I finally got her back on the road !!! after beeing down for almost 5 months,I've got into accident which wasn't my fault at all, some kid in older style Chevy Caprice lost control while the road was wet and slammed into my driver side.The worst this was - he didn't have insurance and mine expired day before the accident. I was really close to scraping her and selling the car as is, but my brother helped out a lot,
and located most of the parts ( Ebay and www.car-parts.com)

The Estimate from body shop was $2975 which included new bumper cover, fender and whole left hand side suspension + labor and paint

The total tally for repair in parking lot of my appartment was $ 395 !!!
$160 fender
$60 strut
$60 spindle
$35 lower control arm
$20 corner light
$60 alignment

Please click here for before photo:
http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/12/web/348000-348999/348507_247_full.jpg

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/12/web/348000-348999/348507_248_full.jpg

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/12/web/348000-348999/348507_246_full.jpg


After repairs:

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/12/web/348000-348999/348507_252_full.jpg

http://memimage.cardomain.net/member_images/12/web/348000-348999/348507_253_full.jpg


We were truly amazed on how well Aurora took the impact - pretty much only the strut sustained damage, LCA/HUB were still fine, but we've repalced them anyway.
The force of impact was so strong - it made my car spin out !!!

it feels great to drive the car again , and hearing hear start right away after 5 months was pure pleasure !!!

Ironkrakus

wow, props man. That is an incredible story. I hope I have as good luck in DIY repairing if my car ever gets slammed.

thanks !!! , but the story gets even better,
for first few days after the car was repaired - it seemed that alternator have died , the vlotage never got past 12 volts at idle, I took the car in to have it diagnosed to make sure that alternator was bad, well AC Delco mechanic had the car for two days and on third day he calls and says that car runs fine and alternator didn't need to be replaced - it seems like the alternator brushes got dirty with residue and were sticking. It only cost me $45 to diagnose the car, much better then $500 estimate to replace the alternator !!!

My Aurora have seem better days , but last week takes the crown for good !!!



Ironkrakus