So I went and picked my cousin up from school today and about a block from his house I was pulling up to a red light. So I am almost coming to a stop and looking in my rear view mirror at the time and I see the 08 ML 320 coming to a normal stop. Well we are both almost stopped when this guy in a Windstar smashes the back of the ML and the ML rolls right into me. It wasn't bad and could probably buff out but still wish it hadn't happened. You can barely see the damage in the picture lol but I knew pix would be requested.

 

you are lucky that ML wasnt really moving... I got rear ended in my civic by a Volvo SUV going 35 mph while I was totally stopped... $8,000 worth of damage later...

 

That sucks man. Good thing it wasn't worse.

 

That sucks; how badly was the ML damaged?

 

Agreed that it's good that a vehicle the size of the ML was between you and the idiot in the van - that thing's big enough to absorb a LOT of momentum and spare your car a lot of damage. Sucks that it happened, but glad it was only minor. It sucks to have damage to the car, but at least it was only a fraction of what it could've been - imagine if the ML had been hauling *** and sent the van into you instead...

 

Ya I got off really lucky. as it is depending how much insurance gives me ill either leave it alone or just get some paint mixed and paint it myself. It only needs some minor sand and filling done and I have a paint gun and actually pretty soon the shop should be getting an area that could be used as a paint booth. I am hoping they decide it needs an entire new bumper plus paint so that I can fix the current one and buy a clutch with the rest. But well its an insurance company im not likely to get even what it would take to properly fix it... The van was totaly trashed in the front but the ML honestly didnt look bad but I know it had to be worse then it looked. I think its engineered to absorb the impact into the chassis itself so the damage looks minimal but its actually just twisted the frame really badly or something.

 

i don't see jack lol. i'd keep the money and get a euro s4 bumper. make sure you call your insurance claims person who is taking care of your monetary reimbursement and tell him your bumper feels softer than it did b4 the accident or something lol. also say that it's a bit crooked by the tail lights and it's not flush with the quarter panel anymore. he'll probably come check it out but just bullshit with the person and hopefully they are nice enough to give you a little extra money. o ****, you're pops owns a shop or something right? daym you're all hooked up

 

So what do you think I will get? Will they replace the bumper since there is a spot where a screw went through a little. Will they say to have it repaired? I know if they say repair the shop we have paint will charge around $400 to do it. I want them to say it needs a new bumper all together so it could reach closer to the 1k mark lol. Here's a much better picture that you can actually see what happend.

 

i'm not sure about this, but..... you may want to consider some kind of cash deal and you fix it yourself, otherwise if their insurance pays for a new bumper or whatever, then won't your car's VIN have a "rear accident" report on it? that will affect the resale value of your car even though there was not mechanical.
something to inquire about.

have you taken it to a body shop and asked their opinion?

 

hey man you should be lucky that is all that happened. i was crusin on the free way and some idiot cut me off and slammed on their brakes and did 5000 k worth of damage to my baby. That was the worst day of my life.