I recently cracked up my front bumper on the 95 Maxima SE I bought a month ago and was wondering if any of you guys had any unique ideas of things I could do to fix it. As far as replacing with a cool aftermarket bumper or putting a bumper from a newer model Maxima or any other ideas are welcome. Im going to try to convince my insurance company that I had ground effects installed that also got damaged and I had to take them off, to get some extra money to actually buy a kit or do other mods.

 

the sarona front bumper to me looks very nice.

but do u think insurance is gonna cover for aftermarket stuff?

 

I personally like the front ends of '97-'99. If I had a kit, I'd constantly be scraping it here in Louisiana. 2 words about convincing the insurance company that you had ground effects. Insurance fraud. But hey, it's your integrity that'll be compromised (but they do like nice).

Dave

 

I am not lecturing,but half the reason insurance rates are so high is fradulant claim$$$.

 

I would venture to guess that the last thing on the insurance company's mind is their moral values, but yes...I am aware of why the rates go up. Anyway it was just a passing thought, and it wouldnt fly with my dad who owns the policy anyway. Depending on how much it costs to fix I may pay the deductible and add some extra money along with the settlement and buy a kit, otherwise I'll just be getting a new bumper. I just heard our insurance premiums are going to double b/c of this. Im going to try to fight the dailure to yield ticket though b/c on the left side of my cul-de-sac in my neighbors yard there is a large set of bushes that as they have blossomed has blocked the left side view of oncoming cars on the cross street outside my culdesac. Dont get me wrong I do belive in taking responsibility for your own actions, despite what adults really think about my generation of teenagers, but if the bushes were a road safety hazzard I dont believe it should be my fault b/c I couldnt see around them well enough. Now if it was a stop sign I would feel differently but since its a yield.... Sorry for the novel sized post...

 

It's not the insurance companies moral values. It's when people get a little accident and get a lawyer and claim big $$$$ for a supposed whip lash or fake an injury. Insurance companies will almost always settle when lawyers get involved. Many times people will just see it as an opportunity to get into the pockets of a insurace company. Thus The more money they pay out the more they will charge accross the board. Hundreds of millions of $ are paid every year to people who try and get all they can and more than they deserve. The attitude that "well I pay a lot for my insurance so I am going to tell a few lies to get a bigger claim" will only have everyone paying more.
No, you wanting to get a little extra by saying you had something you didn't is not a huge deal. But so many people do that, and so many people get lawyers and sue for $100,000 for a fender bender that it all adds up.

I know you were just talking, and probably were not totally serious.
This is not even directed twords you. It's mainly something for people to read and think about.

Lastly, I don't work for or even like insurance companies. They are always happy to accept your money, but when you have a claim they can be a pain in the ***.

 

Amen brother!!

KC -

Take the money that your dad's insurance pays and put that towards a kit or perhaps a '97-'99 bumper cover, grill, etc. Obviously you'll have to come up with the difference.

I recently purchased a '97 cover for my '95 from a .org member for less than $100 shipped. So there are deals out there to be had, you just have to look and be patient.

Keep in mind, the more $$ you claim to your insurance, the more it will go up and the longer they will stick your dad with a higher insurance bill (not to mention the rest of us).

Also, as far as you fighting the ticket, I say go for it!

Take pictures of the intersection from all different angles. Draw up a diagram of the intersection showing your car in relation to the bushes illustrating the line of sight.

Put all of this in a nice little package for the Judge. Be respectful yet firm in your beliefs and I would almost guarantee that if what you say is fact, he/she will drop the ticket.

Getting the ticket dropped will help to minimize the cost to you & your dad.


Good luck - and do the "right thing" when it comes to your insurance claim.

 

Forget it. Aftermarket parts are not covered by most policies, UNLESS you work out a deal with your carrier before an incident takes place.

I once had a stupid accident of backing up and hitting a short pole on my right rear fender (the pole was short enough not to be in view). I was able to claim some vehicle hit my parked car. Insurance covered it, because it had paint on it from the pole that looked like automotive paint and the angle of impact looked very plausible. Fraud? Well, no--I paid out over $8,000 without a single claim, so I was due at least some compensation for all that flawless driving!

Anyway, damage to the front is very hard to claim as not your fault to an insurance company. Even in cases when you rear-end someone in front of you because of their fault (slamming on their brakes for no good reason), it's your fault for hitting them. So, I think you're out of luck on that. But you can get replacement bumper covers cheaply... do some searches on the web and you'll find at least one site that will cost less than $100. Not OEM, but will pass.

 

Fraud? Well, no--I paid out over $8,000 without a single claim, so I was due at least some compensation for all that flawless driving

YES
it is fraud, and needless fraud, if your that good of a risk to them not to have made a claim with $8000.00 worth of premiums, it wouldn't of mattered either way how you damaged your car, there was no need to lie. A claim is a claim in a lot of cases.

 

I'm a very big fan of doing what is right, regardless of the outcome. I respect you taking responsibility for your actions (BTW, not all adults think all teenagers are evil. In the case of those teens who are "trouble makers", I generally fault not the teen, but the parents for not providing the proper guidance. Yes, I am a parent. Let the flames begin). If the problem with the bushes is accurate, check local laws concerning brush growing near a public road. In Louisiana, it must be trimmed back a minimum of 20 feet. Your city should have a "Code Enforcement" or "Streets and Drainage" type department where you can get the answers. May not get you out of the ticket, but at the very least it may stop a serious accident from happening. Plus, it would show that you are civically responsible At court, you can see if the DA will drop the failure to yield to a non-moving violation to save on insurance (local laws vary, but it's worth a shot).

Dave