[Spaz218]

Wasn't sure where to post this.....
Kind of a long post...stay with me...
I needs some suggestions on how to ..I guess handle this.
Let me give you a brief history, (I have listed previous posts about this one with pic)
My 3 was parked...a moving truck tried to parrell park in front of my car and ended up hitting the left drivers side of the car with his BIG metal bumper.
Tore off the bumper flattened the tire...bunch of damage.
This was about 6-7 months ago, the car is all fixed now (so I thought)
With in the last 2 weeks....all sort of stuff started happening with that side of the car. (Drivers side)

1. The brake pads are wearing fast (sometime pulls to the left while braking)
2.The left head light went out..then came back on ....and now once again...went out...
3.And the CRACK! During slow driving periods...lets say..like fast food drive through
(I love my McDonalds) 5 mph and below. on certain angles there’s this horrific Cracking/snapping noise coming somewhere from the Front left suspension. Now, you would think CV joint...but it's not a continuing cracking noise....once the steering wheel is at a certain angle and I'm driving over an slightly uneven road....just a load CRACK! SNAP!

SO...here’s the thing...The shop that "fixed it" has a life time guarantee on there work. But they just seemed like a crappy shop. 7 months ago after they "fixed it" I picked my car up from there shop...and there was still paint scratch’s everywhere! I had to get them to re-buff my car...And I think they were kinda pissed for me asking them to do it!. I also looked at the recite they gave me for all the repairs....they never placed my front left wheel....they just refinished it and slapped it back on....and there's nothing listed about suspension parts...I don't think they even bothered to really check....I think they put new panels on..painted them..then put the car on a aliment machine and called it a day. Who knows what tie rods or suspension parts are bent.
But anyways...I know I have a life time warranty from them....but I'm not sure how much that warranty is worth to me? there suppose to be the #1 body shop in town.....um.....not to sure about that.
So I was thinking about taking it to the dealer first since the car is covered under warranty still and not saying anything about the accident. Just make it seem like a routine check up and mention to them "hey...head light is shorting out and my car makes cracking noises"......And if there like no...not covered then I think I'll fall back on the body shop.
Or I could just go into the body shop with my fists of rage....Not sure what to do...but no more mods for me untill I can get all this worked out...
I trust the dealership more then the body shop when it comes to repairs.
Sorry for the long post and thanks for hanging in there while reading it! :lol:
Just looking for any thoughts, suggestions or comments... if I should take it to the dealer or the body shop
I was thinking about trading in my 3 after this all happened....now I kinda wish I would have.
needless to say...no more parallel parking for me!

 

[DrWebster]

Honestly, I'd consider trading it in on another 3. After what happened with my old car (T-boned on the passenger side), I've decided that if my 3 ever needs to have body panels replaced, I'll just fix it then trade in for a new 3.

 

[Spaz218]

Yeah...after my car was "fixed" I went to the dealership and looked around...I wanted a 06..but all they had was 07....I even had the dealer man order/keep his eye out for a 06 with around 10000 miles on it.
...But no luck
And it just kind of stinks the fact that I only owe about 6000 on my 3 and once traded in....I'll prob be in deeper as far as money goes. But for a 06.....I would do it!
SO after the T bone...was you car pretty much...Done for?

 

[HouRman]

Sorry to hear about the accident...

Something similar happened to me only the shop that fixed my 4runner had a 1 yr warranty which expired just before the fixed parts started to go bad again. heh

I sold the car because I was tired of dealing with all the nuisances.

 

[DrWebster]

[quote author=Spaz218 link=topic=70718.msg1239033#msg1239033 date=1172687425]SO after the T bone...was you car pretty much...Done for?

[/quote]

No, I kept the car for another 5 years. But the paint color was never quite perfect, and I was never completely comfortable driving around knowing that the B pillar was replaced. There's a lot a body shop can do, but they can never quite get your car back to the way it was from the factory...and there are too many risks with hidden problems (like you are unfortunately experiencing).

 

[sunnypv]

I do have the exact same problem described by OP Crack/Snap sound at low speed when I drive on uneven road and steering . This hapens even when i go over a bump at slow spped the sound always come from the front driver side. I started to hear this for about 3-4 days now. The Car was purchase Used and was certified. Has 62000 Mile Bumper to Bumper Warranty and 100,000 Power Train Warranty.

Looking to Take the Car in to the Dealer to have it looked at. My Question is does the Bumper to Bumper Warranty Cover the Crack/Snap sound if no defect is found with suspension . I fear the Dealer will blame this on Brakes and want me to pay for BrakePads. I have about 34000 Miles and Brakes are good.

 

[sunnypv]

Found the Problem. It was the Driver Side Rear View Mirror. Stuck some Paper into the Gap and that took care of the Sound. I might need to pad it some kind of rubber / Insulation material.



[quote author=sunnypv link=topic=70718.msg1246761#msg1246761 date=1172965175]
I do have the exact same problem described by OP Crack/Snap sound at low speed when I drive on uneven road and steering . This hapens even when i go over a bump at slow spped the sound always come from the front driver side. I started to hear this for about 3-4 days now. The Car was purchase Used and was certified. Has 62000 Mile Bumper to Bumper Warranty and 100,000 Power Train Warranty.

Looking to Take the Car in to the Dealer to have it looked at. My Question is does the Bumper to Bumper Warranty Cover the Crack/Snap sound if no defect is found with suspension . I fear the Dealer will blame this on Brakes and want me to pay for BrakePads. I have about 34000 Miles and Brakes are good.

[/quote]

 

[Spaz218]

Sunny..was it a loud crack?
mine sounds like it's comming from under the front drivers side of the car.
I don't think it's my mirror....sounds to much like metal on metal and I can feel the vibration in my floor board...at first I thought it was my plastic under carage.
I'll check my mirror......
If thats not it...once I take it in...I'll post the issue

 

[sunnypv]

Sound Still exists and is intermittent. I took it to a Dealer and got the same old "No Problem found"/ could not replicated Problem.
when it start making the sound it is loud like something is trying to come out and then falls in place. More metal on Metal.
when the Steering sound exists i do get thump from the front Drivers side when i go over bumps or bumpy Parking lot at slow speed.