# I got crunched tonight



## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

Sorry to hear about that, man. I'm glad that everyone is safe.


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## TXE39 (Oct 2, 2003)

For sure in TX it would be 100% your fault. Unfortunately this is what happened the day my room mate drove my Defender 90. Same exact situation (sans cops with guns drawn). In my limited experience with these situations I'd take the car to your trusty BMW service center and beg them to do whatever they can to talk the adjuster into totaling the car. TRUST me, you don't want it back.


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## operknockity (Apr 19, 2002)

LA525iT said:


> Go to Crayford Coachworks in Marina Del Rey. 2 brothers Peter and Sean who do an amazing job and know Bimmers really, really well (look around what they are working on, last time I saw a few Z3s, E46s and E38s). They are expensive but do PERFECT work.


Thanks for all the info here and offline! Based on several recommendations, I've called Crayford and made arrangements with them to bring the carcass up to their shop this afternoon.


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## operknockity (Apr 19, 2002)

TXE39 said:


> In my limited experience with these situations I'd take the car to your trusty BMW service center and beg them to do whatever they can to talk the adjuster into totaling the car. TRUST me, you don't want it back.


Based on one person that I trust, Crayford brought his car back from the dead and did such a good job that he know abuses said car on the track regularly with no problems. His was much closer to being totalled than mine is.

My first car was rear-ended and sustained much worse visible damage, including a wheel sheared off at the axle and the frame was noticeably out of alignment, and the insurance company would not total it. Since my current car is still driveable, I don't think I'll be able to get it totalled. I don't have a good enough relationship with my dealer to be able to ask them to work the adjuster in to totalling it either.


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## SONET (Mar 1, 2002)

phrider said:


> Talk to (even if you don't use) Mike Gregorian at CMS Collision in North Hollywood. Via PM, I've sent you details on how to reach him easily.


Nice guy on the phone, and very excited about BMWs but beware that this guy stood me up twice. Maybe it was just a bad time for him, but it screwed me up pretty good (I drove it back to LA twice for this guy and it held the repair up two weeks). I'm sure he does a nice job, but I had to chase him down on the phone and he never even called me back once (even after he stood me up). :thumbdwn:

--SONET


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## LA525iT (Oct 27, 2003)

operknockity said:


> Thanks for all the info here and offline! Based on several recommendations, I've called Crayford and made arrangements with them to bring the carcass up to their shop this afternoon.


My house is about 150 yards from Crayford. If were home this afternoon, I'd invite you over for a condolence beer. Just tell them the guy with the 525 TiaG Touring from around the corner says hi.

By the way, I should add they were great with dealing with difficult insurance reps and adjusters...


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## RKT BMR (Sep 7, 2002)

Raffi said:


> doeboy said:
> 
> 
> > _
> ...


_Yeah, me too, Howard. Hang in there, buddy..._


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## operknockity (Apr 19, 2002)

LA525iT said:


> My house is about 150 yards from Crayford. If were home this afternoon, I'd invite you over for a condolence beer.


 Since this might turn out to be a long process to get the car repaired, you might still get the chance. Though for now I'm staying away from anything except the meds I'm already on and an occaisional aspirin... don't want to mask any symptoms of physical injury that might show up over the next few days.



> Just tell them the guy with the 525 TiaG Touring from around the corner says hi.


 Have they repaired your car often or do you like to hang around at their shop and car talk with them;-)? They already recognized by name the other guy that also recommended them.



> By the way, I should add they were great with dealing with difficult insurance reps and adjusters...


 Good to hear. I don't know how difficult the insurance company is gonna be since this will be my first claim with them since switching to them more than 10 years ago.


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## 16hr Day (Apr 17, 2004)

I guess I am late to the party, but Brown Bros. on Robertson south of Pico is an outstanding shop. Not cheap, but I only take my cars there. Their work is first rate :thumbup:


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## operknockity (Apr 19, 2002)

While driving the car up to the shop I noticed a few more things... The whole dash seems to have been pushed a bit to the left, the portion of the center console under the shifter and window controls has been pushed to the left, there is something in the roof that rattles when I open/close the moon-roof cover. Worst of all, the car does not drive straight. I had to keep the steering wheel about 10 degrees to the left to keep the car going straight.

When I asked for a quick number just to get an idea of how bad it is, the off-the-cuff number was 10-15K, but of course they have to start tearing in to the car to look for hidden damage. There is even a not-to-remote chance that it will ultimately be totalled.


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## operknockity (Apr 19, 2002)

Hmmmm. The thought just struck.... Wouldn't it be oh so serendipitous to be one of the O'fest M3 Raffle winners this year? I'm crossing all of my crossable appendages.


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## operknockity (Apr 19, 2002)

RKT BMR said:


> Yeah, me too, Howard. Hang in there, buddy...[/i]


 Thanks RKT and all the others I haven't yet individually recognized!


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

operknockity said:


> Hmmmm. The thought just struck.... Wouldn't it be oh so serendipitous to be one of the O'fest M3 Raffle winners this year? I'm crossing all of my crossable appendages.


If so, then this would sort of be a blessing in disguise in a way I guess? sorta? :dunno:

Good luck with the raffle too.


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## SergioK (Aug 14, 2002)

LA525iT said:


> By the way, I should add they were great with dealing with difficult insurance reps and adjusters...


 :thumbup: 
That's the sticking point of any good repair shop since _*all * _ insurance companies will lowball any repair job and try to skimp on the repair costs.


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## LA525iT (Oct 27, 2003)

operknockity said:


> Have they repaired your car often or do you like to hang around at their shop and car talk with them;-)? They already recognized by name the other guy that also recommended them.


Well...

(1) Accident 1: Idiot Albertson's protester (during strike) runs red at hits me in front of Albertson's/Cosco on Washington Blvd. Crayford fixes car perfectly

(2) Accident 2: Hit my own garage door slightly (just scratched bumper where dog had already scratched jumping in back of Touring) and they repaint and put invisible bra over bumper skin to protect from further dog scratching.


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## operknockity (Apr 19, 2002)

LA525iT said:


> Well...
> 
> (1) Accident 1:...
> 
> (2) Accident 2: ...


Ahhhhh. A repeat customer  . If I'm over there just chewing the fat with them perhaps I'll mention your car and see what their reaction is  .


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## operknockity (Apr 19, 2002)

doeboy said:


> If so, then this would sort of be a blessing in disguise in a way I guess? sorta? :dunno:
> 
> Good luck with the raffle too.


I'm not sure you could call this a blessing, in disguise or otherwise. Maybe an omen or something else a bit more macabre. But winning one of the M3s would certainly go a long way to cheering me up. I'd still have to deal with the aftermath of the current situation which is certainly not on my list of really fun things to do.


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## LA525iT (Oct 27, 2003)

SergioK said:


> :thumbup:
> That's the sticking point of any good repair shop since _*all * _ insurance companies will lowball any repair job and try to skimp on the repair costs.


Oh yeah, my insurance company (AMEX) wanted to repair by front bumper which was gouged. There was no way and the bodyshop fought to get me a new OEM bumper.


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

operknockity said:


> I'm not sure you could call this a blessing, in disguise or otherwise. Maybe an omen or something else a bit more macabre. But winning one of the M3s would certainly go a long way to cheering me up. I'd still have to deal with the aftermath of the current situation which is certainly not on my list of really fun things to do.


Yeah I guess so.... bad choice of words I guess. I was trying to find a silver lining in a dark cloud. Nothing can really be good about this... but yes... winning the M3 certainly would help. Good luck to you.


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## operknockity (Apr 19, 2002)

I've put up a web page with pictures of the damage. The URL is http://web.newsguy.com/operknockity/crunched/crunched.html.
(Note... This web page should be considered temporary. If I do move the page to another server, I'll post a new URL at that time).


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