If your M3 is ever in an accident... CHECK THE ESTIMATE!

[JCtx]

Most folks here are probably smarter than I am, or are 'seasoned' with bodyshops, but this is my first accident. Want to make sure nobody else ever gets scammed by this. I almost did.

Anyway, this bodyshop, highly recommended by the only BMW dealer in town, was my choice to fix my car. Guy said insurance only paid to fix the wheels since they're only cosmetically damaged, and that they'd be like new. I had a problem with that, and was already looking for take-off wheels to buy, even though bodyshop guy would only give me $179 per wheel to fix (he even gave me the info of Wheels America in Dallas where he was going to send them). That meant quite a large out of pocket expense for me, but I wanted new wheels. Since I couldn't find any, I was contemplating powder-coating them black, but wasn't crazy about it. Turns out insurance company was paying for NEW WHEELS folks. If you care, here's how this unfolded.

Guy said he'd start my car in a week, that he'd call me when parts were there. It was a good thing I had the car in my house, otherwise I would have never known what was going on. After week and a half and no call, started calling this guy. Nowhere to be found. After TWO weeks, I finally found him yesterday. The creep said he'd start my car in about A MONTH. I asked him if he was joking. He wasn't, because he had a contract with Allstate and State Farm and needed to fix their cars before mine. I told him why the hell he didn't tell me that before, since I wouldn't even have bothered to take my car all the way there in the first place. His answer was 'sorry'. A-hole. So now I'm back to square one. Called Geico, and they offered to fax the estimate to save time, to just take the car where I wanted, but wasn't really needed because I'm going to take it to their 'preferred' bodyshop. But boy, am I glad they did. After scrutinizing the estimate, found they're paying for new wheels ($500+ each), but those are the 18s, not my 19s. And tire was wrong too. So now at least I'll get new wheels folks, which is what I wanted.

Lesson learned: always demand the estimate so you can make sure bodyshop replaces what he's paid to replace. As a final note, I remember adjuster saying that wheel fixing was common practice with my damage, but can't trust my memory that much nowadays . The weird thing is the estimate has a separate note that lists those 3 wheels separately and each says 'wheel not available', but were never deducted from total. And it doesn't say anywhere that $179 were to fix each. Hmmmm. Bottom line is only trust the estimate, period. Have a good one gang.

[immiketoo]

Man, I hear you! My brother is a body man, and he is the ONLY person that fixes my cars/bikes. He knows how to fight the insurance companies, adjustors etc, and he has saved my bacon repeatedly. There are so many ways to scam/make money in that business that once you find a good shop, stick with them!

[BCA]

Man, that's crazy! I wrecked my first E90...$6,000 damage...and it was fixed good as new. Everything seemed legit and thankfully there was no damage to wheels/tires. If I'm ever in that situation again (hopefully I WON'T be!), I'll definitely remember this. Thanks...

[Nawaaz]

Amazing how these folks can cheat you.

I've experienced my share, as well.

...I mean, you expect them to stay on top of all your repairs, but you really can't. They may seem 'ok' to the average customer, but they never understand people like us who are so damn passionate about our vehicles.

Sometimes, they just think it's a joke. I don't get them

[Kev]

Sorry to hear about this mess. I had to deal with one myself back when I owned an MY06 E55 AMG. The body shop ran by the dealership in Boston (Herb Chambers in Braintree, MA) had my car there for over 2 months to fix the front and rear bumper. By the time the car came back to me, they've almost repainted the entire car. Knowing that the newer Mercedes have the ceramic-based clear coat from factory and that cannot be duplicated at a regular body shop, my car's resale value just went down the drains. They even put the wrong size tire on my car for that matter (ordered the front tire size and put it in the back). I was really pissed off when I picked up the car and swore I'll never go back to them or buy a single car from the Herb Chambers enterprise.

Since then, in all the places that I have lived in, I have identified one body shop that would fight the adjusters for their customers and I only go to them.

[Finnegan]

Now it's late, so I may have mis-read the story JC.

Am I right in understanding that had you gone with the jackhole repair guy, he would have "allowed" 179 per wheel to for repair while actually taking in 500 per wheel for wheel replacement from the insurance company? Holy Fraud Batman!

I'll bet Allstate and Farmer's would like to hear about this. If he's doing it in one case he's surely doing in others.

Thanks for the word of caution and advice. I haven't had any "experience" with bodyshops in the past 25 years (knock on wood) and wouldn't have thought to check the estimate for this and to make sure they've actually got things priced/adjusted for the correct parts.

[Bdez]

Interesting that some are bagging the insurers and the adjusters when in fact this was a body shop who was defrauding you and the insurer.

If its any consolation this is a common practice the world over by body shops and its why insurers have to do random audits on repairs to make sure that what they paid for was what was fitted and/or repaired.

I’d be letting the dealer know the score – cant be good for the BMW brand or for his brand. Bottom line choose your body shop very very carefully.

[DC5ITR88]

I had a similar deal with a local body shop that I used. This was when I was young in my teen years and on another car. Someone rear ended me and cracked my bumper, long story short they billed the insurance company for a new bumper but did not replace my bumper at all... they bondled my bumper and repainted over it...the only way I found out was years after when I had the bumper resprayed due to a lot of dings and scraps my paint guy asked when did the accident happen and i said i got rear ended but got a "NEW" bumper and he said NO U DIDNT

[bavarian19]

wow. Sorry to hear about the mess.

[JCtx]

Originally Posted by Finnegan

Am I right in understanding that had you gone with the jackhole repair guy, he would have "allowed" 179 per wheel to for repair while actually taking in 500 per wheel for wheel replacement from the insurance company? Holy Fraud Batman!

Yep, that's exactly what would have happened. I'm a trusting person (not good in this world anymore ), but the notes on the estimate makes me a bit suspicious of the adjuster as well. Both the body shop owner and adjuster seemed to know each other well. Unfortunately, due to the fact the transaction didn't go thru, I decided not to go beyond the fact body shop owner made me waste 2 weeks for nothing. And yes, already complained to the BMW dealer about that since they recommended them.

I'm still not 100% sure I'll get new wheels, since the 19s are a lot more expensive, but I'll know Monday, after my appointment. I'm getting a new adjuster since I'm switching body shops, so starting from scratch.

Finally, I can see now how bodyshop owners and adjusters can make quite a bit of money 'on the side' with things like this. But when these stupid people see an expensive M3 roll in, with all the interior wrapped in plastic to avoid staining it, and the owner asking all kinds of questions, they should know they're not dealing with the average Joe .

[gemini330zhp]

Wow that sucks. Its always good to know local shops that do good work and work on BMWs. Lesson learned ask around before you jump on the first body shop. Another lesson do not go to a body shop your insurance company recommends they will cheap out on your repairs.

[JCtx]

Originally Posted by gemini330zhp

Lesson learned ask around before you jump on the first body shop.

It's one of the best shops in town, and the only one recommended by the only BMW in town. Ask questions before YOU jump to conclusions. Besides, am not familiar at all with bodyshops since this is my first accident. Just like most people trust their BMW dealer with service, I trusted them with their recommendation. Besides, that's the only shop that works with BMW.
There's only one other top choice, which happens to be the 'preferred' shop for Geico, and am going with them now. That's the reality of a small town. Good evening.

[Angry3]

Just for reference, is this body shop BMW Certified? Where I am there's only 1 BMW Certified shop in town, and it's "in the family" with our only BMW Center. If they're certified, I bet BMWNA would be interested in knowing about this episode.

The delay is also suspicious, I seriously doubt that story about having a contractual obligations to prefer certain carriers over others is legit. I think it's more likely the shop needed the time to source (or attempt to source) salvage parts for your repair.

Let us know where this goes and what the new shop says about the car.

[tom @ eas]

Agreed, this type of activity has been going on for years with unscrupulous body shops.

Once in a while we will liquidate some old inventory/returns on eBay, you would be amazed at the number of body shops that immediately inquire about condition (most parts are used), can sets be broken up, how fast it can be shipped or a buy it now price. I can only wonder who's car they are going on - and if they are getting charged for new or OEM parts. Lighting seems to be the hot ticket on there.

I have 2 trusted body shops our vehicles (and recommendations) will go, if ever the need.

[chuckvic]

elp jc private e mail me if you want suggestion where to go. My 911 is there, its in albuqurque.

chuck
2009 white west side M3

[JCtx]

Originally Posted by chuckvic

elp jc private e mail me if you want suggestion where to go. My 911 is there, its in albuquerque.

Many thanks man. But just came back from the second body shop, and already authorized the repairs. But what a difference. Should have gone there since the beginning. Not only this place was much nicer, and with a proper lift, but the owner was 100 times better. He's replacing many parts the other guy wanted to just repair (glass, rocker panel, etc). And had to order many parts the other guy didn't, like from the mirror, repeater light assembly, etc. And best of all, he wants dealer to replace the tranny cooler, which the other guy didn't, even though they were the ones with the relationship with the dealer. Everybody recommended this shop as the best in town; shouldn't have listened to stupid dealer, but I'll talk to the manager when I drop the car off to make sure he got the message from the SA. I finally feel I'm in good hands (knocking on wood). Oh, and he's plugging the reflectors, but he can't guarantee that job for the life of the car, like everything else. Will dig my thread on this subject and ask for comments on how he wants to do it. Please go there if you can help (over the exterior cosmetic forum). Thanks gang.