Accident Repair Advice

[deeldoo]

Hi all,

So i had an accident 4 months ago now where i had to have a rear quarter panel replaced, 1 side airbag, 2 rims. 1 rear wheel strut, knuckle, control arm.

Essentially nuked 1 wheels suspension components, 1 airbag and that sides quarter panel.

It has been 4 months at supposedly one of the best body shops in Canada who are BMW certified who are beating around the bush.

They say they are days away from finishing and want to make sure it drives "perfect". Their customer service has been horrific to date as they don't pick up call. They had the dealer reprogram the car a few days ago (steering rack, airbag module, etc)

Let's say this madness ends soon what would you all suggest i do when i pick up my car? Any requests or documentation i should receive from them? Supposedly they offer a lifetime warranty on their work. Should i have an independent shop look at my repairs the very same day.

This job was quoted at 30 days and yes we waited 1 month for a strut but even so they are way off basis. They claim that everything is going smooth but they want to be super meticulous with the repair, i don't know if something fishy is going on or they are generally slow.

All their reviews (1400 of them) seem to follow a similiar story: i.e. 3-4x the length of time estimated but repairs are top notch.

At the end of the day i want to protect myself and my asset and i am trying to get all my basis covered when i walk in there.

[Wmf80]

Do you own or lease ?
I would probably wouldn’t have anyone check it since they offer lifetime warranty on their work. Any reviews say they did a poor job or is it that it took 4x the time estimated ?

[deeldoo]

Originally Posted by Wmf80

Do you own or lease ?
I would probably wouldn’t have anyone check it since they offer lifetime warranty on their work. Any reviews say they did a poor job or is it that it took 4x the time estimated ?

I own the car, yes they are part of the CSN umbrella of companies and offer national lifetime warranties.

The only reviews that seem to be negative are things like missing antennas, having to go twice to fix something when the car was repaired quickly, bad customer service, slow, but other than that nothing to write home about.

The only thing i am kind of uneasy with is suspension work doesn't seem to be written in their reviews, then again how many cars get parts of their suspension nuked. In terms of what they repair i saw very high end sports cars in their being taken apart so i assume they can do the work but who knows.

That is the only part of the repair i wouldn't mind having them take a look at. They measured the frame and everything came back untouched so im not worried about frame/structural.

[IVM3]

I think it will be fine as long as you take a look at the cosmetic elements such as the paint, including in the door jams where they likely welded the new quarter panel in. I would ask if they did a 4 wheel alignment and if they didn't, I would work with your insurance to get that covered at an alignment shop or the BMW dealer. As long as the alignment checks out, your suspension should be OK.

[White340]

I wonder who has actually gone back for a warranty item and had it approved. I'd guess it's easy for them to blame things on outside factors like car washes, other cars bumping the bumper while parking etc.

My old roommate was denied a warranty item because someone bumped into the bumper when parking. A 3x5" section of the paint flaked off. This was six month after it was painted. While I get that it was bumped while parking, factory paint doesn't do that. Quality repairs would use paint with additives that can withstand flaking for areas like bumpers. My dads accord was parked on the street at work and both bumpers had at lease a hundred bump marks on yet none of the paint flaked off.

[deeldoo]

Originally Posted by IVM3

I think it will be fine as long as you take a look at the cosmetic elements such as the paint, including in the door jams where they likely welded the new quarter panel in. I would ask if they did a 4 wheel alignment and if they didn't, I would work with your insurance to get that covered at an alignment shop or the BMW dealer. As long as the alignment checks out, your suspension should be OK.

Ya supposedly the cosmetics is the least of worry at this shop, everyone seems to suggest they do perfect paint matches and amazing work on the body. Only thing that worried me is suspension but they told me they are doing a bunch of road test scenarios + alignment in house and i am asking them for a report which they told me they would give.

Just surprises me how long these things take. So i want to make sure when i am in there i am not just starstruck seeing my car back and forget/neglect talking about the important things and making sure i have whatever documentation i need on paper.

[icegrill]

Sell the car when you get it back. Sorry.

[nickl630]

Originally Posted by icegrill

Sell the car when you get it back. Sorry.

Yep. Car has frame damage now. Dump it. Glad your okay though!

[Suds]

Oh F-KC your in Canada.
Us US guys have no idea!

[deeldoo]

Originally Posted by nickl630

Yep. Car has frame damage now. Dump it. Glad your okay though!

I will try to dump it but if i lose over 20% value it doesn't make much sense.

No frame damage, frame was measured car was stripped. It had 1 wheel suspension damaged, i think thats a big difference.

[Suds]

Unless you are driving the car at 10/10th I wouldn’t worry about it.
Enjoy your car. I hope it steers straight with light steering input.
That would be my test.

[Reddevils7]

I would have them print out everything that was repaired, the part numbers of the repaired items, make sure it's oem and also the hours for each repair job. I'd say that's a reasonable because it's all on file already for the insurance claim. Make sure they're not just putting miles on your car too with all these "test drive". Shouldn't take more than a few miles to figure out the alignment isn't right

[deeldoo]

Originally Posted by Reddevils7

I would have them print out everything that was repaired, the part numbers of the repaired items, make sure it's oem and also the hours for each repair job. I'd say that's a reasonable because it's all on file already for the insurance claim. Make sure they're not just putting miles on your car too with all these "test drive". Shouldn't take more than a few miles to figure out the alignment isn't right

Thanks for the advice. Yes i will ask them for the breakdown, in regards to parts i know they are OEM as i called BMW Canada and they gave me the PO of the shipment so i can inquire about where the hell it was at because it was delayed.

In terms of timing and labor hours i will ask a break down, as well as alignment report, and i have my check in kilometres when i dropped it off so I hope they aren't out there burning my brand new tires up for fun.

[TrevorM3]

these BMW "certified" shops definitely do not have a goodd rap...

[nickl630]

Originally Posted by deeldoo

I will try to dump it but if i lose over 20% value it doesn't make much sense.

No frame damage, frame was measured car was stripped. It had 1 wheel suspension damaged, i think thats a big difference.

If the quarter panel was replaced its frame damage. You can't replace a quarter panel on a unibody car without a frame/structural damage announcement.

[newtorin]

Originally Posted by nickl630

If the quarter panel was replaced its frame damage. You can't replace a quarter panel on a unibody car without a frame/structural damage announcement.

So you are saying that if the quarter panel needs to be replaced, the car's underlying structure has been damaged?

I got into an accident with my recently bought M4, the repairs are at $21,000 currently. I am not sure if I want to keep the car and thinking what is the best way to deal with the insurance company. Any suggestions?

Thank you in advance!