my car for at least 2 months. Already going on 5 weeks....
Noticed that when the body shop orders parts for my vehicle I get emails on what parts and when they get shipped from Tesla.
There are two parts still not shipped and just received a new email the other day with more parts ordered as they peel away at more damage.

Per the Tesla body shop standards doc, body shops are required to place no more than 2 parts orders per vehicle to maintain certified status; one initial order and one with additional parts once the teardown is complete. So chances are this is going to be it for you, although my repair ended up requiring a third order after they realized they got the wrong mounting bracket for the radar from Tesla.

 

[OrbiterTI4]

Per the Tesla body shop standards doc, body shops are required to place no more than 2 parts orders per vehicle to maintain certified status; one initial order and one with additional parts once the teardown is complete. So chances are this is going to be it for you, although my repair ended up requiring a third order after they realized they got the wrong mounting bracket for the radar from Tesla.

I was going to say, the shop that did my work in 2018 certainly placed more than 2 parts orders! But now that I look, they are no longer on the Body Shop Support list on the Tesla website. Perhaps the standards are working as intended?

 

[David3]

I was going to say, the shop that did my work in 2018 certainly placed more than 2 parts orders! But now that I look, they are no longer on the Body Shop Support list on the Tesla website. Perhaps the standards are working as intended?

I wonder if my body shop will be removed from the Certified list.. On my 7th supplement parts order now and it's still being repaired