Front end damage - thoughts on drive-ability
 

Hey all, yesterday my car was hit head on at low speed while I was stationary in a parking garage. Luckily it was at low speed and no one was hurt, but the front bumper was scratched and cut into in a number of spots, the front license plate got dented in and knocked off, and the driver's side headlight was shattered. Pictures below:

It was clearly at the fault of the other driver so insurance will cover it, and I've identified a few body shops to get estimates from. But I wanted to ask the community if you all think there is any reason to not drive the car to the body shop. Of course I wouldn't do that at night (haven't turned on the headlights and don't plan on doing so), but wasn't sure if there was anything else to be concerned about (front radiators, etc.). Here are some pictures:
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e3...7/IMG_2101.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e3...7/IMG_2102.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e3...7/IMG_2103.jpg

As long as it doesn't pull hard from alignment issues then drive it no problem.

Never mind. Radiators not even effected.

ETA...sorry for your loss....:(

You should be okay to drive it, but I would avoid the freeway out of an abundance of caution. It looks relatively minor, but will be shocking expensive to repair. Litronics are not cheap, and make sure they check the headlight tray, headlight washer, and bracing around the front radiator.

Thanks all. Any recommendations for things to keep in mind when going to the body shop (paint questions, etc.)? This will be my first time getting a car fixed at a body shop.

Hi,

the question is how it looks behind the bumper. There are radiators, hoses, electric cables, connections… The bumper itself is very flexible, so there can be a bigger damage behind.

Also they have to check if all mounts and fasterners are OK. Maybe some are broken.

Color looks like non metallic black. That is relatively easy to paint.

Looks like there are scratches on the hood. So it should be checked if the hood is OK. Please note that the hood is zinc coated. So if the scratch is below the coating this isn't an easy fix if it should be done properly.

Regards from Germany
Markus

Sorry to hear of this! Unless it pulls like crazy or is leaking coolant, it should be ok to drive.

And while it looks like the damage isn't too bad, the repair costs will add up $$$$ very quickly!

It hurts seeing this to any boxster, sorry to hear:(
Hope all goes well at the paint shop and downtime won't be too long.
Would love to see pictures when the box is back on the road, hopefully real soon!
:cheers:

I, too, was hit in the front by a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Coincidence? I think not! ;)

Hope you get it all back to normal soon.

Because replacing one headlight made my car look dumb as hell with the other faded, the insurance company replaced both lights when I showed them and I was super pleased. I insisted but not demand.

make sure to check the radiators and parts etc, my moms 06 boxster was in a front accent similar was repaired before she bought it a year later and the car was over heating, ( the fan computer was damaged in the impact )

Get lots of pictures once the bumper is disassembled so you can show that the damage was superficial when you go to sell the car. Make sure the bumper is removed and the bar behind it is good and the shock absorbing structure behind the bar hasn't been damaged.

Find a shop with Porsche body experience. Don't just let the insurance company pick. Mumble diminished value and insist on the best repair. Sad, the car looks great.

Thanks all, I just put the claim through and the other driver submitted an official report admitting 100% of fault, so hopefully it'll be smooth sailing from here on out.

Unfortunately the body shop has a packed schedule so won't be able to get to it until the 25th, but I'm going to stick with that schedule because 1) I don't depend on the car, so can go without driving it at night for that long, and 2) this shop was recommended by the local Porsche dealership, so I'd prefer to go through them for their reputed workmanship.

When the time comes, I'll be sure to ask for lots of pictures of damage under the bumper. Thanks again everyone!

Hey all, the car just came back from the shop and is better than ever! The replacement headlight was clearer than the old passenger's side headlight, so they polished both to match and the yellow-ish faded look is gone.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e3...7/IMG_2189.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e3...7/IMG_2190.jpg

The total cost of repairs was $4800 and the other person's insurance covered it after she admitted full fault.

Thanks for everyone's advice!

Good for you. Car looks great.

Congratulations, good as new! Glad to see that you're back on the road.

And as I said in my earlier post, its amazing how easy a "fender bender" can cost almost $5,000 to repair.