by Joe Kirkpatrick

PART 1
In most every boy's or man's mind, there lies a dream - A dream to own the ultimate car. There are Corvettes, Porsches, Jaguars, and many others, but then there is FERRARI.  Hand crafted in Italy, Ferrari was really the first widely known "supercar."  Even with the most popular model, the 308GTS like Tom Selleck drove in the TV show Magnum PI, only about 5,000 of them were made and sold world wide over a nine year period.  However, the most unique thing about a Ferrari is not it's hand crafted body or it's hand sewn leather interior, but is the sound of the engine.  The sound a Ferrari emits is to cars as the sound a Harley makes is to motorcycles.  At 50 mph in 3rd gear, a Ferrari lets out a high revving, high pitched sound that makes you feel as though you are driving 180 mph on the race track at Lemans.

Like most other men, I have often dreamed through the years about owning a Ferrari.  There have been times I might  have afforded it, but my sense of practicality always seemed to win out.  Last year, my father passed away and left me a modest inheritance.  My father and mother always saved so they could travel when they retired, but at 57, my mother got Parkinson's Disease and spent the next 20 years on a downward spiral.  I could have saved my inheritance for my retirement, but what if I don't live to retirement age?  That prompted me to go after my dream.  After looking for several months, I bought a jet black Ferrari with red leather interior.  I intentionally did not buy a red

Ferrari, as they draw too much attention.  Being an overweight gray headed old man, I didn't want to see the disappointed looks on people's faces when I got out of the car when they were expecting a Tom Selleck look alike!

PART II:  A  DREAM SHATTERED!

Thursday, February 19, 2004, was a beautiful day.  About 55 degrees and not a cloud in the sky, it seemed like a perfect day to take a drive in my Ferrari.  I drove down Mouse Creek Road, and stopped at the intersection of Mouse Creek and Paul Huff Parkway.  As I was stopped for the red light, I noticed a late model GMC Envoy pull up and stop about 10-15 feet behind me.  A few seconds later, WHAM! I got out of my Ferrari, and a lady got out of the Envoy and said, "I'm so sorry - my foot slipped off of the brake!"  When the police arrived, she repeated the exact same thing to them.  There was never any question I had any liability or negligence whatsoever.  To be honest, I think the lady felt worse than I did about it.  I mean, my dream car is no longer perfect, but hey, it's not like one of my children got cancer!  The lady and I exchanged information, and she told me she had her insurance with Allstate.  Aren't they the "you're in good hands" people?

Well, I contacted the "good hands people", and that is when my nightmare began.  I have gone through two adjusters, both of which have admitted they have never handled a case involving a Ferrari.  The local adjuster said Ferrari was not in his computer, but he then stated he could "write up something."  He further stated all the body damage could be "pulled out", and the rear fiberglass bumper that was almost torn in half could be "repaired as well."  Over the next two months, I called several shops with Ferrari experience, plus talked to numerous Ferrari owners on the internet.  Ferrari of Central Florida in Orlando recommended AutoSport Bodyworks and Restoration in Longwood, Florida, as well as did several Ferrari owners on the internet.  I called Ron Truesdale, the owner, and he said he has almost 20 years of Ferrari bodywork experience.  He told me to put the car on a lift, and make a comprehensive video of it and send it to him.  In the meantime, after mailing the video, I received as estimate from the local Allstate adjuster for $5892.46.  His estimate left off several parts that are obviously damaged, listed the wrong model of my car, and the wrong mileage as well - it was obvious a whole lot of half-hearted effort went into his estimate!  Remember, both he and the previous Allstate adjuster both admitted they had "never done a Ferrari before." A few days after receiving his estimate, I received the estimate from AutoSport for $12,063.59, and included $6948.59 in new parts they deem needed to do a correct and professional repair.  I faxed the estimate to the adjuster, and he called me the next day.  He said he had talked to his boss, and they WOULD NOT pay to have the car repaired in Florida, and I could find someone locally to do the work.  He ended the call by saying, "we're not paying to send your car to Florida to have it repaired - - - - and all I can say, is you need to do what you need to do."

Today, I turned my claim over to my insurance company. The unfortunate thing is, if my insurance pays to have my Ferrari repaired, they will turn around and file suit against the lady who hit me - the lady who thought she was "IN GOOD HANDS WITH ALLSTATE."

If you have or need insurance, due to liability reasons, I am not going to tell you not to insure with Allstate.  However, I do encourage you to go on the internet to any of the various car talk chat rooms, and ask people who have had a claim with them to tell you the quality of care they received, and most importantly, if they were directed by Allstate to a particular body shop, the quality of repairs they received.