Car troubles after being on the jig

[Black_Utester]

Was in a bingle a couple weeks back. Was wondering who has experienced any troubles with their ride after it's been on the jig at the repairers for repairs etc? Mechanical wise and handling .... mainly front left damage up to door crease.

[Holdendriver]

Black Utetester,
Hate to say it but I had the same thing with my VS111 ute a few years ago.
Had a not too hard front end shunt and sent it off to the beaters to be fixed.
After I got it back it looked just fine, they reckoned it had been straightened on the jig, but it was never quite the same. Never really could put my finger on what it was but it seemed a bit 'weird' when it cornered even at normal driving speeds, perhaps I would say it went from neutral to oversteer half way through the corner.
Had it back on the jig but the computer said it was all OK.
Had all components checked all seemed ok and had a few wheel alignments done just in case but all to no avail.
Long story short I ended up getting rid of it, not only did it give me the s***s but I never had 100% confidence in it anymore. Also I should mention that the problem was greatly compounded in wet weather.
Hope you are luckier than I was but I now am a firm believer in the old 'if it has had a hit get rid of it' line of thinking.
Cheers, Holdendriver.

[bluess57]

Add a strut tower brace to stiffen up the front end

[FNQracing]

Depending on the level of damage, unfortunately, a car is never the same after being straightened. Particularly issues relating to suspension geometry, front or rear.

[GEN III]

Depending on the level of damage, unfortunately, a car is never the same after being straightened. Particularly issues relating to suspension geometry, front or rear.

Exactly...I had a VY SS UTE that was rear ended by a wanker looking at a referdex behind me at a set of lights. Was never the same. Then another this time a front end dingle. It drove like shit after that (not for the new owner) and I sold it. Because I knew my own car so well I could see where the damage was repaired like guards and paint, the buyer couldnt so I just sold it.
Worse day of my life.

I will wait for a VE HSV. Then maybe, just maybe I can smile again :(

[Pickles]

Depending on the level of damage, unfortunately, a car is never the same after being straightened. Particularly issues relating to suspension geometry, front or rear.
Unfortunately, there are still a great many repair shops/panel beaters around which make this statement correct,but not in all cases. I had a serious head-on with my VS Commodore, several years ago,when I was hit by a Toyota Land Cruiser, the result being $14k damage(almost a W/O).But the car was repaired by MR GLOSS, who did a sensational job. I drove the car for 3 years & 120k after that with no problems at all, in fact I reckon the car was better after the accident than before! I also have a friend who is very well respected in the area of accident repair. He gets a real "Buzz" from repairing damaged cars--He says it's like a jigsaw,just a matter of "putting all the pieces back together again!"-he also says that when he "puts all the pieces back together", the car will be better than new! But as you've said sometimes the car isn't the same-Insurance companies don't help either, by placing unreasonable restraints upon repairers. I suppose all you can do is try to ensure that you use a good repairer. Cheers, pickles.

[Black_Utester]

Thanks guys for all your comments, I just have to put faith into the repairer who's doing the job. Mind you, now I'll be a little paranoid with whatever sounds that I may that's not normal. Fingers crossed!

[theVman]

i saw a green vu ss ute in newy the other day and it was that bent you can actually see it crabbing sideways down the road. .

if you look closely you can see how much they have had to adjust the back wheel out trying to align the suspension.

Looked shocking so id hate to be driving it!!

how they can still repair and let go cars like that has me puzzled. Thats something that should have been left with the chop shops of the 70's.