ACG

What a day. I have been working overseas for 2 years. Dear beloved Fasty sat lonely for almost a year in storage. I returned to Portland yesterday for a one-week visit. It was great with be reunited with my old love. We went out for lunch today and chatted about our past jaunts through the hills and oceanside.

Great lunch ended, and we started hopped onto Interstate-5. Traffice stopped. I was sitting in the left lane for about 15 seconds. Traffic started moving again. I was about to get Fasty's heart purring when I glanced a fast moving white spot in the rear mirror. I immediately let off the brakes instinctively to soften the impact. Kaboom, poor ole Fasty was smuckered in the rear end by an evil Civic.

Fasty hobbled over to the right shoulder. The immediately apologetic culprit driver hobbled out of the car. He assumed an instant apology with a sad mutter that he fell asleep at the wheel. He had just meandered his way from Seattle, a couple of hours drive into his journey.

Just my sad luck as I had just spent $5,000+ in repairs (bottom end work, tune-up, fuel lines, etc). Fasty was born in '86, proudly stock over 121k miles, unmloested dash, clean interior. And now, she sits tearfully in the cold barren hotel parking lot licking the bleeding wounds caused by an evil Civic.

I don't think there is any frame damage. What's a poor helpless owner to do? Can she be fixed?

If totalled, what is my poor baby worth? Can the claim take into account the $5,000+ repair that I incurred a month ago? Her fate lies with a dreadful meeting with my Geico claims adjuster on Saturday. Evil Civic is covered by State Farm.

My head and neck hurts. I am currently not in a frame of mind to figure it all tonight. I need some help. My 944 brethens, what am I to do with Fasty?

theedge

Go to a doctor tomorrow for the neck pain. Go to a good quality one. DONT WAFFLE AROUND ON NECK PAIN!

That sucks big time. Especially that the driver fell asleep. What a ******.

Camaro_Muncher

Wow i think ive seen your car in Portland, I live in NE. That area is pretty nasty especially in the rain, people get lost and try to exit quick.

Legoland951

Go see a doctor. Many people who have not experienced the long term effect (more than 10 years) of a big rear-ender think that its more of a getting money from the insurance company thing. I have bone growth and neck damage from an accident in 1990 where my spinal cord is pinched to less than 1/2 the diameter at the C5 area. I was told another accident like that and I can die not to mention the numbing sensation of my arms and daily neck pains and headache. In my case, I don't think they could have fixed my neck back then for any amount but I wouldn't want to suffer this problem even if they paid me $500k let alone the measly $4k they gave me for the injuries. Get your neck looked at even if you have to insist on a MRI showing things X-ray will not show clearly.


The accident is harder than it appears in the picture from "apparent" damage. The reality is, it was a hard hit and the frame rail IS bent from the pictures. The distance between the rear of the rear tires and the quarter panel is less than what it should be. I am sure if you measure, the rear bumper is also a little bit lower than normal. If you jack up the car and look up in the frame rail right above the torsion bar housing on both sides, you will see kinks in them and thats why the quarter panels show buckling on both sides. As far as the insurance company is concerned, that car is totaled.

The good news is, any reputable shop will be able to straighten that out and your suspension will not be affected since its attached in front and below the damage. Any rear clip will fit your car though you will have to drill holes for the rear valence if you decide to replace the quarter panels (not really necessary if you have a good body guy working on it).

WolfeMacleod

First, I have to say: F^cking Oregon drivers! Can't drive worth a crap, most of them! (Edit: nevermind...that was a WA driver I see. Most of us can't drive fer crap either!)
Second...take each piece of the car, and force feed it to the driver. With a pitchfork.
Third, please let us know what Geico says, as I have Geico too and am very interested in thier take on these cars.

Sorry to see that happen

billthe3

Sorry to here that happened. Always the damn honders that have to screw things up - hopefully since it's his fault you'll be able to get the car repaired on his insurance.

I'm interested to see what Gieco says as well (I've got them too).

Techno Duck

First off, its only a car and its more important that you were not seriously injurred. And defenetley get that neck and head pain checked out as already said.

Does your drivers door still close correctly?

I am sure the damage could be fixed, but the cost of doing so would probably be well more than any insurance impany is willing to pay. The reason i say totaled is because it damanged the rear quarter panels. Almost any shot to the rear of these cars will probably total it and double the difficulty of repair due to the fact everything back there is mostly one piece welded to the chassis. Its not nearly as simple as take off damanged part, pull frame if needed and replace with used as with the front.

I think this is a situation where you will want to find a decent roller with a straight body and transfer everything over if you have the time, will and desire. Something with no engine or a blown engine.

tifosiman

Sorry, that car is totalled as far as the insurance company is concerned. Be prepared for a long uphill battle if you want to fight to get it repaired. I agree with Lego, that frame is bent.

xsboost90

the frame is bend- car is totalled- HOWEVER- that is fixable- i worked at a body shop for some years and saw much worse than that repaired. Would require cut quarters and rear panel off, pull frame out, new quarters and rear tail panel, bumper etc...Unfortunately fixing it would prob. cost more than you could buy a nicer one for...

fpena944

I'm interested however if from an insurance perspective he can claim that $5000 in repairs he just made -- especially if he has receipts?

I mean if you just spent that much on repairs yet the insurance is only willing to give you let's say $7500 for the car, what happens to the rest of your money if you are trying to purchase a new one and you still have to perform the same amount in repairs?

75ohm

Do NOT screw around with this... get to a Doctor ASAP. You may have whiplash, more formally known as verterbral compression of discs and facette joints... and other things. You really don't want to screw around with this and time is of the essence to establish the condition for legal reasons should you need to pursue that avenue.

Tom R.

Yes and no. they will say it is maintenance and all cars are maintained. he will get a copy of the article in the july 04 sports car market where jim shrager the noted porsche expert says the value of a porsche is in the recent work.

then he will have to show them that in order to get an equal car he will have to spend more $$ than they are offering. the term fair market value will come up. but insurance companies use another term to describe what people will pay for something comparable.

in the end he will ask me for a copy of the letter i sent to geico along with a copy of the spreadsheet i used to get more $$ from geico when my S2 was stolen three years ago. he will find comparable sales, hopefull he will get some fellow rennlisters to describe what they bought recently along with the work done. he will than put that data into the spreadsheet and show geico that the number they are offering him is low, and get them to raise the ante.

when all is over he will have a check in his hand and a new adventure in cardom.

Andial951

Oh that sucks.............sorry to see that. Another Garnet Red 951 gone. Very Sad. Well if your looking for another one take a look at my sig below.

KuHL 951

Are you selling your car Roger? What's up with that?

ACG

Thanks for the advice Rennlist. I woke up this morning still feeling completely exhausted. I am going to get myself checked out by a doctor in the morning.

Yes, this is my worst fear to know that the car is probably going to have to be totalled.

I have to go back to Singapore in a week's time. I am not looking forward to dealing with the insurance claims process, especially with the long distance.