My baby returned home - the long soap opera

Agreed. The bumper subframe is aluminum. That doesn't change my original comment. FTA asked how the subframe was bent and creased and your licence plate was not. I'm saying it buckled at its weakest point and not where it was hit. FTA was suggesting some possible foul play, and I was disagreeing or saying not likely.

 

I think you got screwed.

 

These prices are such a rip off. I just replaced the rear bumper cover on my GF's Lexus and the part cost was $409. Total repair for the dealer's authorized body shop: $890.

 

And while I admit that anything is possible, including the deformation you describe, i would go the other way and say THAT is less likely to have happened than someone messing around with claim to create more profit for themselves. While I"m not an accident reconstructionist I am a state licensed professional engineer and on the basis think its unlikely that the bumper creased as shown given the damage (or lack thereof) anywhere along that height/level of the bumper cover. What I DO think is more likely is that parts that have a retail cost of $7k probably have a wholesale cost closer to $5k (or less) and so the more claims of damage, the more profit to the repair shop.

finally, being an independent, self-employeed engineer, i know that if i had a project that i bid $6500 (and made 'x' profit on) but then some advocate for some third partty got involved and i was suddenly able to quintuple my bid (and my profit) I would probably be very appreciative of that advocate -- to the point I may have to return the favor, or some portion thereof. Happens a lot I would suspect.

 

whats even more amazing is that a lot of these parts are cheaper on a 458 than they are on a 360. look up cataylic converter prices on Ricambi and they are over $8k for a 360. I think the muffler is over $4k (without tips)

 

?Older car therefore more difficult to get parts?

 

I, too, am a self employeed professional engineer. Before going out on my own, I worked for an insurance company doing forensic engineering, albeit not automotive.

The company that originally quoted $6500 didn't get the work, because the buckled sub member required the car to be sent to a shop in California.

 

Plus a 360 has a single muffler - not two.

 

360s stopped production 6 or 7 years ago -- i don't see how that could affect Ferrari's cost or ability to produce parts. i think its more nefarious -- i think they inflate the prices every year because as the cars get older the parts are more likely to be needed and so they sell morre of them and therefore make more profit. the flywheel on my 360 was like $700 whenn it was replaced about 4 or 5 years ago (according to the service receipt). when i just replaced it again (at the same dealer) the price nearly tripled to over $1800. the dealer confirmed that Ferrari dramatically increased the cost of this part in recent years. i doubt the part costs that mcuh more to make now - i think they just like to test the boundaries of what clients are willing to pay to see how much profit can be had. in fact, i think very little in the way of pricing cars or parts has to do with actual costs but rather has to do with how much Ferrari thinks its clients are willing (or able) to pay

 

how about the cat then? why are they 3k less?

 

i don't think who got to do the work is especially relevant to the facdt that the damage to the cover and the estimated velocity of the other car seem inconsistent with the damage to the bumper. my point is, it seems suspsicious. if you or anyone else thinks i'm mistaken or beiing a conspiracy-theorist that's fine, but the pictures, the circumstances, and the data support an an alternate view just as much as any other. as i said a few times now, i could be mistaken. i have however, been involved in claims in the past and know there is a lot that goes on with them and that opinions and costs regarding repairs vary greatly.

 

what did you spec out in the new one? what kind of build date and delivery?

 

A guess. There were several cats made for the 360. The European 360 cats are the same price as the 458 cats. The North American cats are more money. Ferrari has figured out how to make one cat that satisfies all markets.

 

Totally, 100% agree.

 

It seems that exotic car repair is a decent business to get into if you have the expertise. I wonder how they get on board with Ferrari SpA to get the restricted parts.

 

could only imagine what that would have cost!!! Spider or coupe?

 

David, in one of your earlier posts, you said this:

"...Lance never saw the car, he's based in California. All of his advice was free..."

is that true? You paid him nothing?

 

Holy C..P! The poor woman who hit you could be faced with potentially losing everything over what was thought to be a $6,500.00 collision. Perhaps this explains the low miles on F-Cars. There is something fundamentally wrong when a cracked diffuser could escalate to a loss that exceeds the price of a new car, not to mention the inflated price of parts to repair. I have to wonder if the Tustin collision, perhaps, may have taken an incorrect approach. Wouldn't the car have a lesser IDV if more of the orginal parts had be left on the car?

BTW, the color combination of your car is stunning.

 

if you didn't pay him anything then that's what also makes me suspect something else could be going on here. while its true that any good will he extended to you could be revisited back upon him in the form of referals and new contacts -- just as has been exhibited by this thread -- its also been my experience that people generally have to earn a living and do things for money, so if you didn't pay him directly he may have gotten some compensation in some other way, from some other person (or business).

 

I agree. One of my exotics (not the Ferrari) was keyed by some punk and it cost almost $12k to repair it at the dealership. It was sent to an "authorized repair facility" where they apparently had to disassemble half of the car to paint it correctly. My insurance covered it but the cost was shocking. Needless to say, the punk is going to have to pull a lot of espressos to reimburse them if the cops ever find him. A buddy of mine thinks they price these repairs based on the value of the car, not the actual materials and labor cost. This would be supported by the earlier post confirming $46k in damage to another 458.

I inquired about Ferrari and the facility confirmed that, while lots can paint aluminum, body damage MUST go to an authorized Ferrari body shop and that there is only 1 in California. However they claimed that this authorized shop has a Beverly Hills address, not Tustin. Are you sure this in an authorized facility?

 

Both parties are happy, there's no reason to flip out over this when you have no dog in the fight!