So I got my 996!!! Then someone rear-ended me...

So we finally found the perfect 996 a few weeks ago. My wife and I flew up to Wisconsin and spent 3 days driving our 04 C2 Cab back to sunny South Carolina. The weather was perfect and it's something we've always wanted to do (fly out somewhere and pick up a nice car). During the trip back we were already planning our next road trip! So fast forward a few weeks and I'm sitting at a stop light with a buddy of mine (we took the 996 because it was a beautiful night and he hadn't seen the car) and....bang. Some observative driver on a cell phone put a nice dent in my drivers rear bumper. Apparently the other driver thought we had made the turn and wasn't looking while planning on the turn as well... Her insurance company is taking care of everything, including a new bumper and whatever else if damaged underneath. Good news is it really isn't that bad, no metal body damage. So my question is if you're given the choice of a new bumper which one do you get? I like the look of the 'Euro Bumper' so was planning on going that route, but didn't know if there was something else out there that i should consider.

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You will get results on your question after you post photos of the car.

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Got to be careful. Probably needs more than a bumper cover. My 02 Boxster hit in rear and cost new bumper cover, some hardware underneath, spoiler damaged, rear tail light assembly. (Cause car shoved into parked car ahead front bumper cover and one headlight required replacing. Total cost came to over $5000. A guy in UK had his Turbo rear-ended. 5000GBP later his car fixed.) Be sure shop uses new parts. In fact be sure shop is qualified to repair Porsches. Should be a shop used by local Porsche dealer, M-B and BMW, Lexus, etc. car dealers to repair their cars. Shop to be qualifed to repair Porsches should have Celette Bench (to check things are straight (including hard points for attaching bumper covers, etc.)) and should use one, some or all of these paints and paint systems: Standox, Glasurit, and Spies-Hecker. These are the paints Porsche factory uses. Adjacent body panels should be sanded for paint prep then resprayed a ways from where adjacent panels mate up to rear bumper cover and then adjacent body panels shot with clear coat so adjacent panels blend/match new rear bumper cover. Body panels should be removed from car and not just taped before painting. If panels can not be removed the weather stripping should removed so there are no ridges from where tape and paint met. All panels re-sprayed should be block sanded smooth even along edges at panel gaps. Also, paint thicknesses should closely match "factory" paint thickness so even someone with paint gage would be hard pressed to tell car painted. Before you accept car check all lights work, and spoiler, and engine compartment fan, etc. Most body shops are production shops, banging out dents in lesser cars and shooting with paint as quick as they can. Some can do real good work but you have to watch out and inspect and insist work done right. Generally the "law" is the car must be restored to its pre-collision condition. Do not assume other insurance company will be as vigilant as you would be regarding how well your car repaired. Its job is to spend as little money repairing your car as is possible. This does not generally see a good job done. Sincerely, Macster.

Roadtrip from WI to SC

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Now your talkin" Nice! Looks like a magazine photo...

Back lighting.

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An insurance company is paying for the repair, and you've been given a choice??? It never ceases to amaze me that we went over the deep end re: child seats in the front passenger seat on the basis of a handful of improperly installed seats, and yet, apparently we have no problem with people talking and texting on cellphones and rear ending people on a daily basis. I guess it's more lucrative to sue a car manufacturer for not putting a warning label on the visor than it is to sue a fool with a cell phone one at a time, because the latter is certainly an epidemic.

do not go where the insurance company tells you to go - period.... ask fellow Pcar owners where to go in your area. I had a <5mph bump that really was barely a scuff in the fender. Turned out to be nearly $3k to fix, I added some money and had some other things taken care of and am happy, but there are no $100 "buff it out" accidents in these cars. if you change out the bumper cover because its something you want.... have the body guy work it in... a good one knows how to make that all work and have you just come up with the differance.. BUY OEM if can swing it. - your car is pretty stock so I personally dont think an Aero rear bumper would look all that great unless you put the front and skirts to match.... get the checkbook out in that case

Of course, it was a girl yapping on her cell phone. Probably related to the girl also yapping on her cell phone who rear-ended my wife and I while in our S2000.

The insurance is giving me $986 for the new bumper, which Pelican Parts has listed for $999 for the original Porsche part (with cutouts). There is also an allowance for paint and labor, as well as a statement that they will replace anything else that is damaged once the bumper comes off. I had the thing happen to me when I had a boxster and the same shop that did that repair will be doing this one. The worst part of my day is walking by my car in the morning when I'm leaving for work and trying not to stare at the damage.... As far as the other driver, she actually got out of the car still talking on her cell phone and carrying on the same conversation. No apologies or anything. Her car was an SUV with so many scratches on the front bumper both the officer and I couldn't find where she hit me, and one of her side windows was re-created with duck tape. I was just glad she had insurance at that point!

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I wasn't going to say it. That said, a woman in a Toyota 4 runner met the business end of my hitch and rear bumper on my Avalanche about 6 months ago because she was... yapping on the phone. Hers was totaled while mine was hardly scratched, but all I remember now is the sheer stupidity exhibited.

I think unless the government or insurance companies crack down (ie: not paying for accidents if you were talking on a hand-held), nobody will stop doing it. I miss the old days when all you had to worry about was a drunk driver! Glad your bumper accident didn't get the fender or any metal, and your car should come out looking as good as when you got it. Lucky you weren't broad-sided or something worse!

Demand 10-15% dimunition in value do to wreck being on your car fax. How is you neck ? Gregg Esq.

$1000 for a new part and a promise to paint the car - I would not take that deal... mine was in the shop for almost a month and I made them pay for a rental, plus when other parts were found inside they had to come back. I would go to the Dr and get a check up just to be safe. You cannot say there is no problem, only a Dr can say that. AND if there is a problem later, you have the trail to follow... otherwise its hard to get them to admit resposabillity

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+1... although I turned my mishap into a reason to mod the body... Not for everyone I'm sure, but this is what I did to mine (and it's all mine!) 022.jpg 015.jpg Good luck and welcome to the board! Rudy

Rudy1024 - nicely done! Copple - I had the side of my car backed into 3 weeks after bringing it home. 2 weeks in the body shop to repair (used a Mercedes repair shop for various reasons). Paint, panels, gaps, etc came out perfect. Good luck & take your time checking into repair shops. When you get it back, it'll feel like you just bought another new car.

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I second this! Wife and I had a misalignment. My wife's was worse. The SUV plowed into our S2000 at a freeway offramp.

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damn those headlights look good

I just got the GT3 Euro bumper from Pelican part #99650541112G2X. Was $986.79 but $500!!! to ship Fed Ex Truck freight. I don't know if the dealer will order as it was a Germany "Euro" order and too 3 weeks to get in. For me well worth it as I am facelifting my 2001 C2 with Aerokit nose, GT3RS rear wing, 02- GT3RS 'smooth' rear bumper cover and Aerokit II side skirts. Expensive but the look is going to be awesome I think. Good luck with your repair. Steve

Actually my first thought, after the initial WTF?, was 'Hey, guess now I can get that Euro bumper!' As far as potential medial issues there are none. Was literally a 3-5mph accident where she probably let her foot off the brake and the car rolled forward. We actually heard the impact more than we felt it, which is an awful sound by the way. The diminished value due to the wreck showing on carfax is another point we're talking to insurance company about. The insurance quote is $1000 for the part and $450 for paint. I have a written statement that they will repair anything else that is seen once the bumper comes off and we can actually see what is damaged. I'm not so worried about the time involved as it's a third car for us so no rental, other than the time we'll miss driving.

I have to reiterate the prior posts...do NOT underestimate the potential damage in these cars. They are rear engine and do not tolerate rear collisions. I got hit a year ago, looked like a scuff on the bumperette...I missed the huge gap between the passenger door and rear quater panel from the frame tweak. $9 grand in damages and 55 days in a rental to get it fixed. Of course they are being nice to you now, a grand to fix a P-car is nothing. Wait till you start asking for diminished value and see how nice they are. I know. I now have documented frame damage on carfax. When I submitted a professional estimate for diminished value, they very nicely told me to go f@*k myself. I had to sue, and still only got $1500 out of a conservative $6 grand estimate.

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Cell phone use in moving vehicle illegal in Ontario next month. About time.

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Thanks! I'm pretty happy with the outcome. Yup Ed - they do look good! It's the little things, as you know... Rudy

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i never thought about this "diminished value" in which you speak hmm. i can get rear ended and fix it like new or better ,but in addition to the damage is a bad report on carfax. this bad report alone will bring down someones offer should my car be for sale!!! hell if my 996 was in a rear accident when i bought it i would have offered less and kept looking for another one!!

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It's also illegal in CA but the law is useless if it is NOT enforced.

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Yes, I have this car for life now, cause I'm quite sure that pretty much ANY buyer will at best give me $5 grand below asking. That's if they are not completely scared away by the carfax report. And it really doesn't matter that it was fixed perfectly, cause who's gonna trust that. I wouldn't. Well, at least it's not a HONDA!

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OUCH!!! That was COLD!

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You are so correct. In Feb. my Boxster rear-ended sitting at light when driver behind jumped the light when a car next to her's started moving for the left hand turn light. course our lane was the straight ahead lane and the light was still red. Impact -- 5mph (had data recording device in car) -- shoved my Boxster into new Excursion ahead of me. (This butthead tried to extort $50 from *me* for the damage to his vehicle's undamaged trailer hitch.) The driver that drove her car into mine, her excuse? Distracted. Code speak for I was chatting on my cell phone. Then May 1st in my brand new CaymanS woman coming from opposite direction missed her turn and slammed on the brakes of her car slid through intersection and two lanes of opposing traffic and slammed into the left front corner of my new car. My car was not even in the intersection but 2 cars lengths away from it and stopped in right hand lane. CaymanS just 25 days old. I'm sure this driver on cell phone when she hit my car. She was on cell phone whole time we were out of our cars exchanging info. She was lost and trying to find directions to where she was supposed to be. Oh, cops refused to come. Said if no injuries exchange info and if cars not driveable tow them out of road. After CaymanS repairs got up to over $40K her insurance company totaled the car. 6+ weeks later finally received all settlment money. Cell phone usage -- hand's free or any other kind -- while driving should be a felony punishable by public flogging or stoning or both. Sincerely, Macster.

The point is, when they say "they'll give you a certain amount for a bumper" -- that's posturing to see if you'll take it. Have the car fairly & properly repaired using a reasonable, qualified shop. If you need a rental for that period of time, do it. If you don't, don't "stick it to them" just because you think you can. Then they need to reimburse you for proper repairs--no matter how far down the cavern you need to go to follow the damage. Small claims court will support you the entire way if necessary. But if they balk, serve them the papers and usually the check will be written. I've encountered very few companies that balk after initial posturing if you're being thorough & reasonable. But simply realize that it's in their best interest to do the repair at the lowest cost. It's in your best interest to get it done right. In their view, they are simply protecting their stockholders/owners by limiting costs and exposure. The problem is that it's not pesonal to them. They do it all day, every day. For you it's personal and a genuine imposition, worry and distraction in your life. Two entirely different experiences.

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Heh.. wow...I thought *I* was disturbed by it! j/k It is indeed annoying. So annoying, I joined the CHP forums just to heckle the CHP members about NOT enforcing the "law." Also, why make the fine so cheap? Why don't they make it $1,000 like littering?

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Or make phone-induced rear-end collisions a criminal offense (assault with a deadly weapon)? Idiots.

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Littering here in CA is a $1000 fine. I don't think all that many littering tickets handed out though, given the number of drivers I see not only flicking the ash of their cigarettes out the window but then tossing the lit cigarette butt out as well and as far as I can tell not one furtive glance around beforehand checking for police before the toss. Here where I live the hills are very very dry and as the summer (and rainless season) progresses more and more blackened areas on the side of the road appear as grass fires are started from discarded cigarette butts. One would think the police would be more aggressive in enforcing this anti-littering law simply in deference to their firefighter brethern to help reduce the number of fire calls firefighters go out on to put these grass fires down before they become full blown grass/forest fires. Sincerely, Macster.