Look at the Damage to my 320i ... how much to fix?

Gandalf23

OK, so I was happily driving along the M7 yesterday and a lorry bumps me from behind denting my rear driverside panel and scraping my bumper and rear light cluster.

You can see the damage and the blue paint he left in the photo.




He has admitted full liability. I'm getting a quote from the garage where I bought the car on Monday. The car is a 06 BMW 320i with about 30k on the clock.

So, just wondering if the car can be restored EXACTLY to its original condition? And how much will this likely cost?


Sorry for being a drama queen over a little bump, but I want my car back to she way she was.

Stevie Dakota

Tough break, I recently had a wing and bumper redone, not too dissimilar from that, it came in under €900. It was done by a top notch place (BMW), and while excellent job you can still tell (the colour match, silver, is 99% correct), so be prepared for that possibility, although blue is an easier match.

Gandalf23

Yeah, I was a bit pissed off alright.

The car is black btw ... the lorry bumper was blue and you can see where he left some blue paint where he hit me.

Darragh29

Prob around 900-1400 Euro, depending on where ya go...

Gandalf23

I'll be going back to the authorized BMW dealership where I bought the car.

Can the car be restored back to the way it was? I dont want an atom of filler or any other quick fixes ...

peasant

Any chance of downsizing that picture a little?

It's mahoossive

Gandalf23

peasant wrote: »

Any chance of downsizing that picture a little?

It's mahoossive

How do I do that?

Or alternatively, as an all powerful mod can you do it for me?

EDIT: Cheers for that Peasant!

Darragh29

Gandalf23 wrote: »

I'll be going back to the authorized BMW dealership where I bought the car.

Can the car be restored back to the way it was? I dont want an atom of filler or any other quick fixes ...

Oh right, add a 1-2 thousand Euro to the above figures then...

Gandalf23

Darragh29 wrote: »

Oh right, add a 1-2 thousand Euro to the above figures then...

:eek:

Really?

Anan1

Gandalf23 wrote: »

I'll be going back to the authorized BMW dealership where I bought the car.

Can the car be restored back to the way it was? I dont want an atom of filler or any other quick fixes ...

If you want the best possible job done then I wouldn't recommend a BMW dealership. I made the mistake of bringing my mother's 320d to Maxwell (the supplying dealership) for similar repairs. Monkies.

peasant

Gandalf23 wrote: »

How do I do that?

Or alternatively, as an all powerful mod can you do it for me?

Done ...please feel free (i.e. obliged) to donate a small sum to the Santa Strike Force in return

Redsoxfan

Dennings in Tallaght/Spa Well ftw.

Very professional and efficient.

green-blood

Another vote for Dennings. Top crowd.

Oh and when its done, drop over and I'll polish all those horrendous swirl marks out of your paint and wax the thing, how have you been washing it... please dont tell me in the brush wash

hobochris

If the other party is at fault, then take it to your dealership and get them to check everything, just a bumper and panel change might not be all that is required to get it back to the way it was, tell the dealer to leave no stone unturned.

Darragh29

hobochris wrote: »

If the other party is at fault, then take it to your dealership and get them to check everything, just a bumper and panel change might not be all that is required to get it back to the way it was, tell the dealer to leave no stone unturned.

Yeah, and then wait for Karma to come back around in the next 24 months!

I wouldn't be going to a main dealer with this... In any event, main dealers are sub contracting out this work now, it usually won't be done in a main dealer even if that is where you bring your car to!

robtri

Gandalf23 wrote: »

I'll be going back to the authorized BMW dealership where I bought the car.

Can the car be restored back to the way it was? I dont want an atom of filler or any other quick fixes ...

Fillers are not quick fixes, if done correctly to manufacturers standards. Once the panle has been panel beated back to as close to original caondition as possible, a layer of "filler" has to be applied and then sanded back, before the panel can be sprayed. This is the only way the panel can appear as original as possible. Trying to panel beat this back to perfection with the use of any compunds is virtually impossible.

Looking at the damage, I would say to do the job as best as possible, replace the rear lamp, remove and repair the rear bumper and re-spray in full so no blending marks on plastic ( which sometimes can come back to haunt you in a few years). rear 1/4 panel needs to be panel beaten and re-painted with blending. I would estimate the cost to be around the €900 to €1,000 euro mark for a top job.

Gandalf23

peasant wrote: »

Done ...please feel free (i.e. obliged) to donate a small sum to the Santa Strike Force in return

Will do! Can I use a Laser card?

Gandalf23

green-blood wrote: »

Oh and when its done, drop over and I'll polish all those horrendous swirl marks out of your paint and wax the thing, how have you been washing it... please dont tell me in the brush wash

It was like that when I bought it ... previous owner brush washed it.

Do you have a wash/wax place? I'd be interested in getting rid of the swirls ... is this possible? PM me please!!!

Gandalf23

hobochris wrote: »

If the other party is at fault, then take it to your dealership and get them to check everything, just a bumper and panel change might not be all that is required to get it back to the way it was, tell the dealer to leave no stone unturned.

I'm definitely going to do this. I just want the car to be back to the way it was yesterday morning.

robtri wrote: »

Fillers are not quick fixes, if done correctly to manufacturers standards. Once the panle has been panel beated back to as close to original caondition as possible, a layer of "filler" has to be applied and then sanded back, before the panel can be sprayed. This is the only way the panel can appear as original as possible. Trying to panel beat this back to perfection with the use of any compunds is virtually impossible.

Looking at the damage, I would say to do the job as best as possible, replace the rear lamp, remove and repair the rear bumper and re-spray in full so no blending marks on plastic ( which sometimes can come back to haunt you in a few years). rear 1/4 panel needs to be panel beaten and re-painted with blending. I would estimate the cost to be around the €900 to €1,000 euro mark for a top job.

Thanks for the reply.

I didnt know that about filler ... very interesting!

So do you think it'll be possible to get the car back to original condition (no loss in resail value)?

Is there anything else I should be looking out for?

hobochris

If a panel can be replaced such as a side panel etc... insist on it. I wouldn't settle for anything less then perfect. In other cases you may have to settle for filler.

bostoncommon

hobochris wrote: »

If a panel can be replaced such as a side panel etc... insist on it. I wouldn't settle for anything less then perfect. In other cases you may have to settle for filler.

If you replace the qtr panel it will destroy the car it will look like it had alot more damage than it really has. Its not that bad. Dont make the car look like it has a bad history. Save the photos of the damage for when you are trading it in. You will have to disclose previous repair to the garage. If you have the photos they will be able to see that it really wasnt bad.

Darsad

hobochris wrote: »

If a panel can be replaced such as a side panel etc... insist on it. I wouldn't settle for anything less then perfect. In other cases you may have to settle for filler.

Thats a little bit heavy handed !