|
|
|
My 1994 940 wagon hit a major pothole in town today. There is severe damage underneath.
I need to decide whether the car is worth fixing.
My mechanic (who is very honest) says that the crossmember is pushed back into the firewall. He is guessing the damage at easily $2K, perhaps $3K+, but has not given an official estimate. The car is so old that we have no insurance covering the damage.
We bought the car new and I am reluctant to junk it. The vehicle is mechanically sound, has about 160K miles, and is a B230 non turbo automatic. The body has no rust.
My son who damaged the car actually rode home from from the hospital in it when he was born in 1997.
I would appreciate any thoughts. Would it be worth putting up to $3K into a 1994 Volvo wagon?
Thanks.
|
|
-
|
|
|
Dear 94-940,
Hope you're well and sorry to hear of this misfortune. I am hard-pressed to believe that impact damage caused by a pothole - at in-town driving speeds (30-40 miles/hour) - could drive the engine cross-member back to the firewall (about two feet).
I am prepared to believe that the impact blew-out a tire, destroyed the strut mounting, bent the strut tower, and ruined the hub and wheel. The impact may also have bent the tie rod and ruined the ball joint. But the cross member should not have been involved.
Here's why I so conclude. During a highway project, a paving company left a three-inch-tall layer of new paving facing on-coming traffic. The leading edge of the new paving was not "feathered", i.e., tapered to provide a ramp up to the top of the new paving.
In the dark, I could not see this paving "cliff" and so hit this three-inch-tall "cliff" at 65 miles/hour. Happily, there was no tire blow-out. But a tire went flat in my garage. When the tire was removed from the wheel, it was obvious that impact energy had ruptured the tire's sidewall.
This violent impact did not move the cross-member by even a hair. I did have engine mounts replaced, as well as ALL front-end steering and suspension parts, except the steering rack.
To drive the cross member back to the firewall likely means the speed at impact was 60+ miles/hour and that the pothole was so deep, that the bottom of the engine caught the upper lip of the pothole. Did that actually happen?
If so, then the following parts will need replacement: (a) fender; (b) front bumper and attached parts; (c) wheel and hub; (e) strut tube and mount; (f) tie rod and ball joint; (g) splash shield and ABS sensor, etc.
I think you should get a second opinion from a body shop. If they have a frame machine, they should be able to pull the frame back into spec, if that's needful.
In short, I don't doubt your mechanic's honesty. I simply think he errs.
Hope this helps.
Yours faithfully,
Spook
|
|
-
|
|
|
Dear Spook-
Thank you for your sage advice. I have not laid eyes on the car personally as I am recovering from a recent illness. But my son reports the following:
- Our local shop says "the subframe was pushed in." (They have gone home now so I cannot learn more until tomorrow.)
-The body of the car was untouched.
-Front bumper was untouched.
-The impact was 5-10 mph according to my son. He may be underestimating, but says it was much less than 20 mph.
-The "pothole" actually stretched across the entire road, was filled with water, and was located on a road next to a flooding river. This sounds more like a collapsed culvert than a true pothole.
-The depth of the hole is unknown, but it was very deep. The car bottomed out in the hole with an immense bang.
-The car is still driveable and my son says it still drives straight. But my son describes the steering as being very stiff and says the tire is rubbing or scraping on something.
-Power steering still works.
-The gear shift (automatic) is now difficult to place into park.
My local shop is honest, but regards my car as an exotic foreign vehicle.(We are located in Nebraska, where my Volvo is actually quite exotic!)
I am going to request an estimate from a body shop and see what the actual damage is.
I would love to save this car if possible.
Thanks again.
|
|
-
|
|
|
I am very sorry to hear about this accident. It would be nice if you could make a successful claim against your Local Taxing Authority for this dangerous and unmaintained portion of road (take pictures) but unfortunately my expectations are modest in this regard.
Regarding your car, in my opinion, it has obvious sentimental value which should not be disregarded.
If the repair is not outrageously priced, my only remaining question is whether it would be satisfactory, that is, whether it would restore your confidence in the car.
In my experience, body shops vary widely in their prices, competence, and abilities, depending on their various incentives. I have little trust in them. I would obtain 2 to 3 different quotes, if possible.
Please let us know how it turns out. Best wishes.
|
|
-
|
|
|
I had a 91 245,An ignorant driver was beside me at an intersection,He crushed the drivers side fender w his huge van.It bent the frame,,I believe was told BUT i never looked at it closely,I was working full time,,it pulled heavily to the right,,I wish I never sold it,,I may have just bent the tower it was slow speed,,hitting that hole may have knocked the tower loose??or other parts..
|
|
-
|
|
|
Thanks Blindboy and sorry to hear about your 245.
I am waiting for a detailed estimate on my 945 now.
|
|
-
|
|
|
I just found for a friend a 1993 940 wagon ~190K miles for $750. Needs tires and some clean-up. Was a commuter car driven daily.
There's no way I'd spend anything like $1500 into a 240/940 when they are so cheap right now.
But things are different here in the Midwest.
--
240 drivers / parts cars - JH, Ohio
|
|
|
|
|
