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Double Bass Bass damage - ugh

g-dude

g-dude

Apr 20, 2018
8,208
25,421
Hiding under my desk
#1
So I was loading my bass into the back of my car, and I accidentally swung it around a bit too hard and a bit too close to the taillight.

Bass is fine, no damage and still perfectly in tune, but now my taillight is cracked. I think the tuning peg is what made contact.

Estimate from the dealer is close to $900 thanks to modern taillight designs, and having to take apart the rear of the vehicle.
 
#4
JKos said:
There's probably a YouTube video on how to do it. Seems like there is a video for everything I've needed to do on our vehicles.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I promptly "noped" out as soon as I saw for myself that the repair involves taking apart part of the vehicle. In this cold weather, pulling just a little too hard can break off the tabs that fasten the panels.

james condino said:
Never buy anything from the dealership.

Junkyards and local mechanics......
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That'd be great if it was a common part that was a simple fix.

Even the dealer is having trouble locating the housing.
 
#7
If it's just a crack in the taillight, I'd consider cleaning it well and sealing it with some exterior-duty silicone and declaring victory. I've done that a couple times on taillights with good results.
 
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#11
g-dude said:
So I was loading my bass into the back of my car, and I accidentally swung it around a bit too hard and a bit too close to the taillight.

Bass is fine, no damage and still perfectly in tune, but now my taillight is cracked. I think the tuning peg is what made contact.

Estimate from the dealer is close to $900 thanks to modern taillight designs, and having to take apart the rear of the vehicle.
Click to expand...

The poor tuning peg !
For the car, I'd find a local cheap body shop that people you know, like . They'll find the part and do it for a fraction of dealer price, assuming the part can be found used. People are fixing cars these days, and many body shops do more than big insurance collision stuff , like this.
 
#13
g-dude said:
Estimate from the dealer is close to $900 thanks to modern taillight designs, and having to take apart the rear of the vehicle.
Click to expand...
:wideyed: i wonder if you couldn't get some good advice from an auto zone or advance auto parts or the like, for a DIY repair.

(if it was a crack(s) in the outer lens i might think about an epoxy repair.)

good luck @g-dude --- i can relate to the over-priced repairs on modern, "modular" vehicles. :thumbsup:
 
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#14
*Whew!* Had me worried there for a minute.

g-dude said:
Bass is fine
Click to expand...

As long as the bass is ok!

What's your deductible? Your car insurance may cover if you have collision coverage. In the interest of premium management, I usually don't make a claim unless it's at least twice the deductible. But just in case you hadn't considered it, I thought I'd throw that out there.

Good suggestions for alternatives here. If it's cosmetic only, but not leaking, you have a little time to consider less expensive options. Good luck with the car, but at least the important stuff is ok!
 
#17
oldNewbie said:
The poor tuning peg !
For the car, I'd find a local cheap body shop that people you know, like . They'll find the part and do it for a fraction of dealer price, assuming the part can be found used. People are fixing cars these days, and many body shops do more than big insurance collision stuff , like this.
Click to expand...

The funny thing is, even the dealer is having trouble locating the part in these uncertain times.
 
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#19
DrThumpenstein said:
*Whew!* Had me worried there for a minute.



As long as the bass is ok!

What's your deductible? Your car insurance may cover if you have collision coverage. In the interest of premium management, I usually don't make a claim unless it's at least twice the deductible. But just in case you hadn't considered it, I thought I'd throw that out there.

Good suggestions for alternatives here. If it's cosmetic only, but not leaking, you have a little time to consider less expensive options. Good luck with the car, but at least the important stuff is ok!
Click to expand...

Unfortunately the total cost is less than 2x the deductible, but more importantly I already had a car totaled out in 2020 so I sort of want to lay low a little bit longer on filing a claim.

One tiny wiring connector had turned a $3,000 job at the local body shop into what would have been a $12-$15k job at a time when the only source for a new wiring harness would have been Germany where all the factories were closed.

Unfortunately the crack created enough of an opening to where water could indeed leek in. Can't even imagine what the fancy pants lighting back there costs.

Could be worse - front headlight assemblies are painfully expensive.
 
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#20
I had a broken tail light situation a few years ago. The auto parts store had some translucent red tape that sealed it up just fine and kept it street legal. I ran with that for a few weeks. I had a cheap and easy diy replacement experience, but would have kept the tape longer if Volvo money was at stake.
 

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