Some crazy lady driver turned right from middle lane when I was driving in the right lane, and I fit her. I was going about 60, but I braked some before the impact, so I think I was going about 40-45. Both front airbags deployed (my wife was in the passenger seat), and car sustained some damage to the front.

Now, while this is freaking unfortunate, the damage doesn't look too bad. I mean, bumper, headlight and fender will be replaced, hood probably fixed, and I really don't see any damage to the internals/frame, but need to wait for the adjusters to look at it. the question is - why did the airbags deploy? I don't think the impact really warranted it. The only thing it did is mess up my dash and wasted two perfectly good airbag modules and set of pre-tensioners.

Finally, a related question - if has anyone had a similar damage, and maybe could share their experience/thoughts as to how serious do you think it is - I would really appreciate it.
Thanks!

 

Most important you and the wife is fine. It does not seem that bad to have the airbags deploy....

 

Id guess that the high speed nature of your crash is what triggered the airbags.
That hood wont be fixed, its alum, and replacing is better, think about $1000 for that alone.
The bumper, $5-700 painted and installed, but there are many additional pieces like the grill, foglights.
Behind the bumper, add another $500 or so for the alum bumper carrier
Headlight is about $200 a piece, id try to get them both replaced as you will get mismatching beams from 1 new and 1 older unit.

If the impact was hard enough, the engine mounts and rails could be tweaked, BMW has to fix this as most shops are not suited to properly fix it.

If the other party is clearly at fault, get the police report, and contact THEIR insurance. Only go to yours IF the other party gives you trouble. You should get an estimate at the best shop, and the other partys insruance will get an estimate as well. They should be similar in price as they use the same databases. Try to get the check cut directly to you. It depends on your state, but if the other partys insruance accepts that it was their policy holders fault, they can cut the check directly to you.

Good luck

 

I'm really surprised that caused your airbags to activate. Were you wearing your seat belts? I know that the airbags deploy under different circumstances depending if your seat belts are on or off.

 

I had a similar accident in my Volvo in December. I wrecked it in the snow and hit a barrier at about 35/40 mph, and the airbags went off. Terrible smoke/rancid smell from the airbags. Made my whole chest burn. Anyway, the damage didn't look too bad (about the same as yours: bumper, hood, one headlight), but the total cost to fix was just over $12k.

The airbags cost like $750 a piece just for the unit, then they have to buy an entirely new steering wheel and dash pad, repack them, do the electronics and sensors, etc. I think that the total repair bill just for the airbags was like $2500.

Glad you are OK. I always worried that if I was in an accident, the airbag would break my nose or something from the force, but it really wasn't that bad of an impact. I just wish the chemical cloud wasn't so toxic.

 

The supplemental restraint systems (air bags) did their job. Because the sensors that trigger their deployment are measuring forces to your car the impact was probably greater than you think and the car and safety systems prevented serious injury. Based on your photo's the front structure of your vehicle was probably pushed back several inches before it rebounded some.

The good news is you and wife weren't hurt. Cars can be repaired more easily than human can!

 

I will never understand why people - after an airbag safety system prevents serious injury - come back and second guess the airbags went off (almost with a hint of "I'm going to sue BMW because the airbags deployed"). It's not as if there has been a rash of airbag deployments.

Driver and passenger were unhurt and - at a speed of 45 mph - that certainly warrants an airbag deployment.

 

Actually from looking at the front damage, its not severe, so my guess is that he carrier took the brunt of the force. It did its job. IN order for the engine rails to be pushed back, the front carrier would have to be smashed at least 4". Regardless, get it measured.

 

From what I have read second had it will all depend on if that front frame was messed up. The aluminum frame in front that is epoxied to the body frame may total the car from what I have seen. Glad everyone was ok.

 

Exactly my thoughts. Nobody was hurt -- so what that the airbags deployed? Can you honestly say (or guess) that if the bags didn't deploy that nobody would have been injured? Put youself in the shoes of the engineer from BMW that programmed the logic behind the airbag deployment -- do you remain conservative as to when the bags deploy or do you deploy them more liberally to err on the side of caution and prevent injuries?

Glad you folks are alright -- let the insurance companies deal with the extra cost of replacing the airbag modules, etc. and just thank your lucky stars that that's all you have to complain about. (Ever wonder why these cars cost so much to insure? There's one of the answers right there...)