Bumper damaged while parked - what would you do?

I don't know those. But get estimates from them. Then get estimates from someone YOU want to work with. Most body shops will reduce their prices to the insurance prices just so they get your business.

Also have the adjuster look at your car at the body shop YOU want to use. A lot of times the bodyshop has influence.

When my car got hit, years ago, and the bumper was torn off I first went to the bodyshop (friend of my brother). He told me to have the insurance guy come to his place. The guy came there and not only did the insurance company authorize the work there but I didn't pay a deductible (the bodyshop gave me a break on that). The work was superb.

The problem is that I don't know which I want to use. You were recommending to pick one not based on price but on the quality of the work done in one of your earlier posts and that made sense.

So I called all three of them quickly. All sound professional. Edit: They all wanna see the car before giving estimates too but the way.

Seemingly NYX Auto Tech Auto Express is the biggest BMW Manhattan parts customer, does a ton of work for them and is also the biggest GEICO partner-shop in the North-East. The contact person there took the time to explain everything and given the volume of repair they do, I suppose they know what they are doing.

Edit: I am set to go in to see NYX Auto Tech. The adjuster will be there.

My good friend owns autotech.
He has the highest quality paints and equipment.
They do a ton of work and make sure it is done well.
If it is convenient for you then leave it there and have them do it, I don't think you would find better for this small of a job.

Great to read. Thanks.

Good to see this ended correctly. I remember when I had to deal with this type of situation. Some guy and his family were driving down Boylston near Shreve Crump and Low, and I was parked in front of a Volvo, the guy choked on his coffee, passed out, and slammed into the volvo, which bumped my bumper leaving a nasty mark. Freak accident. I got back to the car after running an errand w/ the s.o., and I see the mess, it was odd. I gave the family a ride to the hsptl where they took the husband, who was fine afterward. The wife kept telling me her insurance would take care of my bumper, but not to mention anything about him passing out.

So then I called her insurance agent, and the lady said "They said it was just a small mark, and Dat's what bumpa's is for." I got nowhere w/ her. So I called my insurance, told the entire story, and they got me a new bumper and my patient's body shop did the work. I got my deductable back also. I don't like dealing w/ other people's insurance companies now. I saw that neopolitan had a very similar issue w/ dealing w/ the other insurance company as well.

For some bloody reason, people think bumpers are actually for BUMPING. I want my car looking new, and I take immaculate care of it. Idiots. Anyways, glad to see another fellow bumper damage person got the right treatment at the end of the day. You are now prepped to join the 'new rear bumper after having a b*tch of a time w/ the faulty party' club. the NRBAHABOATWTFPC club. Say it fast. FASTER.

Originally Posted by 330ximd

Good to see this ended correctly. I remember when I had to deal with this type of situation. Some guy and his family were driving down Boylston near Shreve Crump and Low, and I was parked in front of a Volvo, the guy choked on his coffee, passed out, and slammed into the volvo, which bumped my bumper leaving a nasty mark. Freak accident. I got back to the car after running an errand w/ the s.o., and I see the mess, it was odd. I gave the family a ride to the hsptl where they took the husband, who was fine afterward. The wife kept telling me her insurance would take care of my bumper, but not to mention anything about him passing out.

So then I called her insurance agent, and the lady said "They said it was just a small mark, and Dat's what bumpa's is for." I got nowhere w/ her. So I called my insurance, told the entire story, and they got me a new bumper and my patient's body shop did the work. I got my deductable back also. I don't like dealing w/ other people's insurance companies now. I saw that neopolitan had a very similar issue w/ dealing w/ the other insurance company as well.

For some bloody reason, people think bumpers are actually for BUMPING. I want my car looking new, and I take immaculate care of it. Idiots. Anyways, glad to see another fellow bumper damage person got the right treatment at the end of the day. You are now prepped to join the 'new rear bumper after having a b*tch of a time w/ the faulty party' club. the NRBAHABOATWTFPC club. Say it fast. FASTER.

What a story!

For you to get a new bumper from your insurance, you had to to 1) file a claim, correct? 2) also didn't your adjuster balk at replacing the bumper since it was just a "small" mark?


I am now in a similar position since her insurance adjuster says there is no need to replace to bumper, it can be repaired and it will be as new. The body shop agrees.

Originally Posted by v12

The problem is that I don't know which I want to use. You were recommending to pick one not based on price but on the quality of the work done in one of your earlier posts and that made sense.

So I called all three of them quickly. All sound professional. Edit: They all wanna see the car before giving estimates too but the way.

Seemingly NYX Auto Tech Auto Express is the biggest BMW Manhattan parts customer, does a ton of work for them and is also the biggest GEICO partner-shop in the North-East. The contact person there took the time to explain everything and given the volume of repair they do, I suppose they know what they are doing.

Edit: I am set to go in to see NYX Auto Tech. The adjuster will be there.

You could always check the intarweb to see what people say of these places (if anything at all) and also check the BBB of NY.

Originally Posted by 330ximd

So then I called her insurance agent, and the lady said "They said it was just a small mark, and Dat's what bumpa's is for."

"Yes and I have my ambulance chasing lawyer on speed dial, sueing is what he's for. Now give me your manager."

The problem with suing is that even in the case of 330ximd and mine, the defendant will bring in an expert witness to explain, the car doesn't need a new bumper to be restored to its pre-accident/ incident condition, that a repair would be indiscernable from a bumper change and would cost less.

The body shop told me that I would not necessarily win a small claim court case against her if I want a brand new bumper and for her to pay the difference between its cost and what her insurance company adjuster deemed necessary to repair it instead.

It's also more aggravation, money and time wasted for me.
The punishment satisfaction payout is reduced in this light now that it would seem I may be perceived as a capricious plaintiff and may not win.

Her insurance adjuster estimated $600 to repair it.

Note: Apparently the shop hourly labor rate is much (like 50%) cheaper when an insurance company is paying as opposed to me getting the same estimate for the same work at the same shop if I am paying out of pocket.

Originally Posted by v12

Note: Apparently the shop hourly labor rate is much (like 50%) cheaper when an insurance company is paying as opposed to me getting the same estimate for the same work at the same shop if I am paying out of pocket.

Slight caveat - the price they quoted you is pre-negotiation. They give you a higher price but they know if they want the work they have to concede to the insurance company and reduce the higher price. So even if you didn't have an insurance company you could say "listen 1200 is way too much, I will give you XYZ. If you want it here yuo go". Most likely they will say they want it because who doesn't want extra work?

Right, this is where the adjuster estimate is a starting point/ useful.

In fact, besides disliking the requirement of having to leave to car with them for 48 hours (parked off-site while the bumper is being repaired!), this is another reason why I didn't leave the car right away and just took the estimate: so I could see what my options are.

Auto Tech I went to seems great but I cannot tell whether a BMW Service location doing the work on site instead of out-sourcing it would yield even better results.

I spoke to Hassel in Freeport, NY last week and they sounded good. The work is done on premises and they are "BMW certified", whatever that means.

I'll go back to Hassel today and show the adjuster estimate to hear what they say.

Originally Posted by v12

Right, this is where the adjuster estimate is a starting point/ useful.

In fact, besides disliking the requirement of having to leave to car with them for 48 hours (parked off-site while the bumper is being repaired!), this is another reason why I didn't leave the car right away and just took the estimate: so I could see what my options are.

Auto Tech I went to seems great but I cannot tell whether a BMW Service location doing the work on site instead of out-sourcing it would yield even better results.

I spoke to Hassel in Freeport, NY last week and they sounded good. The work is done on premises and they are "BMW certified", whatever that means.

I'll go back to Hassel today and show the adjuster estimate to hear what they say.

My body shop is owned by a patient of mine, he found damage underneath the bumper from the hit that deemed it replaceable...then there was when I went to a hockey game, and came back to see that somone had jumped on the hood of every car in my row, including mine...not good. I learned to go to the body shop first, and my patient went to the adjustor himself, and was able to get what I wanted w/ my car, which was difficult for just me to do. V12, if you have a trusted body shop, and have a good rapport w/ them, I advise you to go through them, and let them deal w/ the insurance...I have to say w/out a good relationship w/ my body shop, I would have been shorted by insurance.

Thanks for the clarification. You already had someone to go to. That's quite handy though I don't have anyone.

Spoke with Hassel this morning and they sounded like you do: they'd deal with the insurance. They explained they have particular tie to any insurance company therefore no incentive to recommend the cheapest fix.

My car has no structural damage fortunately and I am going to take it to them for them to look at it at the end of the week.

Sorry-but the PO investigating an auto accident such as this (and this meets my state's definition of an accident since it involves damage as a result of a vehicle or its load) may involve a bit more work but the way you were treated seems a bit unfair. You have the second vehicle there, you can confirm the damage (protruding screws matched location of holes in your car, paint transfer, proximity of cars). How would the PD handle a hit-and-run? Say the other car has left the scene so--oh well?

I'd follow up with the civil accident form. This was an accident and you suffered a financial harm as a result of the operation of another driver and his vehicle.

If you need to--do the small claims route. Save the pictures of the license plate and start documenting ALL of your actions related to this matter. Write a statement now and keep a copy of the police report (or lack thereof).

Good luck...

The problem with the Civilan Accident Form (MV-104) is that it would need to be signed by Driver 1 (causing the damage), that's the woman.

I forgot to ask her to during my last encounter with her but I don't think she would have signed it anyway given she didn't even want to hand over her insurance info until the PO confirmed I had the right to see it.

Can that form be filed by driver 2 (the victim of driver 1 vehicule operating)?

In either case, will this go on her driver license record besides her insurance record?

The insurance company won't be reporting this to the DMV from what I was told.



Thank you easyshopnh. I see it's your first post so it would seem you registered so you can respond. Very thankful and welcome to the Forums.

What would I do?

1. Get an estimate in writing.

2. File the police report

3. File a claim in small claims court against the person.

4. REFRAIN from filing a claim with your insurance. As you said, it's hardly worth getting them involved to cover $400 of a $900 claim.

Already pointed in out .. looking at the damages on the car, good luck getting a new bumper. As I also pointed out, when you get the insurance company involved, everything involved is at a cost cutting rate including that "OEM" bumper replacement everyone told you would be coming.

Don't know what the limit is in NY but in CA any type of property damage over $750 needs to reported to DMV. My guess is that the amount is about the same in NY, so this "accident"at $600 stays off her driving record even though her insurance company is paying for the repairs.