ACCIDENT , how to proceed??

[Campster23]

Hey guys, last night I was sitting at a red light and got rear ended pretty good by a guy who was completely shitfaced. He had no idea what I was even screaming at him about when I got out of the car. Good news is my passenger and myself are pretty much ok, the bad is the bumper is pushed into driver side wheel, the trunk looks out of line now and he dented the panel under the driver side light. My question is now, how hard is it going to be to get it repaired without the insurance company saying you have a 330i that's only worth like $4k according to KBB, when we all know the value is much higher. I'm fearful they are going to say it will be a couple thousand to fix so they will total it, I will end up with a salvage title and will get completely fucked. Is there any way to avoid the insurance fuck job?? Please help I know I have read about the pain in the ass it is to prove what the car is worth. I just bought her 5 months ago so I have the records for what I paid, will that be enough?? Thanks
Kev

[san]

Ouch! Sorry to hear about the accident but you and the passenger are ok...
I don't have much experience but I have read that along with showing what you have paid, showing them listings of Zhp's that are in similar condition and asking price might help... From your description it seems like the damage is quite significant and it could cost you a lot of you don't go the insurance route... Hope it works out...


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[BMWCurves]

First and foremost, glad you and your passenger are safe. I'm sorry you got rear ended by a drunk, hope you got their info through through it all.

As for repairs, I don't really know. If you do go the route of the insurance because it will most likely be expensive to repair, I would do as San says and get together info on the price you paid and pull up listings of similar ZHPs and present it to the insurance adjuster.

Good luck, let us know what you do.

[FungShui]

Glad to hear no one was injured. I got into a minor fender bender in a parking lot last year. I was found not at fault and the other driver's insurance paid $2000 for a new rear bumper and paint. Based from your description your accident is much worse than mine.

I agree with the posts above about gathering prices of other ZHP in case they try totaling it out.

If insurance presents a low appraisal value you can get a independent appraisal. My friend had to go that route when his M coupe was totaled.

Keep us posted.

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[NYRhockey]

Also show/have copies of recent maintenance done. Good luck.

[danewilson77]

Better, the same, or worse than the below pics? The below represents about $9k in damage. If the car IS totaled, take everything from the car (even its soul). The only requirement was that it rolled (in my situation).

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160324/c475a2e966008ac1d901a249221b77fc.jpg

The other car.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160324/006bb5cf05e3cce78b341976ee33a77a.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160324/f11453dea1442ee62c5708bce4f960b9.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160324/6a4f772af1a1bbce320115d50ef01150.jpg

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[yura]

Keep in mind the car may have frame damage and be unsafe to drive. I would absolutely not get back into it or do a cheap repair.

It is not your insurance that will be paying for this damage - it'll be coming from the other guy. Actually, being that he was drunk, his insurance may be void and he may be on the hook for the $$$ himself. Don't know how that works with the insurers you'll be dealing with.

Do as much research into sale prices as you can, and when the car gets written off, push back hard on the price to get the most money you can. As Dane said, take out everything you can possibly re-sell.

[Vas]

Sorry to hear. Any images?

[ecrabb]

It is not your insurance that will be paying for this damage - it'll be coming from the other guy. Actually, being that he was drunk, his insurance may be void and he may be on the hook for the $$$ himself. Don't know how that works with the insurers you'll be dealing with.
The drunk will likely be on the hook for his own vehicle and have to cover his own loss, and he will likely be dropped by his insurance company. However, his liability insurance will absolutely cover the OP's damages. That's exactly why most states force drivers to carry liability insurance. Of course, it's also highly likely that somebody who drives shit-faced also isn't current on insurance. Let's hope that's not the case here.


Do as much research into sale prices as you can, and when the car gets written off, push back hard on the price to get the most money you can. As Dane said, take out everything you can possibly re-sell.
Definitely. Documentation, documentation, documentation. If you have proof of purchase price from five months ago, that's a great start. If you get any push-back and they go all NADA or KBB on you, then you can cherry-pick asking prices, cherry-pick eBay auction prices... Anything you can do to establish that your car is worth a hell of a lot more than whatever they think it is. Don't forget that the other driver's liability insurance is there to make you whole. That means if you have expenses related to alternate transportation, be it a rental car, mass transit, or whatever, they're on the hook for that that, too.

Don't worry about whether the insurance company is going to total it. If the damage is severe enough that the car is a write-off (from the sound of it, it is), then it is what it is. Take the money and go buy another. Like Dane said, strip it of everything you can. Let somebody deal with owning a branded title if that's the direction it goes.

Sorry!

SC

[johnrando]

So sorry to hear. Yup, what they all said. GL, keep us posted.

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[Campster23]

Better, the same, or worse than the below pics? The below represents about $9k in damage. If the car IS totaled, take everything from the car (even its soul). The only requirement was that it rolled (in my situation).

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160324/c475a2e966008ac1d901a249221b77fc.jpg

The other car.
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160324/006bb5cf05e3cce78b341976ee33a77a.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160324/f11453dea1442ee62c5708bce4f960b9.jpg

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160324/6a4f772af1a1bbce320115d50ef01150.jpg

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252522525225253
Thanks for all the advice guys! Much better, damn! Have to wait till next week to meet with adjuster and see what they say. I called my mechanic , who's also a client of mine, he gave me the name of the best place to take it. Of course he's looking at a 3 to 4 week waiting list, but it is what it is. Not as bad as originally thought, after pulling my bumper as hard as I could to get it back out a little and off my tire. Right now the estimate is $2000 before seeing if anything else is wrong after they remove the bumper. Fox News ended up coming to my house to do a story on it yesterday afternoon, had to be a hellaciously slow news day if this is all they had haha. It took him quite some time to convince me to do the interview do to the unrelenting ball busting I would take at work after people saw it but my buddy was in town and he was all about talking on camera. My only request for the reporter was to let my get my Red Sox hat so no one would think I was a Yankees fan since my buddy had his NY hat on. http://www.fox4now.com/news/naples-man-charged-in-dui-road-rage-incident . When I get word from the adjuster next week I'll let everyone know what they said.

[Vas]

That's nuts

[J0hnny Ray]

glad to hear you're ok. my previous car got totaled before I got my ZHP and this is what I've learned: be cautious about claiming being hit by a drunk driver as it gives his insurance company an out. it would pretty much put you/your insurance against him. This may end up screwing you in the long run especially if the guy can't afford to pay you. Also, if your car is totaled, don't accept the first offer. Search up comparables and get a quote from BOTH insurance companies. Lastly, it looks like your tail lights are aftermarket. If you did not claim any after market parts with your insurance, they will not pay you for them BUT their insurance can. It doesn't matter if you take your insurances claim for the vehicle itself; you can still claim after market parts through their insurance.

[BCS_ZHP]

Looking at where you got hit, absolutely insist the car be put in the air and inspect the exhaust system. His car could've pushed on the exhaust tips which may have: (1) bent your exhaust system somewhere to cause a future rattle or vibration; (2) pushed the exhaust system against itself thru the length of the system to cause an exhaust leak where it meets with the exhaust manifold; or (3) pushed the exhaust system so far that it moved the engine and damaged a motor mount (not likely). But you gotta make them check or these will be gremlins you have to chase after the bodywork is done.

[imola red zhp]

Glad to hear all is ok with you and passenger. Sorry late in the thread but what is the responsibility of the drunk guy.
1) If they total take the money and strip out (even the soul per Dane)
2) Recover what you can from the fault driver in damages injuries lost time etc....
3) Find a another ZHP
Just my two cents too much hassle with repairs and titles to ponder

Good luck


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[Rovert]

Any moderate hit will most likely total our beloved ZHP. Just make sure you have your homework to make a deal to the insurance company. You are now selling your car to them and you have to give them fair evidence why your price is the way it is. It's probably better to let it go rather than get it fixed with a bit claim. Gather up any receipts that are part of the maintenance for the last year to add to the value of the claim. I got more money than I would have if I tried to sell my ZHP so I was happy and cashed out after a couple weeks of negotiations.

If it isn't bad damage and will get repaired then good for you...your ZHP lives on to tell another tale!

[PetesZ]

Small World -
I used to live in the Apartments (fountainview) down the road from there - over by Barron Collier HS.

Pretty sure that's why they include the tire iron in the tool set for - idiot adjustment -

[BMWCurves]

Any update on this?

[Campster23]

Small World -
I used to live in the Apartments (fountainview) down the road from there - over by Barron Collier HS.

Pretty sure that's why they include the tire iron in the tool set for - idiot adjustment -

That was the first place I lived when I moved here about 8-9 years ago haha.

[Campster23]

Any update on this?

I have a date with the adjuster tomorrow morning, brought it to my mechanic today and we lifted it. Everything looked good. Thinking of having them redo front bumper and nicks all along the front end when the fix the back.

[Campster23]

Thanks for all the advice everybody! Much appreciated!


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[ELCID86]

Right behind you with the adjuster...

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160402/22388f11b45cb7fe6f3e1e1aeb41efae.jpg

[danewilson77]

Damn.

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[Vas]

Soo sad.

[ELCID86]

It's amazing how much damage can occur at low speed. He was in neutral coasting at less than 10 mph. Airbag didn't even deploy (thankfully no Takata shrapnel to the face...).


---
"ZHP is a garbage option anyway- just some cosmetic upgrades with a different cam and diff to claw back some of the performance lost fitting those hideous and heavy wheels. Any 330 with a 3.46 diff will smoke a ZHP every time. The whole Mafia thing reeks of childish behavior." - anonymous

[Campster23]

Right behind you with the adjuster...

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160402/22388f11b45cb7fe6f3e1e1aeb41efae.jpg

Jeeeezzzz, hope everyone is ok.. I was told by my lawyer to send my wife with the car to adjuster. I told her under no circumstances are you to take a check from him, just tell him you want the quote and bring it to our shop we use. He wouldn't let her leave without a check for $860 when my guy just quoted a minimum of $2000. The adjuster said oh don't worry geico will pay the rest when the shop says they need more money. I haven't cashed it and don't plan to but I have the feeling I'm going to get fucked in this.