rear ended

[kizzorama]

Hi All,

This happened a few days ago. While the damage doesn't look that bad, I think the rear bumper popped out again and resumed some of its original shape. The damage of the impact extended to the battery box, which was split so that I could see the road through it if I lifted the boot floor cover. The driver side rear panel was also bent

The impact speed was between 65 - 75 kph. I was stationary at a red light in a 70 turning 80 zone.

My question is whether there is any damage that may not be immediately apparent that I need to make sure the insurers take care of.

Thanks for any input

[130iguy]

hpfp

[sbce90]

Yes it is possible for there to be further damage. Jeef Beef had an extensive rear end fix needed for something that didn't look too bad. ~14k worth of work or something :S

[JB4-335]

That's pretty bad mate.
The other car definitely came off worse.
Looks like am easy fix for a decent panel shop.
Doesn't really look as if there could be further damage but you never know.

[dr.bmw]

from speed of the impact and the amount of damage on the other car i'd say it is very likely that there is more damage to the car than clearly apparent... good luck and take it to the best repair shop you can find!
on a lighter note I'd also say that BMW PE spoiler is clearly a write-off

[MrBlonde]

That's the computer side too.

[Taymaishu]

Take it to your dealer. They'll find everything that needs replacing and also know what to look for.

I took christine to Trivett for repairs to engine bay area and they ended up doing an awesome job. Insurance accepted dealership repairs.

[bfi2906]

Wherther there is or isn't more damage than is immediatly apparent is best decided by the best quality repairer you can find.

There are quite a few good BMW specialits repairers around (I think there's a thread about it somewhere). By that I mean shops that only work on a few brands of car - BMW being one. You won't see a Toyota, Mazda or Honda anywhere (as a rule). As opposed to shops that say they're BMW specialists, but when you look, they work on anything and everything.

Do what you can to have one of them do the work - don't just accept the one nominated by your insurer. In spite of what they say, their peiority is keeping the cost down, yours is getting the best job done - the the two may or may not end up at the same repairer.

If the job is done by a specialist, it'll be fine, and you'll never know it happened.

[ozzie135i]

Side note. Is that old windsor road?

[Stuart@BMRAutowerkes]

impact speed looks a lot less than 65?

If it was 65, I'm guessing your neck is effing sore! Sorry to hear, hope it all works out.

[kizzorama]

Thanks for all the input guys.

The insurers have advised me that they have received 2 quotes and will be going for the cheaper of the 2.

I responded "oh hell naw", have begun researching reputable BMW repairers as well as whatever leverage I have to make sure that the insurer uses a repairer of my choosing.

Re: the speed of impact - thats what the Camry driver said in his statement. Not sure know how accurate that is.

Of note, the bimmer came out a lot better in this fight. The pic doesnt really show the damage though. The bumper just popped right back out.

And yep, that is Old Windsor Road, right at the safety camera.

[bfi2906]

Originally Posted by kizzorama

I responded "oh hell naw", have begun researching reputable BMW repairers as well as whatever leverage I have to make sure that the insurer uses a repairer of my choosing.

If I may offer you a suggestion --- Investigate closely the repairer they want to use - you may find that they're just fine.

If not, as you go through this, you'll probably be told by your insurer things like - "We guarantee the repairs for x years or life" and "you can use your repairer, but we won't guarantee the work if you do", or similar to encourage / scare you into using their repairer. Push as hard as you can to use a quality repairer - their guarantees aren't worth a cracker. A quality repairer will stand behind their work, with or without an insurance company involved. And if the job's done properly, a guarantee is not necessary. Also, don't think the insurer will do any of the running around if you need to "use their warranty" - it'll all be on you.

Keep in mind that they like some repairers more than others for a reason - they're cheaper. And it's a simple fact that they're cheaper for a reason. If we assume they're using orignial and new parts (may or may not be true), and they're buying them at the same "trade" price as any other repairer (this too may or may not be an accuracte assumption), then there's only one part of the equation left - labour. The total cost of labour is a function of rate x time. And if they're able to do the job cheaper, then they're either paying their people less, or they're spending less time on the job. IMHO, neither is particularly desirable, but the rate is regulated by awards, so not much movement there. But apprentices are cheaper than experienced folk.

The only remaining explanation is the repairer is doing it for a lower margin than another might. While possible, I'm not sure it's all that likely.

Press as hard as you can to get the job done properly, particularly if you plan on keeping the car for a while.

[sbce90]

Just get quotes from Panel One and NCC. Easy. Can't go wrong with either so it doesn't matter which one gives the cheaper quote.

[NPVPositive]

Agree. Definitely get a quote from NCC (northshore collision). Don't worry about the guarantee, it's meaningless