What A Crappy Day

[Datzun76]

Some BMW made an illegal u-turn right in front of me and there goes my front end.

Was able to drive it home and it does not appear any damage was done to the frame. Air Dam, Right Front Panel, Headlight Casing and Part of the hood all destroyed. Cop wrote $1500 estimate for repairs on the accident report. Yeah right. try $1500 just in parts.

Only good thing is he was fully insured and cited for the illegal turn.

Never fails just when you get your Z in great condition some idiot screws it up. Will post the lovely pics later.

[bonniec75209]

My sincerest condolences. That has got to hurt!!

[2ManyZs]

You are lucky in a way, at least it's repairable and the parts you need are still available. Doesn't make it an easier to swallow, but there have been a few members who have had to total their cars.

Hmm, maybe you can get them to replace the ball joints, tie rod ends and a few other items while they are fixing the car....

As long as the frame rails and core support are OK, maybe it will get fixed and be better than it was before. The best thing is it was someone else's fault and no one was hurt.

[Bambikiller240]

Originally posted by Datzun76

Air Dam, Right Front Panel, Headlight Casing and Part of the hood all destroyed. Cop wrote $1500 estimate for repairs on the accident report. Yeah right. try $1500 just in parts.

Only good thing is he was fully insured and cited for the illegal turn.

It sounds like a similar amount of damage to what Bambikiller had 3 years ago out here in CA. The cost for repairing (replacement of the Hood, Fender, Bumper, 1 Headlight case, and 1 Turn Signal lense) with the required labor and painting was $4500.00.

Good thing that Foolio has insurance! Make him PAY!!!!!!!! Take the car to the BEST shop in the county!

[Bambikiller240]

Make sure that the body shop measures EVERYTHING. Your radiator support can be pushed back towards the fan without appearing to be moved. On Bambikiler it was moved back about 1/2 inch at the top. It would have made installing a fan shroud at a later date impossible if it hadn't been caught. It's the DETAILs that will make the difference between a correct repair and an incorrect repair.

[Gav240z]

Had same thing happen to my 260z. Wrote off the entire front end bent the chassis and all. he was insured and I got paid for the car but that car had already been in a accident in the rear once in it's life so it was scraped and I did not complain just look at my new z .

Sorry again.

[Datzun76]

I agree with the 3 to 4000 range for repairs. Looked up all the parts I can see that are damaged =$1000.

I am taking it Monday to get an estimate. I turned to the left right before impact so it was not a full head on collision.

I do have pictures of the car before it happend so I am sure that will help my case. I am just worried the other drivers insurance company is going to try and pay lower than the cost it takes to fix it including new paint.

[bonniec75209]

Be prepared to stand your ground!! !@%&! insurance companies, always trying to rip people off!

[beandip]

If I can add my condolences. Here is a little bit of advise take the car to a cusotm auto body shop , if there is one where y ou live. Most of the auto body shops today are not fabricators and just pannel and parts changers . Go to a true body shop.

[Datzun76]

Estimates from repair shops are $1900 and $2400 to repair damages.

The $1900 is from the company affiliated with the insurance company and it was obvious they were trying to stay under $2000. If they go over that then the insurance company would make a settlement offer.

[Datzun76]

Here we go again back to the courthouse.

Now the insurance company is trying to pay for only 80% of the damages even though their driver was cited for an illegal u-turn which caused the accident.

[justaZcarguy]

That is the age old trick by the insurance companies...

Tell them the more they drag this out the more your back hurts!

But, be prepared to buy the car back, you are headed towards totalledville. I just wentr thru this with my '73, I was able to buy the car back for $105. Hell the hood alone was worth more than that!

I went onto classiccartrader.com and did a nationwide search and handed the 7 page document to the adjustor and told him to have fun.

If you have the car, clean it up, but do not make it spottless or they get "suspicous" and drag it out.

Threaten them with a lawyer if they try to blame you for 20%, try to find witnesses. The sad part is, they are doing their job by trying to get you to admit 20% fault, don't stand for it!

And remember the back thing, it's insurance companies that bring this kind of crap onto themselves.

Good luck, if needed we will send the Z mafia after 'em! :dead:

Bri