Bronco Down! Rear Ended While Parked in Driveway, Rear Frame Damaged - She's Totaled

[Roger123]

*** Update, 7/19 after one full month at the body shop, she's totaled. Frame was tweaked pretty badly and insurance was concerned about other damage that would be discovered once the new frame was installed. All parts were in hand and shop was ready to proceed.

*** We're just sick about the whole thing, this vehicle meant a lot to us and it's very sad to see her end up this way. Now the hunt begins for a replacement.

Well she took a pretty good hit yesterday by an Audi All Road. Parked in the driveway, a collision happened in the intersection and the Audi swerved hard to avoid an Explorer (which turned left in front of the Audi). Audi took the front end off the Explorer and smashed into the Bronco.

Moved the Bronco 5 feet from point of impact. Bronco was parked where the Audi front end currently sits. Audi would have went right through our dining room if the Bronco hadn't been there. We had got home 3 min before the collision.

Rear frame crumple zone crumpled, tailgate gaps are off and door gaps are a bit off too. All doors still open close fine, zero paint damage.

Can they replace the rear frame sections? You can see where it crumpled right behind where it looks like the splice point would be. Drivers side tow point is moved over and down about 2"

I'm not one of those people that want everything totaled. I want this car fixed and returned. We waited 563 days for her as a day two reservation holder and watched her being driven off the car carrier. This is our fourth Bronco ('67, '69, '79) and she really means a lot to us.

6 people in the other cars including an infant and 3 year old. Kids seemed ok but two adults were a bit beat up. I came outside to hear kids screaming and about lost my sh*t, didn't want to see hurt kids. Explorer is our neighbor across the street and the Audi kids grandparent lives a block over.

Sponsored

 

[Bronco SWAT]

SO glad no one was injured

 

[Roger123]

Kids were in the Audi and Dad said he just jerked the wheel hard right to avoid t-boning the explorer. I'm pretty sure he never hit the brakes as there was no horn and no squealing tires, just the crash.

We saw the neighbor limping around this morning, not sure what's going on there.

 

[Bikeric]

How did the passenger door hold up?.........asking for a friend.....

 

[Danielsand]

Unfortunately, frame damage usually means total loss. I'm sorry. You can of course buy it back from the insurance company, and have the frame fixed. You will have "salvage" title, but if you plan on keeping it forever (sounds like you do), there should be no issues.

 

[userdude]

There was a teacher I had in high school whose wife died in a car accident where they were backing out of their own driveway and another car was pulling in to turn around; she had a heart attack or something, can't remember precisely. Really a fluke. Another time saw a car accident from a second story window and a lady jumped out and ran around the car, screaming about her baby (who was in a car seat on the other side and fine). That was unnerving. Glad nobody was hurt.

 

[thesocalexplorer]

What a bummer. Glad everyone was alright, which is what matters the most. For a data point, I was rear ended in 2023 at approx 20 mph with some damage: tailgate buckled, spare wheel scuffed up, spare tire carrier buckled, rear bumper cracked, driver's side tow hook crushed, cargo floor slightly bent. The insurance claim ran up to nearly $8k. Uninsured drivers suck.

Hopefully, since your rear frame end is buckled near the splice point it can be a relatively easy fix.

 

[Roger123]

I'm hoping as no air bags went the frame should be a straight forward "pull and chop and swap" (wishful thinking I know, but a guy can hope right). There's no visible damage to any panel but yes, something is definitely tweaked in the tub as evidenced by the tailgate gaps.

Good news is that that Geico, the Explorers insurance, has accepted "full responsibility" for the accident. Pick up our rental tomorrow (we don't have rental coverage on our policy so that's a nice perk).

I really didn't know how this would go with insurance as the Audi hit me but the Explorer turned left in front of the Audi, I figured there'd be a lot of he said, she said stuff and was just planning on using my insurance and eating my deductible and no rental. We're retired so going down to one car isn't going to kill us but this will be nice to have a car to drive.

I'm afraid to drive the Jeep as I feel as though I have a big target painted on me!!

 

[Roger123]

Just uploaded all the damage pictures to the GEICO "virtual estimator".

They came back with $1581.47, OMG, what is wrong with these people? I took pics of the bent frame. Estimate is for a rear bumper, flare, and tow hook (which they noted was "bent down" in the estimate.

Trying to find a Ford dealer around here with a body shop, so far nothing.

 

[Danielsand]

I'm afraid to drive the Jeep as I feel as though I have a big target painted on me!!

Skip the duck and you'll be fine.

 

[VirginiaHeritage]

They came back with $1581.47, OMG, what is wrong with these people?

That would be funny if it wasn’t your Bronco. That’s a clown estimate.

 

[Roger123]

Yea, problem is finding a quality one. I'm going to use the one recommended by the Ford dealer that I bought the car from. They get 4.8 stars so hopefully it'll work out.

Calling in the AM to set up an appointment to have it towed in. It's drivable, but I'm paranoid (overly so) about getting hit again or hitting someone else, what a mess that would be.

Sponsored