Front Grill/Splashguard

[super_vixen]

So, at some point after I had my car in for a tranny flush/general maintenance yesterday (so between 11:30am and 5pm), something hit my car. I don't know if it was just ice or if a physical vehicle hit my car, I don't know.

The damage is:

The plastic grill is smashed (the black one behind the license plate)
Part of the splashguard under the car is hanging (it's now been tie-wrapped thanks to Crappy Tired so I could at least go to school today).
My hood isn't sitting flush with the car on the drivers side (it's not severely damaged, but I know it was flush in the summer when I washed it last)


Now there are no dents, scratches or anything that would tell me I've been in an accident or been hit. What are the chances that someone backed into me, screwed my hood and smashed my grill? I know it doesn't explain the plastic under the car (I don't think?).

I'm just confused as to how this happened, or if it was a piece of ice/snow that maybe flew into my grill on the hwy (doesn't explain the hood).

Any ideas/thoughts? I just called Mazda and it's going to cost me more than $400 to fix it and thats just a rough estimate - she said it could be more. The front grill piece is a $45.82 part that costs $200 to install because the bumper has to be taken off.

Anyone know anywhere I can get a break on the cost of all this stuff? This starving student doesn't have enough OSAP left to cover this crap right now.

[yearoftherat]

I'd contact Flippy (Joe) at Toronto Mazda for the parts for your car. In regards to the installation, there are numerous members (eg: McGuyver) that do this sort of stuff that won't cost you an arm and a leg.

[FLIPDADY]

Heather I can definately give you a break on all the parts you need. Is there anyway you can post up pics of the damage?

It's possible someone backed into the front of your car and just took off.

[Cardinal Fang]

Definitely sounds like someone backed into your car or pushed something into your car. I'm confused about the splash guard damage though. Could it be that it was damaged in a separate incident (ie you ran something over) and you didn't notice it until you checked for this incident's damage? The only other thing I can think of is that if something long penetrated the grille on an angle and subsequently pushed the splash guard that extends between the frame and the bumper out. I have to tell you though that has to be a hell of an angle for it to do that .

[EvilEric]

If it's the lower grill, might have been an exhaust or trailer piece that punched through. Are there any paint pieces or marks on the grill.

[super_vixen]

Yeah - it confuses me too - kinda like "one of these things just doesn't belong" :) two parts match two different types of damage, but one part just doesn't fit with each....


Joe - I appreciate that so much! I will take photos tomorrow and post them for sure. I'm taking the car to my Mazda (Ajax) in the morning for them to assess the damage so I can at least get an idea of what this is going to cost me.

As for any marks on the grill - not that I can see. The grill was broken into 2 clean pieces. I found them sitting inside the car, and a small portion of the grill (top) is still intact. I am going to look more closely in the daylight tomorrow. I think I'll take it to the carwash too to make sure I don't find any other physical damage, not that I can do anything now if someone did hit me (oh that will make me so mad!).

The splashguard was dragging which is what alerted me to it, because it made an awful sound at low speeds. On the highway I couldn't hear it at all. I don't think it's possible it happened previous to this, since I had it at Mazda yesterday morning and they had it on the hoist. I'd assume they would have alterted me since it was literally hanging off the car. The car went straight from Mazda to the bank for 10 minutes (where I assume it was hit), and then back into my driveway for the rest of the day.

[MPS]

i can help you with install i did it before on my old MZ3 its not hard at all
just PM when ur redy

[mazda lover]

if you were my girlfriend it would cost you $0 if I was 20 years younger, better looking, and a large bank roll the car would have cost you $0
good luck...:bana:hawt settle down guys...

[REZXPERT]

Yeah - it confuses me too - kinda like "one of these things just doesn't belong" :) two parts match two different types of damage, but one part just doesn't fit with each....


Joe - I appreciate that so much! I will take photos tomorrow and post them for sure. I'm taking the car to my Mazda (Ajax) in the morning for them to assess the damage so I can at least get an idea of what this is going to cost me.

As for any marks on the grill - not that I can see. The grill was broken into 2 clean pieces. I found them sitting inside the car, and a small portion of the grill (top) is still intact. I am going to look more closely in the daylight tomorrow. I think I'll take it to the carwash too to make sure I don't find any other physical damage, not that I can do anything now if someone did hit me (oh that will make me so mad!).

The splashguard was dragging which is what alerted me to it, because it made an awful sound at low speeds. On the highway I couldn't hear it at all. I don't think it's possible it happened previous to this, since I had it at Mazda yesterday morning and they had it on the hoist. I'd assume they would have alterted me since it was literally hanging off the car. The car went straight from Mazda to the bank for 10 minutes (where I assume it was hit), and then back into my driveway for the rest of the day.


FYI, your website is down:chuckle

Whitby/Shwa representin:bana

[super_vixen]

haha - yeah I know :) New one being built by my team of monkeys during off-season.


Well - a quick update

I'm so frustrated with BOTH the dealers in my area. I left Whitby Mazda after the last fiasco I went through (which was actually MANY issues over the years). I went back to Ajax, even though its farther away hoping to get better service and apparently they are TOOLS!

Went to Ajax to see the damage. I explain the situation but I didn't say I thought I had been hit or anything. I just let them look at it. 20 minutes later the lady comes to get me and says "oh yeah, you've defintely been hit. Here is the card to the collision centre we deal with, go see this guy so he can check inside more and the alignment, etc.".

So, I drive over to that place, and the guy comes out to see the car. He opens the hood and takes a peek. Then within a minute he says "well here's your problem right there". Yeah - while doing my tranny flush Ajax Mazda left the cap to the fluid bottle inside my hood on the plastic rim towards the driver side, thus causing it to not be flush. Sad part is - it was just at Mazda 10 minutes ago..how did they not see it?!? I didn't see it when I checked because it was 5pm and the black cap blended in with the black plastic as it was getting dark..but they have no excuse, if the collision guy saw it in a minute.

Anyways - I wasn't hit by a car (big sigh of relief!). Chances are a piece of ice flew off another car on the highway and smashed the grill and the splashguard on the way thru. The hood is fine now. He also gave me an amazing deal on getting it fixed (half the cost of what Mazda quoted) and he can get it done in 30 minutes, while Mazda said it would take hours, which I don't have with work/school/kid.

So thank you so much to everyone who offered help (Joe - I know I'll be seeing you at some point since all the dealers in my area are useless), I appreciate it very much!

[jaM3ican]

I wonder if this would clasify under the "Winning Blue Curse" or just plane stupidity on the dealership technichians part. At leats it was not a slice of pizza

[super_vixen]

I wonder if this would clasify under the "Winning Blue Curse" or just plane stupidity on the dealership technichians part. At leats it was not a slice of pizza

hahaha, you know, I JUST read that thread and had a good laugh. I can't imagine finding pizza under the hood! I think I'd be making a pissed off phone call if I found pizza though :)


And yes - curse it is!

[AZDJedi]

Have you gotten this all dealt with?

I'm returning my leased car in a week and I know the inspector is going to see that my bumper grille is broken. $40 is not bad for the part, but Mazda charging $400 for installation is not something I'm too interested in, lol.

I also need to get the scratches removed and dents too. Leasing: New car sooner but more money at the end.

[super_vixen]

Yes - I had it all fixed at a collision centre down the road from my Mazda dealer. It was $300 for the front grill and the splashguard under the car to be replaced (thats including labour and tax) and it literally took 25 min. to do (Mazda told me it would take at least 2 hours if I had it done there).