Got in an accident and need advice

[UlrichFennec]

So today, I got rear ended and pushed forward into another car thanks to someone not paying attention and riding my ass. I was proven to be not at fault, and her insurance will be covering the damages, which basically involved her car going underneath, pushing my spare tire well forward and cracking my bumper, crumpling my right rear fender and caving in my entire front end. Headlight assemblies were smashed, the grille was cracked and I can't close my hood unless I use much more effort.

I didn't take pictures because I was so shook up and stressed out, but I genuinely think it's not worth saving. The engine still ran fine as it did before with no stutters, smooth idle and whatnot, but thinking about potential suspension damage and more than likely frame damage makes me think I should just part it out and move on.

What should I do? I need advice on this, as this is the first accident I've ever been in. Insurance was already exchanged.

[kickinindian]

pics would go a long way in telling if its worth saving

[Exodus_2pt0]

Rear quarter crumpled? They will most likely total it on that alone. The bill on my B5 came to $2800 to repair the rear quarter, and that was just to straighten a 6 inch dent and repaint. Now that was at a shop that services Ferrari and such, but still, unibody is unibody. No bolting on a new panel.

Just make sure you get fair market value, buy it back if you want and drop your engine into a non running shell.


Also, see a doctor. I was rear ended by a drunk driver when I was 18, and felt fine. Let the insurance close the case, and sure enough a few months later started having neck pain. This stuck with me until I was 25 before it began to fade out.

[Das Delfin]

My advice? Buy a diving board car next time ;)

But seriously, most insurance companies will try to lowball you on your car's value. It's just a numbers game to them. Make a case for why your car is worth more than they think. And then buy it back because your top and interior are worth some money. You can sell your motor/tranny for 350 easily, probably closer to 500 with the service you've done.

I think your color is pretty rare so your doors and front fenders (if they're still in good shape) might be worth something too.

What helps me sleep at night driving an old bmw is that I've fixed so much stuff that if the car got in a wreck, I could just buy a beater for cheap and swap all the new parts over

[straight6pwr]

sucks! but the market on verts seems to be really good around here, so it may be a good opportunity to get into something else. they are selling for less than non-verts, thats for sure. with the prices lower, your insurance claim will end up closer to a replacement vehicle. not sure how the prices are there..

[Das Delfin]

sucks! but the market on verts seems to be really good around here, so it may be a good opportunity to get into something else. they are selling for less than non-verts, thats for sure. with the prices lower, your insurance claim will end up closer to a replacement vehicle. not sure how the prices are there..

OP, if your insurance does its job, you should get a claim worth just as much as a replacement vehicle, if not more. In '13, my insurance paid out 3600 on a MINT '95 e36 325i convertible I bought and then wrecked not two weeks later. I paid 2400 for the car. It might be a good idea to find examples of cars for sale just like yours and find their sale prices, to prep your case to your insurance company.

Getting a police report is generally a good idea because it will help the insurance company determine who is at-fault, though if you've already been declared not at-fault, it doesn't matter much now.

It may take the insurance companies a few weeks to resolve the case and send you a check, so I would start looking for a new car asap. Might I suggest a 325ix?

[101]

Like the others have said, your insurance company will likely total the car with damage at both ends..

Fight with the insurance company for the maximum value, and then buy the vehicle back and part it out.

Nice 'verts come up all the time, although there's more of a population of them with diving boards than plastic bumpers.

[spdracrm3]

crapola

dang sorry to hear about this after all the work you've put into it

dealing with the insurance sucks ,get a rental paid by the at faults insurance go thru the estimate process (you can demand your own shop if you have a favorite) find some comps and document all your recent work and upgrades and stand your ground as to its value.....i was fortunate with my IX as i had been making copies of every IX i saw on Ebay for the last 5 yrs that were comparable and handed that to the adjuster with a folder of receipts and told her your "not totaling it" of course it sounds like my damage was lighter and only in the rear but it was a $3800 repair bill very close to totaling it .
sounds like yours will be a case of getting max value out of insurance and if you have the time and place to do it, buy it back if there is enough good parts to put on another car

this is my biggest fear driving of my M3 around , inattentive drivers just suck and its only getting worse.....

[ThatOneEuroE30]

srsly

[phenobarb1]

I just went through this same process about a month ago. I can pretty much guarantee you that the insurance company is going to total the car, and probably make you an offer that seems ridiculously low. Like some of the other guys have said, you can fight this if you start documenting the sales prices of cars that were the same as yours. Even then, they might be very picky about what they consider comparable, in terms of the same year and mileage. When I went though this, they ended up doubling their offer, but it was really annoying. Again, like the other guys have said, it is probably worth it to buy back your car from the insurance company at the end of the deal.

[Nick_S]

If you have receipts for all the work you've done get those handy. I would fight for a fair value of the car and buy it back if you're planning on sticking with E30's.

[rcsoundn1]

my vert has doubled in value since I bought it, and I have not put that much into it. I hate stories like this because they make me want to keep mine in the garage. I am sorry for what happened. Buy it back at the least so it can be parted out.

[dereliiict]

I have worked on all sides of this industry. From being an insurance adjuster to being an auto body shop estimator to actually working on the cars.

PM me specific questions and I can answer them accurately. I have a decade of experience and some of the above comments have truth, but most are speculation.

Also, as far as repairable goes, it does not matter if it has unibody damage or not as these things are easily repairable.

I crashed my 91 last year into a freeway wall and buckled the front frame rails. A trip to the junkyard for a front clip, negotiation with my adjuster, and a week at the shop, she was good as new with a clean title.

[allen_t]

Sorry to hear!

I was just in an accident about a month ago in my e30. Guy didnt yield turning left on a green light and tboned me as I went straight through a green light.

I'm gonna assume that the car is totalled. My entire rear quarter area was pushed in and they estimated damages at about $6500.

Insurance initially offered me a low number for the car. I explained to them that these cars are becoming collector items and KBB or trade in values do not represent what these cars are worth and what they are selling for. I sent them about 20 sold ebay listings for e30s similar to mine within the past few months. Cars sold ranged from 7kto15k for engine swapped e30s.

They ended up offering an amount way above the first offer that I was happy with. They also only took back $100 for me to buy the car back, which I am currently parting out.

[jeffnhiscars]

Sorry to hear!

I was just in an accident about a month ago in my e30. Guy didnt yield turning left on a green light and tboned me as I went straight through a green light.

I'm gonna assume that the car is totalled. My entire rear quarter area was pushed in and they estimated damages at about $6500.

Insurance initially offered me a low number for the car. I explained to them that these cars are becoming collector items and KBB or trade in values do not represent what these cars are worth and what they are selling for. I sent them about 20 sold ebay listings for e30s similar to mine within the past few months. Cars sold ranged from 7kto15k for engine swapped e30s.

They ended up offering an amount way above the first offer that I was happy with. They also only took back $100 for me to buy the car back, which I am currently parting out.

This ^