oh on another note, I am really impressed with how the epoxy primer I sprayed on the car held up to the smash, it conformed to the dent while the paint and surface primer tended to break.

If you can, get ALL the parts, labor, paint repair estimates 'in writing' you are happy with before the adjuster comes by. This will give you a little more leverage in case of a low ball estimate for 'just an old car'.

Bonzi Lon

Remember that YOU control where the car is repaired, not the other persons insurance company. I would get 'Top Drawer' estimates from at least 3 different shops to show their adjuster. Did you or your girlfriend get examined by a doctor?? BTW what is the name of the other insurance company??

unfortunately the claims adjuster is going to be by in an hour. I have not had time to take it elsewhere yet. I do plan on taking my car in for an estimate at a very trusted auto body shop, they are very professional the have found hidden damage to my other car by crawling under and inspecting the frame ect. I have not seen the doc, I feel fine, Girlfriend has been to the ER and had a follow up with her primary care, She is in pain The other guys insurance is Geico, I have been through this with them before, they were rude bastards before and I expect the same treatment this time around. I have learned from the last rear end collision and I think I can deal with it better this time. The real unknown is what value they will place on my Z.

Update: the damage adjuster looked over my car for about 20 min. He gave me a parts and labor summary and a check for a little under 2k. Now I am sort of shocked I was not expecting a check today. It will remain in my paper work for now. Anyhow I then drove my car to the body shop, The manager does not want to use any parts that I have found, he says he will get them from a place that specializes in Z parts (news to me that this wonderland exists!) anyhow he has arranged for a rental car for me to use and stated that my car will be in good hands and that any costs over what the insurance has paid me he will deal with. He said that in the condition my car was in that there is no way it would be totaled. New bumper, new bumper end, new bumper valance, new tail light assembly and both finishers. my real concern is how are they going to straiten out the metal?!?!

Edited April 27, 201113 yr by grantf

Ok, So I got my car back. I have mixed feelings. On the plus side the work was done and paid for by the other guys insurance $3000. My car was not totaled and I got a brand new bumper but some of the replacement parts were in worse shape than the originals and the ones I got that the body shop did not want to use. there paint job on the finisher was worse than my at home do it yourself. body work was ok. but what really bugs me is the right bumper end is not strait. It really bugs me. :tapemouth

So now I am in a dilemma fix it myself or bring it back. they already had my car for 4 weeks. ARRG.

Edited May 24, 201113 yr by grantf

That is a bummer, the right bumper end does not look so good from your pictures. It seems like it is very hard to get good work done anymore. Best of luck there. I do like the paint color though :-)

I Know I want the old one damaged from the accident back! I am thinking that the right rear strut may be tweaked up and in from the collision. Wonder if I should bring it back or fix myself.

I would tell the shop and both insurance companies (yours and theirs) you are unhappy with the work, and tell them you want it fixed properly.

Arne, That's what every one is telling me. I will visit the shop tomorrow. What kills me is that the work I did is better than what the shop did. I am an amature working from a dirt driveway learning as I go. 4 weeks and 3k for this is sort of nuts.

The way the bumper end looks, the bumper may have been tweaked to the left or not aligned properly. What does the other end look like?

I feel your pain. My 71 got rear ended, right after I spent about $2k in mechanical upgrades. I was literally just driving it home from the shop straight home, and someone just had to reach for something in the back seat while i was sitting at the light =(

Fix it and keep it going! These Z's are amazing and they deserve another lease on life!