hello all,

If you look at my cars you will see other than my VW beetle I own a 1997 Honda Civic ex 4 door standard trans. Cut back to last Friday I was driving home from work. I was going 55 mph; the speed limit and I got some dirt in my eye. While trying to fish it out I drifted into a left turn lane and hit the center median. Boom flat left tire... and the airbags went off breaking the windshield. In order to make this car whole again I need two new airbags, a windshield, a tire, and a left front steering knuckle. 1800 dollars for all the parts and a pro to for the tire, windshield and airbags while I do the knuckle. Is it honestly worth it? I love the car but that's like 75% of the car's value. should I scrap it? should I try parting it out? Opinions are welcome.

Thanks

MC

 

Insurance usually totals a car out if repairs exceed 80% of the value. The real question is "is it worth it to you?"

Would it be easier to get some parts and do some repairs yourself, or to go find another car? Honestly, replacing the airbags themselves is a do-it-yourself thing. It's easy if you have the tools. But I don't know if the SRS unit has to be reset or anything.

 

yeah srs has to be reset, I've heard that's a dealership only thing?
Airbags are do it yourself? What should I consider the price of the car. KBB says its 2800 trade in but 4000 if I sell it privately.

 

How to reset SRS Light - Honda Forum : Honda and Acura Car Forums

googled "reset SRS" and got this.

replacing a knuckle is easy with simple tools.
a brand new windshield shouldn't be more than $300? much less actually.
you could replace the knuckle with a new wheel bearing and lower ball joint as well, since yours were probably toast anyways. junk yard knuckle for $60 (totally guessing) + $300 for a new windshield + whatever you spend on a new wheel. not bad eh? the more work you do yourself, the more money you save.

search is your friend! google can give you all the answers, but we don't mind helping as well.

 

the srs thing is all fine and dandy if the airbags didn't go off.... 200 for the windshield installed the knuckle under 100 used (cant remember the price) is the airbags, the control box and sensors that are the rest since they all are one time use if they are triggered.

 

Totally depends on if you have the storage space, cash on hand, tools, and know how.

if you hit a median hard enough to crack your windshield, dont you think you have frame damage? if so i think it's game over. If you dont know how to repair the car, do you know how to take it apart to part it out?

 

The passenger airbag broke the windshield not the impact. I actually put a new tire on the rim and its holding air and could be balanced. the repair shop said they couldn't see any physical damage but they would know more if they can re align it. I drove it home on the spare with minimal characteristic changes in the drive other than the noise from the spare and a slight pull from the left which seems to be the damaged knuckle.

EDIT
I have the tools for the know how I just don't have the specialized tools to glue in a windshield and I don't like the idea of an airbag blowing up in my face as I try to put it in.

 

I slid into a trailer going about 5mph and bent the frame. You may be lucky, but based on how they make the frame to crumple, its doubtful.

Personally, I wouldn't let a windshield hold me back. Buying a car that you can rely on is not cheap.

 

I think the difference in value is worth the 200 bucks to get it done. I checked with several state inspectors and my first contact was wrong the srs light won't be an automatic fail since the airbags have deployed rather than a malfunction. I might just epoxy down the ripped parts of the steering wheel and dash and get the windshield replaced and fix the knuckle. assuming the frame is fine. i can believe the 5 MPH thing but none of my frame hit anything it was all wheel so I think the suspension took the brunt of it *fingers crossed*

again boiler you might be exactly right but I'm gonna think positive and see before I do anything else

MC