Hey everybody. Today a woman pulled out in front of me to turn into a restaurant and I basically t-boned her. Everybody's fine and in fact it didn't even do much to her car, but my beloved Z is..... I don't know. I was just wondering if anyone had experience in getting in wrecks in their Z's and how hard it turned out to be to get body parts and all that and if it could be repaired. The wreck was totally her fault and I have a bunch of witnesses. So basically I could use just about any sort of advice right now because I'm really upset.

There doesn't seem to be any damage to the motor, radiator, or anything else; when I start it, the throttle is stuck but that's about it. I'm just concerned with the body, because I could fix/replace just about any mechanical components

Oh no!!!!

the bumper is going to be hard to find, but i'll bet the hood fender and other bits are out there.

Bummer

Her insurance will be the hardest one to deal with. They will total it. Then offer you $1400 and take your car away. If you want to keep it, you will get less - say $900.

You will have a fight on your hands unless you by some miracle had an appraisal done valuing the car at what it is worth or refuse to settle without a post accident appraisal. Either way, if your state has a savage title program you will likely have one soon. You don't have by chance a stated value insurance policy or an agreed value policy. Even when it is her fault, you stand a better chance of getting what it is worth if you have established value before the accident.

I feel your pain A few years ago my daughter had someone pull out in front of her in my DSM. Just remember like i told my daughter ( Who did not want to come home to face me ) You did not get hurt, cars can be fixed or replaced.

Edited January 5, 201015 yr by kjphilippona

refuse first settlement offer. they always lowball.

Man that sucks! There was another fellow here a month or so ago that had someone hit him and he had to settle for next to nothing on an insurance claim. I went out and had a shop do an appraisal on my 77. They went straight off the NADA classics book and put it in writing that on such and such date, the car was worth this much (in my case, $7800.00) I may never get that for it but I can take it to court and show that it was appraised by a licensed dealer and hopefully I'll have a chance.

As a side bar, there is a 74 early 260 that just came up for sale here in northern Idaho. Haven't seen it but owner said it has been setting outside and not moved for 10 years, but it used to be his 'baby'.

You must be gutted ,sincere sympathy!!!!

Her insurance will be the hardest one to deal with. They will total it. Then offer you $1400 and take your car away. If you want to keep it, you will get less - say $900.

You will have a fight on your hands unless you by some miracle had an appraisal done valuing the car at what it is worth or refuse to settle without a post accident appraisal. Either way, if your state has a savage title program you will likely have one soon. You don't have by chance a stated value insurance policy or an agreed value policy. Even when it is her fault, you stand a better chance of getting what it is worth if you have established value before the accident.

This is why you need a good collector car insurance on the car. Now what I'm going to tell you deals with collector car insurance, it is vastly different that regular car insurance in this case. As long as you were doing what is allowed by your plan you will be OK. Wright down what happened while it still in your head, I mean all the details you can remember, you want a consistent story with everyone about this including verbal and in pen. When giving a verbal statement read what you wrought don't play buddy-buddy with them they do that to make you change your story. You need to let her insurance know who are insured with and you need to contact yours ASAP (after you wright down what happened). One of the things you will have is agreed upon value of your car (this is where having collector car insurance really pays off) if your car is totaled you will get paid that amount. That's that you need to get your insurance involved, because if the value of her insurance covers less your insurance will need to make the difference, they don't want to do that this is where the collector car insurance will cover your tail. Your insurance will more than likely want to handle your claim (this is good they have layers and all that to get what is needed). They will more than likely send out a claim adjuster, you want to be their with your paperwork (including pictures) on the car for this it will help get the initial cost determined better. Find a good restoration shop, not a body shop her insurance will try to make you go to a body shop, yours with a good collector car insurance will be happy with what ever choice you make. Get an estimate cost from them, if they are good it will come in higher than the claim adjuster, also get an estimate of the value lost on your car after the repairs are made you are entitled to that in some states. Don't worry about getting the parts, if they let you repair the car your restoration shop will take care of that. Your job is to make sure no insurance companies screw you on getting what you deserve don't work on the car cover it so the element don't damage it any more

Back to the original question about the parts. I recently picked up both fenders and the hood new from Nissan for under $1000. The bumper and lower valance will have to be found used. When you get ready to fix her up post part requests here, somebody may have something they are willing to sell or part with. Jeff

That is one hell of a bummer, man. You have my condolences.

I hope things work out

Your hardest repair will be the inner fender,shock tower,radiator support and possibly frame rail.

That's terrible, it wasn't even your fault. I feel your pain, lost my 79 280zx in a heavy downpour a couple years ago. Zmotorsports has a lot of parts but other than that try posting craigslist or looking at junkyards in your area. Do you have a list of the parts you need to have replaced?

all in all it looks fully fixable, so long as the frame is ok. you said there was no damage to the motor or anything else so thats good news. My take on it, a GOOD body place could EASILY put your baby back together and straighten everything out save the bumper and head light/hd lt bucket.

take it from me, my 240z was hit and run by someone in a toyota (I know this because they left theyre bumper) and tagged the left rear of my car pretty bad. But after I got it back from the body shop it turned out it wasnt as bad as I thought, I was more just in shock at the time and I'm sure you are too.

condolences

-Evan

Edited January 6, 201015 yr by dntpunchgrandpa