dondo

iTrader: (7)

Sooooooo. I smashed my 8. Marymoor exit off 520 yesterday afternoon, left lane, changing lanes to right, check mirror and blind spot, turn around to a face full of brake lights as the guy in front of me slams on his brakes and I rear end him. My front bumper cover is torn in two, both fenders are damaged, the hood folded up into an accordion so I could barely see out the windshield. He was in an 05 cedes that saw like no damage, but mine is leaking fluids like crazy and looks terribly broken. It was towed to the body shop, but I have no idea what really happens next. I've never crashed a car before so I'm a little naive. I asked them if they quote it with replacing the genuine Mazda parts and they said "maybe". What does that even mean? Any advice?

dondo

iTrader: (7)

Yes, it was silver.

Jedi54

iTrader: (7)

OMG, the CURSE stikes AGAIN!!!

The reason they said 'maybe' is because the insurance company still needs to evaluate the damage. If they declare it 'totalled' then there will not be any repairs; you'll get a check from the company for what they feel your car was worth at the time of the accident.

dondo

iTrader: (7)

totaled means that it costs more to fix it than it's worth, yes?

using mazda parts will increase the cost, yes?

if they decide to not use factory parts, they may be able to fix it for cheaper. i'm competing with the body shop since they'll want the cash from the insurance company by fixing it. if they total it, i get a check and the body shop gets nothing, yes?

can i demand they restore it to factory? can i refuse their offer? what are my options/rights here?

yeah, silver is not lucky.

Jedi54

iTrader: (7)

you always want mazda parts. why settle for crap imitations?
yes, totalled = costs more to fix then it's worth

If the frame is damaged, you really don't want them to fix the car. It'll most likely never be the same again...

05TiGr8Lady

Wow dondo... Sorry to hear it! Sounds like you are OK? Got pics?

BunnyGirl

On the plus, it's very hard to find any parts for an RX-8 that aren't genuine, at least according to the body shop when Bella needed fixing. Three weeks after I got my car a trunk flung up a huge rock and put a softball-sized dent in my hood. The crappy insurance company I had at the time (they've since been replaced) didn't want the body shop to repair it, although they were able to repair it. The insurance company told them they could replace it with a "new" hood from a junkyard! Funny thing is, the insurance company couldn't even find a hood in a junkyard. LOL! Meanwhile, the car was three weeks old!!!!! Who in their right mind would accept "used" and/or non-genuine parts on a three-week-old car?

If your car is as messed up as I am picturing from your description, it is probably going to be deemed totalled.

D_8

dam bro...good luck. what year is your car?

marines411

yea car that normally get hit from behined dont take much damage... at least u made it out alive. object can be replace, human cant. hope ur getting a new 8.. perferbably something not silver.

kristopher_d

Yes, you can definitely refuse their offer. In fact, as a matter of course, you should ALWAYS decline their FIRST offer. You'll have to find similar cars (same mileage and options) for sale and send them the ads. Note, call the sellers before sending the ads. When I totalled my Mustang, the insurance company claimed all the sellers were willing to sell for considerably less than the advertised price.

My sympathies. That's a terrible intersection for people behaving in a completely unpredictable manner.

the4v3ry

Sorry man! That's awful!

One other thing to look at, if you have storage space and the car is considered totalled, is if you can keep the car to sell for parts. With your connections on this site you can help a lot of people and get a lot more money than most scrap yards would. Especially for silver parts (sob).

You've got a lot of money worth of stuff from the windshield back, and I don't even know what options you've got on the car. If you decide to go that route, contact getreddytogr3ddy (or however he spells it) as he knows what's what, what's worth what, and how to get it off.

Good luck, and don't let that insurance company screw you!

Kari

That sucks, dondo! Sorry to hear. At least you're ok anyway!

dondo

iTrader: (7)

It's an 04.

We have a plan finally. They're going to fix the car and I should have it back in a few weeks. It's been over a month since I wrecked it though so it's a little ridiculous. I had my hands full with the insurance company in the past weeks.

In any case, I'll get it fixed up with some new parts. So far I'm going with the MS front bumper, MS skirts, and MS CAI. I'm also looking at the RB AC and oil cooler screens and the Ron Davis ReMedy Radiator. Thoughts?

Here are some pics from the body shop for those who were interested:

dondo

iTrader: (7)

updated with pics!

Telexen

Damn that sucks. If they say the frame is damaged in any way I would rather take the money and get a newer one.

Good luck with the repair though.

Schimmle

Go with the BHR radiator. Just a though. Go look it up.

dondo

iTrader: (7)

i argued to the best of my abilities for a total, but it was still a few thousand short of value minus salvage so it was no go.

the bolt on piece up front was messed up, but is being replaced. the only frame damage is the part that the bolt on piece bolts to. the plate there is just bent a little bit. none of the "crush zones" where they deliberately make the frame weaker are bent, so it should be good to go.

i'll read up on the bhr. are there any better ac condensors as well or just radiators?

ANIBALRX8

I have to i greed with the insurence company!!! There is no way in hell this wood be a total car!!! So, will see you around, ones you get your car back, and pay very close attention to the small detail in the paint went you go to pick it up on a averge week, my dad had to send back one car to the painter, because of a small detail in his bodyshop!!! Good luck!!!

dondo

iTrader: (7)

it was pretty close to a total. the repairs are up to 11k already and they said they'd total it after we hit 14.5k. at least they have a lifetime warranty on the repair so i can take it in anytime if there are issues.

ANIBALRX8

I guest I was thinking of the time, I loss control of my Rx7(86) at 130mph and hit a buick, at that speed. My dad having a body shop cut the front end off and put an othere one on, piece by piece, an the pieces that he could not buy, he made them up from scrap. Two weeks later I had a brand new front end and he repainted the car completelly.

So with the cost of part and labor, now day, I guest I can see why it came so close to been total.

FABRO

You shouldn't have lost control in the first place. 130mph on a public road= horrible idea.

ANIBALRX8

No excuse, but that's what happens wend your not thinking right. One of my best friend past way on that day and I was trying to get to the hospital to pay my respect. I almost kill my self and two others in my car and two others in the other car. It was one of the hardest moments in my life as a 18 year old and looking back at it I did not know what I had on My hands at the time!!!

dondo

iTrader: (7)

no rad for me. the insurance company is better at doing nothing on my car than i am. i will get the ms front, skirts, and cai as well as the RB AC and oil cooler screens. the rest will just have to wait.

here's to hoping i might get it back next week!

fahrfegneugen

Good luck, stupid Merc.

You don't need a total, not like the frame is mangled or anything.

dondo

iTrader: (7)

true. i should get it back this week though!! who wants to go driving?