Soulteacher

My 997 got rear-ended today... my first accident in the United States since I came in 1996.

The impact was bad enough for Clare and me to think that our rear must be crushed, but incredibly, it's just the bumperettes that show visible damage. We also got lucky in that the guy apparently has insurance and in that a cop car pulled up about a minute later and took care of the paperwork.

I then drove to the dealership where they took a look at the car and determined that most likely no structural damage had occurred, and that only the bumperettes plus some kind of absorber behind the bumperettes would have to be replaced.

So, really, no big deal, some minor body work, plus Clare and I each have a bad headache.

A buddy of mine suggested to call a lawyer nevertheless, just to get an expert involved who can take care of all the paperwork, including dealing with a potential diminishment in value of the car.

I, however, don't even think that should be an issue, considering the minor body work that will be done.

Does anyone have any experiences with that? Is any impact treated suspiciously during resale, even if you can show it was minor?

Baseline: I don't want to make any money with that, but I don't want to lose any money either.

Suggestions welcome. Thanks, guys. I'm gonna lay down now.

Likemystoppie?

wolfgang, a little confused. Can you clarify the quetion?


If it's regards to selling the car or trading it in, always disclose. And yes, due to body/paint work the car will be worth a little less. If it's JUST the bumperettes and the system underneath the bumper cover, then I suspect no one will really notice.

Better safe then sorry though.

And that's why you have insurance. No attorney is needed unless the other drive was contesting who was at fault or they didn't have insurance.

Da Hapa

1) Sorry for your misfortune.
2) The important thing is that you are ok. Cars can be fixed easily or replaced. People are a whole different ball of wax.
3) If you're ok and both parties have insurance, talking to an attorney is worthless, IMO. If you're hurt... see a doctor and proceed as necessary.
4) Any accident and paintwork can affect resale value. How much? That's impossible to tell as it has different appeal to different buyers. The best thing you can do is to be upfront about it when the time comes to sell, make sure you use the best body/paint shops, etc. and provide thorough documentation of the work required, work completed and before/after pictures.
5) Hiding the accident is a bad idea. In some states, it can come back to bite you in the ***. In all cases, it's just bad karma.

Again, sorry about the mishap but thank God the damage is minimal and the people involved are fine.

Pour a cold one, take a nap and hang in there.

Soulteacher

Chris, I'm sorry.

Okay: I may trade in this car when I get my new one in May (I may keep both, but I don't know that yet; I may sell the coupe in a private sale later - really not sure at this point).

I will of course disclose the accident at trade-in or private sale; so, I guess my question is: Should I claim "diminished value" from the other insurance, even though it's a minor accident? Or just the repair costs?

In other words, does a minor accident affect the value? I only want to claim it if in fact a future buyer would deduct a certain amount because of this minor accident.

Soulteacher

Okay, excellent, that's what I wanted to know. There's nothing set in stone - ultimately it's a buyer decision. I'll mention it to the insurance but not gonna put up a fight for it.

To be honest, I was really clueless after the accident. In Germany, you are not allowed to call the police to an accident scene if there's no injuries and the perceived actual damage is minor (forgot the exact threshold). So I really didn't even know whether or not to call the cops - fortunately, they happened to be there anyway.

And, NO, not disclosing the damage would never be an option. Sorry if that got misinterpreted.

axhoaxho

First, welcome to the United States. Just a tip, you might not want to tell people (especially in a bar) that "I got hit from behind today." Better to say "My car got rear-ended by another vehicle today."

The accident is relatively small, honestly I don't think an attorney is required. Just report to your insurance agent, give them the information of the other car and the police report number, and they can take care of it from there.

For the car, take many pictures of the damage, have a reputable shop to do the repair, keep all the paperwork, and take many pictures of the after-repair.

One day when you sell the car, honestly tell the buyers about the accident (since there is a police report, there might be official records of the accident that buyers can pull up anyway.) Also, present the before-and-after pictures plus the bodyshop paperwork to the buyers. If the accident is as minor as described, most buyers will understand if the repair is good. In case any buyer has big issue about the accident, then pass and seek another buyer.

Sorry again to hear about your accident.

With best regards,

p-cardriver

Bad headache is a concern - might be neck pain in the AM - suggest you at least consider visiting an emergency clinic or your MD for a quick check and to document in case there is lasting pain or damage to teeth or whatever. If you ask insurance for medical reimbursement later, but haven't done these things now, you have a tougher time convincing them of cause.

Coochas

Hi Wolfgang,
I'm glad you are OK. Of course if you and Clare are experiencing any more symptoms aside from the headache then you should go to the ER immediately (things like lethargy, nausea, sensitivity to lights, slurred speech, off thinking).
Like axhoaxho I first interpreted this hit from behind as a "hey take a deep breath let's experiment" sort of hit from behind.
The damage to your car certainly does not sound bad at all.
I would not bother getting a lawyer involved for such minor damage. If there is any diminished value it's probably going to be on the order of a few thousand bucks at most which will probably be less than your legal fees!
You'll get your car fixed up and enjoy it just as much as day one. Have them detail it head to toe while it's in the shop for the full effect.
Hope you're well buddy.

Soulteacher

Ha ha... thanks... I fixed that... I noticed people were looking funny... Clare told her friends "we got into a wreck" but that sounded WAY TOO dramatic to me... so I chose "hit from behind"... which probably can be dramatic, too... ;-) Thanks also for the other tips, Ax... will do the picture documentation thing.

Good point, P-C. The headache is gone... I will see how I feel in the morning... I once got rear-ended really bad and never had neck pain, but then again, I was 20 years younger back then. I will definitely observe it.

Thanks, Dave! I'm feeling absolutely normal right now and just had a nice big dinner. I'm pretty sure that I'm okay. The damage really is not bad at all, it felt worse than it was. The other guy's car definitely looked much worse, but then again it was an old car to begin with. I felt bad for him because he seemed soooooo nervous. Then again, the cops kept him after sending me off, so who knows what his story was.

Thanks again! All good. I'll just have it fixed and that'll be it.

Edgy01

You'll probably feel this for several days,--soft tissue is like that. But, here's what is underneath your bumper. These things are quite well built now.

Soulteacher

Wow, that's cool, Dan. Thanks!

chuckla

I was sideswiped in April. No structural, but still cost $6K to fix and repaint. My insurance covered everything but the deductible. However, there is a concept of diminished value which you should pursue. What DV means is that your valuable 911 has, because of the accident, lost value comparable to the same P car which was not involved in an accident; thus, you will receive less on resale. There are experts who, for a modest fee, will give an opinion of the DV. In my case, it's $5K. In all but a few states, a DV claim is made againt the other driver's insurance company. Apparently, in Georgia and perhaps a few other states, a DV claim can be made against your own insurance company. I have made my claim and am pursuing it. Good luck to you.

MartyB

Wolfgang - cops involved, reputable body shop involved - the repair will probably wind up on Carfax, which means buyers or dealers will know about it regardless of whether you tell them. You DO have some level of depreciation. If a buyer is looking at 2 otherwise identical cars, yours will get left behind b/c of the body work. Simply tell the liability carrier that you would like for them to assess your diminution of value. In more severe cases, a DV appraiser can be a big help, but you might not need to take that step. Trust me, you won't be "making money" off of the insurer. They go to great lengths to insure that does not happen.

pl

take some pic before the repair.
make sure to check your brakes, and suspention when repairing your car.
good luck.

David A

Time for a euro bumper without bumperettes!