Hello people.


Before I go into this, about 6 months ago, the panda was involved with a collision with a small badger, the radiator, wheel arch and plastics got trashed which were completed under the insurance policy - racking up about £1000 worth of damage.


3 months after the work was completed 2 days ago - we were driving around town, and I thought the backbox was going, there was a knocking - So we pulled over at a garage when the car was checked the engine was rocking forward and back with 2 inches of play The AA attended and the car has been taken away to a FIAT garage.


FIAT Have looked at the car today and basically said that the engine mount is damaged it looks like the metal on a mount has been bent inward, this attaches to the Subframe and would cost a whopping total of £1005 to put right.


The car has done about 4,000 miles since the accident with the badger and the repair being completed, it is around the same area - just off centre on the passenger side.


How easy is it to damage an engine mount? Could this be damaged by driving normally hitting a pothole, would I have known if I had hit a mount ? Is it likely an animal could cuase this kinda of damaged. The badger did hit at about 60 Mph.

Sounds like damage caused by the badger, they're a big mass when they physically go under the car. I'd be calling your insurance co back up.

If all else fails, a used subframe is <£100 and only about 2 hours labour for a decent garage to fit

waveydave79 said:

Here is the damage

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damage!

Looks recent as some of the exposed metal isn't rusted tbh.

So has it become completely detached from the subframe?

Personally I'd get it welded back into place if so, failing that, as previously advised I'd be going down the route of a 2nd hand subframe.

Good point it does look fresh Would it had rusted in the space of 2-3 months? Do you know how high up this is? Would it really been possible to damage this driving around? ie speed hump - The only thing we do have is these curbs around trees, and I know Ive only clipped the front bumper skirt pulling away. Surely this wouldn't be anywhere near the same area. I am trying to rack my brains to think what else could have done it.

waveydave79 said:

Good point it does look fresh Would it had rusted in the space of 2-3 months? Do you know how high up this is? Would it really been possible to damage this driving around? ie speed hump - The only thing we do have is these curbs around trees, and I know Ive only clipped the front bumper skirt pulling away. Surely this wouldn't be anywhere near the same area. I am trying to rack my brains to think what else could have done it.

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Badger ?? you would have hit something more solid to do that damage, like a kirb or raised manhole, I would presonaly get garage to jack car
up on it to push back into place and weld it back up to subframe or if its broken off completely take dogbone off and hammer it straight then weld it back on. these things are usualy spot welded together in a couple of places where it will have broken off then get welder back on all the way round - job done better than new
probably £100 jobby

Most Easterly Pandas said:

Sounds like damage caused by the badger, they're a big mass when they physically go under the car. I'd be calling your insurance co back up.

If all else fails, a used subframe is <£100 and only about 2 hours labour for a decent garage to fit

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because of the mileage done since repair they would say was not done when you hit the badger and has been done since then, looks too hard a hit to be a badger

last panda i had i managed to actually get it stuck on a kerb and had to get some help to manhandle it off
i think looking at this car you too may have dropped off a kerb onto it
animals dont bend metal like that

jon1612 said:

because of the mileage done since repair they would say was not done when you hit the badger and has been done since then

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Not necessarily, if the damage coincides with it and the other damage then you'd have a fair chance depending upon how good the insurer is and their repair network. However its irrelevant not as its obviously been more recent due to lack of surface rust.

jon1612 said:

looks too hard a hit to be a badger

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Agreed now we have a pic.