[Elrond]

Whats that saying, "When it rains, it pours"! Ok, in the grand scheme of things its not bad but its annoying when you take care of your things but others don't.

Anyway, I needed to get one repair but now I need two. So I'm just looking for some advice on how to proceed especially insurance wise for the second.

First one:

Got back to my car after work one week and noticed, well, couldn't really miss, this scratch. I don't know when or who did it so I'll have to swallow the cost






I was thinking a company like Chips Away. Or should I go down another route?

Second one:

<Removed due to privacy>

Sorry for the long post. It's just that you don't seem to be able to have anything nice these days

[Abdul Karim]

If it was my car I would insist that a BMW approved body shop is used. You may find that once the cost is known, your man will want to use the insurance. It won't be cheap.

[Harryg]

So, insurance or not? The quotes I get may change his mind anyway so should I go to BMW or someone else? Is there a way I could kill two birds with one stone and get both repair at the same time but obviously with him only paying for what he did?

It looks by your post you don't know anyone in the trade to complete the repairs so I agree with the above poster regarding a BMW approved repairer Im sure they will complete both repairs and as mentioned above once the estimate is provided the guy responsible will want to go through his insurers also

[NotGotABimmer23]

The key mark will require respray, not a chip away style smart repair, as will the other damage. £750 ish per panel from bmw if another thread is anything to go by.

[dangerous_al]

Not sure where you are, but my wifes Fiesta (dark blue metallic) was hit by bin wagon at Christmas. I asked a friend of mine who works in a paint shop where to take it and he recommended a local firm. They did a great job, fully guaranteed and not expensive. Painted the rear bumper, offside rear quarter and blended the rear door - £480. Last week, a neighbour on our street reversed into it, same corner on rear bumper, this time no panel damage but broken fog light. £270, of which £35 is for the fog light. Just goes to show you don't have to pay through the nose for a decent repair job.

[Jeff123]

The above is a good point IMO. A good local body shop should be able to repair both areas of the car and blend it in reasonably well. If it’s an insurance job then they may let you use BMW, but their is no guarantee of this.

[Harryg]

Originally Posted by dangerous_al

Not sure where you are, but my wifes Fiesta (dark blue metallic) was hit by bin wagon at Christmas. I asked a friend of mine who works in a paint shop where to take it and he recommended a local firm. They did a great job, fully guaranteed and not expensive. Painted the rear bumper, offside rear quarter and blended the rear door - £480. Last week, a neighbour on our street reversed into it, same corner on rear bumper, this time no panel damage but broken fog light. £270, of which £35 is for the fog light. Just goes to show you don't have to pay through the nose for a decent repair job.

Excellent point and its true what they say

Its not what you know but who you know.

[djcowlin]

Bad luck. A new rear bumper from BMW will set you (or the insurance company) back about £1500.

[kzg1969]

you don't say whether you own the car or not - or how long you want to keep it.

Think I would just use a recommended approved body shop and not BMW one. £300 and he probably pays for it himself. More and its a full insurance job.

get your boot sprayed at the same time and its probably only another £100?

[Elrond]

Thanks for the replies.

To try and answer a couple of questions, I unfortunately don't know anyone in the trade and I'm near London Gatwick airport. The car is on PCP and this is planned to be a keeper.

I've spent today getting a couple of quotes. Chips Away have quoted £170 for the bumper and £205 for the boot. To which, several people have said that is very cheap. My problem is that I used them over 10 years ago and because they mixed the paint, after about a year, the paint on the area that was sprayed started to "watery" compared to the rest of the car. They may have improved though.

BMW have quoted £831 for the bumper and £440 (partial repair) or £608 (full re-spray) for the boot.

All prices include VAT.

Due to the fact that I plan on this car being a keeper, it only being a year old and the history I have with smart repairs, I pretty much want a proper repair. So I'm going to go the insurance route for the bumper and then plan the boot around that. I'm not 100% sure on the boot yet as in my head, because it is more defined edges, maybe a smart repair will be OK.

Insurance handles it all for me and I don't have the worry of making sure he pays me.

[454697819]

Originally Posted by Elrond

Thanks for the replies.

To try and answer a couple of questions, I unfortunately don't know anyone in the trade and I'm near London Gatwick airport. The car is on PCP and this is planned to be a keeper.

I've spent today getting a couple of quotes. Chips Away have quoted £170 for the bumper and £205 for the boot. To which, several people have said that is very cheap. My problem is that I used them over 10 years ago and because they mixed the paint, after about a year, the paint on the area that was sprayed started to "watery" compared to the rest of the car. They may have improved though.

BMW have quoted £831 for the bumper and £440 (partial repair) or £608 (full re-spray) for the boot.

All prices include VAT.

Due to the fact that I plan on this car being a keeper, it only being a year old and the history I have with smart repairs, I pretty much want a proper repair. So I'm going to go the insurance route for the bumper and then plan the boot around that. I'm not 100% sure on the boot yet as in my head, because it is more defined edges, maybe a smart repair will be OK.

Insurance handles it all for me and I don't have the worry of making sure he pays me.

if you get it into a body shop for the bumper and ask them to deal with the boot at the same time (not under the same ticket as that would be fraud) you may get a better rate as the back of the car will be apart anyway for the bumper re spray -

This is what I have done with mine and it worked out cheaper than sourcing separate repairs elsewhere.

All the best and hope its back to new again for you soon.

[kzg1969]

Originally Posted by Elrond

BMW have quoted £831 for the bumper and £440 (partial repair) or £608 (full re-spray) for the boot.

sound like you made your mind then!

Reminds me - I got a partial repair on my 325 back in 2001. Cut the lacquer off the bonnet, filled/painted a small bit damage and then resprayed with lacquer. You could not tell.

[Elrond]

Originally Posted by 454697819

if you get it into a body shop for the bumper and ask them to deal with the boot at the same time (not under the same ticket as that would be fraud) you may get a better rate as the back of the car will be apart anyway for the bumper re spray -

Thats what BMW have said they have done. If they actually have or haven't is anyones guess!

Originally Posted by kzg1969

sound like you made your mind then!

I'm sure a smart repairs have come a long way since I last used one but for peace of mind knowing proper paint rather than mixed is being used etc. I just decided on BMW. My insurance company did offer me a list of other places but I'm sure thats because they get "favourable" rates.

Just need the 3rd Part to not change their mind on what happened. If it comes to it, hopefully the CCTV on the lamppost about 5 meters away covers the whole junction.

[JustChris]

So sorry to see OP.

The 2nd one I've not read but see the diagram so assume it's an accident fair enough.

The 1st one is a proper keying job from some tosser dammit

[teaston]

Originally Posted by Elrond

Thanks for the replies.

To try and answer a couple of questions, I unfortunately don't know anyone in the trade and I'm near London Gatwick airport. The car is on PCP and this is planned to be a keeper.

I've spent today getting a couple of quotes. Chips Away have quoted £170 for the bumper and £205 for the boot. To which, several people have said that is very cheap. My problem is that I used them over 10 years ago and because they mixed the paint, after about a year, the paint on the area that was sprayed started to "watery" compared to the rest of the car. They may have improved though.

BMW have quoted £831 for the bumper and £440 (partial repair) or £608 (full re-spray) for the boot.

All prices include VAT.

Due to the fact that I plan on this car being a keeper, it only being a year old and the history I have with smart repairs, I pretty much want a proper repair. So I'm going to go the insurance route for the bumper and then plan the boot around that. I'm not 100% sure on the boot yet as in my head, because it is more defined edges, maybe a smart repair will be OK.

Insurance handles it all for me and I don't have the worry of making sure he pays me.

That sounds far too expensive for the bumper! I damaged mine worse than that and Cooper BMW bodyshop quoted £550 to repair and paint!

[Elrond]

Originally Posted by teaston

That sounds far too expensive for the bumper! I damaged mine worse than that and Cooper BMW bodyshop quoted £550 to repair and paint!

When the quoted, they knew it was going to go through insurance so I assume they weren't to bothered about giving their best price. They did also say the next day that there will probably be a bit of back and forth with the insurance company over cost so I assume it will come down.

On the subject of insurance, I have been asked by my insurance company to describe what he looks like should the other insurance company request that information. Is that normal?