Well I was in Belgium last week. Because I am so anal about my car and scared for other people to crash into it when parked, I had arranged a private parkingspot in an underground garage that wasn't too big... All week long everything went fine getting in and out the parking garage. I had to fiddle around a bit but in the end I got in and out without problems..

Untill the last day......

I was getting back in the underground garage to pick up my suitcases. While driving in the PDC started beeping wildly that an object was close to my right front of the car. Without thinking (but luckily going slowly) I steered to the left and a bright orange concrete pillar crashed in my door.... :'( :'( :'(

My mirror slammed in and when I looked to the left the only thing I could think was... ooooooowwww.... ssssshhhhh**********tttt....
I put the car in Reverse but it wouldn't come of the pillar.. Had to give it some throttle to get loose from the pillar..

I drove to my parkingspot got out of the car and the damage was unbelievable.. I didn't know a door was so fragile.. My complete door is dented in has nice orange paint on it and you can even see some structural safety features through the dents..

I haven't got a digital camera at the moment but I'll see if I can make some pictures for you guys (maybe with my wifes phone).

I'm of to the dealer to ask an estimation.. I think I need a complete new door..

good body shop will help it much better. my experience is that dealers are good in mechanics (sometimes) and spare parts but no good with paints and body work, simply they are not specialize in this.
You will need the outer metal of the door which should not be so expensive. this is the kind of damage where labor (work) will be more expensive than the parts. They will have to strip the doors (airbags, buttons, leather, window, handle). I give it a week in a shop :(

ohh, im so sorry to hear that. :'(

Took some pictures with my wifes phone... :'(

I agree with you peter.. But the bodyshop my dealer uses is the same bodyshop I always used with my previous cars (I know the owner of the bodyshop and he told me). I will claim it on my insurance anyway so I would rather have things worked out with my dealer (BMW loaner car + no warranty issues + pay 20% more hehe) then work things out with a bodyshop myself..

ahh, a very good body shop can fix this without changing any parts which is good since no cutting and welding will occure. Had this happed on my Passat. Make sure you get paint all over the left side of the car from front to back (including the back doors) otherwise the repaired door will have a sligtly different shade on the bright sun, which you do not want to have

I agree with you peter.. But the bodyshop my dealer uses is the same bodyshop I always used with my previous cars (I know the owner of the bodyshop and he told me). I will claim it on my insurance anyway so I would rather have things worked out with my dealer (BMW loaner car + no warranty issues + pay 20% more hehe) then work things out with a bodyshop myself..
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Oh ok, of course. I mean the body shop to actually do the job, the paper work can be done with dealer.... That is what the dealer is best at anyway :)

Sorry to hear about the damage.

We never pay much attention to the passenger side whether we are doing an evasive menouvre along the roads ar the carparks. Not much attention is ever paid to that particular part of the car. We are all guilty of this little lack of attention.

Anyway, hope all will be well soon.

ouch, that hurts :'(. sorry to hear your story. i always think that it's better to do everything by yourself then go through your dealer. they'll use this to hold against you by the time you do a trade-in :(.

That might be able to be fixed with a software upgrade...right? :P

Sorry about your mishap -- you'll be good as new before you know it!