Tom Suddard
Tom Suddard GRM+ Memberand Digital Experience Director
11/20/17 11:01 a.m.
feature_image

Longtime forum member Javelin posted this image this morning, along with the following text:

"One of my neighbors was involved in a hit and run totaling her vehicle in front of her house. Can you help identify the suspect vehicle based on the parts left at the scene?"

Great at identifying cars? Love solving crimes? This is the post for …

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Ed Higginbotham
Ed Higginbotham Associate Editor
11/20/17 11:23 a.m.

Facebook has strong feelings about it being a Pontiac Grand Am.

fidelity101
fidelity101 UltraDork
11/20/17 11:30 a.m.

look on the back of that foglight for a part number or an OEM logo imprinted in the plastic. should help narrow it down. It may be on the lens

Javelin
Javelin GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
11/20/17 11:38 a.m.

Foglight says made in Germany on it. No part numbers on anything left. Car was described as SUV/minivan appearing.

914Driver
914Driver MegaDork
11/20/17 12:59 p.m.

Lens looks familiar, fog looks aftermarket.

16vCorey
16vCorey PowerDork
11/20/17 1:25 p.m.

I posted on the facebook thread, but it looks to me like the fog and turn signal diffuser from a BMW X3.

 

DjGreggieP
DjGreggieP Reader
11/20/17 1:59 p.m.

Mentioned it on the other thread, but possibly Nissan Juke?

 

Chris_V
Chris_V UberDork
11/20/17 2:01 p.m.

Not even close, unfortunately. I'm still looking though.

mad_machine
mad_machine GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
11/20/17 2:40 p.m.

whatever it was, it was older. Look at the haze on the plastic.

Driven5
Driven5 SuperDork
11/20/17 3:01 p.m.
Javelin said:

Car was described as SUV/minivan appearing.

How did they come to this conclusion?  Did they actually get a good clear look at the vehicle silhouette, or did they just see some tail lights disappearing from view and their mind filled in the blanks?

GTXVette
GTXVette Dork
11/20/17 3:02 p.m.

 

 This is a Job for Woody.

Mr. Lee
Mr. Lee GRM+ Memberand UberDork
11/20/17 3:02 p.m.

No part numbers on the diffuser?

 

fasted58
fasted58 MegaDork
11/20/17 3:11 p.m.

I don't have anything to add but maybe a walk through a salvage yard would help. Or, show the pic or pieces to the yard man.

and put the word out there for someone looking for repair parts

Jere
Jere Dork
11/20/17 6:26 p.m.

That fog/reverse light is certainly factory. It looks Chrysler (maybe Kia) to me... What years did the Daimler Chrysler Benz thing first happen? That might explain the minivan and the German build

 

Can impact locations on the vehicles be verified? Also was the round lens exposed to the elements or did the wavy plastic piece cover it?

Knurled.
Knurled. GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
11/20/17 7:31 p.m.

Appears kinda Korean to me.  No numbers on the lens?

mad_machine
mad_machine GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
11/20/17 7:34 p.m.

my feelings are: it is an older, early 2000s ish vehicle to judge by the hazing on the plastic. It also has separate side markers from the headlights, as there is no orange reflector in the mess. I am betting the curved piece is turn signal lens that would have been behind the clear plastic of the headlight itself. The Plastic reminds me of the Koreans, but other makers might have used it too.

So basically an early to mid 2000s vehicle with turn signals integrated into the headlights with a separate side marker. Who else besides Hyundai/Kia uses gray plastic for the housings?

RossD
RossD MegaDork
11/20/17 7:40 p.m.
16vCorey said:

I posted on the facebook thread, but it looks to me like the fog and turn signal diffuser from a BMW X3.

 

This.

Javelin
Javelin GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
11/20/17 8:56 p.m.

You guys solved it in the main thread, Kia Rondo! Thanks again!

djsilver
djsilver Reader
11/20/17 8:57 p.m.

The turn signal cover in the first picture has two sharp corners and one rounded.  The X3 appears to have 3 sharp corners.

AWSX1686
AWSX1686 GRM+ Memberand Dork
11/21/17 7:33 a.m.
mad_machine said:

whatever it was, it was older. Look at the haze on the plastic.

Not necessarily. My co-worker's 2013 Subaru already has fogged up headlights. Depends on your definition of older I suppose.  

Baylis
Baylis Reader
11/21/17 8:48 a.m.

I have no idea what this is, but as a yong folk, may I suggest reddit. They are oddly good at this kind of thing (and gets a lot of eyes on it).

https://www.reddit.com/r/RBI/ (probably your best bet)

You could also try:

https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Whatisthis/

Food for thought. Hope you figure it out!

2002colossalfailure
2002colossalfailure Reader
11/21/17 11:46 a.m.

Looks like a Grand Prix to me.

WildScotsRacingCampbellCougarSeed
WildScotsRacingCampbellCougarSeed Dork
11/21/17 11:50 a.m.

This has been solved in the Off Topic investigation.

Driven5
Driven5 SuperDork
11/21/17 11:54 a.m.
Baylis said:

I have no idea what this is, but as a yong folk, may I suggest reddit. They are oddly good at this kind of thing (and gets a lot of eyes on it).

https://www.reddit.com/r/RBI/ (probably your best bet)

You could also try:

https://www.reddit.com/r/whatisthisthing/

https://www.reddit.com/r/Whatisthis/

Food for thought. Hope you figure it out!

Reddit is for amateurs...The professionals use GRM.wink

Javelin said:

You guys solved it in the main thread, Kia Rondo! Thanks again!

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