S_rider

I was out enjoying the weather Sunday, I stopped to visit the fam on my way home. I left my house and this student driver comes flying around the corner in a corolla, making a wide right. I'm 40 feet from the corner on a two way street (room for one each way), I say (WTF???), stop and BAMMM! She hit me at like 15-20, and the front was smashed. This 35 year old woman freaks out , hits the accelerator and needless to say slams the front of my car. It takes 3 hours for the cops to get there b/c of all the protests going on in the city. (Only 2 cars supposedly). Anyway, in the grand scheme of things, this is very minor, but I'm pretty pissed. The woman had STUDENT DRIVER taped to the back of her car, and she was driviing with a learner's permit, and her sisters car. On to the questions..

Since it was ALL her fault, her insurance better take care of this. The bumper is smashed and my car was bleeding (you know the G12), it smoked when I moved it. Light were kinda intact but the side fenders are off track.

Should I be there when her adjuster looks at the car? I hope the engine mounts aren't screwed up, I kinda doubt it but... I want to point things out to the person.

I really want the RS4 bumper. I know OEM Audi is expensive, so would it be difficult to get this newer piece if its only slightly more expensive? Can I claim HID fog lights now? (They are smashed). What would be the process for doing this?

Are there any other mods that anybody could recommend for front end damage? (INtercooler, maybe)

I only have Forge valves, and EURO lights, tints, and a destroyed RS4 grille? Its a tip 2000 S4. Would it be possible to sneak some 6000K HIDS in even though the lights are hardly damaged?

I don't want to pay a dime for this, but I would like to take advantage and get some MODS. Has anybody done this before, and can anybody recommend a place in Queens, LI or close by these parts that could work with me on this? I would love to at least replace the destroyed bumper with this RS4 ill piece. Sorry for the long post but I'm looking for some advice, recommendations, and a possible job opportunity for a good shop out there. Alright? Thanks.

-J

P.S.
Can you guess the nationality of this driver?

and... last but not least...

Lets support the troops out there battling as we are safe over here! We'll never forget 9/11 and its time for payback!!

Steve Trac, Sec 303

people writing about defrauding the insurance companies the way you are. That's one of the reasons insurance costs so much.

[[uber.bucket]]

ooch, sorry to hear man. i only have experience in CA. sorry

[[uber.bucket]]

true...i honestly dont think you will get nearly any of that stuff that you have on the "wish list"

brian@avalonmotorsports

work, and you won't regret sending your car there at all. Second, we can help with the RS4 bumper or any other mods you would like to possibly glean from this unfortunate incident.

Check out: http://www.rojocollision.com and

http://www.avalonmotorsports.com

esses

bumper... it's not _SLIGHTLY_ more expensive than the stock one... it's MUCH more expensive than the stock one.

The stock bumper is like $400. The RS4 bumper is like $1200. Although it comes with all the supporting plumbing for your washers.

It's not a big deal to your insurance company because you probably didn't break any of your stock plumbing.

zon

you better have some good lawyers on your back.

RKA

Look, insurance will pay for the parts that were broken on your car. They will pay OEM replacement prices, but they won't ask you for your christmas list.

Get the car to a trusted body shop, and let them deal with the insurance adjusters. Do not try to negotiate with the insurance adjuster on your own. They'll spot you a mile away, and cut you a check THAT DAY with a lowball offer, in the hopes that you take the money and go away. Let a reputable shop deal with the insurance company and they will get the $$ they need to restore the car properly.

If you decide to upgrade parts, that's fine. You'll just pay the difference betweent the cost of the upgraded parts, and OEM.

As esses mentioned, if you already have non-OEM parts on the car that were destroyed, and they cost more than an OEM replacement, just bring those receipts to the body shop, and ask them if they can submit copies to the insurance company for consideration.

I HIGHLY recommend C&amp;D Autobody in South Hackensack NJ. I love 90 miles south, and I'll make the drive up, if I need their services.<ul><li><a href="http://www.cd-autobody.com">http://www.cd-autobody.com</a</li></ul>

TwinTurboTerror

I thought stock bumper (factory OEM, not aftermarket replacement) was closer to $1k than $400?

Krav_S4

Here my $0.02 based on my fun with Progressive (below):
<b>DOs</b>
1) Take the time to find a meticulous body shop, with at least one referral from someone that values their car as much as you.
2) David Bynon (author, "Autopia Guid to Detailing") has some good tips on interviewing body shops, especially on painting technique.
3) Enlist the help of your body shop in negeotitaing the adjuster's estimate. A better body shop will likely have a higher labor rate than the ones "recommended/warrantied" by the other's insurance co. Have the shop help to justify the higher labor rate (e.g., modified car needs specialist)
4) Have receipts for all modifications to your vehicle.
5) Remind the insurance company that they represent the person AT FAULT -- you are not the one at fault and don't need to go out of you way for them. It is their legal responsibility to return your vehicle to is condition prior to the accident. If they become a nuisance, threaten to report the situation to your state's insurance commissioner.
6) Talk to your body shop to see if you can fund the difference to go with an RS4 bumper. Once the proper claim payment has been made for stock, the shop may work with you to apply it against a mod bumper. Be prepared to pay the difference.

<b>DON'Ts</b>
1) Insurance fraud is a <b>SERIOUS CRIME</b>. Insurance exists to remunerate personal injury and/or property damage. Insurance companies save a lot of $$$ by investigating false claims. Don't turn a minor accident into criminal litigation against you. If you didn't have the mods, don't try it. If you did, have the legitmate paperwork to back it up.
2) DON'T take their first offer. The other insurance company will try to lowball you on the spot. If they make you take the check in some form of paperwork, DON'T CASH IT. Cashing it may absolve the insurance company of any additional work.
3) Don't let the insurance adjuster pressure you into using one of their "preferred/recommended/warrantied" body shops. Being recommended generally means they negeotiated a lower labor rate with the shop to save money.



I had a similar experience, only my rear bumper suffered the damage. I had the car for less than a year, and still had a flawless paint job.

I have Chubb insurance, because they are a no nonsense operation when it comes to repairs on higher end cars. Unfortunately, the person whom hit me had Progressive, which is full of nonsense.

Chances are the other company's adjuster will want to see your car before you even have a chance to take it to an excellent body shop (you are lucky if one is close to you). I did not take their check, and did not use their shop. Instead, Mike @ Continental Motors' Body Shop (Ffld, CT) helped me greatly put to Progressive in their place.

Continental did a perfect job, especially considering that I have the more complex three stage pearlescent white paint. It took longer to find the right shop, and to argue with the Progressive adjusters; but, my car still looks flawless over a year later.