My Babby=Wrecked

liljon's924S · 09-25-2006, 04:51 PM

For the past year I've had about the worst luck possible, and it just got worse. Today while leaving school I was following this girl in a '02 Dodge Neon when she just pulls over, no signals no nothing. So I start to go around like any normal person would do and guess what she does? She tries a U-turn(also no signals) but didn't get to far. The 924s' steel stoped her pretty fast, especially the neons plastic bumper. She put a good dent into the front passenger side of my car and I just about flipped out! Thankfully I had 2 friends as witnesses and the cop that decided that it was her fault so she couldn't deny it. I drove it home but it rubs the tire on turns, so I'll have to take it to the nearest porsche dealership to get fixed at her expense. Also I'm wondering-Do you guys know if an insurance company will classify this as totaled? Hears some pics...

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

Check the other side where the bumper meets the fender. Bet the bumper shocks and their chassis mountings got bent. I would guess about $2,200 in costs. Most any decent body shop can take the fender off, straighten the brackets and put a new fender on. Does not have to be a Porsche dealer. Your or her insurance company will want you to use theirs.

liljon's924S · 09-25-2006, 05:31 PM

Well I think she has Erie insurance that accepts that dealership so if that is the case, I'll be going there just so it's done right and I also know some of the service people. The hood is damaged a little and pushed to the side- will this be replaced?front valence? just wondering

Techno Duck · Techno Duck's Garage

Does the passenger door close correctly? I would say you got fairly lucky with that and it looks to be all sheet metal of the fender, thats it. Replace the fender and you can probably have the metal on the hood fixed. You are also very lucky that the headlight buckets look to be unhit, those are a HUGE pain in the ass to fix correctly.

EMBPilot · EMBPilot's Garage

wow! that sucks! you know what happend to my old 924? some chick ran a stop sign and killed it forever..

she "didnt see me". I think one of the most challenging parts about driving a 924/944 is that its so easy to get into "driving" and tune out those around you, but you really have to drive the car like no one around sees you, and they all intend to drive into your baby. our cars are like magnets for morons to hit. it sucks

sorry about your car

keep us posted, at least she was found at fault.

CJFusco · CJFusco's Garage

I would definitely open and close all the doors and hatches to make sure that all the gaps aren't misaligned now. Sorry to hear about it, but it's just a car and can be fixed. It's just a good thing no one was hurt.

Brando · Brando's Garage

Sorry to hear your 924 was hit.

It looks mainly superficial, and replacement front fenders can be had for less than a few hundred dollars. Don't let your insurance company try to total it! The damage is repairable, and affordable at that. Make sure they do it right, match the paint correctly, etc.

NKN84944 · 09-25-2006, 07:48 PM

Wow that is a sad sight, but at least you are alright and your car isn't too badly damaged. chitown944 was hit almost the same way at the beginning of may, but his driver took off here is the post
At least the person responsible in your case will have to eat up the price of fixing up your baby. Hope the body damage isn't more extensive than it appears and she will be like new again soon.

Eldorado · 09-25-2006, 08:51 PM

paint the whole damn car if they cant match the colour... it should be done right.

Schumi · 09-25-2006, 09:06 PM

Sorry to hear the news, I feel sad as a person who owns the exact same year/model/color...

I would flip if this every happened to my car. I would probably use it plus some of the insurance money as an excuse to do some sort of IMSA mod. Unless the insurace doesn't pay all that much. Take it to a dealer and have it done right, I agree.

Zero10 · 09-25-2006, 11:38 PM

If your bumper is still centered on the front end then you are very lucky.
I agree with above, you will most likely find that the bumper is pushed towards the driver's side. If this is the case then it has definately bent the mounts for the bumper shocks which can take some time to get nice and straight again.
Expect to replace the fender, both bumper shocks and the wheel well liner (if equipped, don't know for sure), and repaint the bumper and your new fender.
The headlight alignment looks good which is a good start. Check the gap at the rear of the fender and along the hood. If it is straight there then there should be very little (aside from the bumper shock mounts) hidden damage.

924Sman · 09-25-2006, 11:57 PM

Sad news about your car good to see it was not worse.
Just because the car is taken to a dealer does not mean the Insurance company will pay the cost. They are going to ask for the lowest quote. You may end up paying the extra. Just a consideration.

Dal

liljon's924S · 09-26-2006, 01:13 PM

Here's some more pics...

The bumper is about 1/4" higher on the drivers side than the passenger, also the valence is bent and the hood has a one large gash in it where her bumper went on top of my car. Also how much would it cost to repaint the front end(valence,header panel, light covers, and bumper) if I decide to do that?

924Sman · 09-26-2006, 01:46 PM

I can't believe the trim molding remained intact! Half of mine is missing, plain fell off, either that or I was going too fast.

Dal

Techno Duck · Techno Duck's Garage

Take the bumper off, its easy to do. This will give you an idea if there is any damage to the frame rails, which is where those bumper shocks mount to. The bolts that hold the bumper to the shock are pretty beefy so i doubt those broke or snapped, i would assume it ripped the 13mm bolts out of the threads or through the shock body.

Cost of repainting the front end is hard to say, it depends on your area and who you goto. But for a pretty decent job, i have been quoted at roughly $400 a panel to repaint in Guards Red. What i mean by 'panel' is a fender, a hood..etc. Your nose panel for example wouldnt cost as much.

liljon's924S · 09-26-2006, 02:30 PM

I don't think I can because doesn't an insurance adjuster have to look at the damage before it is tampered with? I probably wont anyway. Also I called the girl's insurance company after not hearing from them today, the girl filed the claim but her insurance person "nicely" didn't contact me before they left early.

Eldorado · 09-26-2006, 03:12 PM

take as many frickin' pictures as you can... under side, over side.. everything...

DeanCorleone · 08:00 PM

You can only get that money once - so make sure you get it back to A+ condition. Aim to get the whole thing repainted! No joking but it should be restored to before hit condition, and don't take any other condition otherwise, wasn't your fault.

Also yeah mostly a adjustor / claim personel will have to take a look at the car to decide the condition before a repairshop is contacted / things are worked out. You also can have a autobody shop give a repair order price, but don't have to have them repair it - make sure the pricing is free, and you can walk away with the money in your pocket / do the repairs yourself.. (not always suggested.) You'll most likely have to front a deductable also before anything is done (most the time around 500 dollars, which you get back if its not your fault.) Most the time YOUR insurance company will come out to check out the car, I've never really heard of both coming to look. The company at fault will drag their feet try to not let them *Nod*

Along time ago someone backed into me doing around 15 MPH - a wideload truck was driving down a regular 2 way road coming at us, old person in the truck infront of me was scared he was going to die due to his old vision, and his inability to drive. I wasn't able to line the car up for reverse fast enough (hard to get into reverse, not my 944 a older car I used to have) - due to how fast he floored it in reverse... and he killed the front end of my car. I had to pay a 500 dollar deductable, had a adjustor come out, had a autoshop issue a free repair order estiment and I took the car back stating I would be doing the work myself. I was issued 5600 dollars in the form of a check from the insurance company... repaired my car for around 2000.

P.S. - For the most part you DO NOT WANT TO CHANGE THE CONDITION OF THE CAR. Alot of people damaged their cars even more to get extra money, so them suspecting you've been fooling with it is not a good thing. -

liljon's924S · 09-27-2006, 12:51 PM

I'll have to do some research... maybe doing it myself wound be better?

liljon's924S · 10-04-2006, 02:05 PM

Well a claims adjuster looked at the damage(Dealership quoted $3,200, not shure yet what the adjuster quoted) yesterday and said that the car is totaled...TOTALED! I don't see how the car can be totaled with that little damage even thought they say the cars only worth $3,100. They said it had "roof" damage? How can the roof be damaged in a fender bender? What can I do guys? How do some of you guys get in accidents that are not your fault and turn around in a week and have a new(to you) 944 turbo? They say that they would give me $3,100 minus the salvage cost(Ex. $3,1000-$300?=$2,800). I wish I could sue that girl but I still probably wouldn't get too far I mean what would I sue for anyway? Thanks again guys,
Jon

P.S. Would I get more money parting it out?maybee?