by The owner of a Porsche 911, which sustained scratches, decided to repair the car at his own expense rather than contacting the insurance company.
The total repair cost amounted to 11 thousand dollars – this includes the replacement of the bumper and hood.
The driver of the Subaru, who caused the damage, also opted for a cash settlement to avoid an increase in the insurance premium.
External damage on a Porsche 911 may seem minor, but in reality, restoring the car to its original appearance cost its owner over 11 thousand dollars. This case clearly demonstrates how expensive the repair of premium cars can be.
This concerns a Targa 4 GTS model, which has been owned for only two months. The American car owner shared on Reddit that after a minor incident, traces of damage remained on the front part of his Porsche. Although he could have used insurance, the owner of an auto shop in Austin advised him to repair the car at his own expense – this turned out to be a more profitable solution in the long term.
“The master said that if you care about the condition of the car, it’s worth avoiding insurance claims due to the loss of market value recorded by Carfax,” explained the Porsche owner. He added that experts recommend paying for repairs independently if the amount does not exceed 10% of the car’s value.
This advice is completely justified – any damage, even minimal, significantly reduces the value of premium cars upon resale. Many users supported the mechanic’s recommendation.
Consequences of Minor Damage
As reported, in addition to numerous scratches on the front bumper, the hood also received minor damage – both elements required complete replacement.
The incident occurred due to a series of unfortunate circumstances. While parking in his son’s friend’s driveway, the Porsche owner became involved in an accident – the driver of a Subaru, reversing, hit the German sports car. As it turned out, the friend’s son was in the Subaru’s cabin but did not notice the Porsche during the maneuver. Fortunately, the parents of the Subaru driver immediately reimbursed the cost of the repair.
Why the Subaru Driver Also Refused Insurance
Avoiding insurance claims is not only a privilege for owners of expensive sports cars. In this case, the Subaru driver also decided to pay for the repair in cash for similar reasons.
As the Porsche owner explained on Reddit, the reason is simple: “It would be noted in Carfax and would lower the car’s market value. The father does not want the insurance premiums of his 18-year-old son to sharply increase, especially since for a young man they are already quite high.”
Why Saving on Repair is a Bad Idea
Theoretically, the bumper and hood could have been repaired for significantly less than $11,100. However, for cars like the Porsche 911, local repair and defect correction without painting is not the best choice. It is more advisable for owners of premium cars to bear higher repair costs but preserve the vehicle’s market value and avoid problems when selling it later.
