[redontheline]

Originally Posted by pjohns21

I have been in more collisions that I can count fingers on my hands as a child, teenager, and adult, both as a passenger and a driver. Collision centers are different than BMW service centers which is where you have taken your vehicle and had maintenance performed, presumably. Front wheel bearings and infotainment screens do not constitute collision repairs. There is no comparison to a collision center and the way the cars are put together in the factory in terms of quality. Also, I have never had a perfect realignment across the 6 cars I have owned in my lifetime. I lease my cars new and expect them to drive as NEW, save for the brakes and tires, up to that 3yr/30,000 mile mark. My repair experiences have resulted in never having a car drive the same after significant collision repairs. To the average driver, most won't notice the difference.

Maybe the first step is investing in a driving course .

[Luftwaffe1O1]

Originally Posted by pjohns21

I have been in more collisions that I can count fingers on my hands as a child, teenager, and adult, both as a passenger and a driver. Collision centers are different than BMW service centers which is where you have taken your vehicle and had maintenance performed, presumably. Front wheel bearings and infotainment screens do not constitute collision repairs. There is no comparison to a collision center and the way the cars are put together in the factory in terms of quality. Also, I have never had a perfect realignment across the 6 cars I have owned in my lifetime. I lease my cars new and expect them to drive as NEW, save for the brakes and tires, up to that 3yr/30,000 mile mark. My repair experiences have resulted in never having a car drive the same after significant collision repairs. To the average driver, most won't notice the difference.

Sounds like you are a terrible driver.

Tell me then, what is the difference between repairing a fender, or door that will have an effect on handling or performance on the car?

Or if the control arms are replaced? Or bushings? These are all replaced as well as part of the maintenance during long term. You have always leased your cars, but call yourself an "enthusiast". My z3 has had numerous components replaced throughout its life. Wheel bearings, shocks, any suspension components replaced even under warranty, will have an effect on the car the same way you seem to think a car in a collision will.

Not all impacts are the same. There are BMW dealers that are also collisions centers. And there are body shops that specialize in certain cars. You are clearly clueless, crashing cars repeatedly, does not an expert make. Just a bad driver.

[Luftwaffe1O1]

Originally Posted by pjohns21

I would agree and just like the rest of America, many collision centers are large corporations which hire those will fewer years of experience as a means to pay them less and increase profits. Fewer and fewer independent collision centers are able to compete with the likes of Gerber, Caliber, CARSTAR, and AutoNation (collision centers). It's not conceited and rude, a college education teaches critical thinking skills that are invaluable over the course of a lifetime to someone's career or occupation, whatever it may be. It's more important than a piece of fine China because driving a car is the most dangerous thing people do on a daily basis in America. I would want to have one of the best and safest tools to use in order to perform such a hazardous task day after day. So keep your older cars with less safety features as it is, and then throw into the mix that the front, back, and the sides were potentially put back together mainly by hand... Yes, I am unwilling to take the risk, sorry.

Again, for someone having been in so many accidents, you seem to not realize there are plenty of specialty repair centers.

In California, for instance, you have a right to choose the repair center you will take your car. I can choose any shop of my choosing. Take it to BMW directly, or other shops. Plenty of the reputable repair shops use only OEM parts etc.

[pjohns21]

Originally Posted by Luftwaffe1O1

Sounds like you are a terrible driver.

Tell me then, what is the difference between repairing a fender, or door that will have an effect on handling or performance on the car?

Or if the control arms are replaced? Or bushings? These are all replaced as well as part of the maintenance during long term. You have always leased your cars, but call yourself an "enthusiast". My z3 has had numerous components replaced throughout its life. Wheel bearings, shocks, any suspension components replaced even under warranty, will have an effect on the car the same way you seem to think a car in a collision will.

Not all impacts are the same. There are BMW dealers that are also collisions centers. And there are body shops that specialize in certain cars. You are clearly clueless, crashing cars repeatedly, does not an expert make. Just a bad driver.

I already stated that putting new parts on a car with parts that have been cohesively broken in together since the inception of the vehicle means the car will perform differently. There are certain dealerships that have adjacent collision centers (some owned by the dealership itself, some affiliated, and some in just close proximity), yes. You're also putting collision repairs into the same realm as basic car maintenance. A car subjected to thousands of pounds of force via impact is different than getting suspension replaced replaced under warranty or with regular maintenance. Also, there is no research which suggests a link between how many accidents a person has been involved in, responsible for, or victim of and their level of intelligence or ability to make meaningful assertions about car repairs. Furthermore, I was citing all accidents, including those that I was a passenger in and those which my family was involved in to illustrate the fact that I have driven many, many cars before and after collision repairs and most of them were not the same afterwards. If you would like a personalized copy of my Illinois driving record abstract I am willing to share, providing you pay the $12 fee to the DMV, lol. Following significant collision repairs among several makes and models, I have experienced alignment issues, strange suspension noises, misaligned body panels, reduced AC performance, rougher idling, paint imperfections, differences in headlight aim and intensity, differences in the way the doors sound when closing, and drastically different turn-in sensations with the steering wheel (including differences between left and right turns), to name a few. There is a reason cars have diminished value after a crash, they're not the same afterwards. There is a reason people use CarFax and AutoCheck before they purchase a used vehicle to make sure it has not been involved in an accident. This is common knowledge, why is it so difficult for you to believe?

http://www.wikihow.com/Calculate-Diminished-Value

http://kielichlawfirm.com/insurance-...-value-claims/

[pjohns21]

Originally Posted by Luftwaffe1O1

Again, for someone having been in so many accidents, you seem to not realize there are plenty of specialty repair centers.

In California, for instance, you have a right to choose the repair center you will take your car. I can choose any shop of my choosing. Take it to BMW directly, or other shops. Plenty of the reputable repair shops use only OEM parts etc.

The concept is the same among collision centers that yes, some are better than others and that they are all able to repair a vehicle that has been involved in a crash. There are specialty shops for certain brands, yes. If I towed a crashed BMW requiring body work to either of the dealerships I have used they would laugh in my face, they do not do collision work. Yes, some BMW service centers have collision centers on site and some collision centers are BMW certified, while others are not. Your typical BMW service center that does service, maintenance, and warranty repairs does not provide collision repair services, especially on a vehicle with cosmetic damage. With my insurance, I can go to any collision center I wish and the repairs come with a "lifetime guarantee" per state and or federal laws. This is an absolute joke if you ask me, but that's another topic entirely. I guess that out of the 5 or 6 collision centers I have used throughout my lifetime, they were all bad.

[Luftwaffe1O1]

Originally Posted by pjohns21

The concept is the same among collision centers that yes, some are better than others and that they are all able to repair a vehicle that has been involved in a crash. There are specialty shops for certain brands, yes. If I towed a crashed BMW requiring body work to either of the dealerships I have used they would laugh in my face, they do not do collision work. Yes, some BMW service centers have collision centers on site and some collision centers are BMW certified, while others are not. Your typical BMW service center that does service, maintenance, and warranty repairs does not provide collision repair services, especially on a vehicle with cosmetic damage. With my insurance, I can go to any collision center I wish and the repairs come with a "lifetime guarantee" per state and or federal laws. This is an absolute joke if you ask me, but that's another topic entirely. I guess that out of the 5 or 6 collision centers I have used throughout my lifetime, they were all bad.

Again, there are variables even among dealerships for service work. You seem to be very clueless as to the overall mechanical functions of a car.

A good body shop, whether it is BMW collision center, or just some third party certified by BMW, can do excellent work, that would exceed the tolerances that came out of the factory.

But maybe you should go back to trying to get your brakes replaced due to rust...

[pjohns21]

Originally Posted by Luftwaffe1O1

Again, there are variables even among dealerships for service work. You seem to be very clueless as to the overall mechanical functions of a car.

A good body shop, whether it is BMW collision center, or just some third party certified by BMW, can do excellent work, that would exceed the tolerances that came out of the factory.

But maybe you should go back to trying to get your brakes replaced due to rust...

No, he needs a new car- M2 time before there is a yearlong wait list. You just don't think he deserves another new car. BMW said my brakes were rusty, were you the tech working on my car? Appreciate the cheap shots though, peace!

[dtcoff]

Finally got the car back today, 10 weeks later. Major delays in getting some parts from Germany that BMW Australia don't keep in stock due to the low sales numbers.

New parts:
RF quarter panel
RF wheel, tyre, brake rotor, suspension
F bar
R inside and outside lower A pillar
R skirt
R door hinges, frame, skin, window regulator
steering rack

Painted complete right side, rear bar, hood.

[NEUE02]

What a relief! Glad you got it back!

I'm curious, I suppose delays in getting parts is not that uncommon for the reason you mention, does insurance pay for a loaner car for the entire duration? Is insurance exorbitantly expensive in your country?

Again, happy to hear your back on the road!

[JohnnyCanuck]

OEM body panels are OEM body panels. If you go to a quality shop there should be no visible way to tell if a car has been repaired. As long as there is minimal structural damage there's no issue.

Repairs are probably fine on this car and hope you still enjoy it (at least until the M2 arrives).

[sstarrx3]

Originally Posted by JohnnyCanuck

OEM body panels are OEM body panels. If you go to a quality shop there should be no visible way to tell if a car has been repaired. As long as there is minimal structural damage there's no issue.

Repairs are probably fine on this car and hope you still enjoy it (at least until the M2 arrives).

Well, speaking from experience. My 2er was rear ended with over $11000 in damages three weeks and 650 miles after purchase. The repairs were done at a luxury car collision center and the repairs were pristine. You or I can not tell it was ever wrecked and it drives exactly the same. Having said that, when I had it appraised for the diminished value claim, the appraiser pointed out things I would have never noticed. He himself said they did an incredible job on the repairs, but it is impossible to make it exactly like it was from the factory. Mostly due to paint. There will always be over spray on the undercarriage. The paint around bolts and such it is easy to tell they were repainted. For this reason I got a $7000 check on top of the repairs for diminished value. Selling a car that has been is a wreck with no frame damage is silly. People who say they sold a car because it was no longer safe when the damage was to body panels are just silly. They used this excuse to tell their wives so they could get a new car.

[JohnnyCanuck]

Originally Posted by sstarrx3

Well, speaking from experience. My 2er was rear ended with over $11000 in damages three weeks and 650 miles after purchase. The repairs were done at a luxury car collision center and the repairs were pristine. You or I can not tell it was ever wrecked and it drives exactly the same. Having said that, when I had it appraised for the diminished value claim, the appraiser pointed out things I would have never noticed. He himself said they did an incredible job on the repairs, but it is impossible to make it exactly like it was from the factory. Mostly due to paint. There will always be over spray on the undercarriage. The paint around bolts and such it is easy to tell they were repainted. For this reason I got a $7000 check on top of the repairs for diminished value. Selling a car that has been is a wreck with no frame damage is silly. People who say they sold a car because it was no longer safe when the damage was to body panels are just silly. They used this excuse to tell their wives so they could get a new car.

+1. My E90 had about $10K in damage. All body parts, done at a luxury shop, no way anyone could tell. Yes, I got hit a bit for accelerated depreciation 4 years later when I traded it in. The thing is, with 4 years of driving post-repair and no evidence of any issues (eg. abnormal tire wear) the accelerated depreciation was almost nothing.

Quality of repairs matter and yes, a pro will always be able to spot a repair. That doesn't mean the car is any less driveable or that it looks any different at all.

[raleedy]

Originally Posted by dtcoff

Other driver turned across me whilst going through a red light. Couldn't open drivers door (RHD) but the car thought the door was open so I couldn't move it as the 8AT doesn't like it.

At least in the US version, I believe you can get the car out of P if you fasten the driver's seat belt:

P Park

P is engaged automatically:
▷ After the engine is switched off when the vehicle is in radio-ready state, refer to page 63, or when the ignition is switched off, refer to page 63, and when selector lever position R or D is set.
▷ With the ignition off, if selector lever posi‐ tion N is set.
▷ If the driver's safety belt is released, the driver's door is opened, and the brake pedal is not pressed while the vehicle is stationary and selector lever position D or R is set.
Before exiting the vehicle, make sure that se‐ lector lever position P is set. Otherwise, the ve‐ hicle may begin to move.

[rich8566]

Cost of repair?

[dtcoff]

Originally Posted by NEUE02

What a relief! Glad you got it back!

I'm curious, I suppose delays in getting parts is not that uncommon for the reason you mention, does insurance pay for a loaner car for the entire duration? Is insurance exorbitantly expensive in your country?

Again, happy to hear your back on the road!

I used a claims management service that provides a like for like car for not at fault accidents. My insurance provides a free loan car, but they just use Hertz and get whatever they have and I wasn't going to drive a Nissan ecobox for that length of time. Insurance costs here are based on factors like age, driver and claims history, type of car, place of garaging etc. I pay $1,500pa and M235i costs $75k here though.