Shelby GT500KR: You own one, but can you afford to repair it?
8/27/2009
So you’ve taken out the second mortgage, told the condescending unsupportive wife to hit the road, and you’ve finally obtained your dream car. But now that you have it, and you’re most likely up to your ears in debt, ask yourself the following question:
If the worst should happen, and I damage my KR, can I afford to repair it?
Recently, I was contacted by the owner of a GT500KR who suffered the ill-fortune of being involved in a minor encounter with an unfortunate animal. Well, the incident wasn’t so minor for the poor four-legged contender, having been fatally wounded in the accident. Having said that, the GT500KR fared pretty well………or so we thought. Aside from a crumpled right front fender, a door that was slightly misaligned from the fender, minor hood damage, and a dislocated mirror, the car seemed to fare pretty well. It truly looked to be about $5,000 in damage in my opinion. Lord, was I wrong.
What should have been a quick and easy fix has turned into a nightmare for this Shelby owner. Not only has this person had to confront this damage every time the garage is entered, this nightmare has gone on for nearly two months. It seems that the insurance company and the manufacturer are unable to come to an agreement on how to price the hardware involved, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The damaged parts are expected to be returned. Yes folks, you read that right. You bought the car. You own the car. Every piece on that car is (should be) considered your property. Guess again. If you want this car repaired, not only will you have to jump through hoops, and back flip your way through a pile of paperwork, you’re also going to need to send those damaged parts back – at your expense, of course.
Think about this for a moment. What if some crazy delinquent steals your hood in the dark of night, thinking that might make a nice add-on for his buddy’s ’06 GT? You don’t have a hood to return, so does that mean you’re out of luck? Perhaps you should drive the car without one? Or worse yet, what happens if the part in question is so heavily damaged that there’s nothing left? Are you expected to stick around the scene of the accident, picking up the pieces of your shattered mirror with a dustpan and an evidence bag?
Yes friends, these are just a few of the little-known perks of owning an $80,000.00+ vehicle. Envious onlookers giving you the thumbs-up of approval. Prime parking at your local cruise-ins. The compulsion to park half a mile away from other cars in any parking lot, to ensure that some jerk face doesn’t throw a door into your spotless finish. And perhaps the biggest of them all, owning a car that you can’t seem to get fixed.
To further illustrate the issues at hand, I am going to share the prices that the owner was quoted for new replacement parts. It’s probably best if you take a few antidepressants and sit down while you read this.
Edited 09/09/09 to reflect updated hood and headlight prices:
Grille bezels = $690.00/pair
Headlight = $960.00/each
Wheel = $1753.55/each
Emblem kit = $201.25
Front spoiler = $3392.50
Hood = $21,000.00
Carbon fiber mirror cover = $400.00
Hood pins = $632.50
Hood vents = $661.25
Bumper stripes = $530.00
Hood stripes = $575.00
And this is how what LOOKS like $5,000 in damage turns into $31,000 in damage. Over $18,000.00 for a hood? Hell, you can buy an entire car for less than that! A car that you can fix, one in which the manufacturer and the insurance company don’t give a collective rip what you do with your old parts.
Will the GT500KR get repaired? Will it remain in a wrecked state? Will it be driven without the hood? I can’t answer that. But I can promise you that one way or the other, the exciting conclusion will be posted right here.
More to come……………………………………
