ouch, roadster accident, video evidence

[jfischer]

Carl,

So bummed to hear about 311, but I’m thankful your wife is okay. I feel like Thunder Gray is so close to the pavement’s color that nobody notices it. The amount of times I nearly got hit in 1414 was alarming (no one can seem to drive correctly in Dallas).

I’ve seen similar repairs be somewhere around $13,000+.

I think that is very low.

mine was 42k from Tesla and that was just parts and labor.. no Paint.. and about 30k from another body shop using all Tesla parts.

The hood alone is 9k.

My airbag didn’t deploy as well so that saved a few K off the quote as well..

I sent you the quotes I had for your review. Hopefully it helps as there isn’t an automated system to price out the roadster repair. Most shops will need to input it manually.

 

[X.l.r.8]

This is NOT a good week for roadsters.

 

[DeedWest]

I think that is very low.

mine was 42k from Tesla and that was just parts and labor.. no Paint.. and about 30k from another body shop using all Tesla parts.

The hood alone is 9k.

My airbag didn’t deploy as well so that saved a few K off the quote as well..

I sent you the quotes I had for your review. Hopefully it helps as there isn’t an automated system to price out the roadster repair. Most shops will need to input it manually.

Yikes. Looks like pricing has increased. Last I checked in January, a body color hood was about $7,700 painted.

 

[hcsharp]

Yikes. Looks like pricing has increased. Last I checked in January, a body color hood was about $7,700 painted.

I think I'm going to go into business making Roadster hoods.

 

[rudholm]

I think I'm going to go into business making Roadster hoods.

Indeed, I did some carbon fiber fabrication in college (engineering). It wasn't *that* hard.

I seem to recall reading that Carl is making body parts when they are otherwise unavailable.

 

[hcsharp]

Indeed, I did some carbon fiber fabrication in college (engineering). It wasn't *that* hard.

I seem to recall reading that Carl is making body parts when they are otherwise unavailable.

The hood has blind bolts that are glued in place. The only way to take it apart is to grind the pieces off.

 

[jfischer]

Of course... WHY sound any engineer at Tesla ever think things would need to be replaced.. seems like 1/2 the car is glued or Epoxy fused. No wonder it’s so expensive after a crash. Hopefully the 2020 one won’t have similar issues...
not holding my breath however...

Its SAD that a car less than 9 years old and I can get parts to repair it... Per Tesla and they have no suggestions on how and where to get parts!

Be especially frustrating if I paid 135K for it new and now its NOT repairable for the most part by Tesla!

I think thats why Tesla UP's repair costs to the insurance companies, as THEY cant repair them and want them totaled so not to be exposed to the sad truth... SAD... SAD....

I wonder if we will be having the same conversation in 2029 on the Roadster II.

 

[Carl W]

I took my car into the body shop yesterday to get an estimate. Had to strap down my hood because both my hood hinges are severed, but the car drove reasonably well and stayed cool. They are compiling the estimate, so I don't have it yet. Anyway, they told me a roadster came into their shop in the past because somebody in a golf cart backed into the passenger side panel that is between the rear fender and the door. That panel is glued into place and so very hard to replace. I think that panel includes the part that runs under the door up to the front fender. Yeah, glue is a good idea until you consider repairs.

 

[slcasner]

Anyway, they told me a roadster came into their shop in the past because somebody in a golf cart backed into the passenger side panel that is between the rear fender and the door. That panel is glued into place and so very hard to replace. I think that panel includes the part that runs under the door up to the front fender. Yeah, glue is a good idea until you consider repairs.

We toured the Lotus factory in Hethel at the time our car had just completed assembly. One of the stages on the assembly line was a big jig where that side panel is the first body panel attached to the chassis. The jig assures proper alignment with the chassis, so it's clear that replacing the panel could be a challenge.

It was interesting to me that the jig had two sides, one painted red and one blue, that could be rotated into position. This allowed the Elise and the Roadster to be interleaved on the assembly line. As you can see in the photo, the red side is for the Roadster.

 

[Roadster]

I took my car into the body shop yesterday to get an estimate.

Going to plug @ExecMotorwerkz if you need a second estimate; esp. based on the results of #951's resurrection as documented here and here.

BEFORE...

...and AFTER!

 

[Gremlin]

My wife was driving our 2008 1.5 today in Laguna Beach when an SUV pulled out in front of her. She hit the brakes, but you'll see the impact. An office across the street got it on their security video and attached here are pictures from that video. Hoping this is enough that our insurance company 100% blames the SUV driver. The car still drives. Is this fix going to be so expensive that she'll be totalled?

I can post the actual video on youtube or whatever if you guys want to see it.

 

[PFLeFaou]

The best way to spend a Saturday afternoon in San Francisco is to have some stupid SUV backing up into your Roadster in a parking garage while you are at a stop behind it. "I'm sorry, I didn't see your car."

Now joining the club of Roadster body parts hunters. Front right fender for sure, front bumper is scratched and misaligned but maybe salvageable. Headlamp assemblies are still available from Tesla. Looks like the front carbon fiber hood and lip aren't broken.

Fortunately the excellent ARS body shop in Sunnyvale, Ca will be on my side. But I'm still in rage.

 

[slcasner]

PF, so sorry to see this.

Years ago I had an SUV back into me because I could not find the horn button fast enough (I was trying to reverse as well). Fortunately my damage was much less; the contact was only with the bumper and the only damage was a hole in the Starshield film which did its job to protect the paint. In that position the nose of car was able to press down to take the impact rather than cracking.

 

[Roadster]

Ugh, sorry to see and read about your accident @PFLeFaou

FWIW, perhaps this is where the "buy-back" program will actually be a benefit if there's a Sterling Silver donor that's been traded in.

 

[jason.tv]

yea the standard yellow headlamps probably didn't help at all; this is why I am trying to change them asap. And for the front bumper any good body shop can fix that no problem as well as the front right fender piece.

 

[drewski]

oh no, @PFLeFaou !!

fingers crossed that the repair gods will look after you & your roadster!!

 

[Bunnak]

Medlock & Sons – Tesla & EV Service & Parts

Take it Carl's (@CM_007) shop in Seattle. Visit his new website above. And while it's there do any upgrades you've always wanted. I wouldn't trust anyone else when it comes to bodywork.

 

[CyberShy]

This is like a Roadster RIP thread.

I wonder if that Gruber Roadster Fixer guy would have parts from unsavable roadsters? There must be a place where totaled roadsters go to be parted out.

 

[Bunnak]

This is like a Roadster RIP thread.

I wonder if that Gruber Roadster Fixer guy would have parts from unsavable roadsters? There must be a place where totaled roadsters go to be parted out.

Yes, Carl buys them and probably uses whats still usable to repair our roadster.

 

[Medlock&Sons]

The best way to spend a Saturday afternoon in San Francisco is to have some stupid SUV backing up into your Roadster in a parking garage while you are at a stop behind it. "I'm sorry, I didn't see your car."

View attachment 519298

Now joining the club of Roadster body parts hunters. Front right fender for sure, front bumper is scratched and misaligned but maybe salvageable. Headlamp assemblies are still available from Tesla. Looks like the front carbon fiber hood and lip aren't broken.

Fortunately the excellent ARS body shop in Sunnyvale, Ca will be on my side. But I'm still in rage.

Send me that fender and I will send it back as good as new. Or I have one, but I want yours for future roadster crashes
medlockandsons.com [email protected]