Rear Ended, tracking seems to be off.

Pac1Man

Someone crashed into the back of me earlier this week. There was surprisingly little damage to the bodywork however the tracking or wheel alignment now seems to be slightly off.

Would this be a job for a main dealer to look at? If there is further unseen damage to some suspension components etc. would it be best for the main dealer to look at from the beginning as opposed to an independent mechanic?

On a side note, what could the possibilities be causing this? I'm worried it could be something more sinister, although the car is driving fine otherwise.

Pov06

If the tracking is off I suspect the rear axle has moved forward on one side. That's why the car pulls to one side.

I would get it properly looked at.

Pac1Man

Thanks. There is an Atlas garage near my workplace. Would this suffice at least for the initial inspection?

Chris_Heilong

I was rear ended last year, little exterior damage but he hit my back wheel which caused the control arm to bend so car didnt drive straight, I brought it to atlas to get a quote for the insurance company. Lets just say if I had brought it else where it would have been less messy.

Bogger77

why isn't an insurance company involved?
from what you've said, you don't seem to have reported it
anyhow, call the other guys insurance, start the claim, ask them whose their local repair place, take the car to them to sort
they'll prob send an assessor too.

visual

Pac1Man wrote: »

Thanks. There is an Atlas garage near my workplace. Would this suffice at least for the initial inspection?

No they will want to do the tracking and your problem is crash damage behind plastic bumper. The chassis might be bent and wheel alignment will only mask the problem

Hachiko

Pac1Man wrote: »

Someone crashed into the back of me earlier this week. There was surprisingly little damage to the bodywork however the tracking or wheel alignment now seems to be slightly off.

Would this be a job for a main dealer to look at? If there is further unseen damage to some suspension components etc. would it be best for the main dealer to look at from the beginning as opposed to an independent mechanic?

On a side note, what could the possibilities be causing this? I'm worried it could be something more sinister, although the car is driving fine otherwise.

subframe damage could be possible even with no visible damage from a rear end crash, I would get it inspected by a garage. Get your insurance onto it as rear end in 90% cases is the other party's fault.

batskat

Rear end damage can effect the frame in the back middle or even front of car as the impàct travels forwards .
Sometimes in rear end impact the front lights will break as the energy travels from rear of car to front of car .

Normaly the problem is the frame in the middle can crumple partaily .
It only takes a a inch or so and the car tracks off the straight .
Only a measuring the cars axeles acuratly shows where is the bend .
Then big pullers can straighten out the car .
If that is the case fix it and sell it on .
If the car uis second hand you will probably find the car has been straightened before and the now weaker car frame rebent out of true

Good luck

batskat

landmarkjohn

I was rear ended one time and it was a big shunt but outwardly very little visibility of damage (1995 Opel Vectra). Opened the hatchback and lift the mat and you could the see the crease in the bodywork around the spare wheel well.

I would advise to be careful on assessing and settling at the side of the road. My son had a Golf with a towbar reverse into his 2003 Jap car (value €1000) cracked front bumper and number plate. He settled for €30, however if he had gone through insurance I think they would have written the car off as uneconomical to repair. He will probably get the good news about the bumper at the next NCT.