That's the worst kind of accident. It doesn't look like there's really that much damage but the body is actually fscked. At least, that's what happened to my volvo.

My condolences.

Ryan, that really sucks... sorry, dude. Are they getting the car fixed up?

That's what they tell me, although currently it's still sitting out in front of the house looking dead.

Yeah, as always, insurance money don't meterialize overnight...

good thing the impreza is one of the safest cars out there.

It happened when accellerating during a green light. Considering the fact that the light had just turned green, and they were at least the third car in line, it would have to have been less than 15mph.

The Impreza, less engine, transmission and 4-wheel drive is incredibly light. This becomes apparent when you close the doors. They go "flap" and not "clunk". So the strenght, and safety, comes from designated impact zones - metal profiles designed to absorb energy by deformation - which tend to save the passengers, but in return obviously compromize the structure of the car.

Older designs tend to feature a very stiff skeleton, which is not designed to crumble on impact. That task is left to heavier plating on the outside. When you think of it, a flat plate without any added profiles to absorb energy, is not the most efficient way of implementing safety. While this approach has a comparatively greater cost in terms of injuries, it does ensure that the car survives most minor accidents without suffering fatal deformations.

In this case, it seems that the hood actually took the brunt of the force. It looks like there may have been a component force pointing downward, directing some of the impact onto the engine block - or just the radiator, if you're lucky. Without pictures of the damage under the hood, it's hard to tell. Hoverver, the enging mounts are designed to keep the engine from entering the cabin and crushing the people inside, so unless the downward force has bent the entire front of the car (there are no visible increases in gaps between fenders and doors), it shouldn't be a throw-away.

I'd have taken pictures of the damage under the hood, but we couldn't get it open. The impacted area is right where the hood release latch was, and it's jammed now. If we're lucky, the radiator will be the only thing damaged. If we're not lucky, debris could have gotten into the turbocharger. If we're really not lucky, the turbocharger will be damaged and the mechanic won't think to check it, and it'll blow up 5,000 miles down the road and the warranty won't cover it.

but when you got that car, i told you so! "save your money!" heh. 'tis a shame tho about the wreck....

The damage isn't THAT bad. A little duct tape, some nail polish, and some WD40 oughta fix it right up!

http://www.i-club.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=84290

for some reason, bees took over this guys WRX and invaded the engine compartment via the hood scoop.

...as it were, the damage may largely be attributable to the other vehicle's height. Here's yet another article discussing SUVs and safety.

Here's another article, describing the inherent danger in rear-ending an SUV while driving a normal-sized car.