Oops... How much is this going to cost me?
 

http://www.fuqua2003.com/crash.jpg

Ok, this little post just appeared out of nowhere... :o

It appears there's no internal damage, I was backing up real slow from a parking spot and the post was just low enough not to be visible... probably strategically placed there by a body shop...

The plastic is seriously bent though and has some creases in it that won't pop back. Luckily the light unit wasn't damaged at all - missed it by a hair. So there are 2 options I guess...

a) popping the plastic back once the exhaust has cooled down and live with an ugly backend
b) having the rear end plastic piece replaced

The question I guess is should I even attempt option a) myself? And how much should I expect b) to cost? Should I have a Porsche dealer do it? (they've been great to me so far)


:(

Change the entire bumper cover...total cost with paint and all your looking about $800

You are definitely NOT fixing that bumper cover. You're gonna need a new one. Your car is an '05, so it'll be a little tougher to come by a used one. You might check with Los Angeles Porsche Dismantlers. If they have one for the 987 it should be about $400-$500. Figure on another $400-$500 for paint and R&R. Tough break. :(

Oranje, it pains me just to look. Sorry about your run-in.

Unfortunately, I think you're looking at a bit more. It's called a bumper cover for a reason - it covers your actual bumper. While it's impossible to tell from the picture, it looks like you did impact the underlying bumper. If so, you're going to need to replace that as well.

However, there is a bright side to all this, you can replace it with a nice diffuser cover.

Attaching the bumper cover is certainly something you can do yourself. However, I'd definately have an estimate done to make sure you don't have the underlying bumper problem - if so, you need to let a professional do it. I'd also be concerned about alignment.

You can let a Porsche dealer do it - but realize that they generally don't actually paint. They typically farm that out. As such, you'll probably pay a premium. I'd find a shop that specializes in high end cars, preferably German.

Cheap parts?
 

Anyone have a favorite place for parts? My dealer here quoted me $682 for the rear bumper cover on a 2005 987.

Thanks

Hey Deenverpete, that's a great suggestion, but I don't think they offer a rear bumper with a diffuser for the 987 yet. Maybe someday soon. :)

The diffuser looks great on the Boxster.

Oranje, check with some of our site sponsors like www.986online.com or other discounters like:

www.sunsetporsche.com or www.suncoastporsche.com.

I did see this at Suncoast. Pretty nice looking. Granted, it's more than just a bumper but it has probably the only after market spoiler I've seen that I like.

Nice....

987 aero kit

don't mess with perfection
 

I like the Boxster's a**, so there's no way I want to make it look more masculine with diffusers and spoilers.

No need to mess with perfection! Especially if it costs $3,500+ :)

Thanks for all the suggestions though!

I'm taking it to a local P-club meet here this evening - so I'm sure there'll be tons of advice as well.

uhhh...try $4,250!!!! Ouch! But, that's the whole kit. :)

Next step
 

To claim, or not to claim. That is the question.

So I had my little run in with the pole... so this is an "at fault" insurance claim. I'm with GEICO and have been with them for about 3 years or so and currently pay about $650 per 6 months, for comprehensive with a $500 deductable.

I took the car in for a quote today, and assuming no additional internal damage, they expect the total bill to come to $1,500. (the tail light was cracked in the end as well...)

My big question is... what increase in insurance premium to expect when renewal comes around? And when will I be back at the current level? Considering the deductable, the difference in cost to me for claiming or not claiming is $1,000.

I asked GEICO, but they claim ignorance and say they cannot predict if, and by how much the premium would increase.

Any experience??????

Quite a predicament. If GEICO can't or won't tell you if your premiums will go up, you must assume that they will. Some insurers give you a "freebie" every so many years. If that was the case, they would have said so (or it would be in your policy). So, with a $500.00 deductable you probably should pay for it yourself.

There's another downside here - Hopefully GEICO or the person you talked to didn't record this. I know it's strange, but they can and will actually raise your rates for an accident even if you don't claim it (provided they find out about it). Even asking a question about water damage to a house can raise your rates. Hell, just thinking about making a claim causes them to go up. Okay, I made the last one up - but it wouldn't surprise me.....

1) Don't rule out the possibility that the repair bill will be greater than the $1500 estimate.

2) If they raise the rates too much, take your business somewhere else. If you have an otherwise good record I'm sure another company will be happy to pick up a customer.