The day came...She's wrecked. - Page 2 - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

AtlantaBoxster · 12-12-2005, 01:14 PM

Sorry to hear about the loss Rail. Think of it this way also, for a few weeks, you won't be driving the car, when you get it back, it will be like getting a new car all over again. Well enough for my poor attempt to make you fell better...

Here's my story.

A few short weeks after going from a Honda for 8 years (with no accidents) to the Porsche, I rear-ended someone. The process to get it repaired was very simple and a few weeks later, I had the car back. The insurance company voluntarily sent me a check to compensate for loss in value.

A whopping $104.93 for $6K worth of damage. hmmmm.... I wonder how they calculate it. I have yet to cash the check and would appreciate advice, especially after reading these posts on how to up that value.

Rail26 · 12-12-2005, 08:29 PM

Tonight was one of the most frustrating nights. I called around to see how much it was going to be to transport my car to Phoenix at the lowest price I came up with 1700 clams. My insurance is not going to pay for the transport. So I went to the U haul to rent a car trailor and found out my 4 runner is way too small to pull it. So I borrowed my friends suburban to take it to Phoenix and spent an hour trying to get the car on the trailor. First of all, there is no place to hook the safety chains so that didn't really work out. Secondly, the front tires cannot go all the way to the front of the trailor because the lip is too high and it catches the air dam underneath the car. So I had to put the front tires on 2X4s to get the tires high enough, well that made the car unstable to lateral loads so I ended up taking the car off the trailor and am going to have the adjustor come out and take a look at it and see if it driveable to Phoenix. I am not leaking any fluids, the fluid levels are normal and I don't really see any structural damage. We will see what the adjuster has to say.

This is a very frustrating experience. Why does this always happen right before the holidays. Thanks for allowing me to gripe...I feel minutely better.

fefyfo · 12-12-2005, 08:32 PM

Maybe I missed something but why would you need to transport it to Phoenix? Seems out of the way for cosmetic repairs.

Rail26 · 12-12-2005, 08:54 PM

The closest dealers are Alburqueqe...4.5 hrs ....Tucson 5 hours....Phoenix 6 hours. Phoenix comes highly recommended. Everyone I have talked to have said to stay away from Alb. and Tucson. Even the guy that towed the car echoed all those negative recommendations. That is why it needs to go to Phoenix...I bought the car while I was in Korea and didn't really think to find out if there was a Porsche dealer in El Paso...ooops.

SD987 · 12-13-2005, 08:16 AM

Rail, did you try conventional car transporters only? I'd think that if you call ten independent tow-truck operators (with a lift not a hook) and said I'll pay you $500 (or even $750 to cover the drivers expenses) to drive my car to Phoenix you wouldn't get someone to bite. That's not a bad day's pay for most people.

bigislandboxster · 12-13-2005, 08:27 AM

It does seem like a lot of money , I was quoted $1300 to ship a car from LA to NJ.

Sounds about right, I'm paying a little less than $1000 from LA to the Chicagoland area...

fefyfo · 12-13-2005, 08:37 AM

rail26

I sent you a message.

Biz-z Z · 12-13-2005, 01:55 PM

Rail,

Seems like this is becoming quite a back ache. 1700 bucks is a lot to shell out before actual repairs start.

1) How much damage are we talking about to the Box? Ask your appraiser for a ball park figure if he doesn't have an exact total and what structural damage the Box has sustained and how difficult it will be to correct that. Then you can make an informed decision whether to tow the car 4-5-6 hours away.

2) Ask you insurer if they have a preferred garage they work with in the area that will guarantee repairs.

3) Check with that garage to see if they've repaired Porsches or other fine cars and if they will give you the name of 2-3 customers whose Porsches they have repaired. Maybe you can talk to them, or see their work.

4) Check the high end dealers in your area like BMW, Jag, Mercedes, etc. Find out where they send their expensive cars and inquire there.

There's gotta be someone local and competent enough to get the Box back into excellent shape.

In most instances, loss in resale value is a pipe dream. I'm surprised anyone is able to collect for that, but certainly happy that they have. Loss in resale value would seem to me to be very speculative. If you can get a few more bucks from the liability carrier then that's great. Ultimately, if you and the liability carrier disagree your option is to litigate unless there is some form of mandatory arbitration. Regardless of the venue, you may need an attorney to present your case and an expert to testify to the value lost, both of which will cost money that you may not be able to recover.

Good luck.

Jeph · 12-13-2005, 02:39 PM

There may be no Porsche Dealers in El Paso (which is Spanish for, "The Paso"), but I bet there are plenty of good body shops. It's been my understanding that the dealership isn't always the place to go. I know it's a new model and a lot of repair shops may not have lots of experience with a 987 specifically, but it's what they do. They repair autos.

Do these tow places ask what kind of car it is? I wonder if the price would change if you told them it was a Toyota MR2 or something...

Dr. Kill · 12-13-2005, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeph

There may be no Porsche Dealers in El Paso (which is Spanish for, "The Paso"), ...

That's funny. Thank you, I needed a laugh this evening.

Rail26 · 12-14-2005, 05:37 PM

Car is now in Phoenix getting worked on by people I trust. It is actually being done by a guy who specializes in Porsche. She is sitting between a Ferrari and JAG XKR. At least she will have someone to talk to while they are taking her apart. I asked them to put the S exhaust on instead of the one that it came with. I like the dual barrel look. I know some of you think I should upgrade the exhaust, but I really like the way the 987 sounds now and don't want to change it.

So far they are quoting me a month till she is fixed...the waiting game begins.

Once again, thanks for all the support! Even my wife has been logging on to see what we should do. Thanks from both of us.

12-14-2005, 06:00 PM

Hey Rail26, that's good news.

As for the dual barrel look, get the chrome tip, it is code #XLA ($340 when ordered from the factory). In Tequipment it is part # 987 111 254 01

I think the exhaust in the 987 and 987S are the same????? Just different tips. Could be wrong.

Biz-z Z · 12-14-2005, 06:21 PM

Good luck with the repairs. I'm sure everything will turn out fine. Just keep your eyes off the Ferarri or the Porsche may become history.

Zib

threpwood · 12-14-2005, 11:10 PM

As what fortune cookie said "One bad luck out, 10 good luck to come".

Wish your Porsche a speedy recovery

Rail26 · 12-17-2005, 05:34 AM

I think you are right about the exhaust being the same...just different tip. I drove the 4Runner today and forgot what I was driving for a bit. My wife made us pull over and she drove...I was braking too late, taking turns a little fast for a narrow wheel base SUV and pulled into a couple situations where I needed a lot more acceleration than I had. I wasn't trying to hot rod, I just think my driving style has been forever altered by the Box.