My Z3 car door got pranged Friday evening

stiffy · 09-04-2007, 05:45 PM

My car door got pranged Friday evening - a guy backing out of another parking spot got the driver's door with his CTS. I got back to my car about 5 minutes later, and the guy had the decency to wait around. I took it to Budds collision today - the repair bill, all in, is $2450! They have to get a new door, do the paint etc. The good news is that the guy will take car of it himself. I think he felt like crap, and has been very apologetic. It'll be better than new once they get done, I guess. It was hard to be mad at the guy, I mean, shat happens. I almost couldn't drive it this weekend - I hate driving damaged goods - but finally gave in - it was too nice this weekend to not take it out. It should be all repaired by Friday. Oh well...

Darkness95m3 · 09-04-2007, 05:58 PM

Props for the Cadillac owner.

PS sorry to hear.

***Gamite*** · 09-04-2007, 06:11 PM

what do you mean he's gonna take care of it? He's gonna take it to his own body shop?

stiffy · 09-04-2007, 06:13 PM

No - it's getting repaired at Budd's - I wouldn't even think about letting anyone other than a BMW dealer body shop touch it. What I meant was he's paying for the repair - he prefered to not put it through insurance. Works for me.

StikiGreenZ · 09-04-2007, 06:24 PM

I'd rather get a shop of my choice to fix it than a dealership.

Dealership body work sucks 80% of the time... very few dealership body shops do work as good as the independants.

stiffy · 09-04-2007, 06:38 PM

The way I figured it, an independent might try to repair rather than replace - and that wouldn't cut it with me. I did think that Budd's would simply re-skin the door, but apparently BMW doesn't offer skins - only the full door. Not having experience dealing with bodywork (fortunately), I decided the dealer was the place to go. I also figured that Budds works on BMW's, Jag's, Land Rovers etc. - a bunch of high-end stuff, so should know what they're doing. I hope...

Marky_mark · 09-04-2007, 06:48 PM

The body shop the your taking your car to is a good body shop its owned by Budds and if they work on high end cars then the have to be a good body shop all you have to tell them is your very picky and you want your car to look like it did before it got damaged.
Sorry to hear about the sad news on your Z3

M3ti Compact · 09-04-2007, 06:57 PM

$2400 for that little damage is absolutely insane, I really wonder why the guy agreed to pay that out of pocket. You are getting way overcharged, and letting someone else foot the bill anyways.

rendered · 09-04-2007, 07:07 PM

Get another qoute from European autobody! that seems really high!

stiffy · 09-04-2007, 07:11 PM

As far as being overcharged - perhaps, but I'd rather take it to Budds rather than another body shop, just so it's done to BMW spec. I'm sure the independents are all very good, but these guys specialize in BMW's and other high-end cars. Even though someone else is paying, I did try to see about lowering the price - I do feel bad that the guy will be out of pocket that much.

Thanks Mark - I guess I'll have to get you to do another polish job to make the new door match the rest, after you made it look so good. One of my friends should be contacting you soon to get their cars done - if there aren't too many maybe you could do the Z3 at the same time. Email me when they contact you - they're around the corner from me.

rendered · 09-04-2007, 07:14 PM

All european autobody does is Maranello BMW, BMW mississauga, and Ferrari of Ontario cars! all high end as well.

stiffy · 09-04-2007, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rendered

Get another qoute from European autobody! that seems really high!

I honestly never thought of European Autobody - I suppose if I had posted this over the weekend that might have been an option. At the end of the day, Budd's is very close, and they've already ordered the door. Next time, hoping it will be by choice rather than need, I'll consider other options.

***Gamite*** · 09-04-2007, 07:21 PM

european autobody is the best. But guys it doesn't matter, he's getting the whole door replaced, which is better than any bodyshop, even european. And he's not paying for it.

Darkness95m3 · 09-04-2007, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stiffy

No - it's getting repaired at Budd's - I wouldn't even think about letting anyone other than a BMW dealer body shop touch it. What I meant was he's paying for the repair - he prefered to not put it through insurance. Works for me.

Budd's what can I say.
Make sure you check everything out when you pick up your car.
I had to go back 4 times with mine, finally just gave up.
For a BMW dealership they lack one thing "Service after the SALE"

stiffy · 09-05-2007, 08:29 AM

Thanks for the heads up - I'll be sure to go over it with a fine-toothed comb to make sure it's perfect. I'm hoping that since it's a new door, and all they have to do is paint and re-assemble it, it should be relatively trouble-free.