My oldest son (21) and my wife were driving back from taking the dogs (2 welsh terriers) to the dog park. Friday afternoon freeway traffic. Cars in front of them came to a sudden stop, with the car immediately in front of them actually veering into the emergency parking. My son stopped without hitting anyone. Then this teenager (had his license for two months) behind them locks up his brakes and plows into our '73 914. No one was seriously hurt, but my wife has been sore for a couple of days. The kid was driving a Dodge Strattos, and it didn't get much damage. On the Porsche, the rear trunk lid looks ok. The lower valence is smashed and rubbing on the right tire. The right fender is hitting the tire. The top of the left fender is rubbing the tire (it was a close fit before the accident). The brand new Bursch exhaust is smashed and I would bet the heat exchangers are tweeked. The interior of the trunk is crumpled and the rest of the back end is bent in. Apparently he was hard on his brakes and the nose submarined under our car. He even missed the tail lights. Here are some photos:
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The question is, is this repairable? I know it is going to be a fight with the insurance company about the value and I read Dr. Evil's story so I am preparing for that. It just really pisses me off because I had just gotten it running great! The Bursch was really nice. Should I see this as an opportuinty for wide wheelwells and to replace the rusted trunk floor, or is this too much structural damage to save? I checked the gaps around both doors and there is no evidence that the damage went any further than the rear wheelwells. Any suggestions are appreciated.

I've seen much worse damage on a car that was saved. It will depend on the repair estimate and the insurance company. Good luck!

This fella with a green six, I think he was in San Diego. Just about the samething

happened to him. But your car looks cherry compaired to his. And it was fixed.

I would sudjest you find a bodyshop with 914 experience.

That is great news. Thanks guys. I've been in a funk since it happened.

Definitely fixable. Hope you don't get too much of a runaround from the insurance companies.

There's a good contingent of SD guys that can help. Mugs914, Twise, brer are all in that area and knowledgeable. Might want to edit your topic line to include an SD reference.

Good luck and do your homework.

a good bodyshop will be able to pull this out ... you probably need a rear clip from a junk car. i replaced the rear clip on mine, wasn't too bad of a job.

but make SURE the car is pulled back correctly *before* you let them weld up anything. nothing worse than not fixing it right ...

Andy


donor rear clip:

Click to view attachment


my old one removed:

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new one welded in:

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and painted:

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It's not as bad as it looks. I'm not saying that it won't be expensive, but it's not too difficult to fix. You'll need a new rear trunk floor and a new rear body panel, the R 1/4 panel can be repaired easily. A pre-pull on the rear body panel will fix most of what's wrong with the R 1/4 panel anyway.
Start gathering proof to fight the insurance company with. They'll try to value your car low and total it so you need to prove a high value so that they'll pay to repair it. Ask Dr Evil, you will need to be persistent, the insurance company will try to wear you down. Stay calm and play their game, you can come out of it OK. The insurance company will have to pay to paint part of the car, you might be able to pay the body shop not too much more to paint the rest of the car at the same time. They won't rip off the insurance company but there are many items that the insurance company will already be paying for that only need to be done once, like mix & match color, cover car for overspray, haz mat, etc, that you won't need to pay for as well. There's no need to discuss that with the insurance company.

Your opportunity for someone else to underwrite (some of) your new triad, flares, and paint.

Be prepared to show them comparative pricing on similar 914's plus the money you've invested in your car because I can guarantee you they will say the price of the repairs exceed the value of the vehicle. They will then offer you $3500 for your loss but let you buy it back for $1000. Remember they think it is their money. Don't be nasty, be determined.

Well, the insurance adjuster (Wausau insurance) just left. He didn't have any info on repairs specific to a 914, so he just used generic estimates. He said he was up to $4000 on repairs, but his paperwork had $5800 written on it. I made sure to give him copies of the NADA comparables for 1972 to 1974, all engine sizes. Then I gave him copies of my receipts ($4000+) that I have put on it in the last eight months, not including labor that I provided. He said they would get back to me Monday or Tuesday. These guys haven't been real fast on their response. They finally admitted that they will pay for a rental car TODAY, one week after the accident. He wanted to know if I had a repair shop in mind, and I didn't. Suggestions/recommendations for a good body shop for 914s in San Diego County? I'll also PM the previously mentioned San Diego members, thanks.

My wife just got off the phone with the insurance company. They say that the repairs will cost $4000 and that is more than 80% of the value of the vehicle so they are going to total it!. My wife (no shrinking violet) told them that $4000 wasn't even close to 80% of the value, and that we had given them the NADA estimates to prove it. The lady said that someone else would call us in a couple of days, but basically, this was their offer, so be happy with it! I don't friggin' think so!

I guess this is a wake-up call for owners of all vintage or modified cars, have an appraisal done and keep the data on hand and up to date.

BTW, you do have the right to get estimates on your own, you're not locked into their estimates.

Sorry to hear about your wounded 'teener.

Well, I'm not dealing with my insurance company. Somebody else hit our car, so it is up to their insurance to make it right. But yes, an independent appraisal prior to the accident would have been very handy. Will do that once it is fixed.

latest market value from Excellence. also go back and look for recent sales reports. an informed appraisor could still give you a valuation of the vehicle prior to the wreck. the value post wreck means nothing.

k

There's 2 shops in San Diego that I can recommend. The 1st is

West Coast Specialities (858) 549-8226
7686 Formula Pl, San Diego, CA

I've used them a couple of times, my 6 has been hit 3 times while it was parked!!!
Jerks driving with their head up their asses. Caught 2 of them, 1 got away.

Good work, good prices, also the main shop for Pioneer Porsche. Shop is up off of Miramar Rd, by the Marine Air Station.

The other shop is:

Philip Thearle's Autowerks Inc
8809 Mission Gorge Rd
Santee, CA 92071-3719

Top high end car body shop in San Diego. Repair torn up race cars, Porsche's, Lambo's, Aston Martins, Rolls, etc.

Doesn't even advertise, word of mouth. Excellent work, Concours quality, but you will pay for it. Took my RS America in to get a ding in drivers door fixed. They didn't want to fix ding, wanted to just replace door ($3500 for stripped door)
Took it to West Coast Specialties.

Shop is easy to miss. Take Mission Gorge off ramp from Route 52, lights call for left turn, don't make turn, go straight, takes you into Phil's parking lot.

Check for rear clip at Autobahn parts in El Cajon. Really nice guys, good prices

Autobahn
444 Vernon Way
El Cajon, CA 92020

Pic is off my 6 after the last as*** ran into it while parked. Took it to West Coast, saved door, perfect repair.

Good Luck,
Don

fix it! I have a rear clip right here. good luck w the ins pricks

Thanks for the great support and responses. I definitely want to get it fixed, it is just a matter of negotiating with the insurance company and making sure I don't wind up with a Salvage Title.

Well thats what I thought would happen. Do you want me to generate an estimate for what it will cost to repair. Call me again - I am sorry but I misplaced your phone number. I got busy, but have been thinking about your car and your situation. I just pm'd you my contact info...

That would be great. Calling you now.

Hey Man,
I just went through this and they offered me $4700 for my car and they keep it. With the power of this board I was able to prove its value and got $15.5k and got to keep my car (it was totaled). If I can help, let me know.

I've been very busy and not on the board much. And when I am I'm on for like 5 minutes. I didn't see this post and it looks like it's going south.

1. It will be up to you to prove up your vehicles value. Find Dr evils thread and read it carefully. I don't ahve time to re-type my advise one friend to another.

I still think we need a classic how to thread for this topic.

UPDATE – Last week the insurance company offered $4900 and they would take the car. I explained (strongly) that I had over $4000 in receipts, copies of which I had provided to their adjuster in the field, as well as the NADA estimates of $7300 to $11000. She said she had never received those from the adjuster. She also stated that they had determined that the car was a total. She asked me to send her copies of my receipts. I did that on Thursday and when I totaled up the receipts, it was about $6100! She called back this morning and said that they had reevaluated the claim. They were willing to give me $7625, I get to keep the car, but it will have a salvage title. They are getting close, as I figure I can get the repairs done for this price, but I am still concerned about the salvage title. What does this mean in the long run? I got the car because I love 914s, not because I was looking for an investment. Any opinions?

1) Did you go out and get estimate for the cost to repair the damage? I can't tell from the photos but it looks like a very nice repair will have it back in shape in no time.

Advise: Tell your company you will think about their offer, then take the time off from work, get the car to a proper 914 saavy repair shop and get a hard number. Then you'll know if their evaluation of the damage is valid.

2) Did they provide you with a copy of their estimate for damage. They need to send you a copy.

Advise: Get one and bring it with you to the repair shop.

Comment: My goal would be to take their offer of $ 7625.00 and then get an estimate in writting that states there will be no supplement. In MN the damage can't exceed 70%. So if the car can be repaired for say... $ 5000.00 they can't total it.

And Ask Kelly what the case law is with regard to a vehicle that is:

"mostly repairable" I think classic cars can exceed this 70% rule because of their rising values. At one point a car that would have totaled at just over 70% could likely increase in value their for changes the rules of the game. Can't remember the details and your state laws could very.

Thanks for all the input. I think I am going to take the money and get a 2.0L. I have found several ads that are in (even well within) that price range. Since they are agreeing that I get to keep the car, I can then transfer the goodies onto the new vehicle. I just have to make sure the old one doesn't stay around very long or SWMBO will kill me.

The damage to the car is a fairly straight forward repair. The direct damage will need to be replaced (rear body panel and floor rear section). Looks the rear floor probably needed attention anyway. The right quarter ( indirect damage) will follow the crowd while the pull is performed and the panel worked during pulling. Square up the deck opening, some repair to the right inner wheelhouse at the tailight housing. The car needs to be pulled obviously to unlock the stress caused by the bound up metal. The rest any competent metal man can repair. One of the things that concerns me is the fit of the targa top to sail panel on the passenger side. Maybe just the photo but I see issues present although maybe not related.

Repair plan: Pull engine and trans. Remove passenger seat and soft trim on the right inner long (passenger compartment) to check for indirect damage. Inspect right rear upper rail and wheelhouse for buckling just behind the suspension console. Jig the car and proceed with preliminary structure pulls. The right inner wheelhouse due to design will tend to bend down behind the tower and the rail/ inner rear long will kick up in front of the trunk bulkhead (shorten). This sounds complicated to the layman but its really not.

The part that will go sideways is the insurance company will most likely try to total the car because it is older, parts availability and the physical damage rep will attempt to document it away.

Get your ducks in order. Start compiling comps (comparable car ads) and get your receipts together NOW.

If the insurance company uses NADA or Bluebook to determine the actual cash value you can dispute it because they do not represent real tangible cars for sale. California Department of Insurance Regulations require the insurance company to find a comparable vehicle (Like ,Kind and Quality) to yours. If they use CCC (Certified Collateral Corp) they will search real cars for sale from comps/ trade magazines/ private party based on a 50 mile+ radius of your zip code. Being a 914 they will probably find 2 vehicles on average. This can also be disputed if the condition of the cars inspected do not match your vehicles condition resulting in an expanded search radius by CCC. Another valuation service insurance companies use is VVS (Vehicle Valuation Services). VVS is know to bring higher values than the mentioned three

I noticed you are in California. If the insurance company gives you a hard time on the condition rating or betterment/depreciation and brings up any rust issues you can stop them in their tracks by countering with "so you are acknowledging diminished value"! Believe me this is any adjusters worst nightmare in Cali. 99% of the time it will stop there.

If you know what your car is worth to you and they offer a fair market value consider walking way with retention of salvage finding another car and transfering parts. If the car has rust issues and is just a driver consider the salvage side due to resale value and headaches. If the car is in good shape with minor old car issues fight like hell and maybe have an independant appraiser take a look for a hundred and a half to get a neutral party value. After all if the car is insured for actual cash value you want to maximize your coverage for settlement. Also check you policy most have an appraisel clause which is binding.

Hope this helps.