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I still have my temp tags (dealer issues . . . I have no idea what thier problem has been) . . . and before I even have my real license plate I got hit by a terrible driver! Seriously, this past weekend a lady decided to drive without a license, cross wide across a lane, turning to the direction I'm heading, and run right smack into me while I was casually driving down the left lane! I keep thinking that if my reflexes had been better, and I'd have been in Sport+ I could have slammed it and accellerated out of her way . . . but I froze in amazement as she just kept on coming and hit me. She didn't even tap her brakes until impact, it's like she had no idea how to drive a car . . .
Thankfully her insurance is so far quickly assessed her fault and is taking care of everything . . . and her insurance had to explain to her why it's her fault, it was funny to hear her insurance tell me the story of how that went.
You have a beautiful car - what a shame some idiot had to damage it. I hope you get it repaired to as good as new. Choose a top end body shop that you can trust, and good luck.
there is no such thing as repair properly. There will always be misalignment and color mismatch or overspray. Used car appraisers can tell which car has been in an accident from a mile away
I respectively disagree. If done properly by a top end shop with color matching the repair will be imperceptible. If done by Earl Scheib or less than a shop that works on high end cars than yes, your comments apply.
I tend to agree that in the right shop, with enough resources, all can made whole again.
Originally Posted by flowrider
I respectively disagree. If done properly by a top end shop with color matching the repair will be imperceptible. If done by Earl Scheib or less than a shop that works on high end cars than yes, your comments apply.
Sorry to hear that... This is the Fourth RCF that has been hit on that spot. Someone hit my RCF same exact spot BUT on the other side... Its odd that all the RCF'S get hit at the same spot!
My car was in the body shop for about 43 days (yes that a story in itself)
I respectively disagree. If done properly by a top end shop with color matching the repair will be imperceptible. If done by Earl Scheib or less than a shop that works on high end cars than yes, your comments apply.
Lou
define a "top end shop". No independent body shop only focus on high end cars. If there are any such shops that exist, most likely needles in a haystack and potentially months wait. After an accident, especially when the car is not drivable (busted lights, suspension damage...), are you really going to google search such a shop in a desperate time and have the insurance company foot the bill and tow it across the country? I don't think they (insurance company) would pay the tow and will direct you to their recommenended shops or if you are lucky, your local Lexus dealer has an in house body shop. Btw, the Lexus body shops are incompetent as I had 2 bad experiences requiring them to fix the issue. I mean, look through the forum, how many Lexus service centers can't even read a dipstick and overfilled the owners' engine oil?? Shops hire the cheapest labor possible. It's all about profit nowadays, not quality, especially when insurance companies are capping what they can charge for each item. Sure, you can pay out of pocket and have a much higher quality work done. But how many are willing to shell out that kind of money when insurance is paying already
Sorry to hear about your accident. Cars can be repaired or replaced, but our bodies not so much. Hopefully no one got hurt.
In addition to diminished value, I would insist on BRAND NEW OEM PARTS (NOT USED) AND ASK FOR IT IN WRITING. At the END, BEFORE you sign off on all that paperwork, you will be given a FULL list of parts and labor detailing what was done. It will be FULL OF ABBREVIATIONS, make sure you read line by line and understand EXACTLY WHAT PARTS WERE REPLACED AND HOW. I would sit down with the body shop person and go over line by line on each item on the list.
When my CT200h had some front end bodywork done by a large Lexus dealer with its own attached body shop, they "guaranteed their work lifetime as long as I owned the vehicle" and I insisted BRAND NEW OEM PARTS. My insurance company initially refused, but I got lucky, the body shop got it approved.
Good luck....
Thanks for the tips . . . now that I read your message, it dawns on me how true it might be because I've had body shops offer aftermarket vs OEM to me in the past. But it hadn't occurred to me that it'd be a risk with my virtually new RC F!
I will most certainly be diligent to ensure that they repair it completely to OEM standards. To minimize my risk, and hopefully maximize the likelihood of a great repair I did bring it to the only Lexus Certified Body shop here in Houston, TX. And they are an official shop for the insurance company so that should work to my benefit regarding any concerns from an adjuster, etc.
You have a beautiful car - what a shame some idiot had to damage it. I hope you get it repaired to as good as new. Choose a top end body shop that you can trust, and good luck.
Yes, I'm really hoping (and expecting) a great repair because I can't take the hit of changing cars after just purchasing this past Jan/Feb. To minimize my risk, and hopefully maximize the likelihood of a great repair I did bring it to the only Lexus Certified Body shop here in Houston, TX. And they are an official shop for the insurance company so that should work to my benefit regarding any concerns from an adjuster, etc.
I tend to agree that in the right shop, with enough resources, all can made whole again.
I certainly hope this is the case . . . I'm also hoping that some people are as passionate about their craft/sills as I am (though I work with alot of incompetent people trying to do what I do, but that's not everyone). I did not have time to do alot of research on what repair shop to use, and I have some faith that an official Lexus Certified collision center is likely one of the best options . . . so here's to hoping, and holding them accountable to my expectations!
Yeah, my wife said the exact same thing! And no ticket from the Officer, but he also didn't write any report himself either.... was in a really lazy kind of mood I suppose. My mistake was not getting him recorded saying that her story echos mine exactly. Luckily her story wasn't creative enough to dodge the root issue that I had the right-of-way however she tried to slice it. It was clear cut enough that both her and my insurance investigators quickly agreed there was no fault on my side.
Probably a teenager with no license driving mommy's or Daddy's car?
Actually, the other way around. It was the mother driving, and her daughter was the passenger.
I'll just say this: 1) she had no license, only an ID card, 2) she's Hispanic and didn't speak any English; luckily her daughter understood "insurance card", 3) her car has "eyelashes" on the headlights . . . (even her own insurance agent mentioned that she laughed at the picture too, when talking to me).
Sorry to hear that... This is the Fourth RCF that has been hit on that spot. Someone hit my RCF same exact spot BUT on the other side... Its odd that all the RCF'S get hit at the same spot!
My car was in the body shop for about 43 days (years that a story in itself)
You're sooo not kidding, while I was at the Lexus Certified collision center, I saw the first RC F I'd seen in 5 months there (Ultra Sonic Blue), that had been hit in the SAME SPOT too!
Oh my -- 43 days! Any tips you care to share about how to keep the shop or insurance company on the straight and narrow? I'm all ears!
define a "top end shop". No independent body shop only focus on high end cars. If there are any such shops that exist, most likely needles in a haystack and potentially months wait. After an accident, especially when the car is not drivable (busted lights, suspension damage...), are you really going to google search such a shop in a desperate time and have the insurance company foot the bill and tow it across the country? I don't think they (insurance company) would pay the tow and will direct you to their recommenended shops or if you are lucky, your local Lexus dealer has an in house body shop. Btw, the Lexus body shops are incompetent as I had 2 bad experiences requiring them to fix the issue. I mean, look through the forum, how many Lexus service centers can't even read a dipstick and overfilled the owners' engine oil?? Shops hire the cheapest labor possible. It's all about profit nowadays, not quality, especially when insurance companies are capping what they can charge for each item. Sure, you can pay out of pocket and have a much higher quality work done. But how many are willing to shell out that kind of money when insurance is paying already
Your generalization is incorrect, unless you're talking small town America. One of the specialty body shops here in AZ is called Stuttgart Southwest - they are a privately owned and independent bodyshop that specializes in Porsche repairs. However, they do work on other vehicles. I would definitely consider them a top end shop, and I have used them personally for my Supra and Viper. While that is of no use to the victim here, since he lives in Texas, but just pointing out that top end or high end shops do exist. Top end shops are those that don't hire mediocre labor because they are repairing Porsches, Ferraris, Lambos, etc. Any screw up would mean starting over and costing the shop extra time and money - so they don't take shortcuts. These shops exist in places where there are enough high end cars to warrant their existence.
^^^^Thanks for speaking up, some even exist in smaller towns. I live south of Phoenix in a smaller town. There are six body shops in town. Two are chain stores, three are mediocre independents and one builds custom cars, restores cars and works on high end vehicles. Guess which one gets my business
04-07-17, 12:26 PM
