HELP! - Crash Options

[SweetRed04]

I had a tough day yesterday as I was returning from a 2+ week vacation getting rear ended in Troy, NY. I was stopped at a red light when she plowed into me. She got a ticket for following too close. A cop filled out all of the paperwork and my insurance company has the report numbers.

I don’t have her insurance info because I was worried that I’d make a crack about using rapid exothermic or atomic energy release devices (of nitrogen and radioactive origins respectively) and feared I’d be hauled to jail.

The battery was damaged and the cop wouldn’t let me drive the car.

It was towed to a garage (Kennedy’s or Troy) and is inside their garage.

I will be back in IA later today and seek any help in how to handle getting the car fixed right and back to IA. I rented a car to get back to IA.

Although my car has 44,900+ miles it was totally devoid of any paint damage excluding rock chips and under front bumper cover scrapes. I use a fiberglass lined special socket for wheel nuts, do my own fluid changes (using a torque wrench and factory specs for the filter and drain plugs – I even used a torque wrench when I adjusted my dead pedal!).

How should I get this fixed? I doubt the car is totaled. I need to see it is done right.

I expect I shouldn’t have to miss work or pay anything out of pocket to get this car back to IA but there are lots of problems in insuring the work if it is fixed in NY.

I think the car should be shipped back and repaired closer to IA so I can be certain it is done right. I can see getting an estimate in NY to insure it is not totaled.

Any thoughts on my options or how to get this mess cleaned up?

I was surprised the Viper took the hit as well as it did!

Thanks for any thoughts you might offer!!

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Denny Wagner]

FIRST....contact YOUR insurance compay...give them the other driver's info, and let them handle the claim for you.

If you want it repaired properly, take it home...use your own collision coverage and have it repaired at a shop you are comfortable with. You'll be out your deductable for a while, but your insurance company will recover that for you.

FYI....looks like very minimal damage and an easy fix.

 

[mykes]

replace battery and drive it to your own shop.

 

[seabass]

You're in great shape all said. She has insurance AND was issued a ticket. I don't think you should have a problem getting all of your rental costs reimbursed and a haul from NY. You would likely have to ship it back regardless of where it's fixed. Also, you can get the car fixed wherever you want so even if they come up with an estimate of $500 and you want it fixed at store XYZ for $1,200 rightfully they owe you the $1,200. Good luck and keep us posted... not sure where Blackhawk County is but my guess is that most shops could make this repair.

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Call Chuck Tator. He is about 2 hours from Troy and is as much a perfectionist about Vipers as you are. You can make an argument that a Viper specialist needs to do the repair.

 

[93VIPERBOY]

Get it Flatbedded to Chuck It is not that far and have him deal with your insurance company. He knows what to do and It will be fixed correctly.

 

[dave6666]

Yuk. That un-fresh "got rear ended by a Honda" feeling can't be washed off with soap and water. Might take a few stiff cocktails to get over this one! Like was said though, get it done right at the place of your choosing.

 

[John ACR]

SweetRed04,

Sorry to read your post.
Chuck Tator and the shop that he uses are perfectionists.
914-763-3136.
Tator's Dodge
He is also known on here as the "Viper Wizard"

Good luck.

 

[Lee00blacksilverGTS]

I would absolutely go with Chuck Tator as mentioned above. I bet he can even arrange to get it safely to his shop.
His phone number is 914.763.3136

 

[Mad Max 93 RT10]

Definately send it to Tators and they should cover all cost relating to the shipping also. Only use Chuck not some other shop that has never see a Viper in person let alone worked on one.

 

[Newport Viper]

Sorry to see this happen to you. I daily drive mine everyday and worry about getting hit all the time. Lot o idiots out there. ***** bro!

 

[Black Adder]

I got run off the road a couple of weeks ago on 101 in California. No structural damage, didn't hit anything, just a 70 Mph spin resulting in cosmetic damage only from going through undergrowth. I even drove it home 100 miles. The police said it was his fault. The viper is in the bodyshop for two weeks already and is expected to be there another 3 weeks. Insurance company Is sorting it all but the quote for repair is $ 12,000 !!! Vipers are not cheap to repair so get the best you can.
Tony

 

[2snakes4us]

Get it Flatbedded to Chuck It is not that far and have him deal with your insurance company. He knows what to do and It will be fixed correctly.

Ditto Chuck would be the only one i would trust leaving my car with. You can just go home and relax knowing you dont have to keep tabs on the car. when done fly back to pick up your car and let the old bag pick up the charges. A real bonus would be the chance to meet with Chuck and see his place.

 

[Viper Specialty]

Looks to be a relatively easy repair, but until the panels come off, there is no telling. We have repaired some wrecks FAAAAR worse than the one shown above [even doing one now]. I would make the offer to work with you on it, but I cant get you in soon enough to be of any use anyway. If you need any advise however, let me know.

 

[ViperGal]

Call Chuck Tator. He is about 2 hours from Troy and is as much a perfectionist about Vipers as you are. You can make an argument that a Viper specialist needs to do the repair.

Sounds like good idea. Get it fixed then get it home. Would be in good hands at Chuck's. Good luck.

 

[Bo knows]

I live in Guilderland N.Y. about 20 minutes from Troy. If there is anything I can do to help let me know.

Bo

 

[VENOMAHOLIC]

I took a defensive driving course taught by a State Farm insurance office franchise owner. She actually said that as long as you have the other driver's insurance and it was clearly thier fault, don't even tell your insurance company. Contact her insurance agent and talk with them entirely. That way your insurance does not go up and you do not pay deductible. I did this when somebody hit my old Camaro in the parking lot. The other guy left his number on the windshield (probably because somebody saw him) I got through to his insurance agent and they sent me a check. I later found a perfectly matching front fender for $130, put it on myself, and pocketed the rest of the $1300. My insurance co never had to know and it won't show up.

 

[mike & juli]

First of all let me say I am SO SORRY YOU WERE IN TROY, NY!!!!! (We, like Bo, live close to Troy) And, I'm SO sorry about the crash.
As reiterated by everyone else: CHUCK TATOR/1-914-763-3136.
Good Luck with everything. Keep us posted. ~juli

 

[Doomraven]

Sorry to hear about your crash. Look on the bright side, at least she has insurance. Last October, I had just rolled my 2009 G8 GT off the showroom floor and was sitting at a stoplight when a 17 year old kid with no insurance plowed into the rear end. The hassle of dealing with that accident was horrendous, but it looks like you are in a MUCH better position.

A heart-felt good luck for you!

 

[SweetRed04]

Thanks to all who replied back on this mess!!

Getting back to work things were crazy so I couldn't get to these responses until after all was in motion to get the car fixed at a shop State Farm would guarentee.

Looking back, I shouldn't have told the cop about the leaking battery when asked if there were any fluids leaking, and put a battery in it and driven it back to IA. I had some concern that there would be issues about additional transport damage.

The only damage to the car is the trunk (dent an scratches), bumper, battery, and battery box. The 3 mile $900 towing bill is a huge percentage of the $4600 estimate.

Does anyone have a feel for how much this car fax visible incident will reduce the value of my car? If I don't see replies here I will ask this in a new post.


I'd like to at least try to get that out of the insurance companies.

Thanks again for your responses!!

 

[plumcrazy]

dont even bet on carfax ever knowing about it.

i totaled a truck and it still doesnt show on carfax years later.