Broken chassis?

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JERI92
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Can anyone help me with this question?

My stepson was driving his girlfriend's car, and "hit a bump and broke the chassis." He claims that it happened because his girlfriend is from upstate NY and either the chassis goes from cold to hot (here in Tenn) and back again, thereby weakening it, or the cold and snow up there caused rusting which made the chassis break when he hit the bump. He claims he had no control over the break, that it could have happened at any time, to anyone. Now, I don't know much about cars but I know a fishy story when I hear one. Does this make logical sense to anyone who knows more about cars than I do?

PS. My stepson knows less than I do about cars. Last year, at age 22, he was asked to bring home our second car. When he got to the car, the battery was dead (it made a clicking sound when he tried to start it up); he looked at the jumper cables in the back seat, didn't know what to do, and left the car where it was. Even I can figure out the red clip goes on the red button, etc.

Thanks for any answers,
Jeri92
Jun 4, 2007 at 8:57 PM
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2CARPRO JACK
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What kind of car? What year? I havent seen a bump that could break a chassis before, but you never know. Who told him the chassis was broken? Are you sure it didnt break something in the suspension (more likely)
Jun 5, 2007 at 8:04 AM
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JERI92
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Hi

Thank you for your reply, and sorry for the delay in responding.

The car is a Saturn, about 1995, Ben thinks. He is sticking to his story--that hitting a small bump broke the chassis and totaled the car, because it was rusted underneath because the car is "from up north." I lived for many years in Detroit and have never heard of anything like this. I asked if perhaps it wasn't the suspension, an axel, or a tie-rod, he says no, it was the chassis. *sigh* I won't be loaning him my car anytime soon. He must have hit the bump--or maybe an elephant--at 200 miles an hour.

Thanks again.
Jun 15, 2007 at 2:49 PM
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