PLEASE HELP with Accident Repair Problems!

Clark Kent · 11-16-2009, 12:24 PM

Apologies for the long post...it's been a pretty long ordeal. I've had a really bad experience so far with the repairs on my accident and I'd appreciate any insight on what my best options are at this point. The car is an ’09 e90 335i with just 10k miles.

So I was involved in an accident 3 months ago (Aug. 22). I was in the center lane of a 3-lane freeway offramp. The right-most lane was a right turn only lane and the center lane could either go straight or turn right. As the first car in line at the red light, once the light turned green I turned right (continuing in my second lane from the right position) but the car in the right turn only lane decided to go straight (which she could not do) and ran into my car at the passenger side A-pillar (between the front passenger door and front right fender). The damage from the ~15mph accident ended up being quite extensive and the repairs have now come to $16,000+ and it's been 3 months of back and forth with the body shop. The driver who hit me accepted full responsibility (we also got a police report) and their insurance has agreed to cover all related expenses.

I swung by Pacific BMW which was near the location of the accident and they recommended DC Autocraft for the repairs, a shop that is certified by BMW, MB, Aston, Porsche, Rolls, Audi, etc, etc (definitely looked like a top notch place). I dropped off my car there and they suggested it would be a 4-6 week repair. Prefering to have the work done right and not just quickly, I was fine with that. After 2 months, the car was "ready" and I went to pick it up.

Pick-up Attempt #1: I inspected the car before even considering leaving the body shop and immediately noticed that the headliner (which they had removed and re-installed) was not lined up correctly at the front-passenger side with its adjoining moldings and there was a big greasy handprint on the headliner in another area (both really rookie mistakes but easily fixable). Also, while they replaced all parts involved in the accident with original OEM new parts, there were some other scratches on my rear quarter panel that they had promised to fix in along with this repair (unrelated to the accident). When I went to pick up the car, some of these scratches had been overlooked (not even touched). Needless to say, I didn't take my car that day but instead asked them to fix these overlooked mistakes and notify me when the repairs were complete.

Pick-up Attempt #2: After a week, I went back to the body shop to pick up the car. The items mentioned above were now fixed and all looked normal. It was a rainy night so I took the car and drove home. On the way home I realized that the car had a slight rattle every time I would start rolling from a stopped position (stop sign, etc). Also, a seat belt buckle was buried beneath the rear seat. FURTHERMORE, the comfort access sensor on the door they had replaced simply didn't work (the driver side and trunk sensors worked fine). The car had to be returned to the body shop again, now for the 3rd time.

Turns out the CA sensor had been damaged in the accident but neither DC Autocraft nor Pacific BMW (who re-set all the electronics) had thought to test the feature to make sure it was working (throughout this process, quality control has been practically non-existent). The car was sent back to the dealership to diagnose the problem and it was determined that the sensor had to be replaced. Apparently that's a custom ordered product for each VIN so it took 2 weeks to get the issue diagnosed, part delivered, repaired and back to the body shop.

Now back at the body shop, they were to look into the rattle that happened at start/stop and do an exterior detail. One week after they received the car back from the dealer (3 week turnaround on this 3rd repair period), I went to pick it up for the 3rd time (this past weekend).

Pick-up Attempt #3: The CA system worked fine and, before actually taking a test drive (stupidly), I signed off on the repair work with a verbal caveat that I was going to take the car around the block to check the rattle issue. I barely made it 50 yards out of the driveway before I made a U-turn back to the shop. The car was now rattling incessantly, not just from a start/stop. Any sort of crack/unevenness in the road causes my car to rattle – so much so that my friend nicknamed my car “Pop Secret” (a la the microwavable popcorn…that’s literally what my car sounds like from the inside when driving).

SO my question to you great minds is this: What’s my best remedy at this point? The resale value on this car is severely impacted, especially considering it’s practically a brand new car (just 9 months old at the time of the accident, 10K miles). Is there any chance I could lemon/total/somehow get this car off my hands with minimal loss? If not, what’s my best option for eliminating the rattles? Clearly the body shop is incapable of fixing this issue (they tried and the rattle increased instead of decreasing). Should I take it to a trusted BMW dealership service center and have them do a full inspection (as they do with a CPO) and bill the body shop for it? Is there any way I can talk with my insurance company to not pay the body shop in full for their work (because they sure as hell don’t deserve to get paid in full if they didn’t do the job correctly).

It’s been a huge headache and amazingly frustrating. I’ve been in and out of 4 rental cars since I’ve thought the car was ready to pick up 3 different times. I could go on, but I’ll cut it here assuming you guys get the picture. All tips / advice is MUCH appreciated!

Neutrino45 · 11-16-2009, 12:46 PM

Check it out.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/dc-autocraft-burbank

http://www.insiderpages.com/b/1500470805

Clark Kent · 11-16-2009, 12:50 PM

Thanks for the links. I'd seen the Yelp but not the insiderpages. All things considered, though, it's a bit late for reviews since I'm already 3 months deep in this mess. Admittedly I'll never recommend DC Autocraft to anyone else but for now I need to figure out the best remedy for my current situation...

ctgazer · 11-16-2009, 12:53 PM

why dont you ahve them try fixin it? take the mechanic for a drive, or even take the service advisor for a drive..

Clark Kent · 11-16-2009, 12:56 PM

"them" as in the body shop? or as in the dealer? I've allowed the body shop to try to fix it 3 times and it's still not fixed. Kinda start to doubt if it's worth giving them another chance after you've given them 3 already.

As for allowing the dealership a chance to fix it, I'm looking at that as my #1 choice right now (but open to other suggestions)

JayKay335i · 11-16-2009, 02:28 PM

That sucks the dealership scammed you.

3urger328i · 11-16-2009, 03:09 PM

Call me on my cell phone. I think I might have a solution for you. I have a body shop that's dealt with your kind of situation. You can bring the car there and let them deal with the insurance company along with whatever damage that DC AutoCraft has not repaired correctly. My cell number is 626.290.4951. I'm available 24/7

noro · 11-16-2009, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3urger328i

.... I'm available 24/7

Are you a cyborg?

cb1111 · 11-16-2009, 04:10 PM

This something that the insurance company needs to fix. Tell them that you want to take it to a different bodyshop and have them OK it - ask them to have an adjuster ride with you and verify the problem.

3urger328i · 11-16-2009, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noro

Are you a cyborg?

Maybe? My phone rings around the clock. Due to the job, I always have to be available. But, I am cyborg...

Clark Kent · 11-16-2009, 07:49 PM

Thanks for the tips guys. I'm going to be meeting with my adjustor tomorrow. 3urger, I'll give you a call in a bit when I get out of the office to get some of your thoughts as well...thanks for offering.

WILLIE92 · 11-16-2009, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3urger328i

Call me on my cell phone. I think I might have a solution for you. I have a body shop that's dealt with your kind of situation. You can bring the car there and let them deal with the insurance company along with whatever damage that DC AutoCraft has not repaired correctly. My cell number is 626.290.4951. I'm available 24/7

That what i love about LA!! everyones hustlin hustlin....

11-16-2009, 12:24 PM	#1
Clark Kent Private 6 Rep 89 Posts Drives: 335i Monaco, Oyster Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA iTrader: (0)	PLEASE HELP with Accident Repair Problems! Apologies for the long post...it's been a pretty long ordeal. I've had a really bad experience so far with the repairs on my accident and I'd appreciate any insight on what my best options are at this point. The car is an ’09 e90 335i with just 10k miles. So I was involved in an accident 3 months ago (Aug. 22). I was in the center lane of a 3-lane freeway offramp. The right-most lane was a right turn only lane and the center lane could either go straight or turn right. As the first car in line at the red light, once the light turned green I turned right (continuing in my second lane from the right position) but the car in the right turn only lane decided to go straight (which she could not do) and ran into my car at the passenger side A-pillar (between the front passenger door and front right fender). The damage from the ~15mph accident ended up being quite extensive and the repairs have now come to $16,000+ and it's been 3 months of back and forth with the body shop. The driver who hit me accepted full responsibility (we also got a police report) and their insurance has agreed to cover all related expenses. I swung by Pacific BMW which was near the location of the accident and they recommended DC Autocraft for the repairs, a shop that is certified by BMW, MB, Aston, Porsche, Rolls, Audi, etc, etc (definitely looked like a top notch place). I dropped off my car there and they suggested it would be a 4-6 week repair. Prefering to have the work done right and not just quickly, I was fine with that. After 2 months, the car was "ready" and I went to pick it up. Pick-up Attempt #1: I inspected the car before even considering leaving the body shop and immediately noticed that the headliner (which they had removed and re-installed) was not lined up correctly at the front-passenger side with its adjoining moldings and there was a big greasy handprint on the headliner in another area (both really rookie mistakes but easily fixable). Also, while they replaced all parts involved in the accident with original OEM new parts, there were some other scratches on my rear quarter panel that they had promised to fix in along with this repair (unrelated to the accident). When I went to pick up the car, some of these scratches had been overlooked (not even touched). Needless to say, I didn't take my car that day but instead asked them to fix these overlooked mistakes and notify me when the repairs were complete. Pick-up Attempt #2: After a week, I went back to the body shop to pick up the car. The items mentioned above were now fixed and all looked normal. It was a rainy night so I took the car and drove home. On the way home I realized that the car had a slight rattle every time I would start rolling from a stopped position (stop sign, etc). Also, a seat belt buckle was buried beneath the rear seat. FURTHERMORE, the comfort access sensor on the door they had replaced simply didn't work (the driver side and trunk sensors worked fine). The car had to be returned to the body shop again, now for the 3rd time. Turns out the CA sensor had been damaged in the accident but neither DC Autocraft nor Pacific BMW (who re-set all the electronics) had thought to test the feature to make sure it was working (throughout this process, quality control has been practically non-existent). The car was sent back to the dealership to diagnose the problem and it was determined that the sensor had to be replaced. Apparently that's a custom ordered product for each VIN so it took 2 weeks to get the issue diagnosed, part delivered, repaired and back to the body shop. Now back at the body shop, they were to look into the rattle that happened at start/stop and do an exterior detail. One week after they received the car back from the dealer (3 week turnaround on this 3rd repair period), I went to pick it up for the 3rd time (this past weekend). Pick-up Attempt #3: The CA system worked fine and, before actually taking a test drive (stupidly), I signed off on the repair work with a verbal caveat that I was going to take the car around the block to check the rattle issue. I barely made it 50 yards out of the driveway before I made a U-turn back to the shop. The car was now rattling incessantly, not just from a start/stop. Any sort of crack/unevenness in the road causes my car to rattle – so much so that my friend nicknamed my car “Pop Secret” (a la the microwavable popcorn…that’s literally what my car sounds like from the inside when driving). SO my question to you great minds is this: What’s my best remedy at this point? The resale value on this car is severely impacted, especially considering it’s practically a brand new car (just 9 months old at the time of the accident, 10K miles). Is there any chance I could lemon/total/somehow get this car off my hands with minimal loss? If not, what’s my best option for eliminating the rattles? Clearly the body shop is incapable of fixing this issue (they tried and the rattle increased instead of decreasing). Should I take it to a trusted BMW dealership service center and have them do a full inspection (as they do with a CPO) and bill the body shop for it? Is there any way I can talk with my insurance company to not pay the body shop in full for their work (because they sure as hell don’t deserve to get paid in full if they didn’t do the job correctly). It’s been a huge headache and amazingly frustrating. I’ve been in and out of 4 rental cars since I’ve thought the car was ready to pick up 3 different times. I could go on, but I’ll cut it here assuming you guys get the picture. All tips / advice is MUCH appreciated!
	Appreciate 0 Tweet Quote

11-16-2009, 12:46 PM	#2
Neutrino45 Major 62 Rep 1,452 Posts Drives: XXX Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: milky way iTrader: (2)	Check it out. http://www.yelp.com/biz/dc-autocraft-burbank http://www.insiderpages.com/b/1500470805 __________________
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-16-2009, 12:53 PM	#4
ctgazer Major General 383 Rep 7,952 Posts Drives: a dilapidated ride Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: canada eh! iTrader: (10) Garage List 2006 e90 [0.00]	why dont you ahve them try fixin it? take the mechanic for a drive, or even take the service advisor for a drive.. __________________
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-16-2009, 12:56 PM	#5
Clark Kent Private 6 Rep 89 Posts Drives: 335i Monaco, Oyster Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA iTrader: (0)	"them" as in the body shop? or as in the dealer? I've allowed the body shop to try to fix it 3 times and it's still not fixed. Kinda start to doubt if it's worth giving them another chance after you've given them 3 already. As for allowing the dealership a chance to fix it, I'm looking at that as my #1 choice right now (but open to other suggestions)
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-16-2009, 02:28 PM	#6
JayKay335i Banned 189 Rep 5,046 Posts Drives: ///M323 DCT Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: North Dakota; its best DUHHHHHH iTrader: (1)	That sucks the dealership scammed you.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-16-2009, 12:50 PM	#3
Clark Kent Private 6 Rep 89 Posts Drives: 335i Monaco, Oyster Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA iTrader: (0)	Thanks for the links. I'd seen the Yelp but not the insiderpages. All things considered, though, it's a bit late for reviews since I'm already 3 months deep in this mess. Admittedly I'll never recommend DC Autocraft to anyone else but for now I need to figure out the best remedy for my current situation...
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-16-2009, 03:09 PM	#7
3urger328i White E92 328i White on Black 31 Rep 282 Posts Drives: E92 328i White on Black Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: CA iTrader: (2)	Call me on my cell phone. I think I might have a solution for you. I have a body shop that's dealt with your kind of situation. You can bring the car there and let them deal with the insurance company along with whatever damage that DC AutoCraft has not repaired correctly. My cell number is 626.290.4951. I'm available 24/7 __________________ YOU COME FIRST AFTER ME, (If I had a 335...)
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-16-2009, 04:10 PM	#9
cb1111 I ask the questions you're afraid to ask. 44 Rep 2,489 Posts Drives: 335xi Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: DC iTrader: (2)	This something that the insurance company needs to fix. Tell them that you want to take it to a different bodyshop and have them OK it - ask them to have an adjuster ride with you and verify the problem.
	Appreciate 0 Quote

11-16-2009, 07:49 PM	#11
Clark Kent Private 6 Rep 89 Posts Drives: 335i Monaco, Oyster Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA iTrader: (0)	Thanks for the tips guys. I'm going to be meeting with my adjustor tomorrow. 3urger, I'll give you a call in a bit when I get out of the office to get some of your thoughts as well...thanks for offering.
	Appreciate 0 Quote