On the way home from taking the kid sledding yesterday, my wife's BMW e34 525i was rear- ended hard enough to split the rear bumper cover. I was driving at the time, and it felt like a decently hard hit.
I was expecting to see the trunk lid pushed in and the bumper folded under. Much to my relief it looks nowhere near that bad. The trunk opens fine, and I see no evidence that the main body structure has been effected at all. Yeah for BMW build quality !
Even more surprising was that the woman's late model Ford Focus has no visible damage other than scuffed paint!
We called the police, but after more than half an hour they didn't arrive (not unusual in Philly) , so we exchanged insurance information and left the scene.
We contacted her insurance carrier (and ours), and reported the incident, and have a claim #.
So what do we do next? I'm guessing go to a body shop and get an estimate and report back to the insurance company?
My biggest issue is how to chose a body shop. I know enough not to just go where the insurance company recommends, but I don't personally know anyone in that field that I'm comfortable with.
I want the repairs done properly by someone who knows what they're doing, not just a quick and dirty slap on on a new cover over damaged internal parts type of job, which is what I fear most shops would try to do. OTOH, I don't want it totaled over a bumper, which doesn't seem like an unrealistic scenario on a 17 yo car.
So what are the GRM top tips for finding a good, honest, quality body shop to do insurance work?
JThw8
PowerDork
1/4/14 11:14 a.m.
http://roccoscollision.com/ I've used the NJ site twice, good results, they are in Philly too.
Collision Max is another one in the area with good reviews but I haven't used them personally.
If it is in fact just a cover, replace it yourself, and pocket the change. However, I'd at least get it looked at to verify no underlying damage. If you do go to a shop, try to find one with a good reputation. My old 9C1 spent 10 months in paint jail because I tried to save a buck.
My general rule of thumb, being in the business, is recommending places other than dealerships. They tend to focus on volume, which means they want to do everything fast, and are never run by people who own the place; they are just employees. I typically like a smaller outfit with the name of the owner on the building; he's got more vested interest in his reputation.
Best way to find a good shop? Ask everyone you know. Most people have had to use a shop once in their lives. If they were happy, they will usually tell you. If they were unhappy, the will DEFINITELY tell you.
If insurance is paying, don't waste your time and the shop's by getting estimates. They mean nothing. The insurance company will write their own, either by their staff appraiser or sending you to one of their shops (doesn't mean you have to use that shop). Once you have that estimate, then you can shop around a bit and get their opinion based on the insurance estimate.
A simple bumper job rarely makes a car a total. Even Neons can get bumpers replaced and not be totals (I junk a lot of Neons now). They'll likely look for used parts, which is fine provided the bumper comes in looking decent. Unlikely aftermarket is available for your car.
If you haven't seen it yet, maybe my month long saga will help. There's a chance we'll finally have our car back from the body shop next week.
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/off-topic-discussion/insurance-adjuster-what-to-expect-aka-dont-total-swmbos-baby/75132/page1/
Instead of repainting consider a vinyl wrap. For what the body shop will charge you to do one or two panels, you could almost get a vinyl wrap of the entire car. Even if it costs a bit extra it will certainly freshen up the car a bit, given that it is 17 years old, I would imagine that the paint few imperfections by now. Basically, you would purchase (and install) the unpainted plastic panels (and damaged internals), install them on the car and then get a professional vinyl wrap. Of course, you could get the vinyl wrap in the original color or any color of your choosing. From my experience, the paint jobs that body shops do are never as hard as the factory paint and are significantly more susceptible to scratches and rock chips.
Whitey
New Reader
1/5/14 8:40 a.m.
I got rear ended in my ranger a few weeks ago in Philly. Didn't call police, just exchanged info. I've heard you can wait forever for them to show up. Body Craft in Upper Darby was recommended to me by a friend of my daughter who is a mechanic and had some experience with them. So far they've been easy to deal with. Waiting for parts now will let you know how it goes. Update: waited 1 month,called to check on status of parts and was told ok he'll order the parts.Been a month since then and no call,so nothing to report
Andy,
The body shop behind my shop has a good rep. He's replacing the door on my father-in-law's Honda now. I know a couple other guys out my way, but that's not real convenient for you. Also have a really good guy in Hatboro, but I don't think that's any more convenient than coming out my way.
-Rob
