[Micro1394]

So, this past weekend I got under my new to me elise to change the oil and discovered some frame damage. It looks as if someone attempted to jack the car up at the wrong area. The other side has the same, but to a lesser extent.
The damage was not reported on this car, and the PO states he didn't know it was there.

My question is will this damage affect suspension geometry, side impact frame stability or resale value terribly? Damage in pics is drivers side rear if you cannot tell.





Thanks.

 

[LotusCC]

Check with Hayes from WireWheels.


Sent from AutoGuide.com App

 

[4380r]

Hate to say it, but yes. Will impact resale. If a would be buyer sees it, he will either walk or ask for steep discount. And not getting it, will walk.

If the bill of sale states 'as is,' unless you can prove deliberate fraud or misrepresentation, you've got a problem. Basically he can say YOU jacked it up wrong.

I know you've learned this lesson by now, but even the most spotless looking, detailed car for sale needs a good PPI.

Speak with an expert as to safety and drivability. If it is safe, just own/drive/enjoy it for its entire life. Resale will be irrelevant.

 

[happy2behere]

You still have time to contact the seller and request some money back to fix it or less the value of the vehicle due to the damage but that is harder to do so contact them and request them to fix the damage parts. Easiest way is to get ur insurance involved and tell them u think the vehicle is unsafe because of issue. But if they did inform u about the damage u r out. HE or she had to tell and inform u about this damage. DID YOU DO A LOTUS INSPECATION BEFORE BUYING???

So, this past weekend I got under my new to me elise to change the oil and discovered some frame damage. It looks as if someone attempted to jack the car up at the wrong area. The other side has the same, but to a lesser extent.
The damage was not reported on this car, and the PO states he didn't know it was there.

My question is will this damage affect suspension geometry, side impact frame stability or resale value terribly? Damage in pics is drivers side rear if you cannot tell.

View attachment 405993

View attachment 406001

Thanks.

 

[Mr.C]

It will probably raise some questions when you try to sell the car, most likely resulting in a lower resale value.
But I would not worry too much about the integrity of the chassis.
Mine looks like that (to a lesser degree) because the stupid shipping company I hired when I shipped my car across the pond used the holes in the frame as tie-downs.
But my car has been that way for almost six years now without any negative impact.
I'm not planning to sell my car at any point so I'm not worried about resale value though.

There is a piece of aluminum missing on your car (the hole should be enclosed and not open towards the back end).
The exact same way the frame on my car looks.
That makes me doubt that the damage is from just lifting the car but rather from tying it down in that location ripping that piece out and bending the aluminum channel downwards.
And then someone used a hammer and just hammered it back up.

I remember one thread here on LT a few years ago where a car was totaled by an insurance company because of this exact type of damage (also from shipping company using the holes as tie-downs).

Of course one could argue with the insurance company that this is frame damage and automatically means the car is totaled (which is what happened in that thread I'm referring to), but that was a little overkill in my opinion.

 

[Mr.C]

You still have time to contact the seller and request some money back to fix it or less the value of the vehicle due to the damage but that is harder to do so contact them and request them to fix the damage parts. Easiest way is to get ur insurance involved and tell them u think the vehicle is unsafe because of issue. But if they did inform u about the damage u r out. HE or she had to tell and inform u about this damage. DID YOU DO A LOTUS INSPECATION BEFORE BUYING???

This can't be fixed without replacing the chassis.

 

[bri3d]

One thing to note is that you can't install the MWR Lift Point kit with that damage - that's where the lift points attach.

No comment on anything else about that damage as I'm not a (psuedo?) structural engineer like others on the forum... I'm surprised none of them have chimed in yet, honestly rotfl

 

[Spartacus]

Ugh, that's so lame. Sorry dude.

 

[<@¿@>]

Since most cars built today are monocoque structures (the whole car is the structure), that is like saying a ding from a shopping cart structurally damaged my car. Is it the structure of the car? Yes. Is it damaged? Yes. Is it in a critical spot? No. Would I fix it if it was my car? No. If you have wheel alignment problems, it is definitely not from that. If you look in the right spot (as you did), it just doesn't look pretty...that's it.

 

[oldmansan]

Monocoque.

San

 

[<@¿@>]

fixed...spell check still doesn't recognize it though...damn French!

 

[Mr.C]

Here is the thread I mentioned above:

http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f3/wrecked-lotus-122766/

The car was sold later on early 2013:

http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f94/sold-fs-2005-lotus-elise-rev310-sc-salvage-front-damaged-123562/

In your "Hello from Bellingham" post you mentioned that your soon going to be a new owner of a 2005 SC'd Storm Titanium Elise.

You might want to investigate a little more to see if the car in the links I posted is the one you bought (not that the damage means much as long as it was fixed right) :shrug:

 

[driftwood]

there is a lot of misdiagnoses in this thread... :facepalm

first off this is not a huge deal!!! & it wont really be considered 'frame damage' assuming it doesn't extend beyond what the pictures show (can easily be bent back to place without hurting the integrity of the tub/chassis)

what it looks like happened, is that someone used a standard cup-style (non-flat) jack stand at that point to secure the rear & bent it inwards

that bent shelf piece is actually suitable to jacking the rear car up via a 4-post life with one of Tesprit's/RLS/MWR kits (linked below)

MWR Lift Point Kit - Lotus Elise/Exige/2-eleven - MWR-902101 van Monkeywrench Racing - Monkeywrench

so don't worry about it not showing up on an 'accident report'...

does it look ugly? yup. should it be straight? yup... but it wont effect the car at all & can be bent back as easily as it was bent out of place to begin with

 

[wirewheel]

It looks like the damage to the rear part of the alloy frame of your Elise was done by someone who had used a 4 post lift. We’ve seen several cars with some denting in the same area, though no as bad. This is the area where you can jack the Elise up, with this type of lift, but you really need a special pad in order to spread the load more evenly.
You can carefully bend the aluminum back down to be a little straighter. The aluminum may no longer be as strong in this area, but it is not a critical structural area. Your damage is mostly cosmetic.
Just my opinion........

 

[jimarneson]

The Exige I purchased had damage in exactly the same area. I'm confident that the installation of the MWR lift Point Kit is an entirely appropriate "fix" for this sort of damage.

More information here... http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f101/first-mod-201937/

Before...

After...

 

[Mr.C]

there is a lot of misdiagnoses in this thread... :facepalm

Can you elaborate where you think the misdiagnoses are???

 

[MotoGeek]

The lift point kit would definitely be the most appropriate solution.

 

[driftwood]

Can you elaborate where you think the misdiagnoses are???

didn't think I would need to, but here it is anyway

by the way. I hate doing this crap... its nitpicky, unnecessary, & makes me look like an a**hole (I really wish you hadnt asked)... but I just felt that there was a little bit of panic in this thread prior to a few chiming in. that's all

Hate to say it, but yes. Will impact resale.

it really shouldn't... however i obviously cant promise it wont scare away a potential buyer down the road if you keep it that way (pending on how observant they are)

Easiest way is to get ur insurance involved and tell them u think the vehicle is unsafe because of issue.

no need to get insurance involved... & if there is some crazy insurance company that can be played into totaling the car because that's considered 'significant enough frame damage' then were dealing with some over-the-top ridiculousness or they simply aren't aware of whats actually been damaged

This can't be fixed without replacing the chassis.

its probably one of the few parts that can be fixed without replacing the chassis... welding aluminum isn't difficult (although finding someone who can be trusted to do a clean job/repair may take research), especially in an area that there is relative ease of access & also a non-critical parts of the overall structure

 

[komiko]

The Exige I purchased had damage in exactly the same area. I'm confident that the installation of the MWR lift Point Kit is an entirely appropriate "fix" for this sort of damage.

More information here... http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f101/first-mod-201937/

Before...

After...

^ nice pics/post. I swear by that lift kit.

 

[happy2behere]

I was just using the insurance CO as a reference for free legal aid just in case the individual who sold them the vehicle did not want to pay for the damages to be fixed and depreciation value. ONLY IF the seller does not want to pay for the damages. Another topic now you are suppose report the damage to ur insurance CO anyways. 100% if you crashed the vehicle the insurance CO will find this thread and have a few questions for you.

Quote:
Originally Posted by happy2behere View Post
Easiest way is to get ur insurance involved and tell them u think the vehicle is unsafe because of issue.

no need to get insurance invovled... & if there is some crazy insurance company that can be played into totaling the car because that's considered 'significant enough frame damage' then were dealing with some over-the-top ridiculousness or they simply aren't aware of whats actually been damaged