Miata Mailing List: June 1994, Message #54
sponsored by



     


   From: Ken Warren 
Subject: Re: Nailed Miata responses
   Date: Sun, 5 Jun 1994 10:55:58 -0400

This is only in response to the question about body panel damage; "frame" 
damage I'll leave alone, except to say that the car will *never* be the 
same after straightening.

I was sideswiped this past January. The damage was minimal; little more
than a nasty tire mark and a slight dent in the fender. The total repair
bill was $637, including replacement of the bent panel ($187). When I
questioned this, both the body shop and the insurance adjustor told me
that with newer cars, they generally recommend replacement of all bent
bodywork because the cost to straighten the panel is almost always higher 
than the cost of a new panel. The metal is so thin that doing anything to 
the panel warps the whole thing, and newer cars tend to have subtle 
smooth curves *everywhere*, which are a pain to get right. The body shop 
told me that straightening the panel would likely be 6-8 hours of labor, 
at around $55 an hour, the insurance adjustor estimated 5-6 hours at the 
same rate. In either case, it's cheaper to get a new panel than to fix 
the old one.

So unless your adjustor insists on straightening the panel, you shouldn't 
even have to mention it.

But really, I'd let him total the car. As I said, straightening the
"frame" won't be a 100 percent deal, and the car will never be the same. 
And if you take the money ($13k, you said?), you should be able to pay off
the rest of the loan and put down a really *hellacious* down payment on a
new Miata. 

--
Ken
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
           Ken Warren               E-Mail: kenw@netaxs.com
*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*
Finger me for the current Philadelphia Region SCCA Solo II schedule...