Wrecked 135i - should I take my rims off?

[Maloney]

I hit a deer in my 2010 135i with 44k miles. Instead of just sending an adjuster out they are having it towed to one of their shops to inspect it as they think it might be a total loss. I don't think it is, but I just put new Pilot Sport tires on it and have aftermarket wheels. I have the stock wheels with winter tires on them that I could put on just incase they do total it.

Radiator and some parts inside engine bay are also broken.

Should I swap the wheels? Is it worth it?

[IMG][img]http://s12.postimg.org/btct9mu95/image.jpg[/img][/IMG]

[Bimmer-Bob]

Is it worth it? Only you can answer that, but I would. All it will cost you is a little time and effort, but if they do declare the car a total loss, I'd rather they take the stock wheels. You will likely be able to get more cash for the aftermarket wheels + new-ish MPSS's. I guess it also depends on how desirable your aftermarket wheels are. I think in some cases the OEM wheels might fetch more. Good luck.

[Pissoff]

If they total it whatever wheels and tires are on it at the time they look at it will become property of your insurance company. So keep the set you want. Put the other set on the car.

[champignon]

Originally Posted by Coleroad

If they total it whatever wheels and tires are on it at the time they look at it will become property of your insurance company. So keep the set you want. Put the other set on the car.

+1

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by Coleroad

If they total it whatever wheels and tires are on it at the time they look at it will become property of your insurance company. So keep the set you want. Put the other set on the car.

Only if you don't have a set to replace them with. I ran across this situation when my Focus got totaled due to hitting a deer. I mentioned the issue with a double DIN Pioneer head unit I installed in the car. State Farm said as long as I had the OEM unit I can swap them. Unfortunately, I had just cleaned out my garage and didn't have my OEM unit anymore. I ended up negotiating an additional allowance to compensate for the Pioneer being much nicer than the OEM stereo. I think State Farm gave me $150 or so as additional compensation.

OP, you can check with your insurance carrier to see what they say. You may not have to make the decision to swap wheels until they actually declare the car a total loss. And I would expect the insurance company to allow you to swap wheels as long as they're OEM or better.

[Pissoff]

You just had a nice adjuster. I have personally known people who have lost their aftermarket wheels that way. I have read posts on forums and Facebook showing the same. Why take a chance on such a easy thing to swap.

[Walt White Coupe]

It ain't totaled.

[Seaice]

Absolutely switch them out. You may be surprised to see the car totaled. Generally, when estimated repair costs exceed 50% of the estimated resale value, they will total and with OEM European car parts being so expensive, it can easily happen. In fact, you may want to push for it being totaled … That, or you need to (also) make a “diminished value” claim (assuming the accident was not your fault) because with a significant accident repair history, your car will take at least a $3-5K hit in value compared to the same car with no accident history. Either that or you have to ensure that your insurance company and the repair shop will not report the accident to Carfax, Auto-check and the likes or live with the fact that you'll take a hit down the road. I know this from experience, got burned with my wife’s XC90 a few years ago. She got hit, borderline for a total, we accepted the repaired car. Repairs were perfect, done by Mercedes Benz shop. Nonetheless, when it was time to sell/trade it, we took a big hit in its value due to the $13K in repairs, all cosmetic, nothing structural.

[zx10guy]

Originally Posted by Coleroad

You just had a nice adjuster. I have personally known people who have lost their aftermarket wheels that way. I have read posts on forums and Facebook showing the same. Why take a chance on such a easy thing to swap.

I didn't speak to my adjuster. It was someone working on the same claims team as my assigned adjuster.

I'm just relaying my actual experience and not I heard from a friend of a friend.

As far as taking a chance, that's why I told the OP to talk to his insurance company or even his agent to confirm.

[Bimmer-Bob]

I don't understand why people are saying that the insurance co. will declare the car totaled if it reached 50% or 75% or whatever % of the value...as long as it is less than 100%, isn't it in their interest to repair the vehicle? In other words, why would they pay you $15,000 to total the car rather than pay $12,000 to fix it? (Just using arbitrary numbers as an example).

[Pissoff]

I know State Farm its 70% of value. They make money on selling the car too. Plus a lot of the time more damage is found as parts get removed. So they assume that the cost has a good chance of being higher than the estimated cost. Like I said my truck was on that edge and they gave me the option fix or total it. I chose total it. Really it was way better for me in the long run. If your radiator is damaged I'm sure the ac condenser is to. Plus the ac drier then. It adds up fast. Their other concern is you future safety if you get into another accident with it. Personal injury is tons more money than the cost of that car. So if they the integrity of the car is not going to be the same they will total it. Safety is even just skin deep. They need to know that when new airbag sensors are installed that they still react just like when new. Meaning is structure that got bent if its straightened or new welded metal going to crumple the same way.

[Seaice]

Originally Posted by Coleroad

I know State Farm its 70% of value. They make money on selling the car too. Plus a lot of the time more damage is found as parts get removed. So they assume that the cost has a good chance of being higher than the estimated cost. Like I said my truck was on that edge and they gave me the option fix or total it. I chose total it. Really it was way better for me in the long run. If your radiator is damaged I'm sure the ac condenser is to. Plus the ac drier then. It adds up fast. Their other concern is you future safety if you get into another accident with it. Personal injury is tons more money than the cost of that car. So if they the integrity of the car is not going to be the same they will total it. Safety is even just skin deep. They need to know that when new airbag sensors are installed that they still react just like when new. Meaning is structure that got bent if its straightened or new welded metal going to crumple the same way.

I only know from experience, but I'd say the above is exactly right.

With expensive cars like ours, repair costs for purely cosmetic issues can be very expensive using OEM parts and BMW factory quality facilities (would we not all insist on this?). The cars, sold as salvage, can be rebuilt with junkyard parts for much cheaper. I believe there is an established process/industry in selling these cars to shops that fix them and sell with branded titles.

I know around here, there are tons of almost new BRZs/FRS' being sold with salvage titles (big tuner/drifter market around here).