What to do when your friends steal your m3, wreck it and then don't pay?

Happening right now to a friend of mine.

What kind of low life does this?

http://forums.somethingawful.com/sho...readid=1841794

EDIT: Updates on page 3, 5



"Hey man, I took your car last night while you were passed out, we were coming around a corner, the sprinklers were on... It was wet... I wrecked your ride man..."

"Lol, ok man, thats too bad..."

"No really, Im being 100% serious right now..."

....

This is the first conversation I had this morning. Fun. The guy who took my car sideways is a friend of a friend. We were all down in Orlando last night for a weekend off. My "real friend" decided that it was a good idea to take the key from out of my pants pockets, that I was still wearing when I passed out, give it to this dude, and drive it like they stole it, literally. They were just going up to the store to get some stuff. Oh and did I mention, the girl that was with them had her car there, they could have easily just taken her car (she rode with them in my car instead).

Apparently, they were coming around a corner, he was in first, and he gave it to much throttle. They took it sideways and then spun it 180 style right into a curb and got up ONTO the curb. In my slammed M3. Yes, a slammed M3, with 3 people in it, on a curb. These guys see how I drive my car, and think its easy to drive. This guys driving experience includes his "suped" up civic. This was to much machine for him.

After my obligatory verbal ass raping of these two idiots, phone calls were made, police reports were filed, and about 2 hours later, my car is on a tow truck on its way back up to Jax.

These guys know how much I LOVE my car. It's "my baby". I was just telling them about the CSL trunk I ordered, the rims Im looking at getting, etc... I think this type of dis-respect is beyond forgivable. I don't know how they have the nerve to do something like this.

From what I could see, damage includes:

-bent control arm
-driver side rear shock destroyed
-driver side rear quarter panel needs to be replaced
-rear bumper needs to be replaced
-front bumper is in decent shape, but might need to be replaced
-driver side side skirt needs to be replaced
-both driver side rims need to be replaced

I couldnt get a good look at the front driver side shock assembly, and some other key areas, but most likely theres more damage hidden in there.

My baby's hurt.

http://www.thevirtualvoid.com/m3_wreck/DSC00410.JPG
http://www.thevirtualvoid.com/m3_wreck/DSC00411.JPG
http://www.thevirtualvoid.com/m3_wreck/DSC00412.JPG
http://www.thevirtualvoid.com/m3_wreck/Dsc00413e.jpg
http://www.thevirtualvoid.com/m3_wreck/DSC00414.JPG
http://www.thevirtualvoid.com/m3_wreck/Dsc00415e.jpg

UPDATE:

Ok, my head is spinning, and Im sick to my stomach. Im at a loss of words. Since this happened, I have received nothing but bad news. So here's the latest:

If you read my previous update, youd know that the attorney I decided to hire coincidentally knows the family of the kid who wrecked my car. So therefore he will not be taking my case. However, he said he would call them and advise them to not **** around, pay the damages, and get on with it. The attorney called me earlier after having spoke with them and basically he told me that the family hinted at the following:

1. They are going to completely deny taking my car without my permission. They will outright lie, and say I gave them my permission. There is no police report stating it was taken w/o my permission because the cop did not give me that option. I insisted multiple time that he write this in his report, but he refused.

So, in their minds, this is now a civil case. Therefore:

2. "Sure, go after our 21 y/o son with little to no monthly income and no assests. Get a judgement against him, great, to bad your not getting a ****ing penny" is basically what they told the attorney.


In regards to 1, I have the officer who witnessed both guys admitting taking my car w/o my persmission. I am going to call him tomorrow, and see what he has to say. I also have a 3rd mutual friend (who is actually a good friend) who did not witness the wreck or the police statement, but did witness both of the guilty parties admitting to him that they took my car without my permission. This guy will most likely come through for me, not 100% sure on that yet.

In regards to 2, I dont know what to say. Great I can garnish his wages. Ill recoupe my loss in what, 10 years? lol.

So now, I have 3 options, and I have to pick 2 of them: claim it on my insurance, sue them, or pay for it out of pocket.

So I can either claim it on my insurance, then sue him. Or I can pay for it out of pocket, then sue him. If I JUST sue him, my car is not going to be fixed for a VERY LONG TIME. I have to either pay for it out of pocket or claim it THEN sue him. Either way, this will cost me money. Assuming I can successfully press criminal charges, that may speed things up a little, but who knows.

Im so ****in pissed right now, I dont know what to do.


Also, I received one estimate for body repair ONLY (minus the wheels and tires). No structural repairs (suspension, etc...). That estimate totaled $3,563.30. I can easily see another $5,000.00 estimate to cover the rest of the items (2 rims and 4 tires alone is ~$3,000.00).