BHMav8r

First . . .

Main question - seeking compenation for decreased value now that the car has damage history '05 C2 19,000mi - I'm thinking around $3,000? Argue with her insurance? Sue her?

Sooo . . . any experience on the best way to have it fixed - bondo & paint, new door skin, etc - will the paint (black) ever match . . . etc.

Details . . .

I was turning left at a light onto a two lane rd - woman was turning right from a mall on same road.

I hug the left lane, she comes all the over into my lane. I dig it out on the grass median trying to avoid her - slam she hits my mirror and door - and keeps on going!

I get in front of her at the next light, get out - you hit my car! Survey the passenger door - son of a b$%#@tch!!!

Turns out she's drunk . . . Police take her in . . .

TIA and sorry if you were ever in this position.

997_rich

you owe her $500 for all that nice customized bodywork door scoops! Kidding! It's doubly infuriating because it clearly didn't need to happen. At least you're safe... you're lucky you were in a steel cage- imagine if you were walking across the street.

To the car- what's the damage? from what you describe for damage the repair will likely be impossible to detect. Was the damage limited to bolt-on parts or did it actually dent the door? any purchaser will look at the carfax and see the accident but it may no affect thier decision if it was just minor damge. It will also have less effect if you keep the car for 20 years and sell it as opposed to selling it next year.

Good luck- and maybe consider a helmet wherever you live.

BHMav8r

Here's a (crappy) pic . . . dent right on the curve about 1-1/2" tall and 4" long and deep scuffs.

Mike in CA

Sorry for your problem, glad no one was hurt. Hate to say this but there is no question this accident will have some impact on your car's resale value. Full disclosure is a legal requirement and when someone asks if the car has ever been hit or painted you'll have to say yes; besides it will show up on Carfax in any event. Just went through this with my wife's '09 Highlander Hybrid. It had a very minor fender bender when nearly new, no structural or suspension damage and repaired with all factory parts by a top notch shop; repair was absolutely undetectable. Still, trade in value was downgraded by both dealerships I contacted. Private buyers will also give you less. Even if it's a car that they really want, they will still use the accident as a way to leverage the price. Wouldn't you?

BostonDuce

NO BONDO!.

If you go through her insurance, fight for a new OEM door-they will probably try to push a used or "equivalent".

Maybe too late, but if not going through insurance, CARFAX can't report what it doesn't know, if you're that worried about DV.

Here's a link for you-(no affiliation): http://www.ican2000.com/dvfaqs.html

Straight, non metallic black is usually easy to match, as long as the prep is smooth (it shows every defect and sand mark). I get all my fleet vehicles in basic black for that reason. We've blended small portions of vertical panels with invisible results. Not like a light metallic where they want to paint the entire side.

As long as no one was hurt, it's just a PIA.

BD

Macster

Your first objective should be to get the car to a Porsche approved collision repair center for proper evaluation of the extent of the damage and an estimate to fix and of course fix properly.

I don't think 'bondo' is a proper fix for a Porsche. The body shop will know though and advise you.

If the repair done right there will be loss of value, no DV.

Right now, you need to take better pics and document the extent of the damage and then when (if) you go to sell the car you can show the prospective buyer the damage was minimal and just skin deep.

Do not let the other driver's insurance company dictate where the car is fixed and how.

Porsche has very clear guidelines on what it takes to put these cars right and a Porsche approved collision center will know these and follow them to the letter and the car will be as good as new again. The body panel gaps will be as even as they were when the car left the factory the paint will match and no one will be able to tell the car had any body/paint work unless it because the newly painted panels have a smoother (less orange peel) finish than those that are stil 'factory'.

IOWs, focus on getting the car fixed and fixed right. Thinking DV is a pre-admission the car won't or isn't going to be fixed right and well that's just not the right way to think.

Sincerely,

Macster.

kosmo

lawsuit!!!

stevepow

Many insurance companies now automatically calculate and pay diminished value. Someone backed into my previous 550i and scuffed up the bumper - I got a new bumper (about $1800 work IIRC) and a check for $250 DV that I didn't even think about asking for (lease car ).

Kuhan

I would not take it to a repair center, I would take it to a dealer for a repair quote. Dealers typically do not repair anything - they replace.

Macster

Not any money in the thing so no lawyer will touch the case.

That the other driver's insurance company accepted responsibilty for the accident.

That's all the leverage one needs.

Sincerely,

Macster.

stevepow

A dealer will just send you to their repair service - very few dealers, if any, have body shops. And yes, no repair - all damaged parts need to be replaced with factory parts.

Macster

Many dealers do not get involved with body/paint damage but farm this out to a, well, a Porsche approved collision repair center.

A Porsche approved collision repair center will follow the same guidelines as that of the dealer and in fact is better able to follow the guideliness since in order to receive this approval it has all the facilities, equipment, training Porsche requires.

This shop will use new factory parts as per the factory guidelines. Aftermarket parts, or parts salvaged from wrecked cars are not approved for use. Furthermore it will have the factory paints and paint systems so the paint work will be factory or better quality.

Basically for the car to be repaired to Porsche standards parts must be bought from PCNA, ordered through a Porsche dealer, and any mechanical work done by a Porsche technican. Afterwards the car should be subjected to a road worthiness inspection by a qualified Porsche tech who will certify the car properly repaired.

All of the above ensures the car will be as good as it was before the collision and this is very important, any new car or CPO warranty remains in effect.

Sincerely,

Macster.

Mike in CA

I agree that the OP's car can absolutely be returned to like new condition, but that may be irrelevant. Sure, maybe, given the minor damage involved here no one will care. Still, the reality is, he will be asked by any intelligent buyer,"has the car ever been damaged or repainted?" Unless he chooses to lie about it, at the very least he will have to go through the explanation, either in an ad or in person, of what happened, how much (or little) damage there was, how and by whom it got repaired, etc. etc. A PITA, at best. At worst, it will give some trading dealers or private buyers leverage (or an excuse) to bargain for a lower the price, no matter how high the standard of the repair.

I'm not trying to be negative, just realistic.

BHMav8r

The local dealership has a seperate body shop, same location. same ownership (a few dealerships owned by a parent much larger company)

The estimator said they can just push the dent out . . . really??? Can you make it as new? 100% indiscernable right there on the curve? How 'bout you quote new parts just in case . . .

What a PITA ! ! ! (please excuse my rantings - I'm sure more to follow as this plays out . . .)

Minok

1) New door & Mirror - other parts are moved over.

2) Diminished value would be off of the market value today of that car with its mileage. The damage isn't to the body, so the replacement parts will make it good as new if done right... so I suspect there would not be much of a diminished value since there will be no remnants of of the incident once the car is replaced unless they paint doesn't match up. There isn't a case of 'matching serial numbers' issues here.

You can argue the point to the insurance, but its probably not worth the effort to sue her personally, because you will spend more effort and aggravation than the $1000 or so you might get back from her.

I'd keep printouts of the pictures of the damage with the car so if you ever sell it you can demonstrate what the damage was, so the buyer isn't concerned about the repairs.