some SOB totalled my Spec V...

[Steiner]

Originally Posted by ScoobySnacks

...there is a big reason why the WRX cost more than the Srt-4....and that is the quality of maufacturing...

Based on the Neon's history I can't argue with that - although I believe some of the WRX's higher cost can be attributed to import tarriffs, taxes, etc. - like Volvo and BMW for example. I could be wrong though.

Well, the plot thickens. Last Wednesday everyone and his brother involved w/my insurance claim had written the car off as totalled considering the bent frame, damaged rocker, damaged center pillar, and destroyed driver side doors. Over the weekend something suddenly changed though...and I'm not sure if it's a bad or good thing. Low blue-book on my car is $12,300. High blue-book is $14,500. Now the body shop says they can repair the car. They estimated the cost of repairs at $9,900 after tax and labor - which is conveniently just under being flagged as a total. The body shop snuck the estimate under the cap by quoting used doors and rims, but since those parts still have a lifetime gaurantee it's perfectly legitimate w/my insurance carrier. I should be happy, but Nissan (from which I'm leasing the car) is informally warning me that I may be liable for anything "accident-repairs-related" when I return the car to them in April of '06 at the conclusion of my lease.

Should I pay money out of pocket for a tow truck to take the car to a Nissan dealership w/a collision repair center to get another estimate? Does it even matter once the low-balling insurance appraisers get involved? Do I need an attorney? Does anybody here have any experience w/this type of thing?

I apologize to the moderators if this thread is now off the subject of "street racing", but I really welcome any advice I can get at this point.

[boingo82]

Originally Posted by Steiner

Based on the Neon's history I can't argue with that - although I believe some of the WRX's higher cost can be attributed to import tarriffs, taxes, etc. - like Volvo and BMW for example. I could be wrong though.

Well, the plot thickens. Last Wednesday everyone and his brother involved w/my insurance claim had written the car off as totalled considering the bent frame, damaged rocker, damaged center pillar, and destroyed driver side doors. Over the weekend something suddenly changed though...and I'm not sure if it's a bad or good thing. Low blue-book on my car is $12,300. High blue-book is $14,500. Now the body shop says they can repair the car. They estimated the cost of repairs at $9,900 after tax and labor - which is conveniently just under being flagged as a total. The body shop snuck the estimate under the cap by quoting used doors and rims, but since those parts still have a lifetime gaurantee it's perfectly legitimate w/my insurance carrier. I should be happy, but Nissan (from which I'm leasing the car) is informally warning me that I may be liable for anything "accident-repairs-related" when I return the car to them in April of '06 at the conclusion of my lease.

Should I pay money out of pocket for a tow truck to take the car to a Nissan dealership w/a collision repair center to get another estimate? Does it even matter once the low-balling insurance appraisers get involved? Do I need an attorney? Does anybody here have any experience w/this type of thing?

I apologize to the moderators if this thread is now off the subject of "street racing", but I really welcome any advice I can get at this point.

I would say you ought to get some more estimates, and don't let them include used parts in the deal. My coworker got hit (at very low speed) in the passenger side of her '01 Sentra GXE. One body shop quoted $1500 for repairs, another quoted $2450. She went with the pricier one and later heard some bad things about the cheap one, so she is satisfied with her decision. Estimates can vary widely, so you can't have too many.

If this were your car to keep I would think you'd still want it totaled, just because it would make me nervous driving something that had sustained that kind of damage. Plus, the fact that it's now branded "salvage" seriously hurts sales value. However, that warning about "accident-repairs-related" also makes me nervous. That sounds like you could potentially be liable for thousands of dollars at the end of the lease. Have you asked Nissan their opinion as to what should be done?

[ScoobySnacks]

Dont settle for anything less than "NEW PARTS" on your car! I can almost guarantee that if you push them hard enough and tell them that you dont want to have the car fixed ( I mean who wants to have a car that has a replaced rocker and bent frame???) and that you want a new one or the cash...they will give. I had a similar problem with a Dodge mini van where the frame was bent and the engine heads cracked during an accident, and they wanted to fix the van at a local body shop.....HELL NO!!! I told them I wanted the cash, or a new van, so they gave me the cash.

As my old man sais...."cash money makes blind people see agian"!!!



Scooby Doo

[Melt]

where in the bay area you at? Im up in napa .... anyways i say get the wrx.

[Steiner]

I'm in Castro Valley. The car is being leased from a Nissan dealership in Milbrae though. This morning I'm paying to have it towed to another Nissan dealership that has a body shop. My thinking being that if their estimate (using NEW rims, doors, etc) is high enough to be flagged as a total, that's good news for me. I'll take the money and start car shopping again. On the other hand, if this new estimate is under the cap I have the right (per the "Auto Body Repair Consumer Bill of Rights") to have the repair work done at the auto body shop of my choosing. If I select to have the work done at the Nissan dealership I protect myself in the event Nissan Motor Acceptance (from which I'm leasing the car) comes after me for anything after I return the car to them when the lease is up in 2006. Sounds like I got it figured out, huh? I don't. I may be contacting an attorney if this second estimate is a total and my insurance company STILL elects to repair the car. Bottom line...I don't feel safe driving around an automobile that has sustained $10k in collision repair costs - especially not frame-work!

If anybody out there has any type of experience in this area I'm open to suggestions.

[Steiner]

For anyone interested...

The second body shop's (a Nissan body shop this time) estimate was more than $5k higher than the first place! They noticed a wrinkle in the ceiling of the car and a weird lip on the edge of the roof. They took it upon themselves to call my insurance company and request a tear-down of the carpeting, headliner, and seats to ensure there wasn't any additional damage underneath. Sure enough, there was plenty...floor pan, linkage, transmission, sun roof, etc. The estimate shot up to $15k+ after tax and labour. The insurance appraiser went out and confirmed it. That first body shop gets the one fingered salute whenever I drive by now. My insurance company sent me a check for the market value of the car minus my deductable. After the dust settles, I pay off my lease, and I finally get my deductable back I will have only come out of this nightmare from hell with about $1k in my pocket. Very dissapointing to say the least. All I can tell you is DO NOT LEASE unless it's for business purposes. Private leases are a disaster if your car is totalled. When you buy/finance a car the money you put down goes towards the loan and therefore the value of the car. When you lease the money you put down (cap reduction fee) on the car does not go toward the value of the car. It's basically just money you throw away. I did the math. After I add up my down payment, 16 months of lease payments, and the lease buy out amount, Nissan will have made approximately $24k on this car. That's about $5k more than MSRP.

So anyhow, I ordered a Silver 2004 SRT-4 from Dodge. I made sure to get side airbags! I went through a fleet manager rather than haggle w/a salesman this time around. It saved me about $1.5k. I should have it by mid-November.

-Brian

[boingo82]

Originally Posted by Steiner

..
So anyhow, I ordered a Silver 2004 SRT-4 from Dodge. I made sure to get side airbags! I went through a fleet manager rather than haggle w/a salesman this time around. It saved me about $1.5k. I should have it by mid-November.

-Brian

Congrats and enjoy. It's true that leasing is not always the best way to go, but it works well if you're the type that HAS to have a brand-new car every 3 years. Good luck with the SRT-4.

(BTW the IIHS just released a study showing that in real world side-impact crashes, side airbags reduce the fatality rate by 40%. So good on you for buying another car with them. )

[Steiner]

So I picked up my SRT-4 last week. What a car! I'm still in the break-in period but have given into tempation a couple times and punched it the higher gears. Third gear is sorta scary. 60mph-80mph is quick and effortless. I drive down to L.A. this weekend so things should be pretty much broken in by the time I get down there. I've already popped in a K&N air filter and the Mopar BOV is on the way. That should be enough for a while. This car is so much faster than my Spec V it's ridiculous. Nissan rates the Spec V at 175hp. Dodge rates the SRT-4 at 230hp. The Spec V dynos at about 140whp-150whp with about the 150 ft/lb of torque. Most 2004 SRT-4's have been dynoed at 230whp-240whp and 260 lb/ft+ in the torque dep't. I'm a believer. It's the fastest thing I've ever owned. I just gotta watch out for those old crappy drivers now.

[carrrnuttt]

Told ya!

Congrats...

Post some stories up when you're ready...but be careful.

[911S_TARGA_RSR]

Man Sorry to hear about you car. I recommend that you get a 2004 Wrx Sti. With over 300 HP and adjustable AWD you should never have to mod it.

[carrrnuttt]

Originally Posted by 911S_TARGA_RSR

Man Sorry to hear about you car. I recommend that you get a 2004 Wrx Sti. With over 300 HP and adjustable AWD you should never have to mod it.

Did you read the whole thread?

[Melt]

personally im not a big fan of the srt4's cause i doubt they will last long but regardless congrats on your purchase and i hope you have fun in it ... post some pics!

[EC0T3C]

Test drive a 2003 base model 2.2 ecotec cavalier w/ 5sp. Buy it and slap a turbo on there from www.cavalierconnection.com . You will decimate any stock srt4 for 1/4 less in price.

*edit*
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oh shit nvrmind.

[BLU CIVIC]

nice buy.....i'm not an american car person...but having a new car is always fun

[2000LS1Z28]

You made a very sound decision buying the 2004 SRT-4. Those models come with more boost (230 HP), and a LSD from Quaife. Basically you should be able to smoke stock WRX's by a few car lengths, if you launch right that is. Reagrdless, if you buy any after,market goodies, do it through the dealer.