Need Advice
 

My son was driving back to college last Sunday evening when he hit a deer. He was driving a 2001 Honda Accord EX. The front passenger side was fairly banged up but I was actually able to drive the car out of the ditch and onto a tow dolly.

Using Edmunds TMV calculator the Honda Accord with present mileage and condition is worth ??? ($2,935-cost of parts needed to restore) using the "damaged" calculation.
If it had not been damaged it would have been worth $4,131.00 (private party)

I took all the damage parts out so I could estimate the parts needed.
So far it appears I need the following:
1) Windshield ($250)
2) Passenger Front tire (Will be covered under Discount tire warranty)
3) Front bumper cover ($$ @ junkyard)
4) Passenger Fender ($60 on ebay)
5) Bumper retainer - passenger side ($20 on ebay)
6) Hood ($$ @ junkyard)
7) Radiator core support ($50 on ebay)
9) passenger headlight assembly ($50 on Ebay)
9) Hood latch ($25 on ebay)
10) battery (covered under Autozone warranty)
11) Radiator ($$ @ junkyard)
12) Radiator fans assemblies (both) ($$ @ junkyard)
13) A/C Condensor ($160 at autoparts store)
14) A/C system recharge ($$)
15) Air filter housing ($$ @ junkyard)

I might be able to do all the work myself (since I didn't have comprehensive coverage) except the radiator core support seems to be part of the front frame and is bent severely.

I'm wondering should I part the car out or try to restore to original condition?

Pictures of damage before and after removal of parts


http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...amage_0504.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...03_resized.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w..._resized-1.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...38_resized.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...36_resized.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...39_resized.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...37_resized.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...34_resized.jpg

http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w...97_resized.jpg

6 point buck after the impact.

Be thankfull he is ok, my son wasn't. Then get a new car and call it done.

Well you are right. The interesting thing is that the airbag never deployed and my son said he didn't feel the impact with his seatbelt on.

But I can't afford a new car (I have two already) and I'm trying to decide what is the best economical decision.

If could part out the car for say $1500 and I would have planned to spend $1200 in parts then I have almost $3000 then to buy another car.

Or look at it a different way.

If the motor is good, what if you found another Accord in the same gen with a blown motor or trans for cheap.

I'm with you on the core support. Factory and by the spec's it should be welded in. I've seen some drill the welds and replace with bolts....then lord forbid you or he ever needs that structual integrity again?

I see blown motor Accords on CL
That would be your best bet

My father and brother managed to straighten a Nissan Quest w/ similar damage (deer collision also) by pulling w/ come-along against an external anchor point (big tree). They replaced fender, hood, and grill. The AC was intact in their case. He put another 100K on the car before selling.

The fender attach points may need some pulling w/ slap hammer to pull out for alignment.

If you're persistent and determined, this job can be done.

good luck

The radiator core support is twisted in the passenger corner area. I don't see flattening it out but that is where the persistance and determination = low part comes in. :)

I'm leaning toward parting the car out so if I will make my final decision by next Thursday.

If I part out I will start taking parts out, labeling, taking pictures so I can make a "For sale" thread on this forum.

I've decided to part out the car.

So stay tune for a part out list (and pictures) sometime next week in the For Sale section.