Had an accident and looking for advice on what's broken

[Jasper7821]

My 20yr old baby (986S) that was in near perfect condition has a mishap and looking for advice.
Nothing happened to the paint/body, but it jumped sideways up the curb with only one wheel that didn't do up the curb.

Had it carefully towed home and called the insurance company. I know the repairs are very expensive and trying to figure out what to do. The left rear is where pretty much all the damage is. The hub carrier, track arm, suspension sub frame cross member, axle and other items broke. The manual transmission leaked a bunch of fluid. I can see where it leaked from the inner axle or whatever it's called ripped out of the transmission so the transmission will have to come out too and opened up and repaired or a used one put in.

From the few places I talked to no one really wants to mess with it. The Porsche dealer said they don't really repair anything and only put in new parts and the transmission alone is 15k. Another shop said from the photos it looks pretty extensive and I should just take the insurance money and let them salvage out the car.
Another one said the only way to repair it under the cars value is to do it myself and they suggested buying a whole subframe from a Porsche dismantling company in LA.

Just looking for advice on what I should do. The insurance company is sending an adjuster over and I'm guessing with aftermarket and used parts they're going to say it's probably 10-15k in repairs which is what the car is worth so probably wouldn't qualify to get repaired.

The car was in perfect condition and looked and ran like a show car and needed nothing, It had a brand new top, all new wheel bearings, track arms, sway bar links, rotors/pads, new clutch, IMS, and a bunch of other stuff done. The car was maintained at the dealer almost it's whole life and the prior owner spent over 20k from the dealer. It's my baby and would hate to see it get salvaged.
Just looking for advice.

Also don't know why the photos are so large, I've resized them and they are still huge. And trying to upload more and keeps saying failed.

[PLP]

First question is - what WAS your plan before the incident?
If you were to keep the car forever then my idea could work for you.

Nicely and politely argue with the insurance company to get the most out of it.
Then, buy it back from them and repair yourself.
If the frame is not damaged, but it could be, then the easiest is a transplant.

This is what I would do. I would not care for a salvage title as long as my state allows me to register it and drive it. Also, it is important to know time ahead what about insurance claims on this car once it is REPAIRED and put back on the road.

[Stl-986]

Based on experience and from what you described, insurance will total it out. I see them total these out for just needing a new top.

As for what it will actually cost to repair if you do it yourself, can't say without pictures of the car & underneath it. Could be looking a a minimum of a new tans, axles, wheels, tires, suspension parts, most likely more. Not knowing total miles, year, work history, etc it is pretty impossible to say just from a description of what it is even worth. I have seen value as low as $1100 and higher.

I would set your expectation to be very low and them offer around $9k from your description.

[Jasper7821]

The plan was to keep the car for many years.
The insurance company already knows how much this car means to me and they are working hard with me to get it repaired and not salvaged.
They did say they can possibly just write me a check for whatever the repairs are and I'm free to do what I want and repair it myself. They said the repairs just can't be around 70% of the value, and they're trying to get the value as good ad it can be.
I'm hoping there's no frame damage and I have a photo that shows where something hit the frame and there's a small dent but don't know if anything has happened or not.

Originally Posted by PLP

First question is - what WAS your plan before the incident?
If you were to keep the car forever then my idea could work for you.

Nicely and politely argue with the insurance company to get the most out of it.
Then, buy it back from them and repair yourself.
If the frame is not damaged, but it could be, then the easiest is a transplant.

This is what I would do. I would not care for a salvage title as long as my state allows me to register it and drive it. Also, it is important to know time ahead what about insurance claims on this car once it is REPAIRED and put back on the road.

[Jasper7821]

They're going to try and get me the most for the car and not total it out and write me a check and let me repair it myself. It's a 2001 108k mines and up until about 3 years ago it was taken to the dealer for every little issue it had and dealer receipts totaled little over 20k. And since then it's been in very good hands and everything was done and in perfect condition, the only thing left it needed was a window regulator.
We'll see what happens, I'm not a mechanic and just wondering is I should attempt to repair it.

Originally Posted by Stl-986

Based on experience and from what you described, insurance will total it out. I see them total these out for just needing a new top.

As for what it will actually cost to repair if you do it yourself, can't say without pictures of the car & underneath it. Could be looking a a minimum of a new tans, axles, wheels, tires, suspension parts, most likely more. Not knowing total miles, year, work history, etc it is pretty impossible to say just from a description of what it is even worth. I have seen value as low as $1100 and higher.

I would set your expectation to be very low and them offer around $9k from your description.

[PLP]

Not pretty...
I mean, the paint, the first look - awesome car. I am hoping to get mine in such state one day.

Wheels themselves can come out at 4k.... add tranny (with labor) and you are at 7-10k easily.
All the pieces I see, and my experience with cost on Porsche parts is limited, but suspension itself looks to me like 2-4k job.

Hard to exactly assess. Frame might be tipping point here.
I guess, I would take money and try to repair it. If not, sell it for the shell and engine, assuming it was not damaged during the impact.

[Jasper7821]

Thank You,
my friend found wheels somewhere for I think he said $400ea and I could use 3 on them. Found lots used 6 speed trans for %1,500 and rebuilt ones for $3,500.
The big pieces I see broken I found used about 500-1k or so. I'm sure there's much more when (IF) it starts getting taken apart.
The one shop recommended just putting in a whole (used undamaged) subframe.
I know I can get really good money if I part it out since everything else is in perfect condition. But I only have a 2 car garage and don't have time to be dismantling parts in the few hours I get home from work until I go to bed. That's the same if I repaired it, if it took me a month or so I could deal with that, but I also don't have the tools required to do a major job like that.

Originally Posted by PLP

Not pretty...
I mean, the paint, the first look - awesome car. I am hoping to get mine in such state one day.

Wheels themselves can come out at 4k.... add tranny (with labor) and you are at 7-10k easily.
All the pieces I see, and my experience with cost on Porsche parts is limited, but suspension itself looks to me like 2-4k job.

Hard to exactly assess. Frame might be tipping point here.
I guess, I would take money and try to repair it. If not, sell it for the shell and engine, assuming it was not damaged during the impact.

[Gilles]

Hello Jasper, really sorry for the accident on your car but considering the high mileage and the age I would assume that the insurance will not want to fix it..

However, I would not consider this decision as a death sentence for the car, as most of the suspension components you damaged are easily available used.

The only concern would be the integrity of the gearbox, you will need to remove the damaged components and determine what parts you will be needing and speaking of the gearbox, you will need to find if the dripping fluid was transmission oil or hydraulic fluid (broken slave hose..?)

Take a breath and evaluate what you need, it may be easier to fix than it seems, I walked a couple of times through LA Dismantlers and saw 'bins of suspension parts' everywhere, don't get discouraged, the car looks beautiful and you may be able to save it!

Good luck!

[Stl-986]

yup, that will be totaled. The biggest issue I see from those pictures is the control arm mount. Going to have frame damage looks like. hate to say it, but I'm going to say it will be totaled.

[Jasper7821]

Thank You, the fluid is brand new trans fluid that was changed a few weeks before. Here's where I think it leaked out from. Whatever hold this inside the transmission came off/broke. BUT, looking close at the photo it doesn't look wet on the bottom of the hole, so not totally sure.
If finally let me upload a photo

Originally Posted by Gilles

Hello Jasper, really sorry for the accident on your car but considering the high mileage and the age I would assume that the insurance will not want to fix it..

However, I would not consider this decision as a death sentence for the car, as most of the suspension components you damaged are easily available used.

The only concern would be the integrity of the gearbox, you will need to remove the damaged components and determine what parts you will be needing and speaking of the gearbox, you will need to find if the dripping fluid was transmission oil or hydraulic fluid (broken slave hose..?)

Take a breath and evaluate what you need, it may be easier to fix than it seems, I walked a couple of times through LA Dismantlers and saw 'bins of suspension parts' everywhere, don't get discouraged, the car looks beautiful and you may be able to save it!

Good luck!

[Jasper7821]

It seems to let me add pictures to replies but not my original post.
Here's where I think the hub carrier or something hit the frame, it's got a little dent but could that bend the frame.

Originally Posted by Stl-986

yup, that will be totaled. The biggest issue I see from those pictures is the control arm mount. Going to have frame damage looks like. hate to say it, but I'm going to say it will be totaled.

[Gilles]

Jasper, it seems that the transmission oil that you saw it came when the shaft was pulled from the gearbox, actually does not look bad at all! You want to clean it properly, install an new oil seal and push back the axle into the gearbox when replacing the damaged suspension parts.

Again after you receive the the insurance decision, you will want to remove the broken (and bent) suspensions pieces, would not be surprised if you can get it on the road for not too much money.

Can you still decline the insurance (repair/write off) and fix it by yourself? This way the car will have a clean title..

PS: Why don't you get the car on jack stands, and take several pictures of the damaged suspension components..?

[Jasper7821]

From the drawing it looks like there's a C-clip that hold the flanged shaft (item 15) into either item 5 (differential pinions) or item 1 ( differential housing) so to me it looks like the only way the flanged shaft came out is if something broke off when it was pulled out.

Unfortunately, my agent said as soon as I told him to go forward then it can't be undone. I was thinking about 10k for a shop to repair and he said my insurance would go 2-300 a year for the first year then start going down. So that's why I said go ahead and start the claim.

I bought the Quickjack and was delivered yesterday but I didn't open the boxes cause if it ended up being salvaged, a $1,000 jack was too expensive to change the oil on my later model every day driver.

I have it on a flor jack now, a jack wouldn't fit under the rear so I used the cars jack to lift the front enough so the floor jack would fit under the rear.

Here's a link to more photos since I'm having such a hard time uploading them here.
Scroll to the end is where the damage photos are.
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Atil9WC21-BZ3zcz-qUt01dIh_gB?e=A7hRru

Originally Posted by Gilles

Jasper, it seems that the transmission oil that you saw it came when the shaft was pulled from the gearbox, actually does not look bad at all! You want to clean it properly, install an new oil seal and push back the axle into the gearbox when replacing the damaged suspension parts.

Again after you receive the the insurance decision, you will want to remove the broken (and bent) suspensions pieces, would not be surprised if you can get it on the road for not too much money.

Can you still decline the insurance (repair/write off) and fix it by yourself? This way the car will have a clean title..

PS: Why don't you get the car on jack stands, and take several pictures of the damaged suspension components..?

[mikefocke]

Sad for you. Insurers don't value sentiment or history. And sadly your car is not worth fixing to them. Been there done that, bought another one.

I thought mine would be $3k. It was $26k when they stopped counting and mine ran and drove. Insurers explained that once the estimate went over the value of an equivalent car, they would pay me off and ship the carcass to a savage and not have to worry about any future liability. Business decision.

[Gilles]

[QUOTE=Jasper7821;636029]From the drawing it looks like there's a C-clip that hold the flanged shaft (item 15) into either item 5 (differential pinions) or item 1 ( differential housing) so to me it looks like the only way the flanged shaft came out is if something broke off when it was pulled out.

The circlip will snap off when you remove the shaft, simply reposition the clip and push the shaft back into the gearbox.. (yes, that simple..) Just clean the shaft properly and install a new oil seal..

Once you get the pictures for the broken/bent parts we can help you with a more educated guideline, take one step at the time, (so far) I don't see it as a deal breaker..

[Jasper7821]

Holy cow, 26k and thought it would be 3k, ya seems that's how the insurance companies are. I do think I have a really nice claims person and they know how much I love my car and they're trying to work with me. We'll see what happens.

Originally Posted by mikefocke

Sad for you. Insurers don't value sentiment or history. And sadly your car is not worth fixing to them. Been there done that, bought another one.

I thought mine would be $3k. It was $26k when they stopped counting and mine ran and drove. Insurers explained that once the estimate went over the value of an equivalent car, they would pay me off and ship the carcass to a savage and not have to worry about any future liability. Business decision.

[Jasper7821]

It would be awesome if that's all it is, I not seeing it. what the C clip rest against. If the slot for it is on the outer side of the splines on the flanged shaft I ca see how maybe the flanges shaft is just pushed into the transmission supported by (#13) radial shaft seal. I don't see what the C lip is used for if it sits on the outside of the splines.
If it sits on the inside of the splines, then wouldn't it rest up against the (#5) thrust washer of the (#11) differential pinion and if so, how would the clip stay closed until it made it past the pinion.
And if the clip did come off/break inside the transmission, how would I remove it.


[QUOTE=Gilles;636034]

Originally Posted by Jasper7821

From the drawing it looks like there's a C-clip that hold the flanged shaft (item 15) into either item 5 (differential pinions) or item 1 ( differential housing) so to me it looks like the only way the flanged shaft came out is if something broke off when it was pulled out.

The circlip will snap off when you remove the shaft, simply reposition the clip and push the shaft back into the gearbox.. (yes, that simple..) Just clean the shaft properly and install a new oil seal..

Once you get the pictures for the broken/bent parts we can help you with a more educated guideline, take one step at the time, (so far) I don't see it as a deal breaker..

[Gilles]

[QUOTE=Jasper7821;636037]It would be awesome if that's all it is, I not seeing it. what the C clip rest against. If the slot for it is on the outer side of the splines on the flanged shaft I ca see how maybe the flanges shaft is just pushed into the transmission supported by (#13) radial shaft seal. I don't see what the C lip is used for if it sits on the outside of the splines.
If it sits on the inside of the splines, then wouldn't it rest up against the (#5) thrust washer of the (#11) differential pinion and if so, how would the clip stay closed until it made it past the pinion.
And if the clip did come off/break inside the transmission, how would I remove it.


The circlip works as a spring, once you get it on it's grove (on part #15) just push it into position and hit it with a brass hammer and will click into place..

[Jasper7821]

Thank You,
I'll try and remove the flanged shaft and hopefully the clip is still there and not in the transmission.

[QUOTE=Gilles;636038]

Originally Posted by Jasper7821

It would be awesome if that's all it is, I not seeing it. what the C clip rest against. If the slot for it is on the outer side of the splines on the flanged shaft I ca see how maybe the flanges shaft is just pushed into the transmission supported by (#13) radial shaft seal. I don't see what the C lip is used for if it sits on the outside of the splines.
If it sits on the inside of the splines, then wouldn't it rest up against the (#5) thrust washer of the (#11) differential pinion and if so, how would the clip stay closed until it made it past the pinion.
And if the clip did come off/break inside the transmission, how would I remove it.




The circlip works as a spring, once you get it on it's grove (on part #15) just push it into position and hit it with a brass hammer and will click into place..

[Stl-986]

I wouldn't touch until until insurance is done with everything and either hand you a check or set you up with a repair shop.