S**t, fender bender!

[LivingLegend06]

I got into a small accident where I rear ended the car in front of me and I'm going to need to replace the radiator core support. The entire impact was above my front bumper so the frame is perfect, I am just going to have to replace the hood and core support. Since I've got an m42 the radiator is still plenty far away from the fan and the car is perfectly drive able.

for the next 7 days I have access to a shop and no school so I'm looking at fully repairing this myself. I went and scoured the junkyard yesterday and got myself my light housings, grilles and hood, now I just need a radiator core support and a new steering wheel(airbag deployed, wtf?) and possibly a late model front valence.

Drilling the spot welds out of a junkyard car core support sucks so I'm looking for more options. The dealer is going to want a ton for a new factory part so I'm looking for an after market core support or one that has been very nicely removed by one of you (hopefully locally). Somebody help me out.

Sorry for the lack of pictures, the severity of the accident was just about this same as this guys http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/show...r+core+support

My fenders are untouched except for tearing out the first hole that the inner fender mounts to (perfectly symmetrical damage right to left), the damage to the inner fenders are very slightly pulled in from the core support bending but can be bent straight again.

This happened at the worst absolute time for me too, I was on the way back from the bank with cash in hand for my 5spd e34 m30 parts car. fixing my car is not the project that I had planned for this week :(


Any input/advice/parts would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Alex

[Van Westervelt]

Why did you hit them? If you couldn't stop with an m42 up front, maybe you should rethink the m30 idea.

[LivingLegend06]

That blows. Why did you hit them? If you couldn't stop with an m42 up front, maybe you should rethink the m30 idea.

Driver error. I was rolling up on everyone as the light turned green and they all started moving, I look away at something happening off to the side of the road and when I look back half a second later everyone is stopped and I was just too slow on the brakes. I have nobody to blame but myself. I'm just glad things are not worse. The other car (a 1999 Lexus es) came out with barely a scratch.

[bimmer_E30]

Driver error. I was rolling up on everyone as the light turned green and they all started moving, I look away at something happening off to the side of the road and when I look back half a second later everyone is stopped and I was just too slow on the brakes. I have nobody to blame but myself. I'm just glad things are not worse. The other car (a 1999 Lexus es) came out with barely a scratch.

shit happened to me last year, well almost, did the work with amechanic freind and my self , also u could just pull the raddi support and u will be fine.

[smonkbmw]

why not claim it on insurance? worse case they total it out, buy it back, fix it and spend the rest on a massive brake kit! lmao

[bimmer_E30]

why not claim it on insurance? worse case they total it out, buy it back, fix it and spend the rest on a massive brake kit! lmao

dont make fun of him , u never know that someday it will happen to you.

[LivingLegend06]

why not claim it on insurance? worse case they total it out, buy it back, fix it and spend the rest on a massive brake kit! lmao

My coverage is liability only.

[Madhatter]

just on the wrecking yard, they will cut the entire front end off the car starting back past the front panel, so you can take it home and unpick it with a drill bit at your leisure.

Try aftermarket panel suppliers too, you will be surprised, front panel for my E21 from the dealer was only $700, aftermarket, it is 1/3rd the price.

[AlpineIS]

At least you are ok, everything else is repairable. I remember seeing a new, original radiator support a couple weeks ago on eBay. I just checked and it is still available:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BMW-E30-3-Series-Front-Panel-Radiator-Support_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6763QQihZ011QQitemZ320230551823QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

I don't think this is something someone would snatch up. If I were you I would contact the seller and maybe they could set up a Buy it now option for you.

Good luck.

[LivingLegend06]

anyone heard of "auto parts train"? seems suspiciously cheap. real oem quotes the price at $476.53 for oem, is this replacement part going to be 1/7th the quality for 1/7th the price?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000E4J7VA/ref=nosim/

[Erik]

Driver error. I was rolling up on everyone as the light turned green and they all started moving, I look away at something happening off to the side of the road and when I look back half a second later everyone is stopped and I was just too slow on the brakes. I have nobody to blame but myself. I'm just glad things are not worse. The other car (a 1999 Lexus es) came out with barely a scratch.

That's exactly how I hit someone. I've only hit two cars, BOTH of which were BMWs...

[Van Westervelt]

anyone heard of "auto parts train"?

I always stay away from "trains." ;)

[Ral]

Driver error. I was rolling up on everyone as the light turned green and they all started moving, I look away at something happening off to the side of the road and when I look back half a second later everyone is stopped and I was just too slow on the brakes. I have nobody to blame but myself. I'm just glad things are not worse. The other car (a 1999 Lexus es) came out with barely a scratch.

this (sorta) happened to me a few weeks ago in AZ. I didn't hit someone, but this 2003 M3 started staring at my M3 and lovetapped the car in front of him. I've certainly had my fair share of close calls as well...

[kway]

If you just want to get by temporarily you can pull it out with a HEAVY slide hammer. I hit a deer last spring and was able to pull mine out pretty well with a 13lb'er I bought from Harbor Freight (don't even try with the little 3-5 pound dent pullers, it won't move).

Still rocking it as-is (only paid $750 for the car, so new rad. support doesn't make economic sense) and no one ever notices unless I tell them. I don't have before and after pics, but it was about as bad as the pics from the link above. I did another hack job on my 318i parts car which was worse. I didn't really care how it looked, didn't matter. I just needed it drivable temporarily.
I have pics of that one here:

http://mye28.com/viewtopic.php?p=341883#341883

[gearheadE30]

There's a guy on ebay named Reggie Stewart, his store is reggie's motorworks (search for RMW). He's a great guy and I think he actually has a core support for sale now for $120 or something. Not sure how shipping would go, though.