09-25-2015, 07:29 AM | #23 |
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Thumper, ol' sport, you went to some length to advise the OP that, repaired professionally, it ought not matter that his BMW was involved in an accident. I agree. Repaired professionally, it ought not matter. But in the automobile resale market it does matter. That's a fact. The industry and the legal profession even have a term for it: diminished value. And, in the case of the OP the term has real meaning. Why? Because someone took a torch to his car and cut off the left rear quarter panel. If he's lucky, the OP got a new door. If not, someone reskinned it. Lots of welding and body-filler later, no doubt a body-repair specialist such as yourself pronounced it "good as new." Clearly you believe that's true, but in the world the rest of us live in, damn few potential buyers would agree with you. That's why the OP's automobile will always be worth less than a comparable BMW that has not -- in the very words of the OP -- been involved in a "dirty accident." Res ipsa loquitur, sir.
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09-25-2015, 10:55 AM | #24 | |
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09-25-2015, 01:02 PM | #25 |
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Ro_f30, I am not trying to suggest that your Bimmer wasn't repaired properly, or that you will experience any further mechanical issues as a consequence of your accident. Neither is an issue here. The issue is how your automobile will be perceived by potential buyers, or by BMWUSA for that matter, because it has been hit -- pretty good lick, too -- and repaired.
Just one example will make my point. Let's assume for the sake of discussion that from now on you do everything required to maintain your automobile as prescribed by BMW, and further let's assume that when you go to sell or trade it, it has far less than the typical mileage for a 2014 BMW 3-series automobile. Let's also agree that it looks then exactly as you've described it now: i.e., pristine in all regards. You with me? OK, here's the hook: Regardless of what you do from this point on, your Bimmer can never, ever, under any circumstances be sold by BMW as a CPO automobile. That's one of the reasons that BMW will not want to take it in trade. Now why is that? Because it has been in an accident requiring the replacement of a body panel. Regardless of how well it has been repaired, it will always be worth less than its undamaged counterpart. This has almost nothing whatsoever to do with how well your car was repaired. It's all a matter of perception. How will your car be perceived by the next potential owner? Is there a potential remedy here? Yes, there is. You sue, or threaten to sue, for compensation for the diminished value of your automobile. Depending on the state you live in, pursuing this can either be rather straightforward or real work. It's why people often hire lawyers to do this for them. It begins with you (or your lawyer) documenting the diminished value of your car. That requires assessments by licensed professionals. Your efforts in this regard will be opposed by persons such as Thumper333, who will be hired by the defendant's insurance company to substantiate its position that a perfectly repaired BMW is worth at least as much as an undamaged one. I hope you see the obvious flaw in that argument. If the insurance company blinks, you win. If not, you will have to actually litigate the issue. Then you will win, if for no other reason than no insurance company wants to allow a jury to decide how much money you may be owed. Is any of this worth pursuing? That's your call. Me, I'd do it for recreation. |
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09-25-2015, 01:33 PM | #26 |
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Ahhhhh. Looks great! Like nothing ever happened. Drive (and park) safe!
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09-25-2015, 02:21 PM | #27 | |
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09-25-2015, 04:00 PM | #28 |
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Looks better than before but the finish appears hazy. It could just be the photo.
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09-25-2015, 04:16 PM | #29 | |
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I'm sure you do quality work, but that is not the case of other body shops and mechanics. I would always be wary to purchase a vehicle that had been through an accident. It would be scary to purchase a higher end MB, BMW, etc. that has been through an accident, due to the exorbitant mechanical repair costs of the higher end models. Yes, unfortunately, Carfax and other services do not report the extent of the accident. So you have to inspect the car. |
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