[mastapro]

So... less than 1 month after getting my 440i... someone backs into it while it was in a parking lot(allllll the way in the back..). There is fender/bumper/headlight damage but is drivable. This is my first time dealing with an accident ever. Is it worth it to go to a BMW CCRC or will any body shop do for this job? The closest CCRC is over 45 mins away while there are many body shops around me. What are you guys' thoughts?

[njdangelo]

Sorry to hear that! Accidents suck but they happen to the best of us. IMO if it was a low speed impact and there was no bending of structural components any reputable shop should be able to help you. just make sure you request new OEM replacement parts.

[cfm56d7b]

Originally Posted by njdangelo

Sorry to hear that! Accidents suck but they happen to the best of us. IMO if it was a low speed impact and there was no bending of structural components any reputable shop should be able to help you. just make sure you request new OEM replacement parts.

Minor bumper damage often results in damage to mounting hardware behind the bumper. It's a also minor issue and will be identified during the tear down inspection.

Take your car to a a shop you feel most comfortable with. Speak with the manager(s) about prior experience working with BMWs. Every reputable collision shop has a working relationship with dealers where vehicles are sent to perform extensive diagnostics.

You still have a right to take your car to a shop of your choice even after the inspection.

Your insurance carrier is a friend at this stage.

[jd_perspective]

Only for the guarantee IMHO.
I brought my 428GC in for front end repair and they returned it to me with a dead headlight and my front bumper cameras were inverted. There was also a mysterious stratch they had to fix.

So now, I don't consider them better... HOWEVER they guarantee the work and only use BMW approved parts. So I consider them the quality of a good shop backed by the BMW brand (where I can raise hell if the work is not completed correctly.) For me it was a no brainer on a lease, because if there were any problems it's their own damn shop!

[mastapro]

Gotcha thanks guys.. definitely a tough situation but nothing I can do about it now. I'm gonna go with the Certified Shop for ease of mind and we'll see what they estimate

[Desertnate]

Originally Posted by jd_perspective

So now, I don't consider them better... HOWEVER they guarantee the work and only use BMW approved parts. So I consider them the quality of a good shop backed by the BMW brand (where I can raise hell if the work is not completed correctly.) For me it was a no brainer on a lease, because if there were any problems it's their own damn shop!

I've used quality private shops which also provide the same guarantee's and OEM parts as mentioned above. My insurance company will also guarantee the work in the event the shop won't stand behind their work.

Just putting it out there that you don't always have to go to the BMW certified shops to get the same level of service. You just need to look at what the shop provides and the backing of your insurance company.

[mastapro]

Originally Posted by Desertnate

I've used quality private shops which also provide the same guarantee's and OEM parts as mentioned above. My insurance company will also guarantee the work in the event the shop won't stand behind their work.

Just putting it out there that you don't always have to go to the BMW certified shops to get the same level of service. You just need to look at what the shop provides and the backing of your insurance company.

Ah gotcha... i don't know why I was under the assumption that only BMW shops use OEM parts lol.. I guess private shops do as well. I will see which shops my insurance recommends since they will guarantee those shops

[Psi5]

Best bet is a certified shop that is also aligned with your insurance company. Such places usually know what they are doing (usually) and their repairs tend to be guaranteed longer b/c they are aligned with your insurance company.

[jd_perspective]

Originally Posted by Desertnate

I've used quality private shops which also provide the same guarantee's and OEM parts as mentioned above. My insurance company will also guarantee the work in the event the shop won't stand behind their work.

Just putting it out there that you don't always have to go to the BMW certified shops to get the same level of service. You just need to look at what the shop provides and the backing of your insurance company.

sure i agree with you. i just mentioned that i would only use bmw cert for a lease. so there's no problems at lease end with repair quality. third-party shops won't stand behind that if it was a couple years later.

i dont think bmw cert do any better so its always best to go somewhere you trust, but it's a good fallback or place to go and not worry about it

[jd_perspective]

Originally Posted by mastapro

Ah gotcha... i don't know why I was under the assumption that only BMW shops use OEM parts lol.. I guess private shops do as well. I will see which shops my insurance recommends since they will guarantee those shops

yeah but the problem is that often insurance companies may not authorize oem parts... always the battle with f'ing insurance companies... we spend so much on insurance and they screw us when we need them

[Desertnate]

Don't most insurance companies stipulate the repairs must use OE (ie. car maker branded) or OEM (the guys who make the parts for the OE) parts for most of the critical parts? Mine does. I was under the impression this was done for safety reasons to prevent body shops from making repairs using cheap, unsafe parts either to enhance their profits or the insurance companies lowering their pay-outs

Recently when my wife's car was repaired after an accident, the body shop had to show the source of the parts and to repair the front end of her car and there were only a few things like the horn and some fasteners which were allowed to be non-OE/OEM.

[rooosh798]

Originally Posted by Desertnate

Don't most insurance companies stipulate the repairs must use OE (ie. car maker branded) or OEM (the guys who make the parts for the OE) parts for most of the critical parts? Mine does. I was under the impression this was done for safety reasons to prevent body shops from making repairs using cheap, unsafe parts either to enhance their profits or the insurance companies lowering their pay-outs

Recently when my wife's car was repaired after an accident, the body shop had to show the source of the parts and to repair the front end of her car and there were only a few things like the horn and some fasteners which were allowed to be non-OE/OEM.

[QUOTE=Desertnate;27288523]
Most insurance companies make you choose this when quoting out coverage. Depending on the vehicle (ie. it's a cheaper car or beater car) some people don't chose to opt in for this coverage. I know on my older Honda Accord we didn't choose this Bc the car is a beater and only I drive it.

[joesid]

Based on my experience the type of part used is more dependent on local legislation than the type of policy you have. In some states cars that are less than X months old get genuine OEM parts, as do leased cars.

[chiefneil]

I’ve only had one experience with a BMW CCRC and it was mixed. They did a good job but when we went to pick up the car, the rear bumper was obviously uneven. “Oh it’s just some clips they didn’t secure”, turned into me waiting an hour while they fixed it.

My experience with non-CCRCs has been solid, no complaints. So personally I’m comfortable going either way.

[428trollerface]

well, I d recommend certified body-shops if you do have full-coverage insurance.

[Boostedphil698]

I had 6 grand worth of body work done at BMW certified shop and I'd say it's worth it. BMW body work standards are really tight and I'd never let an uncertified shop work on my car. Bad body work is the worst.

[jsouth]

Make sure that, no matter who does the work, you get BMW parts. After a deer strike 3 years ago, my shop installed Taiwanese headlight assemblies.

Fast forward to 2.5 years later. I begin having left turn signal malfunction errors and fast blinking turn signal on that side. I attempted the fix of tweaking the contact blades in the socket. That fixed it for a while, then constant error messages. On my second attempt to tweak them, the socket separated on installation, with the bulb and half the socket falling into the housing and irretrievable.

I had to replace the headlight assembly completely, which was a good half day of work. I was able to find a used BMW headlight on eBay. I compared the BMW sockets with the Taiwanese ones and the BMW parts are tanks, while the Taiwanese ones are toys.

[heifetz17]

Be cautious, being a certified shop does not necessarily mean they perform correct repairs and follow OEM procedures every time. A reputable shop with a high rating holds more ground than having a certification. Be cautious about any shop you choose, and make sure to understand their repair plan and the parts they're putting on your car.

Any reputable shop will offer you a lifetime warranty for as long as you own the car. If your shop doesn't offer this, choose another shop.