[HELP] Detroit FR-S/BRZ Owners
 

Hello everyone,

I am a proud FR-S owner and recently moved to Detroit from Peoria for work. I smashed my car on I-94 on Dec 30th 2016 and the damages are extensive as you cans see from the images. I need your help and suggestions as I wanna get it repaired by myself and I was quite stupid when I bought the car on lien without a collision/comprehensive insurance but I do have GAP and Toyota will cut my lein down by a few grands. I know I was an immature idiot back in 2015 when I bought this as my first car and listened to the dealer who made a fool of me.

Can anyone help me with this? Bodykits, headlights, other parts and a really good and trustworthy bodyshop. People told me to get it repaired 'Detroit' style, not sure what that meant. I have never worked on cars before so I am really looking for help.

BTW, I am working on the new Mustang at Ford as an Electrical Engineer.

http://i.imgur.com/Q4G2jY2.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/AmkbHYr.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/EG4TJT3.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/1Kk7B8e.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/B2HKE5y.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Aj6SUWt.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Kp7rygi.jpg

Looks bad.....i'm surprised you don't have collision coverage. I'm assuming you paid cash for the car since no collision comprehensive coverage. Check out some body shops in your area. This post should be in Detriother Michigan region section.

Thanks for the reply, I did not pay cash for the car and it is still on a lien. I posted in the Great Lakes section but no replies on it. Any specific bodykit that you would suggest?

I thought any car loan the banks require collision/comprehensive coverage. Bidykits cost big $$$ might as well get a body & fender shop to fix it.

"People told me to get it repaired 'Detroit' style, not sure what that meant."


http://www.urbandictionary.com/defin...=Detroit+Style

WOW, RahulT7 ...... you messed up that car pretty bad ...... :(

What do you mean you bought the car on lein .... ?? Is it a leased car or did Toyota finance it .. ??

Like @86geek says, it's highly unlikely a finance company would loan on a car without requiring insurance ..... :iono:

As far as you fixing it (since you have no body work experience) ....... I suggest that you take it to a good body shop.

Fixed "Detroit style" ....... around here we call it "Bubba style"...... get a front clip, LF fender and L side mirror from the junk yard, the rest can be fixed with a large hammer, welding torch, Bondo and a rattle can of white paint ....... :D


humfrz

Close.

This is a "Detroit Style" car repair:


http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/...28_964x646.jpg

Check your purchase/finance documents. Its pretty much impossible to get a car loan and not carry collision/comp insurance. It's probably in your monthly payment.

Lienholders usually do require comprehensive and collision, but adding it to you insurance policy is not required. Although most lienholders have a system of checks and balances in place to avoid this, it still happens quite a bit.


It's not uncommon for people to forego the coverage because of the insurance premium associated with it, not realizing the consequences. Especially in Michigan and Florida where most insurance premiums are higher than other states.


Best thing the OP can do is get it fixed, then add comprehensive and collision coverage.

The dealer made an ass out of me, this is my first car in a new country. I came to the US as a student from India, got a job and starting earning a good salary so I bought this car. The dealer told me that 'GAP' insurance will cover everything if I total the car and I only need basic insurance. I have my insurance records from the state of Indiana (Where I bought it) and then moved to Illinois (Peoria) for work and recently to Michigan (Detroit) for a new job at Ford. I bought the premium service plan with the car as well to save it from future scratches and dents. If I had done my homework about GAP and usual comprehensive/collision insurance then I would not be in this spot right now. Lets just say I was like a toddler in a toyshop when I was at the dealership getting this car.

Nope, I checked all my documents after the wreck. I do have GAP insurance tough.

Sad picture mate.

The dealer tricked me and the car is on a loan from Toyota Financial. I guess he ticked the part in the loan application where it said that he checked that I bought comprehensive insurance. He 'advised' be to get basic insurance and GAP to cover everything. I never changed anything after the purchase and I have my policy documents to prove that.

I am willing to invest $$$ in the car as I love my car. If you guys can suggest a good bodyshop then it will be really helpful.

Man... Sad to see this. Did you roll it in a ditch? Looks like you also have minor a pillar and roof damage. This is going to be a very costly repair. If its a base model... it might be more cost effective to just total it and get another one if that's an option.

Well I crashed in the guard railings on the median first and then went in the ditch all the way to the right. If I hadn't over-corrected then I would have not crashed in the ditch. I showed the car at a body shop and they said it is all cosmetic damaged and the pillar is fine.

They did give me a 13K estimate though and the part prices were off the roof!
6K for parts and 7K for labor.

Also I cannot total the car since I have no insurance and I still owe 23.5K on the car.

That price is about bang on. No airbags deployed?

Nopes and I was surprised because the crash took place at about 40 mph.

That is odd. Must have just missed all the sensors.
I will make some enquires about decent body shops in the area for you tomorrow. I can draw on a very large base of people in the Detroit area for recommendations through work.

That is odd. Must have just missed all the sensors.
I will make some enquires about decent body shops in the area for you tomorrow. I can draw on a very large base of people in the Detroit area for recommendations through work.

Yes, I assumed it missed the set parameters for air bag deployment. I work at Ford on the new Mustang and people told me that there are a lot of variables along with speed and impact point for airbags to deploy.

I will be really grateful if you can ask around for a decent bodyshop in the area.

Ohhhhhh.........I'm starten to worry bout ol @Tcoat ....... he's starten to repeat himself ..... that's one of the first signs ......:sigh:


humfrz

humfrz

Well that is odd since I posted once and left the thread. Twenty minutes apart certainly doesn't help explain things though.

Ohhh......the second sign is denial ........:(


humfrz

What are you talking about?

I donno ........ I forgot ...... :sigh:


humfrz

How the hell you get a car loan & no insurance? :iono:
You in deep shit! $36,000.00 in the hole dude if you fix the car!

I didn't know it was possible to not insure a vehicle on the road. I'm not sure how Detroit works but in Cali... the moment you uninsure/stop paying your insurance...they pull the registraton. And the next time a cop rolls behind you... Boom. Your car is getting impounded. I mean... If you were, and god forbid, hit someone... how would you be able to pay for their repairs?

I know I am in deep shit and I don't even know how I got the loan from Toyota. The dealer did something shady for the loan I guess. The estimate is from a Chevy bodyshop in Kalamazoo and I can certainly get it fixed for less than the quote. I already paid 9K loan in the last 1.5 years.

Honestly, I never owned a car before and never thought about it either. I have never been 'caught' in this car because I don't speed too much (~ +5 mph over the limit) or break the rules otherwise. I had basic insurance of 25K for property damage and 50K for body injury which is also known as the basic insurance.

Who do you have your basic insurance through? Did you call an insurance company after your purchase?

Like the rest of the members, I always thought full coverage was required if you are still paying on a loan. Even after I pay off the car I keep full coverage until the car just isn't worth it. Cars have a lot more value now since the average purchase price has increased so much in the past few decades.

Progressive, I never called them after purchase. I wasn't aware of all this when I purchased the car. I am not giving an excuse here but I am not a US citizen and it had just been a year in US when I purchased the car.

I can understand how it happened. It shouldn't be able to happen but I can see how.
The whole exchange on insurance when I bought mine:
Dealer "Did you call and change the insurance over?"
Me "Yes but I don't have the slip yet"
Dealer (checks box on finance form) "Don't need it. Initial here please"
Me "OK"
Dealer "Now let's go swap plates, Mary will show you the features of the car and we are ready to go"
Me "I will put the plates on and what does Mary want to know about the features of the car?"


All in all the insurance conversation consisted of about 10 seconds and some initials. I could have nothing as far as they knew.

When I bought mine, I either had to give proof of insurance or they called my insurance. Can't remember which, but I vaguely remember printing off an insurance slip when I picked up the car.

Yep. I expected to have to provide it and that was why I told them I didn't have it yet. They didn't care. Must be my incredibly trustworthy face.

The whole exchange on insurance for me was:

Dealer: You need to have basic insurance and GAP for the vehicle.
Me: I have none because I don't have the car.
Dealer: Let us go to Progressive and Geico website for the best quote and get it now.
Me: Ok. (We got a good quote from Progressive).
Dealer: This is fine and now lets complete the rest of the paperwork.
Me: Yay.