Accident today....Need advice

maxpower2913

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Hey guys, Ive not posted here in a while. Been driving my car on and off a lot but today was involved in an accident. Very frustrating. Might be both fault through insurance.
So now assessing the damage but Im not sure these parts are even available to be found anymore and not sure if the insurance will even bother fixing.
Here are the pictures and its a little worse than the pictures show, also out of alignment. Need hood, light, bumper, and wheel well fixed so far and hoping that is it. Any advice to where to get these parts if i need to and if not do these things usually get wrote off?
 

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Bonkers

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Depending on your policy there is a real chance they may
total it as non-repairable. If you love the car, whatever you
do, do not take a buyout. Most people who dont
understand insurance will tell you to total it and "buy back"
the remains - the catch is that the insurance company is
not legally required to offer you a buyback. With the RamSRT
guys there has been plenty of instances where the buyback
was $40-50k on a $30k truck just because the underwriter
wants the car taken to auction. Its a good tactic if you dont
care if you get the car back, but if youre like me id rather not
even file a claim if it risks me losing my baby...

As for damage, the first call i would make is to JonB at Parts
Rack. If you dont call on Monday, he can give you advice on
both the insurance side and parts side. Get ready to dig deep
for that headlight, and make sure you keep detailed receipts
for the repair claim to the insurance company. The damage looks
completely superficial, but parts (and finding someone with
the skills/willingness to deal with RTM) will add up quickly.

Im sorry to hear about this, but at the end of the day try to
keep in mind that it could have been so much worse. I wish you
the best of luck.
 

MEETOOHABU

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I'm sorry to hear about your accident.
I have the original hood from my 95 that was damaged and repaired before I owned my car. I have since replaced it with an OEM. The hood (black) looks very decent from topside, but underneath it clearly shows the repair. Also, I have both front inner fenders that are "spider webbed/ stress cracked (probably from the same accident), but not ripped or mangled. If you think any of these parts may help your situation, let me know and we can work something out. Best of luck as you move forward with this.
 

Goggles Pizano

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...total it as non-repairable...
it will NOT be branded as such. That brand and a flooded brand is death to vehicles and brings no money at auctions. Insurance companies avoid brands like that like the plague. It will be branded as total loss salvage.

find the parts and cost of the parts from a real businesses (multiple quotes) so you are not over inflating parts cost (i.e. insurance fraud). So now you know what parts are going to cost.

Call insurance company, they send an adjuster and quotes the estimated repair and they repair it if it is cost effective. Else they call you and say, 'it is too expensive to fix at $X amount just of parts' or 'we can't get parts'. Then you have 2 options: tell them you have multiple quotes for just parts at this amount and they say then they can repair it.
Or you write it off and start to total loss process
If you love the car, whatever you
do, do not take a buyout. Most people who dont
understand insurance will tell you to total it and "buy back"
the remains - the catch is that the insurance company is
not legally required to offer you a buyback. With the RamSRT
guys there has been plenty of instances where the buyback
was $40-50k on a $30k truck just because the underwriter
wants the car taken to auction.

The 'buy back' is law but it is state dependent and is not a buy back as you are NOT selling them car so watch out for that. You keep the car if state laws allows for it and never sale it them as the pay out is just reduced by the salvage value of the car. The same thing about 'it must be repaired at this place and no where else', is not true. You can have it repaired at any place just check your state laws/rules.

You are basically selling the car so the buyer can do whatever they want with the car. Just like another sale it is their car now not your if you don't know your state law about keeping the car.

Unless you have agreed value or whatever your insurance company calls it that has been updated to reflect current values, they will low ball you and you need to negotiate based on equivalent market replacement (appeal their payout). That is always more than what it will bring at auction (unless you are totally out to lunch on replacement values) then you can ask for a buy back price and they cut you a check for the difference to avoid auction costs (i.e. minimize cost) but that depends on the insurance companies rules about who they can resale to and your state laws. Else you can bid on it at the auction like everyone else.

...

As for damage, the first call i would make is to JonB...
You are better to call the salvage yards for parts like Don, etc.
 

Goggles Pizano

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Youre right, im completely ignorant about salvage
Vipers, carry on...
Never said you were ignorant.

You stated 1 opinion (that it will be branded Non-repairable) and 1 thing not entirely correct ('buy back' not being law, which is state law dependent).
 
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maxpower2913

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Never said you were ignorant.

You stated 1 opinion (that it will be branded Non-repairable) and 1 thing not entirely correct ('buy back' not being law, which is state law dependent).
Also I should note I am in Nova Scotia Canada so laws may be different. The insurance company I am with also has it where you get to keep the vehicle for free if a write off. I just need to find out if I am eligible for it
 

99RT10GTS

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I have some parts, but really from the pictures, everything looks very repairable. If you really just want a new hood, I have one. Headlights are tough,
 
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mbccenter

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I have a headlight and bumper cover. Should be able to find a hood easy. Inner fender might take some work to find. Just might take some time
 
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maxpower2913

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Finally after a year got the car fixed.
But man oh man the guy did a half ass job. I'm so exhausted from the whole thing to actually cause an issue with it anymore after so many issues already. Im considering just selling the thing and getting what I can for it. What a depressing time to own a viper for me
 

BoondocSaint

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That ***** man, been down that road before. If she still drives right, get out there and enjoy the car. Couldn't hurt to touch base with local car clubs. Sometimes they farm their skills around and help each other out.
 
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maxpower2913

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Ya I have an appointment Monday to get it aligned and then I'll be driving it everyday possible. Im going to visit another shop with it also and see what they can do to completely go over the car and redo the paint. Needs minor fixing all over so it wouldn't be a total waste for me. Just a life lesson I guess
 

TEALLIFE

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Ya I have an appointment Monday to get it aligned and then I'll be driving it everyday possible. Im going to visit another shop with it also and see what they can do to completely go over the car and redo the paint. Needs minor fixing all over so it wouldn't be a total waste for me. Just a life lesson I guess
Been through it with other cars. It's beyond frustrating. Especially when you pay decent money for it and do your best to pick the right shop to trust.
 

GTS Dean

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Ya I have an appointment Monday to get it aligned and then I'll be driving it everyday possible.

Insist that they start the process at the front by lifting the tires clear, loosening all the wishbone cam nuts enough to rotate the fixed ends reasonably freely. Don't let the cams drop out of their slot stops and have them check to be sure the ears are not bent over from previous attempts. Run the cams thru their full range, center the index holes straight up at each corner, then snug the nuts down and measure caster/camber. Have them do their adjustments with the wheels off the table, then final torque bolts under load and set toe. Move to the rear and repeat the process. Adjust thrust angle and you should be good to go.
 

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