IMS Retrofit value when selling car

[Burg Boxster]

sorry to hear of your misfortune

Unfortunately, no added value b/c of the unproven [flame suit on] new IMS you elected to have installed. I'd be careful even mentioning it... As Jim/L-Bastard said above, the car is expected to run. Plus, you'd have a helluva tough time getting Porsche to qualify the LN/Flat6 IMS as an acceptable OEM replacement part...

Sounds like you're already in an uphill battle for getting fair value for the car. Remember, just like in car sales, the adjusters are pros who 'value' totaled cars everyday for a living. As such, they want to give you the least amount possible. Based on the weak #s out there for Boxsters in general, you'll have your hands full pushing them for the most $.

Good luck and you may consider hiring a profession arbitrator/agency (if policy allows) to help even the playing field if their initial numbers are grim

[fatmike]

Good luck with your claim, and I hope you get a fair price.


Unfortunately, I don't think pointing out a band-aide on a serious engine design flaw is a positive.


So I had the engine in the car your about to buy torn apart and we put this thing-a-majig in the engine so now it wont grenade like all the other Porsches do...yes, really...trust me...your all good now...


I suspect that Boxster owners will get the best resale where there is no discussion of IMS at all in a sales cycle.





/

[mikefocke]

to an informed buyer? Yes. Few of them and they don't set the prices.

The only way I can think of to profit from your LN IMS upgrade is to sell the engine yourself to someone whose IMS just blew, to that person there would be added value. Otherwise it just becomes a commodity.

When I offered the settlement company the paperwork on my '99 when it was being totaled, they weren't even interested. They were gonna put it up for bid and take their money and run.

[rob76turbo]

I am going to try to find out where they send the car. That way if anyone wants a good 3.2lt S motor with a lot of work done to it....

[seningen]

Originally Posted by rob76turbo

I am going to try to find out where they send the car. That way if anyone wants a good 3.2lt S motor with a lot of work done to it....

Please let me know -- I'd be interested in buying the car for parts.

Mike

Lone Star RPM, LLC
Austin

[Jaxonalden]

Rob,

When you settle with the insurance company ask how much to buy the car back. If it's reasonable you can part it out and possibly make money and a few new friends.

I T-boned a guy after he left turned me in my truck. Truck was totaled (more than 80% of the current value to repair) and I was paid ($5,500) and I turned around and bought my truck back for $500. Still have it and its worth way more than what I paid.

If your engine is in good shape I'm sure someone would like to have a spare sitting around just in case, especially a 3.2.

Good luck.

P.S. I hope it comes up here to Oklahoma Foreign.

[pothole]

I'll give insurance as much grief as the next guy for the efforts they go to regards not paying out or offering lousy settlements. But in this case, I'd have to side with them. Strictly speaking, I would say the benefit of bearing upgrades is unproven. Likewise, one or two isolated examples of a car selling for a bit more than market due to having one fitted should not oblige an insurance company to pay out more.

Don't get me wrong, I certainly believe the bearing upgrade is worthwhile, but when it comes to insurance pay outs, I don't see it as being relevant. I think the bearing upgrade is best viewed as money you pay out to help protect against the cost of engine failure. If you get a little back when you sell it on, great. But I certainly wouldn't expect an insurance company to pay out more on a claim.

[blinkwatt]

Sorry to hear about your wreck. I totaled my first Boxster a Porsche meet(wasn't speeding or nothing).

I wouldn't see how you can justify payout for any value on a IMS retrofit, after all even if your original IMS went and the engine blew...insurance wouldn't play any part in that either.

Can you PM the value that your going to be paid out? Just curious as i have 01' S.

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by fatmike

I don't think pointing out a band-aide on a serious engine design flaw is a positive.

The probability of having your engine self-grenade from an IMS failure is probably a long blink of an eye. The number of IMS upgraded engines that have imploded because of an IMS failure is probably microscopic. Of those who've done the upgrade I've yet to hear of more than one disgruntled Carrera or Boxster owner. A first time Porsche buyer over reacts to the slightest warning. In this day and age with Google and a long list of Porsche forums it will take about 5 minutes for a potential buyer to find out about the IMS issue. Any buyer who has done even a little homework will get hip to it, not pointing it out won't ensure a thing and when the buyer does ask about it you're going to say "yes I have the IMS upgrade". Particulary when the longest threads by number of pages and thus most search hits are for this very subject. Someone familiar with the internet and forums seems to be inline with the typical German sports car buyer. How many times has a potential yet leary buyer logged onto one of these forums asking about RMS and IMS failures? I've lost count. To date, this is the only action you can take for a flawe that could turn your entire investment into vapor by simply turning the ignition key.
The insurance company doesn't give a damn about all this or that you faithfully changed your oil every six months instead of every three years. They'll pay you the same for the engine. The value in an IMS upgrade is the usual value of buying an enthusiast owned and well-maintained car.

[mts]

I know I would pay more for a car that had the IMS procedure done. Of course, I've had a failure so I'm more sensitive to it than most.

On the other hand I'd be very surprised if the insurance company gave you any extra value on it. To them its just a repair.

Good luck with it though and let us know how it turns out.

[rob76turbo]

Well, in the end it was probably worth the 20-30 minutes it took to write the letter to the insurance company. They did not move on the valuation. I will try to find out where it end up. I will also post the pix of the accident once the checks have cleared the bank....

[rob76turbo]

PM me if anyone is thinking of selling. If the car has any track mods....that has more interest to me.

Just missed one of the 2004 550 Sypder specials. Oh well.

Colors / Mods:

Yellow (Duh...)
Red
Silver
Gray
Blue(s)

No White, green, burgundy, black.
Manual trans.

Thanks everyone!

[Perfectlap]

do have pics of the carnage? I'd be curious to see what constitutes a total loss.
You didn't do it a Dario Franchitti end over end did you?