Got in an accident today, need advice

Fahrvergnuugen · 06:58 AM

I'll just quote from the post I made to my blog:

Quote:

So I'm driving to work this morning and some TOTAL **** FACE in a dodge caravan decides to smash my 911.

I was on route 5, which is a 4 lane road with a turning lane down the center, headed towards scotia. I was in the left lane headed east doing no more than 45 mph as I was slowing down for the traffic light at an upcoming intersection. Traffic in the right hand lane was backed way up as there were lots of people trying to make a right hand turn at the light. Someone stopped and left a break in the line of cars so people could pull in and out of a gas station. The ******* was headed west and decided to make a left turn right in front of me into the gas station.

Well, the road was a little wet and pretty cold. There was lots of traffic headed west which left me with no options. I did the best I could to stop but it just wasn't gonna happen. I smashed his piece of **** dodge caravan right square in the side.

About an hour later the cops show up. They fill out a report but didn't give the guy a ticket. The report does say though that he failed to yield the right of way.

The car was perfect. Not a single flaw anywhere. And now its ****ed. I'm so sick, I can't even think about it any more.

p.s. I wish this was an april fools joke.

Sorry for the colorful language, but I'm sure you can understand.

I live in upstate new york, near Albany, Saratoga. There is a body shop around the corner from where I live that I have heard nothing but good things about. He is not a Porsche expert, but he does a lot of amazing body work on hot rods and show cars. He also fixes new vehicles. My friend's frontier was very badly damaged in an accident where it got T Boned at about 50mph. I thought it was totaled, but insurance wanted to fix.... Ken put it back together and it is PERFECT.

Anyway, should I bring the car to him? Or should i find someone who specifically deals with Porsches. I want it to be PERFECT, just the way it was before it got smashed

Wil Ferch · 04-01-2005, 06:59 AM

You would think someone who has dealt with your specific model car is to be preferred...all else equal.....

Pretend you're reading your own post as new reader.....what would you suggest ???

Wil

DW SD · 04-01-2005, 07:02 AM

Ask Ken if he can do it and if the results would meet your expectations. If he is a perfectionist, I'm sure he knows his limitations. Ask through PP or PCA for referals to Porsche bodymen out your way for a second opinion.

Sorry to hear of your bad news.

Good luck,

Doug

dickster · 04-01-2005, 07:08 AM

i feel for you but don't fret, ***** happens.

personally i would give it to the guy - a good body guy will be good whatever the car.

Fahrvergnuugen · 04-01-2005, 07:22 AM

He's going to come over to my house tomorrow morning and take a look at it. He IS a perfectionist and I'll explain to him that I want it absolutely perfect. We'll take it from there....

Next, where's the best place to buy OEM Fenders / bumpers etc?

Zeke · 04-01-2005, 07:24 AM

If he has a good frame machine and has the jigs for Porsche along with the necessary specs (easier to come by than the jigs), I think you are able to let him do the work with confidence. Contact Series900 (Damon) for expert advice on any dubious aspects. He is on your side of the country up north a bit.

Cars that have been hit often have slight tweakage to the tub. This is not to be alarming as they can be pulled straight relatively easy with the proper equipment. My source on these matters is my B-in-law who has been doing bodywork for 30 years, mostly on high end imports including scores of 911s.

kqw · 08:14 AM

Well sounds like he's/she is at fault therefore your insurance company should take the ball and make it as painless for you as possible.

Having the body shop know the car is essential as you have several things under that fender depending on what year your car is:

Oil cooler & Fan
Front condensor
Oil lines
horns
Struts, calipers, "A" arms
torsion bars
Wheel (fuch) and tire
Full alignment
hood
door jam
hood latch
Head light washer, resevoir and lines
Relays under the cowl
etc, etc.

A shop that KNOWS the 911 would look at all possibilities of damage.

In other words, when repairing a 911 it should not be a learn as you go process....

Not everyone that "says" they can do it.....actually can. What do you expect him to say when you ask him if he can fix it? "No I cannot" and pass $$$$$$ of repair revenue?

Get in touch with your mechanic and have them assess all possibilities of damage resulting from such a collision. In fact....I would have my mechanic take the lead on repairs in conjunction with Ken doing the cosmetic/body work.

Oh and by the way....ask the body shop for a little of the remaining paint used to do your car. Use this for touch up paint for future nicks and stones etc.

my $0.02

Driver8 · 04-01-2005, 08:50 AM

Fahrvergnuugen,

Sorry to hear about your car. May I recommend a great shop in Schenectady. Walter's Auto Body does a lot of Porsches and exotics. They do excellent work and are very knowledgeable about Porsches. It is worth letting him take a look at it and giving you an estimate.

Walter's Auto Body
1305 Crane Street
Schenectady, NY 12303
518-382-7841

A

Dan Owens · 04-01-2005, 08:58 AM

Don't forget the diminished value aspect of this situation. The car can be fixed properly but it will still have been in an accident and you've lost value as a result. Don't let them off the hook on that part of the claim.

Zeke · 04-01-2005, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by kqw

Not everyone that "says" they can do it.....actually can. What do you expect him to say when you ask him if he can fix it? "No I cannot" and pass $$$$$$ of repair revenue?

my $0.02

I would like to commment about that. If the shop is busy with current work and has any reputation at all, then that's exactly what I'd expect them to say.

Not everyone in this world is as greedy as it seems these days. I still do more than I agree to almost every time I go to work.

The best thing Fahrvergnuugen has done so far is to seek advice, be knowledgeable and prepared for what's about to transpire. That's important in the height of emotion.

Dealing with the other driver's ins co is not usually fun either. They just don't see it like you do. My b-in-law (the bodyman) hassles every week over money for proper repairs. Often, the adjuster visits the car in question a second time and even a third as it's being disassembled for repairs at my b-in-law's request in the fight for enough money to attend to the car as needed for top flight work.

I think my b-in-law does more than promised each day, too. In fact, I know he does. Trouble is, he's out in the shop, inaccessable to the public. His boss is a first class a-hole. So, you don't know which stall your car is going to be fixed in. The hot rod guy sounds like a good possibility in that he doesn't sound like a huge commercial enterprise.

Again, it boils down to the facilities. In some cases, frame work can be done at one place and finishing. painting and assembly done at another. I would look into that scenario as well.

Dan O., I have never seen anyone recover any money for that. Have you?

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

Time to track the car. Let the mods begin!

kqw · 04-01-2005, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Zeke
I would like to commment about that. If the shop is busy with current work and has any reputation at all, then that's exactly what I'd expect them to say.

Milt...I understand your comments but...I've seen shops that say they can repair any car from Fords to Ferrari's...

As you know, repairing a car involves more than just making the paint and body work look good.

Would you take your car to an independent repair shop that occasionally see's a P-Car? Seeing your posts, you do better job yourself.

It simple to me..If the shop does not know the Marque, they will not know the nuances associated to proper diagnostics and repair. Yes, the paint will look good but that's half the repair.

Certain manufacturers "certify" repair facilities around the country for a reason. For example; Karrasorie in PA only deals with Exotics and there is a reason. You smack your Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Rolls, Bently, Lotus, Porsche you should not go down the street to neighborhood body shop.

djmcmath · 04-01-2005, 11:00 AM

This sort of thing is very emotional -- believe me, I know. Don't make any hard and fast decisions for at least a couple of days. The pain of it needs to wear off before you can really think clearly.

Once you're back on your feet again, having had your precious baby damaged, you can be the shark with the other guy's insurance company. Challenge everything. Ensure your friend is extra conservative on the repair costs -- getting the front end perfectly straight is really critical to proper handling, and there are a surprising number of expensive parts in that fender. Don't let them off easy on anything.

Good luck.

Dan

Dan Owens · 04-01-2005, 11:17 AM

Milt,

Yes I have seen it paid. I had the same thing happen to me and was able to recoup diminished value as my car was pristine prior to the occurence. I had to get a appraisal done to establish that the value of the car would still suffer even after being repaired properly. Insurance compaines don't like to pay it and will argue it but they have an obligation to make you whole again, not just fund a repair. It is a balancing act though as the calculation for totaling the car may also have this payment included in the formula. This is where a high quality shop is very handy as they can assist in the process.

Zeke · 04-01-2005, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by kqw
Milt...I understand your comments but...I've seen shops that say they can repair any car from Fords to Ferrari's...

As you know, repairing a car involves more than just making the paint and body work look good.

Would you take your car to an independent repair shop that occasionally see's a P-Car? Seeing your posts, you do better job yourself.

Re: Paint and bodywork. thanks for the compliment, but the paint and body work is what is universal for the most part. That's why I do it, because I have been doing it to all kids of cars for years. And that's why I mentioned Damon and the proper equipment even if it means two shops working on the same car (it's been done before).

Dan, you say you've seen the diminished value compensated. Boy, that's a new one on me. I've seen the value of upgrades and recent repairs compensated and I got some of it once, but for an ins co to write a check to the owner after the bodyshop bill is paid is something I've never heard of.

Jim Garfield · 04-01-2005, 03:47 PM

I'm with Milt in recommending Damon. He's not that far from you, at the base of Mt Sunapee in NH. He has Cellete(sp?) machines and all of the jigs to do 911s. The 2 cars that I have seen that he worked on were flawless.

Fahrvergnuugen · 09:02 AM

Thanks for all of the advice, you all have been very helpful.

When I originally made this post, I didn't know much about Ken's Auto Body, except that he did amazing work. A few of my fathers friends know him and thats how I knew he even existed.

After talking with Ken and learning his history, I have decided to let him fix the car. Saturday he drove over to my house to look at the damage and then about an hour later we took the car to his shop. My father and I then spent the next 2 hours just talking with him.

He's retired now, and build the shop just for "his projects" - mostly late 50's early 60's Vettes - some worth well over $100k. He also has a select few customers that he works with. This is not a shop thats run to make money and pay the bills. This is a shop thats run out of his pure love for repairing and restoring sports cars.

He has been in the business his whole life as his whole family (father and brothers) all have owned and operated body shops. Ken has fixed a number of Ferraris including an F40 that had the rear smashed into a wall at Lime Rock. He has also fixed a number for Porsches, Lamborghinis and other exotics - at one point he worked in a shop that only fixed exotic cars.

He was very impressed with the quality of the body work thats been done to my car (its been converted to a Carrera Widebody and been completely repainted). He was very impressed with the quality of the paint job and explained to me that because the paint isnt' clear coated, its much harder to work with. "Whoever did this work knew what they were doing" he said, "This is a world class job." He managed to make me feel great and horrible at the same time.

He knew the name of the color "Gaurds Red" and that the car had been converted to a widebody (since the 82 didnt come from the factory this way) This told me right off the bat that he knows about Porsches.

I know a number of you expressed concerns about mechanical problems - a very valid point. After looking things over we've determined that there is no mechanical damage at all. The oil cooler is fine, the control arm / suspension / etc are all fine.

I am however very concerned with the diminished value of the car. I insurance adjuster is supposed to call me on monday so hopefully they can address my concerns.

Now the hunt for parts begins. I've always liked the look of the CTR Yellowbird - I'm trying to find information to see if those bumpers are available from RUF for a widebody car, as the CTR was based on narrow SC. I need to figure out stock parts their bumper conversion requires since I now have to replace everything.

Well, thats it for now, I guess I'll post updates as progress is made.