As some are already aware, I got hit on the freeway last month. I've been a little busy (trivialities like figuring out transportation, etc.) but finally have some pictures here.


The scene of the crime



At home












At the shop, torn down to more fully assess damage









Once parts arrive, they'll start cutting. They don't expect any unexpected damage once they do, but I expect they're expecting the unexpected. I expect I'll hear as soon as their expectations are confirmed.

 

On most cars, that could be close to a total. Thats gotta be like a $20K repair plus the hit you'll take on the carfax should you deceide to sell or trade her. What do you think will be the financial implications of the repair? Did you get whiplash? Any medical compensation?

If the drive opens up to all Jags, I would be happy to let you drive my XJ so I could have her there for the photo shoot. PM me if you want to take me up on that.

Thats a solid hit. So sorry to see that, I'd be a mess if someone did that to me.

 

Call your XJ a re-skinned F-Type so Lizzardo can join you.

 

Looks pretty bad! I hope the repair goes well for you.

 

Current estimate is north of $23K. I've heard very positive reports on the shop, and they assure me it will be correct "down to the last factory rivet." Things are not settled yet, so as far as diminished value and medical, anything is still pending.

I appreciate the offer. I will consider it.

Indeed. I got a concussion just from the headrest. I'm glad I got the Performance seats now, because the quality and fit served me well. I've had much worse, so I try to be philosophical about it.

 

Maybe an "early F-Type concept."

 

The XJ is currently up for sale so thats the only possible thing.

Regardless, as a current Typist, you know you are welcome to come in any car you like as long as it doesn't have red LED's in the grill. We can set up a duplicate drive to celebrate your cat leaving the vet. Make sure they don't clip her nails, keep em good and sharp.

About the Carfax hit, be aware of that. Not sure if you can negotiate that with their/your insurance company but people forget that along with the new technology, comes the downside, centralized access to information. You car won't have a salvage title but anyone within a cellphone can know that your cat endured a $23k vet bill. This would be devastating to anyone looking to buy your car in the future. And to think you'll have to explain away this fact to every potential buyer. "Clean Carfax" is a right of passage to get a car sold in todays world. This has to be taken into consideration, especially on a car like an F where buyers will investigate to the fullest.

I am making a huge assumption, looking at the rear hit, that the accident wasn't your fault, Lizz!

 

On the freeway, when traffic in front of me stopped. I stopped. The car behind me did not. I don't know how fast she was going, but based on the fact that her air bag deployed it was minimum of 9-18 mph. I'd guess 25+.

Her insurance company has accepted 100% liability. I have that in writing.

By the way, most people call me Steve.

The username dates back decades, but I've grown accustomed to it.

 

If you keep it for a long time the carfax may not be a big problem for the next buyer. But try to flip it soon and potential buyers may suspect something is up, like a bad repair you were not satisfied with thus the sale.

I just picked up a 2014 and in my search I stayed away from all low mileage accident cars for this very reason. Bad repairs can look great in the beginning but as time goes by they nearly always show their ugly side with panel gaps widening, paint getting wavy if any filler was used as it continues to shrink.

Just get her fixed and enjoy her for a long time to come.

 

I second that. Don't let them fix it, because you will be stuck with it when they try and not quite get it right. The car should be written off.

 

Use this as a negotiation point with insurance to write the car off. Tell them you are not sure if you should get MRI done and see the specialist and let silence on the line linger for a bit. They will get the meaning.

 

I would never buy a car with that kind of repair no matter discount. People that look at carfax reports generally do this to filter out cases like that.

It sucks to write you favorite car off, but it sucks more to be stuck with a car that you formally liked, but isn't quite right. It will turn into hate very quickly, then you would have no other way to get rid of it but to sell it at a very steep discount.

 

I doubt seriously the Insurance company would ever concede to totaling out a used car worth $50-60k in good condition if they can put it back in service for $25 k. There is no way they could salvage out the car for the difference to pay you the $50-60k. If your car in good condition is worth more, my argument gets even stronger.

 

Even if it doesn't get on Carfax, a good used car manager can tell by looking that the paint isn't right. Then they'll get out their paint thickness meter and find that the thickness is inconsistent and different from the rest of the car. New cars are painted by robots. Repairs are painted by humans.

 

I don't believe I can *make* them replace it. If the repairs are not to my satisfaction I can refuse to accept them but their obligation is to restore the car, either by repair or replacement. If the entire car needs to get painted so all panels match, that's not my problem.

I have confidence in the shop's ability to do as they say, and am not going to presume they'll fail. I can usually spot repairs when I'm not even looking for them, and will give the car a critical eye. The shop is also keeping me informed and happy to let me inspect the work at any stage.

I'm not asking for more than is proper, but I made it abundantly clear that I'd been screwed before after an accident entirely not my fault and that I am not going to let it happen again.

I bought the car for the long run and that is still my plan.

 

i would still go after the other insured for a diminished value claim since you are not at fault. even if the car is repaired to 100%, it is inherently worth less due to the accident . especially for a car like this ... anybody looking to purchase in the future will pay less because it was in an accident.

 

My understanding is that body shop can declare car unfixable no matter what is actual cost of the car. Shops often take chances, because they want to make profit, but you can change that calculation by informing them you will get work inspected, with disassembly, by a competitor shop prior to accepting work.

They take these chances because owners are not experts and most won't be able to tell when something isn't fixed right and they rarely get called out on shody work. Insurance also likes these bad fixes, because it offloads the cost on the owner. So you pressure insurance with implicit threat of medical claims, and you pressure body shop with explicit threat of inspections by specialists - once both sides rediscover honesty, your car, if it shouldn't be fixed, is written off.

What makes me think that your car is not fixable is that trunk floor seem to buckled and that rubber seal and edge around trunk opening outside the immediate impact zone look warped. This tells me that unibody frame was impacted, possibly twisted, and with aluminum you shouldn't attempt to stretch it back into shape. Car with a twisted frame will almost always randomly vibrate at speed and will not be safe in case of another collision.

Also, looking at the markings shop left on the car, it appears they plan to cut and weld side panel. You want them to actually replace entire panel.

 

True. They usually use some percentage of value to determine if it is worth fixing, but some just can't be fixed. I've looked at the car and spoken to the shop. They deem it fixable and I believe them.

They are not going to be straightening anything structural. They are certified by JLR to work on the all-aluminum cars, so know not to do anything like that.

I asked about that. They will be replacing pieces as available from Jaguar. I know the quarter panel actually loops entirely around the door, and I'm not convinced that complete replacement is preferable to the less invasive replacement of a section.

In any case, I plan to inspect the car as things progress so that I know what has been done. If I'm not satisfied, I won't accept it.

 

That would be the deal breaker for me; no way to do that splice without a bunch of filler. If it was steel, it could be butt welded and ground smooth but being aluminum, I imagine they will flange the seam and glue it then apply filler over top.

It can look just fine for awhile but eventually....






Dave

 

My automotive experience is mechanical, not bodywork, but I've seen lots of bodywork over the years. I've also seen many shops over the years, and my visits so far left me with a positive impression.

I think this is generating a lot of attention here because it is significant damage, and we all worry about the consequences of that, given that all-aluminum cars are rare today. I'm willing to let the experts give it a go and see how they do. I don't appreciate it when dilettantes overrule my expert opinions, so am giving them this courtesy.

I haven't signed anything yet, and will be following the work as it progresses. I'll keep the group here posted.