Remove or Repair Airbags

[garyl62]

OK here is the background: My son had an accident in his 99 Altima GLE this weekend. He is fine but both air bags went off and messed up the front end. We have about $2,400 of damage to the car not counting the air bags. Needs about $700 of mechanical repairs not due to the accident but just general work that I was putting off for a couple months. It has about 118k miles, was in great shape inside and out, and has all the options available. It still runs great, my sister bought it new, we bought it from her so we have all the records since day one.

Here's the question: If I fix everything I mentioned about I'm at about the value of the car. To fix the air bags it will run another $1,500. We didn't have collision on the car so it's coming out of my pocket. I've got a budget of $3,500. Should I junk it, move on and look for something else in the $3,500 range, or fix everything but the bags and keep driving it? Fixing everything including the bags is out of the budget.

I don't think there is a legal question here as long as I disclose this when I sell it, but if I fix it, selling it a long way down the road when it's worth hardly anything. Not sure if there is an insurance question and don't want to call my agent to raise the flag.

Thoughts???????

 

[ezra]

I would start by Craigslist it as is open offers or trades and see what pops.
I don't know if I would toss any cash in to a 99
if anything buy a 99 altima and have a good parts car.make the kid who smacked it up tear it down keep the stuff u may need on the new one and he can e bay the rest on his time and give u back the dime.
if he dose not like that idea bus passes can be had for about 20 bucks

 

[mxz500rider]

You won't get rich by junkin it. Depending on your area, 135-180 a ton. Might be more or less. But if you do scrape it, make sure you take the aluminum wheels (if it has them), catalytic convertors, a/c condenser, radiator off and sell them seperately. Tires, valve stems and weights have to be removed or you will get docked. Also make sure you take any plastic and metals off the radiator and condenser. Just some advice if you do decide to scrape it.

 

[dcsnomo]

The answer to your question lies in understanding specifically what vehicle you can buy for $3500. Then you have a choice. Without that other vehicle you do not have a choice to make, just a blind decision. Start shopping, then decide.

 

[98panther]

All I know is finding a $3500 vehicle that you can trust is a real crap shoot.
Buy one and it needs some repairs your in the same boat.

And having junior (aka crash) in a car without airbags sounds like a bad idea also.

Look and see what you can find first.

 

[yamahauler]

Just the no air bags doesn't seem worth the risk if you ask me. If someone crashed it again and the air bag could of saved their life, I don't know how one could live with themselves.

The used car market is very tough right now.

Maybe fix the bags, and only what is needed right to get it back down the road legally and then as more money comes in, keep fixing.

 

[xcr440]

If you do decide to repair it without the airbags, there are "blanks" you can buy to put in their place, so it at least looks decent.

 

[scott_b]

I second yamahauler's statement. Not worth the risk to drive the vehicle without bags, imagine if he was hurt in an accident w/o the bag. As a side note $2,400 in damage (minus the bags) seems rather low for an accident that blew the bags. You sure there isn't a kink in a rail hidden in there?

 

[mezz]

In light of the fact that this car has been in the family & it's history is well documented, that in itself would be worth the time & $ to repair "the right way". Unless you know someone, you will have a hard time trying to find an equal car for that kind of money. Knowing fully what the car has had in it's history has to be worth something even if the cost to repair is bordering a total. I would not go without the air bags either. Piece of mind is worth a lot, just my .02.-Mezz

 

[indy_500]

My old truck I did not replace the air bags, waste of $ imo lol

 

[anonomoose]

My old truck I did not replace the air bags, waste of $ imo lol

Indy...you are young and without wisdom....get wacked up out there and limp the rest of your life and measure that against the function and safety of an airbag and you will begin to see why you don't short circuit safety....ever! They save lives, and they are worth 10 times the cost if it is you who happens to be in an accident and you have them.

Kids get into trouble far more than older folks who tend to put speed on the back burner....so they can use all the safety they can get on their rides.

As for finding a good used vehicle that will be safe and reliable....there are lots of cars out there...you just have to spend the time to find them. Dumping $3500 + salvage value into a car that old with low tech safety is a fools paradise! Move along to something safer and don't look back....That's your kid your sending out on that jungle operation...they don't come under cabage leaves....really!

 

[cool700]

I would not go without fixing the airbags. With the sue happy world we live in today if someone else got hurt in that car you could be held accountable because you changed the car from stock. Airbags are there for a reason and I wouldn't want to argue responsibility with an insurance company over injuries.

 

[garyl62]

I wondered if this would create some interest, but I'm suprised at the overwhelming replace them response. I understand all the comments about kids, and protecting them, and feeling guilty for life if something happened to them. But I also say there are still a lot of vehicles out there with zero or one air bag. While I could also be shot down with this comment I would bet that there is a much higher seat belt usage today than when air bags come out. I believe one of the reasons they came into such a common feature is because society decided we had to protect people that didn't wear seatbelts and bags were a way to do that. Kids driving today have a much higher seat belt use than a few years ago because of all the seat belt laws today. The bags went off in this car but they didn't even hit them. They were on their way to Homecoming so were all dressed up and had flowers on, and not a single hair was out of place, make-up was still perfect, and the flowers were as crisp as when they put them on so the seat belt did all the work.

Just a few thoughts in reply to some of the ones above: Scott_b, here is a pic and we got lucky. Only hood and front bumper damage. Fenders are perfect, engine is fine except radiator was pushed in, but no leaks and I drove the car into the shop.

Mezz, my thoughts exactly, might get lucky with a good find but you never know. Indy, obviously I think that way somewhat too or I wouldn't be asking the question and I'm suprised you're the only one who has said that so far, and Cool700 that is the one thing I have come back to a lot. My family would know, if I sold it I'd disclose it, but what about someone who catches a ride and something happens. That may be the one thing that I can't figure out how to manage.

Spent the day looking at parts and may be getting the cost down. Looked for vehicles for a few hours last night and will do the same tonight. Should make a decision in a day or two, but would welcome some more ideas in the mean time.

 

[anonomoose]

I am not one to split hairs here but air bags were never designed to replace seat belts....they work in conjunction with belts....together they afford far more protection than the belts alone....


The bags did their job as they are programed to come out at a certain mph collision and they did that, even though as it turns out the bags weren't necessary to protect the occupants.


Even though I learned on stick shifts and zero seat belt cars, I never go anywhere without the belts on now because clearly they save lives....either fix the car all the way or junk it and get something as safe or even safer....cause you can't put a price on a life and skimping on safety only pays if you don't ever need it ...ever! Not preaching here....just thinking of possibilities and do--overs!! When it comes to accidents...there aren't any! If it were me I would take the money and get a good fuel efficient car that is safer than the one he was driving....it might take some time but they are out there to be had.

 

[polarismike]

I am not one to split hairs here but air bags were never designed to replace seat belts....they work in conjunction with belts....together they afford far more protection than the belts alone....


The bags did their job as they are programed to come out at a certain mph collision and they did that, even though as it turns out the bags weren't necessary to protect the occupants.


Even though I learned on stick shifts and zero seat belt cars, I never go anywhere without the belts on now because clearly they save lives....either fix the car all the way or junk it and get something as safe or even safer....cause you can't put a price on a life and skimping on safety only pays if you don't ever need it ...ever! Not preaching here....just thinking of possibilities and do--overs!! When it comes to accidents...there aren't any! If it were me I would take the money and get a good fuel efficient car that is safer than the one he was driving....it might take some time but they are out there to be had.

X2... Fix it all the way or junk it. What if this happened at a higher rate of speed? You just never know. Think of it as extra insurance. Peace of mind is a nice thing to have.

 

[xcr440]

These are the cars the insurance industry nailed back then, because a low MPH hit, and big money to fix it properly.

There are places to buy all that cosmetic stuff that's crumpled cheap (junk yards). Air bags will be a most of the cost, because when they blow, just replacing the bag is not enough, normally the sensors under the bumper are one time usage, and they are going to be another couple hundred.

Gotta do what you can afford as you can afford it.

 

[700classic]

Car-parts.com That's where we got bags for my son's Ranger after he had a accident. Narrow or widen the search as much as you like, but you should find what you need close by. The bag for the driver matched( black steering wheel), the bag for the passenger was painted with paint for plastic and matched the rest of the interior close enough.

 

[indy_500]

Lots of vehicles still don't have passenger air bags though.... can't tell me the driver needs one anymore than a passenger would.

 

[scott_l]

well now we know how/why the accident happened..........LOOK what was in the passenger seat, boys will be boys

Ok in all seriousness I am glad no one got hurt and at least the little lady could smile about it, I am sure your son was saying o god my dad going to kill me! Tuff call on what to do but I would personally look into fixing it (with new air bags). If you do fix it make your son work on the car with you so he can learn. You don't go into the garage to work on it with out him with you. Doing it this way will also push him to help you (as he will have no car until his is fixed).

Good luck and make sure you tell him you love him......we never know when that serious accident could be us!

 

[ezra]

www.car-part.com
the best search engine I have found for used parts