Damaged the underbody (pics)
 

Went to someone's house today where you have to park in the grass next to the road (no curb). Unknown to me there's a row of bricks in one spot, covered a bit in grass, that I didn't see. As I pull out I hear the terrible crunching sound as the bottom of my car dragged across these damn things...

Not sure how bad this is. The underbody is covered in this thick fiberboard-type stuff, and it got ripped off in a big area. Then there's also a flat metal brace of some kind that isn't flat anymore...


http://i54.tinypic.com/2ln7jh4.jpg


This is what the metal brace looks like on the un-damaged side. Flat.
http://i53.tinypic.com/2n865wh.jpg


This is the other one...
http://i55.tinypic.com/2dt2det.jpg

I assume it's not supposed to be wrapped around that other thing like that...

Haven't gotten the car on ramps or anything yet to get a good eye on things and see if anything else is damaged. I would think though that that fiberboard stuff si there for a reason (rust protection?) and should be replaced somehow.

How fast were you driving in the grass?

Just fast enough to pull onto the road, so about 10 mph. The bricks were only like 3 feet from my car

Hey at least its just a cover. Have it replaced. Use insurance if the bill is big. No biggie.

The cover may not matter afterall. In that last pic it looks like the cover ends right there anyhow and just doesn't cover all those parts? (eg the one with the putty/cocking stuff)

Anyone know if that metal brace is supposed to be flat or what it does? I assume it's just to kinda hold up the gas can or whatever that crap is and isn't suspension related or anything? I know squat about cars and I'd never looked under there before since I've only had it for a month

The cover is about $150 for one side. I ran over a board or something (no clue really) and it poked through the fiberglass-like material but didn't damage anything else underneath thankfully. I don't know about the other damage your car suffered. They cost of the fiberglass cover was like $150 and they didn't charge me labor thankfully b/c it was quick for them to replace it.

That black metal brace is part of the underbody structure of your car. I know because I had to remove it to drop my OEM exhaust when I had to remove/drop it (stripped a bolt). Thanksfully, that piece was not "loaded"...in other words, bolt on bolt off. But yes, it was and is definitely flat. Yours has been damaged.

Someone else can chime in here, but I don't think that piece is crucial to suspension. The rear sway bars are separate from those.

I can see how the OP did it:

Some body was parked in my driveway so I pulled into my "along the fence" parking, I saw the tree roots pushing the ground the least amount, and at 2-3 mph started to drag over the roots. pics included. I stopped immediately and caused no harm.

Here is the little ladies Camry parked next to the uneven ground. My old 300ZX never bottomed out here. I am lowered .6 inches.

What's the purpose of these anyways? Protection/ sound deadening is my guess.

Weird! I never noticed that under my car...

Yikes, looks bad! I would not worry so much about the fiber glass cover. But that brace looks mangled. You better go get it checked out asap. Hopefully you didn't bend anything else. Good luck with the repair.

aerodynamics, protection

THIS^

Not sure what the road conidions are like near your area, but those splash shields help keep corrosives (road salt,debris.etc)off the underbody as well. I'm sure the forum vendors here could get you a decent price on the shield(s) if you start looking around and PM'ing.

That's some cheap aerodynamics. But it must work.:tup:

You are lucky your gas tank is intact. That is really a PITA