Z4 vs F150

Hi All,

(Pictures included)
2009 Z4 sDrive 35i

I was heading eastbound at approximately 50km/h and a Ford F150 was going north out of a small street (with a stop sign) and he didn't see me. I braked when I saw about a quarter of his truck in my lane but was unable to stop in time. Fortunately no one was hurt and the other driver's insurance will be claiming full liability. I want to make sure that my car is fully fixed, and that I won't be taking a big ding on resale value later on.I have a few questions regarding the crash and I hope that some of you can offer some insights. The top was down when the accident occurred.

1. As you can see, the impact is on the front right and doesn't seem catastrophic. However, I've noticed that the center storage console does not open as it seems to be stuck. The fuel door is also popped open and unable to close. It seems like the frame of the car has twisted and things don't fit anymore. What needs to be done to fix this?

2. In your experience, what are the key things I need to watch out for to know that the car is properly fixed?

3. Any suggestions on how to negotiate with the insurance company?

4. How much of an impact to resale do you think this would be?

5. If you have a recommended autoshop in Vancouver, Canada, please let me know!

Thanks for your time and I hope all of you will have a fun and safe weekend.

Jack

You need to make sure the frame is measured and not shifted at all. They can be straightened. Insist on OEM parts and find a place thats acceptable to you. The generally have a list of auto body places. Talk to them and find out which one you feel better about.

Originally Posted by Romer

You need to make sure the frame is measured and not shifted at all. They can be straightened. Insist on OEM parts and find a place thats acceptable to you. The generally have a list of auto body places. Talk to them and find out which one you feel better about.

Take the vehicle to a frame and axle shop and have them verify that the frame is not damaged. Also the fact that the fuel door is stuck indicates that frame damage is likely.

Make sure the vehicle is driving straight with no pulling from side to side.
As far as residual. in Florida USA you have only 14 days to file a claim on the residual loss due to the accident. You need an attorney for this likely.

Make sure that all the seams on the car are uniform. the opening at the top should match that at the bottom and from to back. I usually use a ball bearing to test with.

Hoppe that it works out for your.

Good advice from both Romer and RufusKing above. I once worked in a body shop that specialized in repairing high-end cars and I can attest to the fact that they can be repaired and they can be repaired to a point that you would never know that they had been wrecked. However, that doesn't mean that they will be worth what they would have been worth had they not been wrecked. I think you definitely need to talk to your insurance agent and find out about laws in your state that will allow you to claim the diminished value of your car. Also, after the repair has been completed you may want to have somebody else drive your car and you follow along in another car immediately behind it and as you follow look at the car as it rolls down the road and make sure it doesn't have any odd behavior or looks. Sometimes you can't tell if you are driving it, but it may have that diamond effect where it looks like it is riding kind of side-saddle.

Hi All,

Really appreciate your inputs! I've found a body shop that specializes in high-end cars, and I'll bring the points that you guys have mentioned to them.

Does anyone want to give me a guesstimate on the residual loss/diminished value might be?

Thanks!
Jack