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Help please! Body shop recs, motor swap shops, and advice.
So I am getting screwed right now.. I was next to my car with valet driver and a vehicle hit us and my door. Valet driver went like 30 ft but is okay, i'm okay, but my car door is mangled. His car was a shop loaner, so no insurance paper but I got all his info. 1 week later he refuses to give insurance info, and states "My attorney will be in contact with you over the accident YOU caused". Lucky for me the car was parked, no keys in the vehicle, and restaurant and valet back me. The guy lives in a 1.75 million dollar home based on search, so he is lawyered up and this is going to drag out. I appreciate the concerns and advice on the case, but I really have that part handled.
I have liability, no one will do anything to my car until we find out his ins info, and win him in court. I don't have time for that so i need to fix car now at my expense, and hope for reimbursement, OR buy a new SC and swap it all, or pass her along to you.. This is where I need your help please.
1. Recommended body shops to get estimates at? LA area or OC
2. Recommended shop to swap my turbo and manual tranny into a new SC auto?
3. Anyone that will take a GREAT parts car for FAIR price. $5k+.
In my opinion, and those that know it, my car is incredible street car, all the work was done so well, and it drives great, underboosted and reliable. I had insurance value it at $14,725, and I have all the papers for everything and to prove that. Thats a LOT for an insurance company on a 1992 sc300.
Car is OEM manual, black on grey interior, with much custom black in it.
1JZGTE From JARCO front half soarer, that they video for you running and ODO before cutting in half.. 35k miles since installed.
Everything works, power steering, cruise control, blinkers, tach, etc etc, everything oem. Self meticulous install, perfectionist. Never had a problem.
Driftmotion 57 Trim .58 Single Turpo upgrade
R154 fully rebuilt by a shop that specializes in them less than 10k miles on it!!!
Touch screen pioneer Appradio that you can control your phone apps on the monitor.
I have had valet park this car our front of a club because people think its a high end expensive car, and I built it to feel that way, she is clean and strong. I intended to keep her for life but I am at a crossroad.. My life has me in a place where the best option right now is to move forward, with or without her.
I need a shop to fix it, a shop to swap to new SC, or a person to buy her as is.
I have all the replacement parts(new door etc) and I was going to fix it, but the shop its at quoted me $10,000 to replace the column the door is attached to, that is pretty much the only real damage.(Pic below) He knows my story though and thinks he can get it from insurance, which is why i need some recommendations... But I did talk to someone and they said $10k is not unreasonable to replace that pillar, ad they have to remove the interior so they can weld..
Lots of other small treats on the car but I am already filling this page, but such as Defi BF boost gauge, HID's, hks cam gear, TEIN HA fully adjustable coilovers, daizen bushings, etc, etc.
There is a guy named Carlos Santos in California that can work magic and specializes in the Sc. I posted a link to this thread on Facebook and linked him. Get his opinion on this at least.
He is a true SC magician who can rebuild a cluster, ECU, motor or body to perfection. This is what his house looks like
If insurance totals it out your not going to get very much and no where near 14k.
How is it, he wont give his insurance info if he hit your car AND the valet driver?
I assume cops weren't called? Because if they were he would have to provide ALL his insurance info.
Why would you have just liability insurance on a car valued at 14k?
By law you have the right to take it to a shop of your choosing not the insurance company. If he knows its less then 10k but thinks insurance will pay that much to fix that pretty much fraud.
You should be lawyering up as well and keeping in contact with the place it happened and with the valet guy he hit. Sadly thats the way things are now and you cant take anyones word.
Do not let anyone touch that car! If it goes to court they will use that against as if you were the one at fault since your footing the bill out of your OWN pockets right away.
I only had liability because I lived out of state/country for 3 years. Before that I had full coverage, I thought I was being responsible for paying insurance even when not using it, but looks like I screwed up lagging the switch when back this year..
The police, firetrucks, and ambulance were all there. Everyone has my back, this guy has no case. The police paper they gave me says "Rental Contract" in the field of insurance. It does show the bank that owns the car as registered owner, but thats it. No rental company, no insurance company, ETA on full police reports in LA are 6 weeks I am told.
You guys say they will total my car, yes they would want to and everyone says that, but last time I won that fight. I have all the paperwork for my car well organized, so lets assume they wont for the current solutions. That was 3-4 years ago though, but still maybe 8-10k.
My insurance company told me that I can fix the car myself, but they sent an adjuster out to do an estimate on damages for file to support a reimbursement, but there is no guarantee that the opposing insurance company will honor this full amount. My adjuster said it was around $7-8k, and the shops 10k estimate was not unfair (so looks like wasn’t BS) for that quality of a shop. He also says they would have to strip the cars interior to weld the post without risk of sparks on the interior. Maybe I can find a place for $5k… or who will just not pull the interior if I tell them risk is mine on the interior.
I am visiting a recommended lawyer on Monday.. The thing is I wasn’t worried because the guy seems rich (assumes he has full coverage insurance on his main car) and it was clearly his fault, im considered a pedestrian in this case since no keys in the car I am told. It wasn’t until 5 days of no ins info he told me he is lawyered up and the accident is MY fault.
Legally the paper the police gave me says you have 10 days to file with your insurance, that will be Sunday, im hoping he is building a case before reporting but he will by Sunday. At that point we should know his ins company and move forward I pray.
Also just to clarify, I now have all the parts for cheap from members/online (thanks). I am not looking to pay out my pocket for an $8k Lexus spec fix and then hope to be reimbursed, the car runs perfectly fine right now (the shop its at is a high end santa monica shop hence the 10k quote, tow driver took it there). The only reason I cant drive it is no door. I need a mickey mouse job on my door so I can drive her until this case is settled. (dont hate me for that, nothing on my car is mickey mouse but its a temporary option).
Simply put, I need a cash quote from a shop to remove and install a fender and a door that will open and close decently, I have the parts.I can make an agreement with them to do the complete job and get the insurance check once case is settled.
My sister told me there was a lady on FB that had a picture of her driving around with no door and people on FB bought her a new door, hmmm I wonder...
I have the door and the fender, my concern (which is like 95% probably) is that even a new setup will not close properly without a weld or frame/pillar adjustment. I've never dealt with this kind of damage, so small and simple yet such a big deal it seems... Studiogeeks contact is going to call me later tonight, will see his input. I am thinking of just removing the door myself and driving to random shops for a quote, but I would MUCH rather be referred to a shop from someone. Sadly I have been out of the car scene for years, getting old and out of touch... Also this was not my daily driver, I had another car and a bike so this car was barely driven. When I moved for three years I kept her because of how much work I put into her since 2003, 10+ years!
I can help with insurance questions so feel free to call me at 818-350-8059 ext 101.
If he was driving a rental that complicates things quite a lot. If he's lawyered up, he's getting ready for a defense.
Either way, if he's got money, he'll likely be savvy (or have a savvy lawyer) that will protect his assets. Even if you take him to court and obtain a judgment, that doesn't mean you'll be able to enforce.
07-02-15, 02:22 PM
Help please! Body shop recs, motor swap shops, and advice.
