A Minor Scratch Resulted in an $11,000 Dilemma for This Porsche 911 Owner | Carscoops

      Having a car repaired through insurance may appear on Carfax, which can affect its resale value.

       May 4, 2025 at 15:10

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

       by Brad Anderson

      

      

      

      

      

      

      

      A Porsche 911 owner chose to pay for repairs out of pocket instead of filing an insurance claim.

      The repair needed totaled $11,000, which included replacing the bumper and hood.

      Similarly, the driver of a Subaru selected to pay in cash to keep insurance costs low.

      When viewing images of a scratched Porsche 911, one might assume a simple touch-up would suffice. However, that’s not the case; the cost to repair this 911’s cosmetic issues is more than $11,000. This serves as a stark reminder that maintaining modern luxury vehicles can be quite expensive.

      

      

      The vehicle involved is a 992.2 Targa 4 GTS that is just two months old. The owner, located in the US, detailed his situation on Reddit, mentioning that the front of the Porsche was scratched following a minor incident. Although he could have used insurance, a local repair shop owner in Austin advised him against it, suggesting that paying out of pocket would ultimately be more cost-effective.

      

      More: $8K Infiniti Owner Goes For Oil Change, Leaves With $5,000 Repair Quote

      “The shop owner said that, unless you don’t mind, because of the ‘diminished value’ that Carfax will attach to your car if you use insurance, he has a rule of thumb,” the 911 owner stated on Reddit. What is that rule? “Pay out of pocket up to $10,000 for every $100,000 of the car's value. More if you happen to have extra cash,” he clarified.

      

      

      

      

      That is solid advice. Any damage, no matter how small, will negatively impact the resale value of a high-end vehicle like this. Many commenters expressed that they agreed with the mechanic’s suggestion.

      

      A Scratch That Keeps on Giving

      

      

      

       Photo Reddit u/markthelender

      

      

      

      The owner noted that in addition to the front bumper suffering multiple scratches, the hood also sustained minor damage, and both components would need replacement.

      This incident occurred as a result of unfortunate circumstances. After parking the 911 in the driveway of a friend’s son, a Subaru reversing down the driveway hit the Porsche. Reportedly, the friend failed to see the Porsche while reversing. Thankfully, the owner is acquainted with the parents of his son’s friend, and they promptly reimbursed him for the replacement parts.

      

      

      Why The Subaru Owner Avoided Insurance Too

      It's not just high-end sports cars that lead some owners to hesitate before filing an insurance claim. In this instance, the Subaru owner also decided to pay for the repairs in cash for similar reasons.

      More: Corvette Falls Off Lift, Owner Wants $17K But Shop Offers $5K, So Who’s Right?

      When inquired, the Porsche owner stated on Reddit that the reasoning is straightforward: “It would appear as a Carfax line item and would lower value,” he mentioned. “The father does not want his 18-year-old son’s insurance premiums to skyrocket, especially considering how high they already are for young male drivers.”

      

      

      Why Cheap Fixes Aren’t Always the Answer

      It’s likely that the bumper and hood could have been repaired for significantly less than $11,100. However, for a luxury vehicle like the Porsche 911, opting for cheaper solutions such as touch-up paint and paintless dent removal (PDR) might not be the best approach. The reality is that, when owning a luxury car, it’s wiser to accept the higher repair costs in order to preserve its value and avoid more significant issues in the future, ensuring its value remains as high as possible when it comes time to sell.