Hi All,

Such great posts. So much experience and insight here by everyone.

Update:

Adjuster came out and is saying that in Florida the cost of repairs has to exceed 80% of the cars value. The car is appraised at 70-75k. The current repair estimate is $36k. So the numbers don't add upon favor of a total loss. I'm hoping the body shop will peel back more layers of the onion and thus more charges. But the repair estimate is already quite substantial.

Nationwide has been pretty professional. I can't say that they have been completely "On my side" but I didn't expect that. The other option is to sell the car to a wrecked car buyer, and get a check for $35k from insurance for repairs. The wrecked car guy would have to buy my car for $35k in order for me to get a total of 70k, which is what is left on my loan and to be able to walk from this mess.

I did throw out concerns about the frame to the adjuster, he replied with the fact that Porsche has its frame in many different parts, and if a section gets damaged, that section can be replaced. So that argument didn't really work. Apparently there aren't any parts in the Porsche parts catalog that cannot be replaced nor anything damaged that would deem unrepairable. So it's really just a matter of numbers apparently.

If all attempts fail, there is a Porsche certified body shop that only work on Porsche. Super high end and a top notch shop.


So, unless I can get someone to buy the car wrecked at a decent price or get the body shop to find another 15-20k in damage, or find some other argument/loophole that makes sense, I will be driving the car.

 

I'm glad you are ok and good luck with everyone else.

 

Just looking at the math if there is $35k in damage and you need $35k that would mean the shop would have $70k in the car minus the discount the shop gets on parts and their cost for labor. In the end the shop would have a repaired car competing in the market with no issue cars. The 2010 S appears to be centered in the $75k market.

If a shop can fix it for $25k they'd need $60k to break even. The question would be would you buy the car seeing the before pictures for say $65k or would you opt to spend another 5-$10k for one that had never been hit?

I went through this same scenario on my 09 S. I ended up fixing it and selling it with full disclosure and came out ahead. Mine had about $17k in damages to the right front and bumper. The shop that did the work did an outstanding job. You couldn't tell it had been hit. In fact after they were done I drove it around for a week or so and decided if it sold fine. If not I'd just keep it long term.

Good luck.

 

I'd just drive it unless you want to take an immediate $$$ hit from selling it. any 997 I saw that that had an accident was worth 5k+ less than a clean one.

but... if it's repaired right, I don't think you'll have issues.

 

You are one lucky guy!

 

Wow I'm more than glad you came out of that one in one piece! I have seen hydroplaning cars, and no car is completely immune from hydroplaning. Most people are hydroplaning to some degree and don't notice it because the car and tire handle it well enough until just the slightest change in trajectory sends you spiraling out of control. I've seen it, it's scary. Even in my Porsche I tread very carefully in rain if I am going over 45mph.
It's nice to see the airbags and the car held up. A friend told me that if I am in a head-on collision I am fbar'd because the engine is in the rear not the front which would protect me. I googled this issue but couldn'd find any statistics to back up my friend's claim. It would SEEM to be an issue but having the structure built well and with airbags I'm sure it's safe as any other sports car whether then engine is in the front or rear.

But it's nice to see that you are safe and the safety features and car held up to it's reputation and design.

 

Hi...would you want to sell me your colored center wheel caps?

If your car is going to be "totaled", I would love to buy them from you.

Please let me know :-)

 

...sorry, I posted before I read your update...

That is a pickle...tough decision to make...damn.

 

You don't get to pick parts off the car if it's totaled. If it's a writeoff, it becomes property of the insurance company and they will try to recover some value from it. You can optionally purchase the wreck.

 

Why drive in Sport mode in the rain? The system is designed so that PSM interventions take place later than normal. This is great for the track with a dry road surface, not so much in the rain on the highway. Sorry for your loss and I hope they can find enough damage to total it. dave

 

My 4S does better in the rain. Yup, rain and hydroplaning are the ones I never like whenever I drive irregardless of what vehicle I drive

 

I have been following this since your accident. First off, glad everyone is safe. These are very well built machines which help.

If you do decide to go ahead with the repairs, please, post pics of the progress here. I know it's a pna, but two things will happen.

First, any good/very good body shop will work with you on this. Helps with protection later on down the line. If they do a great job, this will increase their business as well as reputation. I see it as a win/win.

Second, it will be fascinating for us to watch such progress and help us further understand the "rebuild" process. Engineer's watch things like this too as they are able to "reverse" engineer what failed.

Anyways, good luck with all the progress as we will be watching.

Mike A

 

It may be a little too late to do this ..(really sucks insurance didn't call it a total loss) I had a Toyota Tacoma truck that was literally $500 short of being a total loss when I got into a similar accident on a highway 6 years ago.

But in so many words (without sounding too much like I'm suggesting insurance fraud) ..I personally would MAKE SURE with the aid of a sledge hammer that it would be a total loss.

You pay enough in insurance every month, time to collect!

Nothing to see here ...move along, move along

 

slippery slope...

 

Coming from a bunch of track driving, a GT3 with a center lock failure and a cup car... A good shop can likely fix this as good or better than new. If there is no driveline damage I simply cannot see finding another 15-20K in damage. The car can and will be repaired and be awesome. Unless you were planned to sell it really soon anyway, just keep it and enjoy it, by the time you sell it the prospective buyer will know there are no lingering problems and and the car is spot on.

Porsches are fixed all the time, do not sweat it.

On the sport mode... You definitely you want slower throttle response and faster PSM onset in the rain thus turn sport mode off. The yaw angle where PSM comes in is increased with sport on and the throttle mapping is more aggressive. So turn sport off in the rain if you are not completely sure you want it on. Also realize that maneuvering with no throttle or riding the brakes makes the back end lighter and thus more easy to swap.