[Ledhedsymbols]

<img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/mad.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/mad.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /> <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/mad.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />



This is yet another in what seems to be a rash of injured 968 threads. The good news is, not much real damage, the bad news is, well, it was damaged.



Once again struck down by ignorant aggressive drivers in heavy traffic. And thus begins the tale... Returning from Madigan Army Hospital in Tacoma, I was taking coworker back from having foot surgery. It was a rare sunny winter's day in Seattle, so I thought I would dust off the 'ol 968 and enjoy the drive. The trip there and the surgery went fine and without incident. Returning home was a different story all together. At about three o'clock we were less than ten minutes from her home when out of nowhere comes a white Ford Taurus (possible the most souless car of all time.) The very angry middle aged woman behind the wheel didn't like my speed wary, long following manner of driving in traffic. Flying around me to pass, she nearly clips my bumper, she cuts me off. Before I have time to gain back a little stopping distance, she hits her brakes hard. I attempt to stop and swerve onto the right shoulder. I nearly made it... I nearly stopped (thank god I did all the new brake work a couple weeks ago) and nearly got safely to the shoulder. Unfortunately, I did clip her right rear bumper with my left front. Total injury, a cracker bumper for her, a ruined headlight assembly and fender, and a slightly scratched front clip. The Highway Patrolman also cited me for following too close. Thankfully another gentleman in a Jeep stopped who had seen the accident, and has kindly offered to come to court with me as a witness.



All told, no damage to any people involved and relatively minor damage to the car. I meet the insurance estimator on tuesday.



I have never been in an accident before, so after the insurance estimator gives their report, how do I handle this to make sure I don't have to get some three fingered ape to work on it and end up with a horrible job on the body work. Please help me to not get screwed by the insurance company!

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[flash]

has the car been repainted before? if so, you will want to tear down that paint - if not, use the hardest cleaclaot you can find, and consider clear bra on the nose when done



the fender will be the key to success here - the key words are "diminished value" - the car had a particular value when it was undamaged - repair done poorly lowers that value - you are entitled to repair that does not lower the value of the car (at least it's that way in california)

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[S_Cal968]

----So was the lady in the Ford cited for an unsafe lane change..?!

I experienced a similar incident back when I was driving a Trans Am. The guy in front of me stopped short and without time to nail the brakes I yanked the steering wheel, but still clipped his bumper, which wasted my headlight asm. I was ticked because he had no reason to stop that early and there was plenty of space in front of him. I was able to do most of the body work, but the paint shop didn't match the paint very well because the adjoining panels were slightly faded. If you're just having the front painted, find a shop that takes the time to compensate for any fading so everything matches.

Good Luck...

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[Ceenit]

What reasoning did the lady give for passing and then slowing down so quickly. Any possibility that she saw a Porsche and thought, "bet that guy has some good insurance".

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[Ledhedsymbols]

Don't know exactly what her explanation was. I refused to discuss it with her, and the State Trooper took statements separately. From what I understand in Washington State, it's SOP to give it to the person who hits from behind. The Trooper did counsel me to make sure I went to traffic court. His words were sopmething to the effect that with my driving record (first citation or accident ever) and the witness, I should walk away from the citation and the at fault accident. I still haven't received the paperwork for the citation, so I don't know what exactly the process will be.

Along the same vein, I spoke with the president of the local PCA chapter, and asked if he could recommend a good body shop. What do I do if the numbers from the body man I want, and the insurance don't have any similarity? Am I stuck with what the insurance company does, or is there another route I can take after that?



Micah

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[RPM]

I am in the midst of an accident/insurance adventure with my 968 as we speak.



In my experience, unless the adjuster is a complete incompetent their numbers will be good for the shop. One problem is access to accurate 968 part numbers. My adjuster had to call my shop to get a few.



If the shop has a problem with the estimate they will let you know and probably work it out with the adjuster directly. Remember also that this is an estimate and the final numbers may be more... or less. When I had my Jetta repaired a few months ago after it got hit, I left the shop with the repaired car and a check.

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[Etnier]

In Maine and I believe many other states you get to choose the body shop. Otherwise everyone would be at Maaco.

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[Ledhedsymbols]

I know that I am allowed to take it to any shop I choose. Yesterday I took the car to the body man recommended by the president of my local PCA region. I have a good feeling about talking with him, and was impressed with the work he has done on other cars for the Porsche club. I have a meeting with the insurance folks this morning, so we'll see how that goes.

All in all, the reassurance from the recommended body man that he would "make it look like new again" was a good thing, I certainly hope that the results from the insurance company are satisfactory.

Thanks for the thoughts and advice thus far, and I will keep you appraised of how it all works out.



Micah

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[jeff968]

A sad story. I drive so defensively now. Old ladies in buicks pass me but I don't care.

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[sh944]

Be sure to contact your insurance agent and let him know you are planning on fighting this. My wife (then fiance) got into a similar mishap a while back and her insurance company had gone ahead and paid the claim from the other party prior to her court date, and stuck her with the "incident", even tho she was cleared in court.



Regards, ...Scott





[quote name='jeff968' date='Feb 15 2005, 04:37 PM']A sad story. I drive so defensively now. Old ladies in buicks pass me but I don't care.

[right][post="790"]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/post][/right][/quote]

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[flash]

absolutely - they will be looking to recoup the expense of your repair from the other insurance company - if you can, let them do the fighting for you

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[Ryan]

Morons....you just can't have anything nice anymore. People just don't care about the fact that you love your car!



I remember sitting at a light (first car to stop) and looking in my rear view at the approaching car with the girl dialing a number on her cell phone when BAM! She just runs into me. I screamed at her and she got pissed and said "it was an accident". I said it was no accident,but just carelessness and stupidity. That did not go over well.



People are morons!!!



Well I feel better now <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

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[Etnier]

I have been run into twice with remarkably minor consequences.



A guy backed his Jeep into me in a parking lot. His trailer hitch lined itself up exactly with my foglight, taking it out but leaving the surrounding bodywork without a scratch.



Some toothless druggie backed into me in a parking lot... this time he swiped the left front of the car: I was desperately trying to find the #$%*ing horn button and back up at the same time. I buffed the resultant scratches out of the paint and marker lens myself. (This is one of the big advantages of Grand Prix White: it's tough as nails and has no clearcoat to deal with. I found one stone chip the size of a pinhead on the nose of my car when I bought it. Langka'd it out and, having doubled the mileage, I think I've gained one tiny chip since then.)

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[Anchorman]

[quote name='Etnier' date='Feb 21 2005, 04:43 PM']I was desperately trying to find the #$%*ing horn button[/quote]

That's one of the main reasons I swapped steering wheels to the 996 wheel. The entire airbag is the horn button so, not only do I think the wheel looks nicer (updates the interior without clashing) but it's also MUCH SAFER.

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[KensCab]

Anchorman, where did you source the 996 wheel, the dealer? and the apox'mt cost? Was there any type of adapter or are all the splines the same? This looks like it might want to go to the DIY thread!



Thanks

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[Anchorman]

The only parts I had to purchase were the wheel and the clockspring mechanism - and I got them both via eBay for a total cost of about $250. The splines are identical, but the 996 hub does require machining so that the holddown nut will have enough threads to grab on the shaft. There's extensive discussions about this conversion on 968.net in the "modifications" section. The wiring mods are pretty straightforward, and the airbag is maintained.

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[KensCab]

Anchorman, thanks.

I'll search for the thread over there, and start watching ebay. Found the wheel, or very similar, at Performance Products... a bit over 400 if I recall.

thanks...

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[sat968]

Any tips for searching ebay for the clockspring? I have a search I've been using that includes both the english and german terms, but I rarely get a hit. Are these really that scarce on ebay or am I searching in the wrong way?

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[flash]

i can't imagine it's an expensive part - why not just order it from sunset?

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