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My '05 might have died today. Might soon be in the market for '15/'16
Well, I had an accident on the way home today. Hydroplaned going down a hill when I had the gates of heaven open up and DUMP on me. No one else was involved and I made it through with no injuries.
Unfortunately, after two full revolutions, the passenger front quarter hit the guard rail pretty hard and it then slid backwards into the median and came to a stop perpendicular to the road and dead center in the median. The passenger front fender caught on a bolt on the guard rail and was almost ripped completely off the car:
This is where I ended up.
The two guys at the front of the car are one of the many vehicles that stopped to make sure I was ok. They had a pickup and offered to pull me out. The car started and ran fine after the accident and after it was on the side of the road and out of the weeks, I could see the damage a bit better.
Most of the damage was to that poor front fender:
Ouch!
The back passenger side also hit something. It almost had to be the guard rail, but I sure don't remember hitting it twice:
And the rear damage.
In addition to this, it also knocked one of my Flowmaster's back about 3 inches and yanked the driver side molding off (passenger side is amazingly enough, untouched...).
After getting the car on the road and taking the time to snap some pictures for posperity, I finished the drive home (about 1 1/2 miles). The car drop PERFECTLY. Straight as an arrow. The brakes were perfectly even. No noise, no vibration, no shimmy, nothing!
My poor baby!
I'm taking it in tomorrow for the insurance inspection. I have a bad feeling that it will be totaled (10 years old, front and rear sheet metal work, paint, headlight assembly, front facia, grill insert, and some inner structure damage behind the headlight bucket, etc.).
That sucks!
But, I HAVE been eyeing the 2015 models pretty hard! The only reason I haven't been more serious about it is I REALLY love my '05. That car just fit me and I LOVED the style. But, it might be out of the picture now, so...
Any advice on buying an '15? My brother thinks he can get me D plan pricing, so that will help a lot. It will be a GT Premium, but I am not sure on all the options. What is everyone's opinions of what they bought and what they would or would not do again?
**** hate to see it glad your ok! I love my 09 perfect styling in my opinion no opinions on the new ones since I haven't even test driven one yet but good luck on your search! Although insurance may not hit you as bad as you expect mine is still holding its value fairly well for a domestic!
You '05 looks very clean and very loved.........so it'd be a real shame to see it written off.
The '15 would be a more than worthy replacement though. With regards options, that's a very personal thing. If you want an auto, you won't be able to get the Performance Pack. Otherwise, you can mix most stuff up. Me? I'd go for the premium trim (there's an additional upgrade that brings soft door plastics, which I'd also go for).
The 15s are so well equipped as stock (especially in premium trim) that everything else is gingerbread
Oh, the California Special returns for the '16MY, so that would be worth investigating.
In addition to this, it also knocked one of my Flowmaster's back about 3 inches and yanked the driver side molding off (passenger side is amazingly enough, untouched...).
Too bad about your GT....cool red on red color combo....very unique. Glad you're OK.
The damage on the face of it is not severe and appears largely cosmetic but it's hard to assess the severity based only on pictures. If the insurance company deems it repairable, they probably will allow at the very least a used rear bumper assembly, an aftermarket, used, or reconditioned rear bumper cover, and possibly an aftermarket fender and a reconditioned headlight. The 1/4 panel appears repairable. If the muffler is damaged, they'll have to allow a pair since it's doubtful you can get just one. And depreciation may apply on replacement of any exhaust/mech parts. There looks to be some slight damage to the radiator support. Hopefully you're correct about no undercarriage damage since it's tracking and braking straight.
This of course, is assuming they don't decide to total it. Generally speaking, insurance companies will total at 70-85% to value. The value of the car will be determined by mileage, condition, trans, and options, and by the evaluation method your insurance company uses that's in compliance with the insurance regs of your state.
Let us know what your adjuster says. I'll be happy to walk you through the process in general terms since I'm not familiar with the laws of your state or the procedures specific to your insurance company's claim department.
RRRoamer, I'm so sorry to see your beauty damaged so! I'm going to be the dissenter in the ranks about the '15's-I find them too Euro-looking for my taste, and although I have driven one and find it quite nimble, there are just too many departures from the retro '60's theme that drew me to the s197 styling in the first place. But, to each their own, and I hope you find the best path that will make you happy behind the wheel! The most important thing is that you are okay.
RRRoamer, I'm so sorry to see your beauty damaged so! I'm going to be the dissenter in the ranks about the '15's-I find them too Euro-looking for my taste, and although I have driven one and find it quite nimble, there are just too many departures from the retro '60's theme that drew me to the s197 styling in the first place. But, to each their own, and I hope you find the best path that will make you happy behind the wheel!
The S197 is still my favorite, but the S550 is growing on me. I have no doubt that the style would settle in perfectly fine after a few weeks. Heck, I didn't like the S197 when I saw pictures of it. It wasn't until I saw one at the dealership that I decided it wasn't bad. After checking a few out over the course of a month, that changed to "**** I like this car!"
Originally Posted by Ed Iverson
The most important thing is that you are okay.
No DOUBT! I am very happy to say I do NOT have any new aches, pains or bruises to report, so I made it out relatively unscratched.
Too bad about your GT....cool red on red color combo....very unique. Glad you're OK.
It was loaded with everything exact auto and shaker 1000 (I wanted to S500 so I could put a REAL sub in the rear). It was also garaged it's whole life and I doted on it interior and exterior.
Originally Posted by TripleBlack14
The damage on the face of it is not severe and appears largely cosmetic but it's hard to assess the severity based only on pictures.
<snip>
There looks to be some slight damage to the radiator support. Hopefully you're correct about no undercarriage damage since it's tracking and braking straight.
If that fender hadn't caught on the guard rail, it wouldn't look too bad. But the radiator support definitely has damage to it as the "wing" that sticks out in front of the tire has been mashed up fairly bad. I had to pull it forward before driving it to make sure I had clearance to turn the wheels. That is the part that makes me think it will probably be totaled.
Originally Posted by TripleBlack14
This of course, is assuming they don't decide to total it. Generally speaking, insurance companies will total at 70-85% to value. The value of the car will be determined by mileage, condition, trans, and options, and by the evaluation method your insurance company uses that's in compliance with the insurance regs of your state.
Hopefully, I'll find out soon. Geico has there one stop shop set up with one of the local companies that I have a bit of faith in and it is supposed to be a very quick process one way or the other.
Originally Posted by TripleBlack14
Let us know what your adjuster says. I'll be happy to walk you through the process in general terms since I'm not familiar with the laws of your state or the procedures specific to your insurance company's claim department.
Good luck.
Thanks! I'll keep everyone informed and probably ask for some advice when I know more.
One minor upside to this is I have a cousin who is looking for a more modern track car, so he wants me to let him know what the buy back is if it is totaled. That would at least keep it in the family and running!
One minor upside to this is I have a cousin who is looking for a more modern track car, so he wants me to let him know what the buy back is if it is totaled. That would at least keep it in the family and running!
Salvage retention is certainly an option for you if they decide to total the car.
Don't let them throw just any salvage figure at you though. When I was settling total losses here in NJ, I was required to obtain a bonafide and written quote from a salvage yard. I'm sure your state has similar requirements. I'll reserve comments about Geico though until after you resolve your claim.
The salvage deduction shouldn't be significant. Your car is 10 years old and the older a vehicle is, the less demand for the salvage and/or it's parts, and therefore the less the salvage is worth. That could work in your favor.
As far as value, the same thing about demand holds true. The older the car gets, certain options no longer add significant value, if at all. The mileage and condition will be the key elements in determining value.
My 07 Mustang was T-boned in the driver front tire area with a lot more damage than that and that was about $7000 damage (in 2007 dollars & all Ford parts). I would not be surprised if that gets repaired instead of totaled.
My '05 might have died today. Might soon be in the market for '15/'16
Don't give up on it yet! Doesn't appear to be much more than cosmetic damage from the pics. If that is the case, and if you have a good insurance company, I can see it being repaired.
It would be a shame if it's totalled, you have a fantastic looking car!
Unfortunately, she is officially dead. Two main things contributed to it. The biggest was they would have to replace the radiator core support as the right side of it was trashed and not repairable. The labor to do that job is a huge part of the repair quote. If this had happened before the S550 was released, it would have had enough value to be fixable. But...
But even with the front and rear repair work, it would have BARELY scraped by. Unfortunately, there was also exhaust system damage and some other damage under the car that pushed it over the line.
On the bright side, he said the buy back should be in the $1k range for this car, plus or minus a few hundred. With that low of a buy back, I think I will go ahead and pick it up and make it my project car. This thing has been my baby and daily driver for years. I always had the long term plan (say 2035...) of completely restoring it with all the parts I have removed and having a great classic car.
That option is no longer on the table, so I think a great weekend street/track car might be a much better fit for it instead. And, I SHOULD be able to get it street legal again for less than $1000 by doing a bit of creative repair work on the core support and replacing the fender/front fascia/headlight/etc. from junkyard cars or takeoff parts.
I put about 30 miles on it today (including interstate miles) and it still runs perfect. The only problem was part of the core support was pushed back far enough that the wheel rubbed when I turned left fairly sharply. That has been fixed by pulling that bent part back to a more normal location.
Long term, I think I am going to wait and order a 2016 when they are available. If I can't get my car legal again for reasonably cheap money, I will "borrow" my mom's 2004 F150 (technically, the truck is in my name and will be mine permanently when mom no longer needs it). That truck runs great and I will have no issues commuting in it for the next three or four months or so.
So does anyone have any great ideas on where to get the needed parts CHEAP?
So does anyone have any great ideas on where to get the needed parts CHEAP?
After looking at your pics again, it appears that you might have some slight unibody misalignment on the upper inner apron. If in fact there is misalignment, that needs to be measured and pulled on a frame machine. Otherwise the rad support, fender and bumper won't line up properly. It also looks like the red panel behind the headlamp is damaged. I really don't know if that's a separate headlamp bucket or part of the rad support.
Based solely on the photos, here's what I'd advise....
Find a shop you can trust. Tell them you're paying for the repairs yourself. Don't let them know you've settled this as a total loss or reveal how much you're getting for the car. Stress that you'll be paying cash....that's a good incentive for him to work with you.
Ask the shop to locate a right side 3/4 peel-off with core support. It should include the fender, lamps, and bumper. The salvage yard may include the hood too, and perhaps radiation, but a 3/4 complete peel-off still might be less expensive than individual new parts, and the labor will be a bit less.
Before the shop replaces the parts, he'll measure and pull the apron. Once that's squared, the rest is simple and straight forward. The r/s quarter needs a few hours of work, and maybe the shop has had good luck with one of the suppliers of reconditioned rear bumper covers. That'll keep your cost down. But first ask the shop if yours can be repaired. I can't tell from the pic how bad it is.
I'm willing to bet that you'll be surprised how affordable the repairs might be, and you could even put a few extra bucks in your pocket.
Also, press hard on your claims rep for a WRITTEN salvage bid. You're entitled to it. $1000 seems high for a 10 year old vehicle that doesn't have particularly high re-sale value to a wholesale rebuilder. I'd want proof. However, it may be different in your part of the country. In NJ, older Mustang salvage isn't worth a whole lot compared with Hondas, Toyotas, and 4wd's here.
Overall, I don't think you're in bad shape. Hope they offered you a good settlement amount.
After looking at your pics again, it appears that you might have some slight unibody misalignment on the upper inner apron. If in fact there is misalignment, that needs to be measured and pulled on a frame machine. Otherwise the rad support, fender and bumper won't line up properly. It also looks like the red panel behind the headlamp is damaged. I really don't know if that's a separate headlamp bucket or part of the rad support.
I was looking at that this afternoon. I want to do some diagonal measurements to see how far out it is. Hopefully, I can find someone that will do that work for a reasonable price.
Originally Posted by TripleBlack14
Find a shop you can trust. Tell them you're paying for the repairs yourself. Don't let them know you've settled this as a total loss or reveal how much you're getting for the car. Stress that you'll be paying cash....that's a good incentive for him to work with you.
"Cash" IS a magic word in lots of places!
Originally Posted by TripleBlack14
Ask the shop to locate a right side 3/4 peel-off with core support. It should include the fender, lamps, and bumper. The salvage yard may include the hood too, and perhaps radiation, but a 3/4 complete peel-off still might be less expensive than individual new parts, and the labor will be a bit less.
I was planning on hitting the salvage yards Monday and seeing if I could find exactly this. Now I know what it is called which always helps!
Originally Posted by TripleBlack14
Before the shop replaces the parts, he'll measure and pull the apron. Once that's squared, the rest is simple and straight forward. The r/s quarter needs a few hours of work, and maybe the shop has had good luck with one of the suppliers of reconditioned rear bumper covers. That'll keep your cost down. But first ask the shop if yours can be repaired. I can't tell from the pic how bad it is.
My plan is to do all the work I can do on my own, but obviously, I don't have a frame puller nor do I know how to properly use one (or the alignment jigs for it, or...). I REALLY want to keep the outside labor to a minimum.
Originally Posted by TripleBlack14
I'm willing to bet that you'll be surprised how affordable the repairs might be, and you could even put a few extra bucks in your pocket.
I looked up all the new parts I need (not counting the radiator support, hood or other miscellaneous bits) and that comes out to about $950. I would HOPE that I could get all that used for half that. I'm REALLY hoping they will give me a good deal on the hood. I can make it usable, but I can't make that corner pretty.
Originally Posted by TripleBlack14
Also, press hard on your claims rep for a WRITTEN salvage bid. You're entitled to it. $1000 seems high for a 10 year old vehicle that doesn't have particularly high re-sale value to a wholesale rebuilder. I'd want proof. However, it may be different in your part of the country. In NJ, older Mustang salvage isn't worth a whole lot compared with Hondas, Toyotas, and 4wd's here.
There are quite a few Mustangs in this part of the country, which I would assume would increase the demand and value a bit. He called me this afternoon and said the bid came in at $1700. I'll ask to see the written bid on Monday.
Originally Posted by TripleBlack14
Overall, I don't think you're in bad shape. Hope they offered you a good settlement amount.
I'll find out Monday about the settlement amount. I'll probably push them a bit as this car has lived it's whole life in a garage and I have BABIED it from day one. On the bright side, the car did it's job and I made it out of the wreck without a scratch on me. Plus, I always did want to paint that car a true candy apple red...
And before I forget, thanks for taking the time to share you knowledge! It is very much appreciated by me!
So I put a tape measure from the hood hinge bolt diagonally across the car to the upper headlight bucket bolt (both ends should be in the exact same position on each side). There is a 1/4" difference in the measurements (took it three times...), so that should work about to just over 1/8" out on the upper apron.
I've been doing some very rough body work to it to see if I can save the core support (for now at least) and that actually looks promising. It's kind of amazing out all that folded sheet metal starts to unfold back into it's original shape as you work it with a hammer and dolly, pliers, etc. I THINK I will be able to get it smoothed out enough that a replacement bucket can bolt in and be aligned properly. Eventually, I will replace the whole core support to get it back to perfect.
The questions for the hour are these:
Can the apron be pulled back in place without disassembling the whole front of the car? If I can drive it in and drive it out, I can probably spring to get that fixed. But if it has be to disassembled to a naked front clip, it isn't going to happen.
Any estimates on what a decent shop should charge me for this? If they don't have to disassemble the front of the car, then labor shouldn't be that much (two or three hours?). Again, at this point, I have to go the cheap route.
Any other ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated as well!
I might have to switch to plan B on the headlight bucket/fender support part. It is still pretty messed up.
What I am thinking about is buying a new core support ($100) and drilling out the spot welds that attach the headlight bucket support bracket to the rest of the core support. Then, I should be able to weld the new bracket to the old core support and with some careful measurements, I should be able to get in the right place.
I think in the long run, that will be a lot faster than trying to work the old one back into a truly usable position.
7/10/15, 12:03 AM
My '05 might have died today. Might soon be in the market for '15/'16
