wmuncaster
11-12-2012, 08:00 AM
Well, I've really done it this time. I was going about 30mph down Rt.29 in Charlottesville, VA and glanced over to evaluate the traffic merging into my lane from the adjacent on-ramp when the light in front of me turned red. Despite my best effort, I couldn't stop in time to avoid a collision with the car ahead. Luckily, I was able to shave all but a few miles per hour off by the time we hit and no airbags deployed, everyone was fine, etc.
As with most of us, I'm a fairly meticulous owner/operator. My wife pokes fun at me for constantly parking in the absolute most sparsely-populated section of a lot (which she refers to as "the desert"), which I do in hopes of avoiding door-dings. Needless to say, this is my first accident.
Now that the insurance claim is filed, I've got to figure out where to take the car to get it properly shaped-up. The car is a 2004 ZHP Coupe and I live in Charlottesville, VA. The car is drive-able and I am willing to go anywhere in Virginia or DC in order to have the repair work done properly - I am a former BMW technician and I know the value of having BMW expertise and a fully-equipped high-end shop backing the work.
Here's a quick run-down of the damage: Front bumper cover and support bent/dis-aligned. Kidney grills broken. Hood dented/pushed rearwards/folded up. Adaptive xenons/brackets/surrounds bent/broken/damaged. Misc. trim damage. No mechanical damage - car runs and drives fine.
I've done some searching here, on BMWCCA and e90post and two names have popped up: Wagonwork and D&V Autobody (both in NoVA). Can anyone speak to their reputability or offer any other suggestions? While I certainly want the paint and body repairs done properly, the adaptive xenons will also need to be realigned, checked and re-calibrated (if not replaced). I understand this aspect may need to be done by a dealer with ISIS or GT1 but I'd prefer a body shop with enough expertise to, at a minimum, have knowledge of such things.
Thanks for your help guys!
As with most of us, I'm a fairly meticulous owner/operator. My wife pokes fun at me for constantly parking in the absolute most sparsely-populated section of a lot (which she refers to as "the desert"), which I do in hopes of avoiding door-dings. Needless to say, this is my first accident.
Now that the insurance claim is filed, I've got to figure out where to take the car to get it properly shaped-up. The car is a 2004 ZHP Coupe and I live in Charlottesville, VA. The car is drive-able and I am willing to go anywhere in Virginia or DC in order to have the repair work done properly - I am a former BMW technician and I know the value of having BMW expertise and a fully-equipped high-end shop backing the work.
Here's a quick run-down of the damage: Front bumper cover and support bent/dis-aligned. Kidney grills broken. Hood dented/pushed rearwards/folded up. Adaptive xenons/brackets/surrounds bent/broken/damaged. Misc. trim damage. No mechanical damage - car runs and drives fine.
I've done some searching here, on BMWCCA and e90post and two names have popped up: Wagonwork and D&V Autobody (both in NoVA). Can anyone speak to their reputability or offer any other suggestions? While I certainly want the paint and body repairs done properly, the adaptive xenons will also need to be realigned, checked and re-calibrated (if not replaced). I understand this aspect may need to be done by a dealer with ISIS or GT1 but I'd prefer a body shop with enough expertise to, at a minimum, have knowledge of such things.
Thanks for your help guys!