Ray Calvo

John, sorry to hear about this. Happened to me about 15 yers ago, fortunately to my Accord not the 911.

If you got the lciense numbers, then you should (hopefully) remember the license plate and number colors. Pass on that information too; should help in locating the truck.

Sate Farm's policy is that for such unfortunate circumstances I can take the car to the shop of my choice (yeah, I've had to use them at one time or another).

John W

John, just like to add to every one elses messages.
I got my car back from having it loom done last week, and on the way to work, while following another car past a lorry, the lorry kicked up a rock about the size of my fist. As you say, the duck instinct is hard to beat.
Lucky for me the rock missed any paintwork, but has still smashed my windscreen

I'm sure you will get it all sorted. I expect it will change your feelings towards the car slightly though. I had an 'off' in my other car some years back, and while it looks perfect I still know it has had a repair done.

Good luck.
Cheers, <img border="0" alt="[cheers]" title="" src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" />
John.

Cajun

John,

Glad you are all right man. I had a similar thing happen to me last year while driving my Pickup. An 18-wheeler traveling in the opposite direction lost the "crank bar" used to raise and lower the trailer. I was glad that I was driving my tow vehicle instead of one of my babies. Needless to say, that thing beat the hell out of my truck and nearly scared me to death. Luckily, it didn't decide to come in the cab of the truck with me!

I too have Progressive, and they took care of the situation promptly and in a professional manner even though the trucker got away.

Good Luck!!!!

mb97tts

John,

Sorry to hear about your car. Be happy you are ok. The car will get fixed. I almost have mine back after a couple of weeks for just minor repairs. Be patient, and go to the best shop you can. You have to look at that work everyday once it is finished.

Take care

Tito

sorry about your misfortune.
Tito

Pete in DC

John: I got in one the same day, just before the Beltway on Connecticut Ave. First accident ever (I'm 36). I've been lucky - and the slim upshot is that it was in our 323.

You might also try Karosserie, across from Ivan Arzola and IMA.

John H. in DC Area

Thanks again for your thoughts folks, they're much appreciated. Hearing that the rest of you have had similar scrapes with debris and accidents proves both that the sun does indeed come up on the following day, and that this situation pretty much sucks every time, for every person.

Pete, I'm 36 and this was my first appreciable "incident" as well, not looking forward to the impact on my insurance premiums.

I spent an hour on the phone with the New Jersey authorities yesterday, and I must have gotten the state wrong, as there was no NJ registration corresponding to the plate number I have. I learned all about how trucks can have multiple plates from different states, and how truck plates can come in just about any color, so the light yellow background with black letters that I saw wasn't necessarily a NJ plate. I could keep going, but I'll have to deal with issues of proof, the headache, etc., so I'll probably let it fall. My number was up this time but, damn, if I'm going to have that kind of one-in-a-million luck, why the hell can't it happen when I've bought a Powerball ticket?

The upside is that, as many have suggested, I'm going to take this opportunity to install the Euro front bumper, and probably the Turbo S lower spoiler lip as well. I'll end up paying the difference between Progressive's payout and the extra cost of the Euro goodies. Unless someone can recommend a cheaper, more reliable, US source for the OEM Euro-style bumper (without the bumperettes), I'm going to go with Gert at Carnewal. The only hitch is that I'm not sure there are holes to mount the US front license plate on the Euro bumper. Anybody tackled that in a state that requires a front plate (I don't know why I'm asking, as I've gone without a front license plate on all my Porsches for the last 10 years)? Just in case.

I spent the last two days talking to, visiting, and getting a comfort level with the Progressive recommended shop, as well as calling all of the shops you all recommended above, including Wagonwerks, Karosserie, Zuffenhausen (true "Porsche artistes"), First Choice and Elite Autohaus. They all seem to have great customer service, although the wait times seem interminable, with some of them unable to comit to returning the car until mid to late May. Sheesh. I'm going to make a final decision on Monday, but I'm leaning toward the Progressive-recommended shop. They had a 97 C4S and a Boxster getting repaired today. They say they are able to turn my car around quickly because they give priority to Progressive claims over elective customer projects and claims from other insurers.

I told them I'd sue them, then kill them, if they screwed up my car. I was obviously joking, but was impressed that the GM first answered seriously that their work would be "flawless" before he seemed to get my joke. Makes me wonder what kind of characters they normally deal with.

John H. in DC Area

P.S. Steve, Pete, and others, we really should have a DC/MD/NOVA get together sometime in the near future.

Steve 96C4S

Hey John-
Let me know when you want to do a NOVA get together in the area and I'll try!!!

Steve

993 4S driver

I had something like this happen and the trucker paid my deductable. There were some dings on the car anyway so it was nice to get it all straightened out.
I 2nd that on the Euro Bumper cover!

mpm '95 C4

John,

So sorry to see and read about you tail of woe...

Had the same thing happen to me in my '87 cab - the thing came at me like an angry snake, but fortunately impacted below the bumper and took out the fog and lower valence.

Would you like me to see if my brother can recommend any "da Vinci's" in your neighborhood?

Jim Morton

John:

Sorry to hear about your mishap with the "alligator". I too had one of these a few years back driving to a DE. My 2 cents worth to add here is:

Please have someone (or yourself) check all of the behind bumper / front undercarraige plastic pieces. What amazed me on my mishap was all of the cracked underpanels due to the flexure of the main panel. One tab here, a crack over there...I would suspect these pieces get brittle over the years. These pieces was where all of my expense was, not the respray. Darn, those underpanels are $$$.

Best of luck with your repair !

Regards

John Boggiano

Amazing how many people have had this happen!

For myself, someone I know had it happen a few years ago. The tire went right throught he windshield and hit him. As if that wasn't bad enough, he crashed and was nearly killed!

Someone else I know had it happen pretty well like you, John.

Sheesh.