[M-System]

Justin, I'm sorry to see what happened to your beauty, but glad you're safe and without physical harm. Honestly, I don't think this car will be totaled. And from the pictures, it seems the damage is mostly cosmetic.

Now, about this quote below...

Originally Posted by JustinHEMI

I'm having it taken to a certified BMW shop...

THIS is a frequently used load of BS by body shops.
Do you really think you'd be able to call BMW to complain (or file a claim against) the body shop you used because they didn't do the job to BMW quality standards? Can you imagine how many millions of dollars in litigations it would cost BMW per year to back up the work of independently owned body shops? ASE certified yes, maybe. But BMW certified? I highly doubt that exists.

[JustinHEMI]

Originally Posted by M-System

Justin, I'm sorry to see what happened to your beauty, but glad you're safe and without physical harm. Honestly, I don't think this car will be totaled. And from the pictures, it seems the damage is mostly cosmetic.

Now, about this quote below...

THIS is a frequently used load of BS by body shops.
Do you really think you'd be able to call BMW to complain (or file a claim against) the body shop you used because they didn't do the job to BMW quality standards? Can you imagine how many millions of dollars in litigations it would cost BMW per year to back up the work of independently owned body shops? ASE certified yes, maybe. But BMW certified? I highly doubt that exists.

Thank you.

Well, to the bolded, you'd be wrong.

https://my.bmwusa.com/ccrc

[M-System]

Well. I stand corrected.
But I'm guessing the contract stipulates that you can't file a claim with BMW if you're unsatisfied with the work.

I'm biased... hate dealing with body shops..

[JustinHEMI]

Originally Posted by M2siast

Certified body shops are not about satisfaction with quality.

They are meant to atest that the shop technicians have undergone some level of BMW training and have certifications, and also that they use genuine parts (as opposed to after market parts).

This.

When it comes to where your BMW is repaired, the choice is always yours.* Feel confident you’ve made the right move by selecting a BMW Certified Collision Repair Center.


The Certified Difference:

Original BMW Parts
BMW Trained Technicians
State-of-the-art equipment
BMW approved repair procedures
Certified results




More here

https://bmwusaservice.com/ccrc



The particular shop I chose, I chose because they're not only attached to a BMW dealer and BMW certified, but they handle all the other higher end brands as well and are similarly certified for those. I just hope that's a sign of quality.


Note, this shop is not in the insurance "network" so I expect they're going to want to argue about cost and such.

[rangerfan94]

Originally Posted by JustinHEMI

The particular shop I chose, I chose because they're not only attached to a BMW dealer and BMW certified, but they handle all the other higher end brands as well and are similarly certified for those. I just hope that's a sign of quality.

This is a smart choice, and hopefully you get a good result!

I got rear-ended by some knucklehead during Covid in my brand new Golf R. Car had 640 miles on it at the time. Was stopped at a red light and the guy driving the oncoming Suburban was 'caught up looking at my GTI because it looked like the one (he) had in college'--guess the R on the back confused him and that's why he couldn't stop . Anyway, my Golf R is fully PPF wrapped (that's a conversation for another time), so my body shop referral call was to the PPF guy to get a name. Figured that they would only send their customers to high end places that did exceptional work. And boy was I right. Car got a new crash bar, bumper, liftgate, and it looks, functions and sounds like new 3 years later. No creaks or rattles, everything is straight, Had the PPF redone 30+ days after paint so it could cure properly. You'd never know were there not a Carfax report.

I went to a local place recommended by my BMW dealer and insurance company when my son got T-boned in the X3. That place, a "BMW approved" and "insurance network shop" was horrible.

I hope your experience is more in line with that of my PPF guy's recommendation. Good luck, and hey, it's just the car the needs repairs, and not you!!

[AndyinHou]

Originally Posted by davidmct-M3

Having almost lost a car due to a pheasant crossing a motorway. Definitely avoid swerving at high speed. Only issue with deer and moose is that they can flip up and crush the passenger cell. And the driver. My Finnish colleague always used to warn about this and hence bull bars etc

The idea of hitting a moose would bloody terrify me.

[RemoWilliams84]

Originally Posted by JustinHEMI

3) Insurance totals it, then I have to fight to not let them depreciate it too much.

My wife and I have auto insurance that pays the price of a brand new car of the current model year as long as the wrecked car is less than 3 years old. Saved us big time from being upside down in a loan when she wrecked her Range Rover.

[Squidget]

Originally Posted by RemoWilliams84

My wife and I have auto insurance that pays the price of a brand new car of the current model year as long as the wrecked car is less than 3 years old. Saved us big time from being upside down in a loan when she wrecked her Range Rover.

Yes, that's basically GAP insurance and I recommend it to anyone who isn't paying a lot down. It can save your bacon.

[JustinHEMI]

Just received a call from they shop. They should be sending photos which I'll post later. Notable remarks,

"Extensive under carriage damage."

"Exhaust will need replaced."

"All wheels damaged."

"Differential fins broken."

"Suspension looks ok."

"Will be a costly repair."

[JustinHEMI]

Originally Posted by M2siast

Won’t be a total loss.

Yeah I asked him if he saw anything that would push it that way and he said no, just gonna be expensive. Will be up to insurance.

[JustinHEMI]

Originally Posted by M2siast

Nothing you can do, that’s why I haven’t been saying we should “hope” for a total loss (as much as I understand and appreciate that perspective). The likelihood of a fix is greater. And the best part about that is keeping the car you own and have it ready more quickly than a new car.
And it’s just cosmetic stuff, take a part out, put a part back in.

Many people that “mod” their cars cause total losses much worse than the depreciation you fear…

Well he also said it's 6 weeks before they could even START work.

[JustinHEMI]

Instead of posting them all in this thread, here's a link to a gallery if anyone is interested.

https://postimg.cc/gallery/tTBtPpQ


I'll post this one though. I thought it was nice that despite being a wreck, they still protected the seat and steering wheel. They probably all do that, but this is my first time dealing with something like this and this little touch made me feel good about the shop.

[JustinHEMI]

Originally Posted by M2siast

Dude!!!

Haha that’s NOTHING! I replaced all of those underpanels in my 135i because they break over time or hitting rocks and stuff, on my own, in my garage, just putting the front wheels on ramps.

Your car will be out so soon! Glad they are protecting your interior (don’t think all shops do that, that’s great).

This is cosmetic stuff that would get scuffed and ripped anyway.

Car will be 100% the same afterwards.

Thank you, I appreciate the encouraging words.

[RemoWilliams84]

Originally Posted by Squidget

Yes, that's basically GAP insurance and I recommend it to anyone who isn't paying a lot down. It can save your bacon.

It's similar. GAP pays off your loan. This gives you the full price of a new car. So if the similar spec'ed MY24 version was 65k, they would give you the full 65k. Not just the amount you still owed on the loan.

[Squidget]

Originally Posted by M2siast

Dude!!!

Haha that’s NOTHING! I replaced all of those underpanels in my 135i because they break over time or hitting rocks and stuff, on my own, in my garage, just putting the front wheels on ramps.

This is cosmetic stuff that would get scuffed and ripped anyway.

Dude, WHAT are you doing to your poor car? Taking it to Baja?

[soflacarguy]

Originally Posted by JustinHEMI

Just received a call from they shop. They should be sending photos which I'll post later. Notable remarks,

"Extensive under carriage damage."

"Exhaust will need replaced."

"All wheels damaged."

"Differential fins broken."

"Suspension looks ok."

"Will be a costly repair."

Silver lining imo - not much paint work needed, huge W. Expensive repair, yes, but nothing that would make me question the integrity of the car if done by a reputable shop.

Note - you must have won the glass lottery. All these stories about tiny rocks taking out windshields and yours somehow remained intact.

[Squidget]

Car would have been scratch free if it wasn't so heavy. Deer don't even jump in front of cars that weigh less than 3400 lbs.

[JustinHEMI]

Originally Posted by Squidget

Car would have been scratch free if it wasn't so heavy. Deer don't even jump in front of cars that weigh less than 3400 lbs.

[aerobod]

Originally Posted by davidmct-M3

Having almost lost a car due to a pheasant crossing a motorway. Definitely avoid swerving at high speed. Only issue with deer and moose is that they can flip up and crush the passenger cell. And the driver. My Finnish colleague always used to warn about this and hence bull bars etc

If you have to choose hitting a fully grown male moose or elk or hit a tree instead, the tree may be the best choice as you still have a crush structure in front of you. With the moose and elk they have their 500 to 700kg mass at windshield level, ready to fill the passenger space with their bodies after rolling over the frontal crush structure, perhaps not even setting the airbags off.

[Squidget]

Originally Posted by aerobod

If you have to choose hitting a fully grown male moose or elk or hit a tree instead, the tree may be the best choice as you still have a crush structure in front of you. With the moose and elk they have their 500 to 700kg mass at windshield level, ready to fill the passenger space with their bodies after rolling over the frontal crush structure, perhaps not even setting the airbags off.

And people have survived the initial moose impact, but then been kicked to death while the thing thrashes around. So yeah, fun times.

[M_Power Rob]

My wife, in her 23 M240, got hit from behind at a red light today by a Ram...Ok, a Dodge Ram.

[JustinHEMI]

Originally Posted by M_Power Rob

My wife, in her 23 M240, got hit from behind at a red light today by a Ram...Ok, a Dodge Ram.

Ugh. Hope she's ok.