I`ve kinda stayed out of this one as I have a personal bias against repaired cars (with a larger bias against CarFaxes which people trust for whether cars have had body repair or not). I`ve chased a fair number of cars with deeper damage from "simple" stuff like hitting curbs, let alone larger collisions that would move them to be totaled. You`ll have the car on the alignment rack after suspension/subframe replacement and still not be able to get the numbers in spec.
Thought of this thread while I was searching for something else at work. From a BMW training manual:
"Body RepairRepairing an aluminum body requires completely new repair methods in body shops withproperly trained personnel, as well as proper tools and equipment.
Aluminum materials can not be “stretched”, this rules out the possibility of pulling on astraightening bench. Components deformed as a result of an accident must always bereplaced, which incurs more extensive training, tools and assembly procedures than is thecase with steel bodies.
Using the frame rail as an example, deformed E60 aluminum components must be cut offat permanently defined points and replaced by new components.
Special insert repair elements made of aluminumare required to ensure that the replacement partsare safely and securely held in place."
Just wanted to throw that out there. Depending on the level of damage, you then have to worry about the integrity/corrosion resistance of frame repairs. Also, in the industry we have a fear of all the cars flooded in the various hurricanes, as you know many of them will end up resurfacing with crazy electrical problems down the road...
A friend at the dealership had a 7 series with all sorts of crazy problems - when doing further digging, he found numerous control modules had been replaced with junkyard parts. I can`t remember how many different VIN numbers were in different modules.
Not saying repairing damaged cars can`t turn out ok, but man I`d want to be careful.
Sorry - **Steps off soap box**
