My daughters little bingle in her 2005 silver LS hatch...

[PepeLePew]

Well my daughter had a little bingle and as you'd expect such things are dad problems. It's a ex lil old ladies car who passed so some shopping trolley dingles and stuff but bought with under 100K two years ago. Drives like new other than the incursion of mild driveshaft vibe and perfect interior

Impact wasn't major, hung out to dry by insurance (as older than 15yrs seen as well, lets not fix it) until we were advised by the assessor we could purchase at salvage value and that proved pocket change. Ish. So having limited experience with Mk2 Foci repairs throwing up this thread at the suggestion of wiser people for a little self education.

Cars's still driving around, wasn't written off, business as usual. Most obvious thing, leading edge back to mid wheel line crunched and ugly. Up until yesterday, headlight slightly out of whack, bumper crooked, bonnet release pooched.

Disclaimer about all below...its her daily and with work and uni has to stay on the road, so it's quick bites of fixing.

Yesterdays adventure pulling the grill showed rod had just popped off, re-attached, bonnets normal again. Impact on the guard had pushed the drivers headlight which pushed the grill and bumper. After 'modifying' the bend in the guard everything popped back into place but with observations.

Mount tabs on the headlight broken. Meant to replace the cloudy old things anyway (have cleaned them up twice already so wanted to take the plunge).

A little action under the bonnet that likely means a lot. No apparent damage to anything but the guard pushing the radiator support panel plastic piece of crap and snapped it 'slightly' in one spot, and one nut hole near the guard broke. For the price of it, probably worth just replacing.

Undertray flew off days after the accident.

Bumper i thought would be trashed but mount points etc and clip tabs look good. Might get away with the scratch dent guy or wet and dry and a rattle can

I think a lot of assumptions were made by assessors, and as they really didn't give a ***t, priced it to hell and back.

2005 silver LS hatch as a reminder



SO.....

1 x pair headlights. Anyone had experience with the factory look aftermarkets?

1 x drivers front guard, silver preferably, though as suggested by others U Pull It may get the gander if they still have one

Possible/likely, 1 x upper radiator support panel. How this cheap piece of plastic junk can support anything, i don't know. But at least the price is decent even genuine new

And
Consider replacing that bonnet release with the Mondey job

But time may constrain me with the things i can do at once.

First purchase, headlights, as she wanted to anyway and upgrade the bulbs same time. Be handy if she can see when she's going to work in the dark Mr Roo or Mrs Corella etc on the Expressway I know it's nice to buy OEM but she's limited in what she can spend. Saving for a house deposit is her sensible priority.

So q is, does anyone have experience with the aftermarket stock look ones and best place to get a quality pair?

This will be fun, my memory isnt what it used to be so i'll have to take ongoing pics esp if i do that support panel. Least i have the LV which is mostly similar to stop me sticking square pegs in round holes.

[73 4V XB]

Originally Posted by PepeLePew

Well my daughter had a little bingle and as you'd expect such things are dad problems. It's a ex lil old ladies car who passed so some shopping trolley dingles and stuff but bought with under 100K two years ago. Drives like new other than the incursion of mild driveshaft vibe and perfect interior

Impact wasn't major, hung out to dry by insurance (as older than 15yrs seen as well, lets not fix it) until we were advised by the assessor we could purchase at salvage value and that proved pocket change. Ish. So having limited experience with Mk2 Foci repairs throwing up this thread at the suggestion of wiser people for a little self education.

Cars's still driving around, wasn't written off, business as usual. Most obvious thing, leading edge back to mid wheel line crunched and ugly. Up until yesterday, headlight slightly out of whack, bumper crooked, bonnet release pooched.

Disclaimer about all below...its her daily and with work and uni has to stay on the road, so it's quick bites of fixing.

Yesterdays adventure pulling the grill showed rod had just popped off, re-attached, bonnets normal again. Impact on the guard had pushed the drivers headlight which pushed the grill and bumper. After 'modifying' the bend in the guard everything popped back into place but with observations.

Mount tabs on the headlight broken. Meant to replace the cloudy old things anyway (have cleaned them up twice already so wanted to take the plunge).

A little action under the bonnet that likely means a lot. No apparent damage to anything but the guard pushing the radiator support panel plastic piece of crap and snapped it 'slightly' in one spot, and one nut hole near the guard broke. For the price of it, probably worth just replacing.

Undertray flew off days after the accident.

Bumper i thought would be trashed but mount points etc and clip tabs look good. Might get away with the scratch dent guy or wet and dry and a rattle can

I think a lot of assumptions were made by assessors, and as they really didn't give a ***t, priced it to hell and back.

2005 silver LS hatch as a reminder



SO.....

1 x pair headlights. Anyone had experience with the factory look aftermarkets?

1 x drivers front guard, silver preferably, though as suggested by others U Pull It may get the gander if they still have one

Possible/likely, 1 x upper radiator support panel. How this cheap piece of plastic junk can support anything, i don't know. But at least the price is decent even genuine new

And
Consider replacing that bonnet release with the Mondey job

But time may constrain me with the things i can do at once.

First purchase, headlights, as she wanted to anyway and upgrade the bulbs same time. Be handy if she can see when she's going to work in the dark Mr Roo or Mrs Corella etc on the Expressway I know it's nice to buy OEM but she's limited in what she can spend. Saving for a house deposit is her sensible priority.

So q is, does anyone have experience with the aftermarket stock look ones and best place to get a quality pair?

This will be fun, my memory isnt what it used to be so i'll have to take ongoing pics esp if i do that support panel. Least i have the LV which is mostly similar to stop me sticking square pegs in round holes.

One thing I’ll mention is make sure you don’t put the new head light mounts under pressure when you bolt it back in. If it doesn’t sit nice on the mounting surface, space it out or knock it out so it does. If you don’t have it sitting nice the plastic will warp and most likely let water in in time to come, ask me I know I now have a rusty looking head light after not really caring to much about it with a she’ll be right attitude
And don’t forget to aim the head lights.

[PepeLePew]

Originally Posted by 73 4V XB

One thing I’ll mention is make sure you don’t put the new head light mounts under pressure when you bolt it back in. If it doesn’t sit nice on the mounting surface, space it out or knock it out so it does. If you don’t have it sitting nice the plastic will warp and most likely let water in in time to come, ask me I know I now have a rusty looking head light after not really caring to much about it with a she’ll be right attitude
And don’t forget to aim the head lights.

Thanks mate appreciate the hint Just have to get the headlights for now as a safety thing and try and get them in ASAP. The rain's started and the suns going down early better get on it.