adamcb

Hey friends,

I was in an accident yesterday - T-boned by a lady who hit my driver's side at her full throttle as she came away from a stop sign trying to cross four lanes of traffic.

She was unhurt, I have a laceration under my eye from where my glasses hit my face, and airbag burns. The A8 likely saved my life. Thank God for the German engineers for building such a safe vehicle.

But now I await Progressive and whether the car can be repaired or totaled. Take a look at the pics: http://smu.gs/1i1X3Lb

What do you think? Pay particular attention to picture 8 where you can see the puncture and bending damage to the unibody aluminum frame. The Audi sales manager said he thought it might be totaled but if not it's at least 8 weeks of repair.

So, glad to give you an update that the car saved my life. Would love your thoughts on totaled or not. Any tips on getting it declared totaled or if they try to repair, what I need to be aware of.

And, hopefully it will be totaled. The dealer here in town has some new 2013 A8s trimmed out line mine as well as an S8. Oh boy...


Adam

jakematic

Glad you are OK !
Wow, that was one hell of a hit to push the A8 back and around like that.

There are specialized shops that can repair the aluminum frame but they are few and very expensive.
That coupled with the doors, airbags, and who knows what else, my guess is it will be a total.

If they do want to repair make sure to demand the proper Audi parts and methods.
Demanding that from the get do may put it over line to a total anyway.

Best of luck with it, and keep us posted.

uberwgn

That was quite a hit, Adam! Glad you are doing OK.

Aluminum panels get kind of ugly in accidents. They tear open like a coke can.

The Audi USA website will have a listing of all the A8 approved repair shops, as Jake notes. There aren't many in the US. I'd have to believe there's something in DFW or Houston.

Good luck with it.

uberwgn

I see a location in Austin:

Roger Beasley Collision Center

10420 Metric Blvd
Austin, TX 78758

(512) 233-0460

s5blitzer

Glad you came out of this with minimal injuries.

estallido

First, glad you are ok but give your assessment time. Injuries often take time to manifest from that kind of trauma. Second, my guess from the pics is your insurance will total it for you but that A8 has a 2nd life awaiting with a salvage title for sure. Beautiful car, sad to see it go like that

subterFUSE

I would be shocked if your insurance company totaled a car with 2000 miles on it, unless you get a lawyer and fight hard.

Glad you are not more injured, and I hope everything works out and you get that S8.

adamcb

Thanks, everyone for your thoughts and advice.

Roger Beasley (who has the one collision center in Austin certified to work on A/S/R 8s also owns the two Audi dealerships here in Austin.

I am going to fight like hell if they try to convince me that a few (well-intended) Austin guys that just graduated from Wyoming Tech with a certificate in bodywork can bring my $110k car back to the same level of precision as Audi's greatest carmakers in Neckarsulm, Germany. Of course, I am a guy who owns his own set of measuring calipers and laser millimeter measurers. And again, the car still the original oil in it - had yet to have an oil change. To say that I will be picky is a great understatement.

I also found out about Diminished Value and in Texas I have to go after the other lady's insurance myself - Progressive will not compensate me for the significant value reduction that my brand new car has now that it's been in a major collision, if they were to repair it. Joy.

Anyway - priorities here. I am very glad to have gotten out of this accident relatively unhurt (and thanks for the posts on recognizing some injuries take a while to present themselves). And glad the lady who hit me appeared unhurt.

Any thoughts on valuation if they total it? Am I going to take a huge bath on a nine month old, 2800 mile depreciating-like-a-lead-balloon?


Adam

MP4.2+6.0

Sorry for your accident and glad you're okay.

1. Just being blunt, does the other driver merit at least a citation if not some charges? That's pretty asleep/careless to end up like that in daylight conditions. Obviously up to law enforcement to sort out. In turn if either happens, the insurance claim, fault determination, etc. is pretty open and shut.

2. On vehicle, pure and simple I would want to get it totaled, and expect 100% of your purchase price, INCLUDING sales tax, accessories, add on maintenance packages or everything else you bought. Or said another way, they should essentially put you in a new identical Audi. That's basically what the other driver wiped out.

3. You are on the right track on diminished value, etc. for added damages, but again I would just start from FULL value--"where's my new car your insured recklessly ran into and totaled?" Right off the bat, no Audi dealer who runs the car in the service system or CarFax is now going to take that on trade even if ever fully "repaired," and they can't ever CPO it given the basic precondition of no meaningful prior accident history. Then as a possible buyer for used quality D4's, I would never touch it.

4. If I were you, I would skip your own company by and large and go right against hers. Given the $, you may want a lawyer if you get any flak on the front end about full compensation w/out any debates. Anybody seeing those pics is also going to wonder on medical and injury claims, and for the other carrier that's a big worry to them logically. And bluntly, more leverage for you. Also where the lawyer comes in given the realities of today's world. And the other carrier--after the stereotype blustering and resistance--probably can quickly get that it's a big loser for them, time to write a really big check and move on.

Good luck and stay well!

BASARAB

This car will be on insurance auction soon