My neighbor came by this evening and said that his wife had accidentally backed into my 914. It was parked along a curb and when she backed out of her spot she simple didn't cut it tight enough. He admitted complete fault and is having me get a quote to run through his Allstate insurance. This should be pretty cut and dry.

The damage is limited to mid/upper part of the passenger side door and rear quarter panel. She created a hefty dent/caved in scrape right at the door handle level and both panels are caved in a least an inch. I'll take pics in the morning (yes, this piwwp). Both panels were in very good, straight condition before the accident.

I'm thinking about getting a few estimates. First from Precision Auto here in Santa Rosa and then from Yeaman Auto Body in Palo Alto. I want my door and rear quarter panel replaced, not repaired, and I want the car painted. How can they expect to color match ten year old paint correctly, right? I don't think I'm being unreasonable (am I?).

Damage pics coming in the morning.

Boo, but I'm lucky my neighbor stepped up to the plate and has reputable insurance.

The car is in very good condition (or at least WAS in very good condition):

I had the same thing happened to my original paint 76, I had the best (magic custom) metal finish the original fender to perfection.
To me a new fender was out of the question.
I had to wait 6 weeks before he could do it.From the backside it is barely even traceable, very impressive job he did.
Pepsi picked up the tab on mine.

Hopefully it all goes smooth for you.

Randy
Sorry to hear that.
Good luck with it all. Thanks for all your efforts with Roadglue years ago. I still have my '74 2.0L.
Allen
Turlock CA

As long as it gets fixed right and your neighbor isn't a butt about it, water under the bridge I guess.

I feel for you and hope you get your 914 fixed really soon.

I am glad that your neighbor stepped up. Thats pretty rare these days.

Its a PITA to get a car fixed, but you should buy your neighbors drinks once its done to show no hard feelings.

Zach

The way insurance companies work today, I would be suprised if they let you replace and repaint the whole car. Nothing to do with your neighbor, but if something can be fixed and color matched reasonably well, I cant see them forking over the money for a replace and repaint....sad but comes down to $$$ to them.

Good luck though

Sorry to hear about the bad news but I'm glad to hear that your neighbor took responsibility for it.

Is this something you can take to someone like Mark to have fixed, or are you required to take it to where the insurance company tells you.

Allen,
It sounds from your post that you are not aware that Roadglue is back online... Check it out...

That sucks Randy. At least they're stepping up and covering it.

Let me know if there's any way I can help out. Brandon at Altissimo (down the street) could use the work.

Thanks for your support.

I went to Precision Frame and Body shop today and was quoted $3560 for the repair. I had them get in touch with Rich Bontempi for a new used door and a new outer door handle. Those items are included in that price. They're not going to paint the whole car either (big surprise). They just want to paint the one side. Now I need to get ready to battle my neighbor's insurance, as I'm sure they're going to fight this estimate.

Mark, if they cut me a check (I don't know how this works), let's talk and figure out how much more I'd need to contribute to get the car fixed and completely painted. The body was pushed in a little behind the door, so that needs to be pulled out. I just don't like the idea of painting part of the car. Blah.

Here are the photos:











The space between the body and rocker panel shouldn't be there:

If your car was parked along the curb, right wheels to the curb side, how did she hit the passenger side? Was she driving down the sidewalk?

If you think they're gonna pay to paint the whole car, IME you're dreaming. That's not how it works ............... The Cap'n

I've given up on this one Cap'n.

When someone hits you it is their problem not yours, you take the car where you want it fixed not where they want it fixed!

Does this help?

Ca state law is that the vehicle owner can choose the repair facility. The insurance company must then negotiate with the repair facility to return the car to pre-loss condition. The insurance companies are usually harder on their insureds who have agreed to certain types of possibly questionable repairs than they are on claimants (you) who have not agreed to anything.
Repairs should be done to industry standards. Unfortunately industry standards don't usually include entire repaints or replacing every damaged panel. A small amount of filler is OK. If that were my car I would rather have the existing quarter panel repaired that have a new one welded on. It can be impossible to tell that a panel has been repaired whereas when a welded on panel is installed you can almost always see something somewhere that will indicate that the panel has been replaced.

yea that. Seen some nice cars, and you'll see the faint signs of new quarters

After speaking with the repair shop, I too came to the conclusion that keeping the original quarter panel is the way to go.

Will someone please just dial back the clock a day and then call me to tell me to park my car in the garage vs. leaving it out for the afternoon?

Condo complex? one way route towards the left?

if that's two way traffic and public street, I'd guess a police report would show that you shouldn't have been parked that way. Granted, it would only mean that she'd have hit the driver's side... lol. Though, it looks like the road inside a complex.

Yes, it's a condo complex and each of the families that lives here uses that curb side spot from time to time when the other spaces are taken.

I expect the first thing they'll try to tell you is that their book shows that the car isn't worth $3650... Their job is to wear you down so you will give up. If the car is still serviceable, you have time on your side. Good luck with it tho, and keep us posted. I'd love to hear the story about how the insurance companies have turned their act around and all my horror-story induced cynicism is unfounded.

After all - isn't that how AIG went down? Paying out those lavish settlements ?

Sorry to hear about this Randy. I have this fear that about a week after I get my car on the road someone is going to T-bone me and destroy years of work.