Miata was rear ended this morning
 

Pulling out of a driveway this morning some kid in a Dodge Dakota decided to use my car to stop him self. It has been 14 years that I have kept my temper under control, but I almost lost it this morning. Flew out of the car, and just as he stepped out I went for his neck. But I restrained my self, and the poor kid just about shat himself. Took a few quick breathers and assessed damages.

Kid is 16 years old, has had his license for 3 weeks, driving dad's new Dakota. Mom shows up and asks if there is any way to keep it off her insurance. I told her $1200 cash in hand and I walk away. She went back to her house, came back and told me to go ahead and let insurance take care of it. I took the Miata over to my dealers body shop, and so far the estimate is at $2000. They have to respray the entire ass of the car because it is horribly faded, and they can't blend it. The Dakota of course was unscathed, but at least his color matched bumper had some nice white marks in it, buff right out.

Attachment 203878

If this is $2000.00 in damage I need to open a body shop. That looks like a replacement finish panel, and a respray by a competent painter probably around 400 to 500 and thats including 200 for a new panel. I had to buy one a few months ago. Maybe your photo doesn't show the damage well, but if that is really the extent, and nothing structural was done, where would $2000.00 come from.

re-spray of the car from the doors back, by a fully licensed "insurance" body shop. Trust me, no regular shop would charge that much.

Hard to tell but is the bumper cracked under the finish panel damage?

It's like when I got hit by a jeep when I was on my motorcycle. No damages to her car but the front of my bike got all smashed up.. Glad to hear you were ok tho.

Go ahead and open that shop, but I wouldn't send a car to you if you did the work for free. Paint alone on a quality respray can run $400-500, plus a brand new finish panel, plus labor, plus materials (tape, etc).

A quality respray will run $3k+. I have no doubt in my mind that there's $2k+ in damage there.

Brian, you had me worried there. At least the shell isn't wadded up.

Didn't look cracked when I was looking at it with the officer, just alot of black paint from the Dakota. Guess it could be cracked, car is at my work's body shop.

gonna paint that POS?

the black finish panel (unpainted) looks good against white

use the cash for something else...

I can't see the pic Brian, but sorry to hear. Gonna go ahead and respray the whole car?

Not sure yet, been tossing around the idea of the GV taillight assembly. Or the re-enforced rear panel in satin black.

I have been wanting to respray the whole car, I might use this opportunity. Thinking Mazda's Stormy Blue Mica with metallic gunmetal grey stripes.

respray it

Aw man that is a huge bummer, hope you get it taken care of quickly.

Also glad you didn't ring the kids neck..

That sucks....screw non-drivin' teens. One rear ended my neighbor the other day (turning into his driveway) and then jumped out and started screaming how Mike (neighbor) hit him and yadeda.

I got camera out and started laughing my ass off while neighbor returned some of the shouts until kid thought probably wasn't going to live to see 20 (19yr old with 3wk old permit).


+1 on respray. Get something you'll drool on every time you walk out to your car.

That BLOWS. It doesn't look like it is that bad though. As for paint costin money, don't get me started. I had my friend (very skilled automotive painter) paint my '78 Triumph Bonneville gastank GLOSS BLACK. This means he had to prime, sand, basecoat, clearcoat, more sanding, buffing, etc; he charged me $300. A few of my friends were like, "you're on crack for payin that." I'm like, "yo asshole, I didn't give it the Krylon touch, I actually cared about it and wanted it done right." Quality costs money, and paint ain't cheap.

I think you misunderstood, I was suggesting if no other damage was present painting a new finish panel to match the current car. I have a pretty good Idea how much quality work cost since I've already looked at getting my miata painted after we get my turbo kit sorted.

Any thing labor intensive is expensive, but It didn't look like the damage to his car was to anything other than the panel. BTW If I opened a shop I would be looking at Fleet and insurance work, not focusing on individual work. Volume is key not custom work, unless you have a passion for it. And I would not be doing the painting. That stuffs toxic :)

Your a ------ man all you say is negative bullshit!! GTFO :noob:

Nope. Cracked bumper alone is $1000 minimum. I've gone through that three times now.

You know, I was thinking the exact same thing. Every one of this guys' posts are negative. I don't expect much from a guy w/ his SN.

I will be without the Miata for 2 weeks starting Sep 8th. When I get it back it will be Stormy Blue Mica :D. Also sourced out a set of the 2006 and newer "Roadster" badges. No stripes though, those will have to wait.

Pictures to come.

Brian -

Sorry to hear about the accident, glad to hear you didn't (completely) give in to the emotional response, and am looking forward to the pics of the finished product.

- L