Somebody driving a Honda Civic ran a red light and t-boned my wife driving my 08 550 sport on the passenger side yesterday. Wife is doing ok, just bruised on her sides and shoulder from the impact. Car did a great job of absorbing the impact.

Passenger airbag deployed. Police cited the man at fault for running the red light. He has Geico insurance and I have Progressive. Filed the claim and just waiting on the police report, etc.

Everybody that has seen the pics says it will be totaled out. If it is fixable, will it drive the same due to damage to the frame? Wanted to reach out to the board to see if they had any insights, advice, etc.

Would hate to see my car totaled. Actually purchased this from another member on this board.







Car Specs
2008 550 Sport
57k miles
Excellent Condition
CARBON BLACK METALLIC
NATURAL BROWN DAKOTA LEATHER
COLD WEATHER PACKAGE
SPORT PACKAGE

 

It will depend on the repair cost as a percentage of the book value of the car. My guess is that it won't be totaled, but I'm no expert.

Don't let Geico talk you into using aftermarket parts and make sure you are the one that determines where it will be fixed.

So sorry to hear of your misfortune, but hopefully she wasn't hurt.

 

Hi Sorry to read about your crash


Im a panel beater. The damage to your car is not so bad and easily fixed
But it will be totaled if you want new parts.
I can see your airbags has deployed as well.


Its simple
If you are happpy to have used parts fitted including used doors lower sill and center pillar sections and used airbags, it can be fixed


but if you want all new parts then you will be looking for a new car

 

GEICO will fight hard to use non-BMW parts where available. They will claim they are exact replacements and say they give you a lifetime warranty. But, if it fits badly and looks like crap, who cares about a warranty.

 

short answers:

-yes, likely an economic total loss. It's really going to depend on severity of damage to rocker panel, right A and B pillars.
-you do not have a 'frame'. you have a hybrid steel/aluminum monocoque. there is a huge difference.

I'm a field appraiser for a major insurance company. between myself and E60Japanese, we can probably answer any questions that you may have. feel free to post up any you may have.

good luck.

 

Thanks for the clarification about the frame.

That's awful.

I definitely do not want used parts especially since we were not at fault for this accident. New BMW parts only.

 

Wife's X5 was rear ended a couple years ago. The other car was insured by Geico and they didn't want to use a BMW rear bumper cover. The repair shop ended up trying two different non-BMW parts and I complained each time about the fit and they ended up with a real BMW bumper cover and the fit difference is clear.

 

 

I wanted to add a little to what Kyle has said about car repairs.


There is no use me telling you something you want to hear aboutcar repairs but I will always tell you the truth.





Side collisions are the worst you can have to a car.


The entire car bends like a banana


If you look on the other side of your car I could nearly promiseyou that the door gaps have changed even if it is slight, and you may even feelthe doors sticking a little to the door strikers when you open them.





When repairing your car, it will need to be fitted to a rack tocheck the measurements of your towers and suspension mounts to ensure it is squareagain





But when a car is hit in the side it tends to keep pulling back tothe banana shape often as a lot of metal is under stress when it’s beingrepaired.





Not only is the damaged pulled sideways but at the same time thecar has to be pushed forward and backward to stretch it back to its correctshape and correct gaps.





On your car from the pictures you posted. The lower sill isdamaged so your floor is damaged and your center pillar





The center pillar may be repairable but hard to tell from thepictures.





Your front door pillar may also be damaged from the door passingits normal fitting position and being twisted around when the door went intoyour car





the roof may also have slight damage from the look of how far thepillar is pushed in and your top door window frame has popped out.





There is no way an insurance company will repair your car with allNEW original parts.





But it could be repaired using original used BMW parts.





Even if the car needs a sill and center pillar and two doors, usedBMW parts are fine.





If your repairer is good they can fix it will have used parts noproblem, without any non BMW parts.





But in my opinion from the pictures.


The cost of repairs will be too great.


The insurance company will look at how much they will have to payyou out less the salvage cost compared to the price of repair.





The otter alternative insurance companies give a repairer is afixed price repair.





for example,


Your car is $6,000 to repair


The insurance company says to the repairer


the maximum we can pay for the car to be repaired is $5,000


the repairer says Okay I’ll do it for $5,000





I think it will be totaled


but please ask me or Kyle as we are glad to give you our opinionson what the insurance company and repairer tell you

 

Thanks so much for the in-depth response E60Japanese . Waiting on Geico to perform the vehicle inspection now. Hopefully it happens today and they put us in a rental since we are now carless.