Rear ended UPDATE: PICS
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,117
Likes: 2
The only way for a 1/4 panel to buckel out is if the frame is shorter than it was before the hit. To be totalled most insurance campanies punt if the repairs estimate exceeds 50 % of ACV. They know that hidden damage supliments ALWAYS came along and add up quickly. They simply cut their losses.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 25,186
Likes: 105
The 928s twist very easily. That car is obviously twisted , and it's a bummer because it seems nice. Look at the area under the carpet at the rear hatch area and see if you see anything. The rubber bumper and the bumper shocks conceal alot of unibody movement usually.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 162
Likes: 0
From: SB CA
Wow Joe, glad to hear you are feeling ok. Pay attention to your body for the next week though. I've been there and there are aches and injuries you may not notice for 5-7 days. At a spry 25 years old I was hit from behind by a Volvo doing about 40, tuning the radio. I was at a stoplight in a VW Rabbit convertible. The impact was so great that my "pull-out" radio shot back over my shoulder, through the rear glass window and landed on the hood of the Volvo. Both cars absorbed a lot of energy, my radio essentially didn't move.
I think everyone's covered all the insurance angles, make sure to negotiate and advocate for your loss as much as you can. Seriously take stock of yer neck, shoulder, arms, and lower back; pains will be a mix of soft tissue, joints, and loss of range of movement. Stretch every day, if it hurts, stop (never stretch into the pain range), see a doc, get some PT, document everything. This will change the tone of the insurance co's entirely. There's only one of you. There's another S4 with your name on it somewhere.
I think everyone's covered all the insurance angles, make sure to negotiate and advocate for your loss as much as you can. Seriously take stock of yer neck, shoulder, arms, and lower back; pains will be a mix of soft tissue, joints, and loss of range of movement. Stretch every day, if it hurts, stop (never stretch into the pain range), see a doc, get some PT, document everything. This will change the tone of the insurance co's entirely. There's only one of you. There's another S4 with your name on it somewhere.
Thread Starter
Vegas, Baby!
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Joined: May 2009
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Likes: 395
From: far away
First I want to thank Mark Allen for coming over and posting the pictures for me. He's a great guy. and loyal friend.
FWIW, as soon as we parked the cars after the accident, the other driver had most of his family in the parking lot. They changed their attitude as soon as 4 of my club brothers showed up. Most of them left ASAP. If this was the Polecat there would be a national news story about a suicide in Vegas, and not mine!
If the car is totaled, I'll buy the car from my insurance company, part it out, or sell it, and buy another 928. I should be able to find another for the amount it's insured for.
As the pictures show, the 928 is built like a tank! Also I;d like to thank everyone for their kind thoughts and caring words! I'm fine for now, and know that in time aches, and pains will show up. Hell. at my age that's an everyday experience. LOL
Really, THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joe
FWIW, as soon as we parked the cars after the accident, the other driver had most of his family in the parking lot. They changed their attitude as soon as 4 of my club brothers showed up. Most of them left ASAP. If this was the Polecat there would be a national news story about a suicide in Vegas, and not mine!
If the car is totaled, I'll buy the car from my insurance company, part it out, or sell it, and buy another 928. I should be able to find another for the amount it's insured for.
As the pictures show, the 928 is built like a tank! Also I;d like to thank everyone for their kind thoughts and caring words! I'm fine for now, and know that in time aches, and pains will show up. Hell. at my age that's an everyday experience. LOL
Really, THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joe
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,199
Likes: 30
From: Wine Country, CA
Sorry to hear about you being rear-ended. We all tend to be a bit hyperbolic after being hit, but your speed estimate is way off. If you were stopped and were hit by a Suburban doing 50 mph, you'd be dead. End of story.
I had a similar rear-ender about 10 years ago in my '82. I was stopped at a light and got hit by a Ford Contour (which I'm guessing was doing ~ 20-25 mph at the time of impact). The rear bumper cover, shocks and bumper reinforcement were sheared off! My car was shortened by about a foot. Both rear quarter panels were bulged out a good 6" at the top of each wheel well. Both doors were pinched shut and I had to crawl out the passenger side window. Repair estimate in 2000 was $21,322.09. (I really loved the extra $.09)
If you get a fight on valuation, insist on an independent appraisal. Your insurance company (or the other party's insurance company) will look at a couple of "Auto Trader" adds for comparables. When The appraiser came to look at my car, I had a little shrine of all my concours awards set up on my workbench for the appraiser to see. After the independent appraisers evaluation my insurance company increased their offer by about $2,500 - which was about $700 more than I'd paid for the car 10 years earlier!
Good luck!
James
I had a similar rear-ender about 10 years ago in my '82. I was stopped at a light and got hit by a Ford Contour (which I'm guessing was doing ~ 20-25 mph at the time of impact). The rear bumper cover, shocks and bumper reinforcement were sheared off! My car was shortened by about a foot. Both rear quarter panels were bulged out a good 6" at the top of each wheel well. Both doors were pinched shut and I had to crawl out the passenger side window. Repair estimate in 2000 was $21,322.09. (I really loved the extra $.09)
If you get a fight on valuation, insist on an independent appraisal. Your insurance company (or the other party's insurance company) will look at a couple of "Auto Trader" adds for comparables. When The appraiser came to look at my car, I had a little shrine of all my concours awards set up on my workbench for the appraiser to see. After the independent appraisers evaluation my insurance company increased their offer by about $2,500 - which was about $700 more than I'd paid for the car 10 years earlier!
Good luck!
James
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,199
Likes: 30
From: Wine Country, CA
I'd also add that this is not the time to be stoic. As far as insurance companies are concerned, if there's no medical bill - it didn't happen!
See your doctor and keep going to your doctor or physical therapist until you are released by the doctor or therapist. Additionally, be very circumspect in what you say to your doctor. Rest assured that the insurance company will subpoena all your records and go through them with a fine toothed comb. The insurance company flunkies reviewing your records will seize on comments like "I'm feeling better today" or "it's not too bad" and screen out everything else. Their job is to minimize the pay out.
If you stop treatment before you are released by your doctor, the insurance companies will claim that any residual injuries are your own fault because you didn't follow your doctor's instructions.
Again, good luck.
James
See your doctor and keep going to your doctor or physical therapist until you are released by the doctor or therapist. Additionally, be very circumspect in what you say to your doctor. Rest assured that the insurance company will subpoena all your records and go through them with a fine toothed comb. The insurance company flunkies reviewing your records will seize on comments like "I'm feeling better today" or "it's not too bad" and screen out everything else. Their job is to minimize the pay out.
If you stop treatment before you are released by your doctor, the insurance companies will claim that any residual injuries are your own fault because you didn't follow your doctor's instructions.
Again, good luck.
James
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Joined: Jun 2009
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From: Somewhere, NC
Best of luck in this bad situation!
Not the sharpest tool in the shed
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From: Chandler, AZ, USA, Earth, Milky Way Galaxy
Though those pics don't look like there is obvious structural damage, the car was indeed hit hard.
Based on a similar hit on a car here it was totaled because the substructure was tweaked. This was the car Greg Brown salvaged the stroker out of.
Based on a similar hit on a car here it was totaled because the substructure was tweaked. This was the car Greg Brown salvaged the stroker out of.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,117
Likes: 2
In a unibody car where there is no real frame each and every bit of sheet metal is part of the structure of the car. When you exceed the 5 mph no damage standard mandated by the government, all kinds of things start deforming and absorbing the impact energy.
Doing a cosmetic fix to this car is probably possible but fixing the alignment of the inner panels and rear bulkhead gets pretty involved and expensive. The estimates should tell the story. If the insurance with Hagerty is agreed value there is little to negotiate.
Some would recomend that you get a rental car at the expense of the other guy's insurance which is a motivation for them to settle quickly since time costs them money.
Doing a cosmetic fix to this car is probably possible but fixing the alignment of the inner panels and rear bulkhead gets pretty involved and expensive. The estimates should tell the story. If the insurance with Hagerty is agreed value there is little to negotiate.
Some would recomend that you get a rental car at the expense of the other guy's insurance which is a motivation for them to settle quickly since time costs them money.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 2,582
Likes: 286
From: Gibsonia, PA
Guess I'll say it first. - That will buff right out!
Seriously though, glad you are all right Joe, but like a lot have mentioned already. Go to the doctors about "anything" that you might feel is different. You need to start getting a medical record started in case you start having problems down the road.
Long story short. I rear ended a woman and her mother doing I say around 30 mph. Right before 2 years have gone by I get a letter that I'm being sued by the Mother for medical damages from the accident for 1 million dollars. The medical damages stated were "Fibromyalgia".
My insurance company stepped in to represent me with their lawyers and did subpena all her med records etc. She still ended up winning about $28K.
Seriously though, glad you are all right Joe, but like a lot have mentioned already. Go to the doctors about "anything" that you might feel is different. You need to start getting a medical record started in case you start having problems down the road.
Long story short. I rear ended a woman and her mother doing I say around 30 mph. Right before 2 years have gone by I get a letter that I'm being sued by the Mother for medical damages from the accident for 1 million dollars. The medical damages stated were "Fibromyalgia".
My insurance company stepped in to represent me with their lawyers and did subpena all her med records etc. She still ended up winning about $28K.
