camhabib

Some time ago, I posted of an accident that I got into with a newly purchased by me ~4 month old 8k mile 2009 C4S launch car. Switching lanes on highway, hit ice / water, and went barrier on side of highway. Damage was limited to only front left of car. Brought it to one of the best repair shop in New England and they've started working on it. Total estimate is somewhere around $35k, mostly from the GT3 seats, leather parts that got ruined by glass / water (airbags blew out windows), dashboard, and various small parts here and there. The strut towers were not out of alignment, although the left rail and quarter panel did need some work (parts of rail was removed so new could be welded on). Obviously no mechanical damage, aside from some minor suspension issues. Picture of internal damage: http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/7628/12110012.jpg

My question is, what would you do? I'm in two schools of thought at the moment. One is to get the car repaired the way I want; since insurance is covering the cost of replacements and the shop is already doing the work, I can get all kinds of nice stuff like a GT3 bumper, the new steering wheel (PDK paddles), harness, carbon fiber bits, etc for very few dollars out of my pocket. I can take the car, get it back, and drive the car the way it was supposed to be driven, possibly even a daily driver. On the other hand, I'm worried the car just isn't the same as it used to be - that damage, no matter how well repaired, will never be completely erased. I'm worried that if I drive this car like I want to, then 2-3 years down the road, if I try to sell it, no one is going to want a higher milage car with a "serious accident" on the carfax. While the repair shop is top notch (had 1 RSR, 4 cup cars, and Bode Millers car to do before mine, which is why it's taking so long), I can't help but be concerned.

Thoughts, comments, etc, all welcomed. Thanks.

ADias

But do you have a choice here? Didn't you say the car is being repaired and the insurance agreed to pay? I do not see how you can get rid of the car, short of selling it at a huge loss. I would make sure that the car is properly repaired (it can be done) and just enjoy it.

camhabib

I'm going to take a hit when I sell the car no matter what. My thought is that I'd take less of a hit now if I sold the car with 8k miles then if I sold it in a few years with 80k miles.

ADias

Let's put it this way... I would not buy your car now, but someone may consider it 6-7 years from now, if it has proven a solid ride after all that time.

number9ine

The hit will be bigger now if you sell it. Add the toys you want, drive and enjoy it. Make sure the work is done right.

JoeShark

"On the other hand, I'm worried the car just isn't the same as it used to be - that damage, no matter how well repaired, will never be completely erased."

You can't put a price on this (the nagging voice in your head, the thought every time you go into the garage, etc.). This is the one thing that would bother me the most and in my case, it would be big enough for me to sell the car now (at the loss) and move on to a new one.

LlBr

My two cents? Get more people involved, some kind of Porschephile specialty expert in there to assess damage and make sure you can get it back to 99% original "alignment." IOW, the monocoque was built by robots specification-wise, will it wind back up that way? I wouldn't want to rely on some guy who just fixes cars. Everything else is "bolt on" so what's the big deal especially if you keep it for a long time, right?
Sorry to hear of your dilemma, it's a damn shame what one second of bad luck can do.

ADias

He says the shop is reputable. Being the case they must have the alignment jig PAG approves. He said they had an RSR... those cars are trashed and rebuilt to win again.

camhabib

Surprisingly, according to the mechanic there, the specs are not as "precise" as I thought they would be. He said on average, there is over 1/8" of variation between left / right and front / back in terms of ride height, out of the factory. He said that none of the strut towers were moved, so in essence the car was still in "alignment" but the nose is was a bit bent (rail that holds quarter panel and makes up trunk frame) and a few suspension parts tweaked.

In terms of resale, how much of a hit would I be looking at now in this market?

russo

It's going to be big hit any way you look at it. I would keep it and drive it like you stole it.

alexb76

As others said there WILL BE a hit regardless if you sold it now or later. It is hard to say which hit is larger.

If you sold now, you also have to consider optioning those EXTRA bits into the new car you wanna buy, which won't be cheap... so if you repaired it PERFECT, could add those extra parts at much lower cost than the option would cost you at the dealer, then I'd say you're probably better off repairing, as also you're car would be more unique 3-4 yrs down the road.

However, IF, you are one of those folks that will always be bothered that you're driving a damaged car... then you might as well cut your losses and get another car.

brendo

cam - drive the living **** out of it. it'll be repaired to the point that only you will know it was damaged and that will be in hour head. not to be a polyanna, but maybe that will help you feel more comfortable using it more frequently.

on another note, bode miller drives a porsche? boy, that's a long way from growing up with no electricity

JohnAMG

I would keep the car once it is properly repair. Keep switching car due to accident repair just don't make financial sense, and there is no way to prevent another accident with the new car also.

John

LlBr

That's interesting and good news. Heck, if you can get it to match factory specs what's the big deal? The only thing would be, IMO, you're kind of stuck with the car for a while. YOU know the car was back into tolerances and fixed right, that's what counts. Getting rid of it in the future? That's the future: nobody knows how that's going to work out. LOL: you can always leave the keys in it while parked in a "choice" neighborhood.

Edgy01

Drive it and enjoy it. Repairs shops today can do amazing things. What may be lingering in your mind is the way things used to be. With the more complex steels and bodies of today, repair shops, if first rate, stay on top of that stuff to remain in business.