Prang!

[davidpfitz]

Unfortunately as my wife was driving down the Euston Road in London the other day, someone pulled out and drove into the drivers door. She's fine - it sounds like it was all fairly low-speed.

All the same, there's a dent in the door - it's not terrible, but most certainly there. The chap who drove into her was very nice, understood it was his fault and passed over insurance details, phone numbers etc. etc. If you could choose someone to drive into you, it would be him.

Anyway - I suspect the insurance company won't be so easy. Does anyone have experience of UK insurers and whether they try to get you to get the car repaired at a local body shop rather than at a BMW dealer? Is there anything I ought to know up-front before dealing with insurance companies? I've never (touch wood!) crashed a car, or been crashed into so have never had any interactions with insurance companies other than paying them once a year!

Basically, I want a proper job done on it and a loaner car while it's being done. Do I have the right to insist that a BMW dealer do it?

Cheers,
D.

 

[Medium Dave]

Some years ago I had someone drive into the back of me while I was stationary. The insurance company wanted the car to go to their preferred repair shop but I insisted on the BMW repair shop and eventually they agreed. I think (but I'm not totally sure) that BMW Accident Management helped with it. Have you tried giving them a ring? Of course, it's in their interest to get you to a BMW shop so they may fight your corner. Their phone number will be in your vehicle documents or on the back of the metal flap on your dealer key ring.

 

[pvr]

They can never force you to go to an independent. All you will lose is their "guaranteed" loan car that a dealer might not give you. Using accident management from BMW however should deal with that part.

Never get it done by a "recommended" insurance company. Most examples of their work I see horrify me with shades of silver that stand out like a sore thump or non blended panels.

 

[EdButler]

Most insurance companies also offer a 5-year guarantee on the repair work ONLY IF you go to one of their 'approved' (read: Cheap) garages.

Be weary that a BMW dealer will likely outsource their work to another body shop anyway! Do a little research first. Negotiate a hire car and make sure they/your insurance will warrant the fix for at least 3 years. Then you should have all the bases covered!

 

[bigshurv]

You could ask where your BMW dealer sends their repairs to, then insist on them getting the work. Might cut out some cost.

 

[davidpfitz]

Thanks for the help, guys.

Unfortunately since it happened, the other party is now saying that it was not his fault. Despite admitting he had driven through the night from France and was nearly asleep at the wheel, and admitting fault at the scene he's now saying something else altogether to his insurance company.

I don't see there's much I can do - there's no independent witness and it's his word against mine. Grr.

I guess I am going to have to claim against my own policy - which is gutting since from what I can tell he gets to drive into a stationary vehicle and no suffer any consequence.

I guess I luckily have a protected no-claims discount (11 years) - so will be able to keep the NCD, but my premium will go up next year. I suppose if I am claiming on my own policy, it doesn't matter if it's done at BMW from a cost perspective - they'll just knock the premium up on a per-incident basis I suppose.

Other option is take it to an indenpendant body shop and see if it's worth me just swallowing the cost - does anyone know of a good one in the London area?

Thanks,
D.

 

[cj10jeeper]

Im sure you'll find his insurance has a clause that he must not admit liability, so no doubt having left the scene he's decided to 'update' his version. Frustrating but I guess you can but run it by your insurers and see what they say, but will probably just end as a no fault each pays their own accident... :headbang:

 

[FirstKnight]

My car was involved in an accident recently too A plonker-type person driving a delivery truck didn't see me and drove into the passenger side on a roundabout.

Since the damage was cosmetic - rear quarter panel badly damaged, scuffed wheel and a dent on the edge of the door - I conceded to allow the car to be collected and repaired by Admirals approved garage "local to me".

It turned out to be a garage 17 miles away. I was called on the 7th November and told that the car was fully repaired. My initial thoughts of my car - parked outside in wet conditions for me to view - was that it appeared okay as the paintwork looked to be a match. Closer inspection revealed a deep scratch to the new rear quarter panel, a very poorly repaired chip near the boot lid and the fact that the rear quarter panel was mis-aligned and was some 3-4mm proud of the boot lit line. I ceased inspecting it at this point and it was agreed further work was to be carried out. I wondered about the lack of quality control at this point...

On the 13th November I was told my car was now 100% ready. A further delay was due to the fact that the original repairer hadn't noticed that the paintwork to the rear - if I recall correctly - of the replaced panel was incorrectly painted and the correct paint had to be ordered in; something no-one had noticed previously but was picked up during the panel re-alignment. The excuse offered was that the original repairer was unfamiliar with BMW's!!! I collected my car - again in less that favourable weather conditions for inspection and paid my excess and signed the release form as the three issues I had originally highlighted appeared to be fixed.

On the 15th November I returned the car on the grounds that there was overspray where the chip behind the boot lid had been repaired - quality control? - the leather seat covering was coming away beneath ther driver's seat because someone had pulled on it - presumeably in an effort to adjust the seat not realising it is electric - and because the swage line on the repaired passenger door was missing/not as pronounced between the handle and the rear quarter panel - clearly evident on the drivers door.

I was called to collect the car on the 17th November again and the seat and overspray had been dealt with but the garage challenged the swage line issue on the grounds that they claim the repair works were beneath it. I then contacted Admiral and voiced my concerns in this regard.

I have looked at the accident photographs taken by myself and they are inconclusive in that they are not focussed upon the swage line itself. I have contacted BMW UK and they are adamant that the factory mouldings are identical for all cars and it should be there and I have now inspected three other Z4's and they all have it. I then contacted BMW Sytner High Wycombe near my home and they advised that in order for my Warranty to be intact - the car is only 9 months old - Admiral need to provide evidence that the correct paint was used, the correct paint thickness was applied and only genuine BMW parts were used. In addition, I need to see the wheel alignment reading - the rear wheel was involved in the accident and I was told replaced so wheel alignment was mandatory.

I have also since noticed that the boot lid needs to be slammed shut - it no longer shuts smoothly - and that sometimes the warning light on the instrument panel remains on even when the boot lid appears to be closed.

Moving forward I am requesting that Admiral provide the information highlighted above and provide assurance that my car's warranty - balance of 3 years plus 12 years for corrosion - is unaffected by the repair works carried out by their preferred repairer rather than a BMW Bodyshop who would have ensured the Warranty remained intact. I also want Admiral to arrange that the swage line issue is resolved by means of an independant inspector - ideally someone well-versed in BMW cars. And, of course, the boot lid sorted out!

Lesson learnt: use BMW bodyshops only and use their accident management service.

I think I'll eventually end up satisfied but it is a real pain allowing the lowest bidder to have a go at the car!

 

[Sceptre]

This is why I keep a camera with video and voice recording capability (cheap Casio Elixim) in the car.

Video evidence of location, time and recording of conversations are important to me. It happened to me years ago so I kept a camera (35mm then).

Last time I used it was when an HGV drove over the front of my Z4 2.5 whilst stationery on a motorway. A video lets you get the reg numbers of nearby cars too!

Worst case I ever saw was when witnesses were favorable to the innocent driver then a family member of the guilty driver 'persuaded' all witnesses to clear off. Beware of that one!

Good luck with legal backing on the other driver thogh. Being tired after a journey from France will leave evidence behind it (fuel receipts, ferry crossing etc. Car drivers do not have maximum hours per day like truck drivers but must always be fit to drive (undue care and attention). I'd push with the legal cover I hope you have from your insurance cover.

Regards

Sceptre

 

[2 Zero]

How did your wife hit him with her drivers door?? was she driving sideways??

Most accidents can only but described one way don't give up fighting with his insurance so easy

 

[Wondermike]

FirstKnight, sounds like a real pain. Have you got any pics of the new panel, it sounds like they filled and painted the damaged one rather than fitting a new panel?

 

[davidpfitz]

How did your wife hit him with her drivers door?? was she driving sideways??

Most accidents can only but described one way don't give up fighting with his insurance so easy

Nope, she was stationary in heavy traffic ... he decided to change lane into a lane of stationary traffic and drove into her driver's side door. He said that he was really sorry - all his fault, and that he was really tired from having travelled through the night from France.

Of course, now he's changed his tune and is insisting that the traffic was moving and that he won't accept liability. His insurance company have effectively given me the 2 fingered salute, saying he won't accept liability so there's nothing they will do and that I will have to claim on my own insurance.

 

[Mattt]

Many PHers have used a guy called Steve Greensmith of Europa Consultants, comes highly recommended. I spoke with him regarding an issue I had with an old car and he was extremely helpful even though I didnt end up needing to use him - I got the Police to go round and see the other guy :wink:

He will put you in another sports car, often better, and will sort it out

 

[Wondermike]

The only thing about these accident management companies is the fact that insurance companies don't *generally* make losses, any additional costs that they incur are just rolled up into next year and they increase our premiums to suit their costs. Therefore if you have a claim against someone else's insurance and end up driving around in a 535i instead of a Daewoo Matiz or something, the cost of that ends up eventually being met by the premium payers in the long run.

 

[FirstKnight]

FirstKnight, sounds like a real pain. Have you got any pics of the new panel, it sounds like they filled and painted the damaged one rather than fitting a new panel?

I believe that is exactly what they did - hence my asking for evidence that the repair will be covered by my BMW warranty. Admiral have been excellent up to now; since writing a letter explaining what I now need to happen they have gone quiet...

 

[easty027]

i had the same thing after owning my car for a week, some dipshi* reverded into my door whilst attempting an illegal u-turn in friday night heavy traffic. He admitted all responsibility of course as i was sat in the car stationary. He offered to pay cash for the slight dents to the door, so off i went to an approved bmw repair centre, rang him and i heard a thump as he must have passed out when i said it was £1850.00.

i then rang his insurance company who offered a back street garage to repair it, i told them i want an approved bmw repairer so off i went. Within a week i had it back with a new door and the quality of work was amazing. soo glad i didnt take their first offer of a non approved repairer.

Be aware, i had my E46 coupe keyed the full length and i took it to a local back street garage, the workmanship was total rubbish. You get what you pay for i suppose.