I had an unfortunate accident yesterday that caused body damage to both my 525i and my Z4. I left my 5er in gear and it went up my driveway and ultimately scraped the side of my Z4 that was parked in the garage. I know, not one of the brightest things I've done. I have $250 deductibles on both vehicles and I plan to make insurance claims on both vehicles since the damage will likely be in the $2k (USD) neighborhood for each vehicle. I called State Farm and they told me that my rates will not go up as a result.
My question is:
Should I get both cars repaired by the BMW dealership or just go to XYZ place that State Farm recommends? The mom-and-pop place they recommended is less than a mile from my house and State Farm DOES NOT require that one of their adjusters is present for the estimate since this place is "approved" by them. They'll also pick-up my car and drop it off at my house when they're done. Essentially, this place is MUCH more convenient. The BMW dealership with a body shop is about 30 miles from my house and the State Farm adjuster must be present at the time of the estimate and it sounds like transportation to and from is on my dime. So, are all body shops the same? Is it really that big of a deal to do with the dealer versus the local place? Both will use BMW parts and both claim to be able to match the paint easily.