My 2019 Subaru Forester Touring model was rear ended today. Part of the damage that I can observe myself (I have not yet bringing it into a repair shop for estimate) includes damage to the spare tire well that got pushed in/forward by the impact. I can see rear side the well partially pushed in/crumbled from under the car and from inside trunk. As a result, the front side of the spare tire got pushed up into the trunk space raising the carpeted floor/becomes uneven with the left/right side by maybe 1-2 inches on the end closet to the front of the vehicle.
It seems too weak/thin to be part of the unibody but I've read elsewhere from some older article that it might be? Is the spare tire well part of the unibody of the Forester? Therefore, it is a big deal to repair and possibly bend the vehicle structure due to this being pushed in? Or is it just a bolted on part that can be easily replaced. I can see fold/stress line in the well. Also, how likely can this be repaired if it is part of the unibody of the vehicle?
Besides this damage, The back door/lift gate is slightly dented but I can still open/close/lock it (power lifter still operates correctly and no closure/warning light). The plastic bumper/cover is also damaged. The car still appears to drive ok (straight).
Any suggestion/information regarding the unibody/seriousness question is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
It depends.
These are all questions you should be asking a body shop who do this sort of thing all day, every day, and they can look at your car.
There are people who's entire job it is to estimate vehicle collision damage.
Thanks again.
Well it is part of the unibody. They make cars so they crumple when you get in a wreck to save you but destroy the car. Sort of like planned obsolescence when it comes down to it. That's why you have to have full coverage on any modern car cuz if you get it any kind of a wreck it can easily total the vehicle
Scotty,
Thanks for the quick answer.
Can that kind of damage be repaired? If yes, how?
Will they straighten out the damaged part?
Will they need to be cut and weld another pan/tire well back on?
Will this be the kind of damage that total the car?
It seems like something small but with the irregular shape and all, I'm not sure how it can ever be restored back to the original shape.
Thanks again.
Can that kind of damage be repaired? If yes, how?
Scotty does not revisit questions he has already answered.
There's no way we can tell from here how extensive the damage really is. As @imperator said, you need to take the car to a body shop that can evaluate it and tell you how bad it is, how feasible to repair, and what the repair would entail.
