[Noah]

Now I have about a hundred questions, because I've never in my life had to file an insurance claim.

First off I have to decide whether to repair the car here or in Vermont. I think I'm going to take it to Vermont, for several reasons:

First, the shop where I restored my car over the past several years is at my disposal on nights and weekends, with lifts, all manner of tools, and a large cabinet of Wurth hardware. Working at Eurotech in Vermont makes everything easy.

Second, I want Damon at Series 900 in New Hampshire to do the Celette work. Damon is a friend of many of my old Porsche friends, and is highly experienced in doing Celette work. He does most of the high-end repair work on old 911's in the New England/Boston area. I trust him to do the work right.

Third, I could do the complete R&R of the suspension, engine and tranny at Eurotech and then bring the car to Damon for just the Celette and respray work. Then I could reassemble everything myself, which is the only thing I'm comfortable with.

The logistics of this plan are going to be a major PITA; I'll probably take the car to VT, disassemble everything, drop it at Damon's, and then fly back to DC until Damon is done his thing. Then I'll go back to NH, bring the car back to Eurotech in VT, reassemble, and then drive it back to DC.

There are a few minor details to work out with the insurance company. The first one is that they have no idea how to write the estimate on the car. The adjuster has told me flat-out that she knows nothing about old Porsches, and their estimator books don't have the information, either.

How do I go about ensuring that I get a proper estimation? If I say things like "Celette bench," I'm sure that eyes will glaze over.

[Trak Ratt]

Find out the “totaled” value of your very historic, rare car, subtract $25, accept check from insurance company. But don’t smile (dead give a way), just grumble about the high cost of insurance and walk quietly away.

[Rick Lee]

Have Euro Pros do the estimate. They certainly know their Porsches.

[Jazzbass]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

Have Euro Pros do the estimate. They certainly know their Porsches.

Good plan - but do what David said and get the totalled amount. Don't want to go over that figure.

[Charlie Stylianos]

That’s great news, Noah.

The first one is that they have no idea how to write the estimate on the car. The adjuster has told me flat-out that she knows nothing about old Porsches, and their estimator books don't have the information, either.

I think this works in your favor.

For starters, Bruce Anderson just listed the 'Market Update' for our years in the August Excellence......BTW: MUCH better values than the previous years.

Forgot what year chassis yours is:

1978 and 1979
Low - $13,107
Good - $14,903
Excellent - $19,950

All your receipts and such should help justify these prices.

EDIT: Whoops, thought they would consider it as a total. Anyway, use the above as you wish.

[TD in DC]

Noel,

Didn't you say that there is a $10,000 cap?

I would just submit the car to two or three shops, get REAL estimates for repair (although nothing wrong with explaining the situation to the shops and requiring that they do everything the best way -- i.e., most expensive -- possible), and make sure that you document (and make them document) everything as well as possible. I personally am too paranoid to mess around with insurance issues too much in light of the attendant risks if you provoke an investigation, which is not out of the question in this situation. You don't want to get accused of insurance fraud, get dropped due to something that wasn't your fault in the first place, or provoke a rate hike (although I doubt you will have much to worry about this).

TD

[Jazzbass]

Glad to hear that the car will be covered, Noah. Its a damn shame about the stuff that got f'ed up in the crash, though. I mean, your whole 935 rear suspension, the 964 style relocated oil tank, the LSD in the tranny, the big reds you just put on... damn shame...

[Vicegrip]

Not to mention the Rolex that was in the glove box that is now busted...

[Chronos]

Originally Posted by Kurt Mickelwait

Not to mention the Rolex that was in the glove box that is now busted...

Originally Posted by jazzbass

Glad to hear that the car will be covered, Noah. Its a damn shame about the stuff that got f'ed up in the crash, though. I mean, your whole 935 rear suspension, the 964 style relocated oil tank, the LSD in the tranny, the big reds you just put on... damn shame..

Aaaah, I've learned SO MUCH about my Dorki bretheren! Yeah, yeah, the ROLEX, the 935 PARTS, and oh, oh, what about the Bacarat crystal (wedding present) in the trunk?

Hmm, remind me to hide the crystal and silver if/when I ever have y'all over. Next thing I'll read is that Pari's 911 doesn't put out 411rwhp at the dyno.

Crushed, I tell ya. I'm just crushed.

[TD in DC]

Originally Posted by Noah

How do I go about ensuring that I get a proper estimation? If I say things like "Celette bench," I'm sure that eyes will glaze over.

I thought Celette works on M street between 18th and 19th. I am not sure that I have ever seen her bench.