You may be better off financially pushing them to total your truck, waiting six months and rebuying. In fact, if it's even close I'd lobby really hard for them to total the thing.

 

2005X, Keep us posted on how things proceed. You are right about the tow. They probably are not going to be to cool with paying for a second one if you chose the shop it is currently at. If the dealer does wanna trade they will either wholesale it or send it to a body shop that does wholesale work at a reduced rate with parts provided by the dealer. In other words repair it at a low cost to turn it and make a good profit on the resale. Of all the Exs out there you have probably one of the most desireable being a last year diesel with all the goodies. I wish I could afford one.
Thinks for the kind words and again I will help you anyway I can. I know this situation can really feel FUBAR.

 

Thanks Rich, I'm sure you're right about the diamond, which would explain the mis-alignment on both sides, but worse on the driver side. So, your saying no matter what is done to the front (straighten or r/r front stub) they need to get rid of the diamond first?

As for two shops, I gave up on that idea today, logistically was gonna be a pain and I really didn't have a good feeling about the dealer's shop after a visit and couple calls. The dealer made it clear to me they didn't want to trade with the ACV (trade) number they gave me today, and told me it's not even from the body work, but just are not looking for addl used diesels, have had some F250's for months now. In my mind the Ex is more rare and still has a better market, but the trade is out due to the used car managers stance. So, by Tuesday it will be at the shop that I chose after talking with several and by end of week they should have it torn down and will know more. They are one of the few that boast I-Car cert's and been there since 1980 which is a good sign I think... I'll try to get some pics in next few days and keep y'all posted.
Geoff.

 

Thanks Rich, I'm sure you're right about the diamond, which would explain the mis-alignment on both sides, but worse on the driver side. So, your saying no matter what is done to the front (straighten or r/r front stub) they need to get rid of the diamond first?


that's correct,The more knowledge you have to throw at the shop the better your chances of not getting hosed,once the repairs begin stop by the shop as often as you can and ask to see progress and take photos,keep us posted on how you are making out.

 

hey man, im glad you found your shop. did they seem to mind you telling them you very picky to what gets done to your x??

 

No, the guys understands my point of view, have stopped in now two days in a row as they had just started to tear it down the first day. He walks me right back to see because he knows I want to stay involved and know where the damage is, which is why I chose this shop. (Woods collision of Route 32 on East Side of cincy, by the way.)

I have some pics to post, will try in another post if I can get them on here...Geoff.

 

OK guys, I have several photos in a gallerr under my user name. I'll try to paste the moste pertinent here after the wheel was off, but here's the "cut to the chase" version:

When I stopped in the shop yesterday, they had not started much tear down, but I got a few shots of the exterior anyways. Went back today and my guy there said, good news is the frame may only be bent very slightly, if at all. Bad news is that the body is bent in at least a couple spots, which is something they rarely see. The body-to-frame mount is twisted up and back, looks like a little more force would have puled the thing right through the floor. Was in "nice" clothes so did not crawl under to look at the others, and they were going to pull the carpet out to see what's going inside, but the center console is way closer to the pax seat than drivers and you can see the carpet not sitting flat under that center tunnel. When I asked what is protocol for that kind of repair, he said there is no laser-alignment machine for entire bodies like there is in frames. Once that thinner metal (body floor) is kinked, can it be flattened, straightened without being weakend?

Between the major front suspension work that is needed (including new axle) and floor / body creases that were not in the original exstimate, perhaps this is what I need to have this thing totalled? I'm getting more nervous than ever about getting it put back together right, straight and true. Insurance and body shop experts, please ring in!

Geoff.

 

you guys have me depressed about your comments at body work at FORD dealerships. Accidents happen, even to us guys who like our cars mint mind DOUBLE mint!

As an aside, to show you how i WISH Ford did things, is, my wife looked away from the road just for a second, and drove our MINT MINT MINT Toyota Rav 4 into another much larger heavier car at a high rate of speed. Luckily neither woman had a mark on her. Looking at the bent front steering assemblies, obviously crumpled stub frame, broken windshield, distorted fenders, I did not want the car back. Arranged with the dealer to sign off the papers, and got a new one.

We saw our original Toyota after they were done with it. At first, I thought the body shop foreman was just having a little fun at my expense. I am not exactly an amatuer at body work, yet I simply did not believe at first it was the same car. It drove, it smelled, it looked, as it did when we owned it.

Sooooooooooooo

Guess what ! About six months later, another woman in a GMC Suburban did the same thing to our new MINT MINT MINT Toyota Rav 4 , that my wife had done earlier to another lady - rear ended us at a high rate of speed - interestingly, the Suburban (which is only a 3/4 ton - not a 1 ton like our EX's) was also a near "total". The Rav's doors were buckled, hull buckled, etc. etc.

Well, I was so impressed with Toyota's body shop people, I let the insurance company decide, and they wanted it fixed, even tho the eventual repairs came WAY over the 70% figure! Floor pan - rear suspension, doors - everything replaced. (the adjustor was familiar with the work of the Toyota dealer). When we went to pick it up, we were told we couldnt have the car for another week, THEY werent satisfied with the re-paint. Can you imagine that ? I couldnt tell the difference, but THEY werent satisfied. Oh, I should mention I did not know ( or care ) where they got all the parts from, as by then I was so impressed with their attitude and work, I was satisfied I would not be able to tell the car was repaired. And, guys, if I cant tell...well...!

Damn - sure wish the FORD experience some of you guys have had, would have been like that. Let's hope I NEVER run into issues like this with my own MINT MINT MINT (did I say MINT...!) '05 V-10 Limited. At 22,000 mi now (got it at 14,000 mi) it gives the term "cream puff" a whole new definition (well..it did till I had to get thru a mud-trap last winter....!)

 

I'm sure there are some Ford dealers that will treat you like how you described above, just like I'm sure that there are some Toyota dealers and for that matter every other company with dealers that just plain suck and are pretty worthless at their work.

 

First of all,I guess you must be a daddy by now?congrats and how's your familly doing?
Wow,it was a strong hit.Looks like your frame didn't moove your body did.
If the body mooved on one side only it's a "total".IMHO
Are the tail doors and window straight,what about roof ?cracked windows?
Is that a crack? on your frame under the rivets 2"-3" to the left from body-to-frame mount ?
On the picture appears to be.

 

BigBig,

Good question about the frame that looks like crack, didn't notice any crack so I'm thinking it's just the way the photo turned out with flash on, but I'll stop bac in Monday and look closer. The body "shifting" appears to be only on driver's side. Did't get under to look at the pax side mounts (no creeper and good clothes...) but the doors are just barely our of alignment on pax side and open close OK. The drivers door won't come close to closing and rear drivers closes but way out of true. No broken glass, but they removed the drivers glass when they good the door panel off. Just curious, why is it worse if only body moved on one side? I'm woried about trying to straighten floor pan (sheet metal vs. frame metal) and future squeaks, rattles, etc.

And most importantly, YES, I'm a daddy (again) as of June 1st, thanks for asking. I should have started another thread w/ photo but just not been at my desk much lately. Everything is good on the baby-boy front, named Gavin. My twin 4-yr old daughters are excited as can be about little bro, and one of my daughters also aske every other day "when are we gonna get the X-box back?" That's our family name for the Ex. I didn't realize the kids were more attached emotionally to the X than I was...

Thanks, Geoff.

 

I just looked at a current KELLY BLUE BOOK. TOP dollar for a MINT '05 V-20 4wd like mine is only $17,000. Sounds to me, if your hull and body are that knocked out of alignment, you are getting close to a "total".

 

If it were me I would run as fast as I could away from that Excursion! Dump it now, in many cases they are never the same after an accident! I have talked to at least 6 people who wished they had not kept theres after it was wrecked! I had a 97 F-150 with side impact damage and the doors on that side never closed right again, you had to slam the door harder on the passenger side than any other doors! Anyway it went back for adjustments and on and on for 3-4 months, I was never happy until the day I got rid of that thing!! I never was happy with the truck and basically felt screwed over after that accident! It also had more wind noise around the doors after the accident too which they never could completely remedy! I had the #1 Phoenix, AZ Ford dealer do the repair too!

I really think you might be making a mistake! Get what you can out of that truck and buy another one!!

 

[quote=2005X;6254027]BigBig,

Just curious, why is it worse if only body moved on one side? I'm woried about trying to straighten floor pan (sheet metal vs. frame metal) and future squeaks, rattles, etc.

quote]

There's 4-5 body mounts on each side of the frame,check them out.
On the picture I see the body mooved.If it's only one side that mooved (all body mounts on that side will look like the one on the picture) you have no square box anymore and to fix that if it's possible cab must be taken off the frame.
Now, you have too grab somwhere to pull somwhere.Where would you grab
the box to pull in order to square it back to spec's without ripping the sheet metal and go'n out of spec's some other places???,I don't know.
Not a big problem doing it on the frame ,plenty of places to grab and pull(loose all body mounts and there you go).I've seen it done on F-450 and much biger trucks,even 18 wheelers.
That's why IMHO you're better of with "total".
We know the floor is bent ,what about the roof???
Regards,
Zbig

 

Have not checked on V-10 book values, but have mine is 6.0 PSD 4x4 EB with chairs, DVD, etc... Anyway, there is some variance between the books, but NADA and KBB range from $28k - 31, little lower for "trade" of course.

That's the tricky part, I would prefer to shop for another at this point, and actually the lower book numbers will help me come to that conclusion probably, but if they go too low, I'll have no equity since I still have a loan... We'll see. GP.