[AZ135i]

So the dealer called me today and informed me someone merged Into my car while a tech was on a test drive. Anyone have experience with this? It wasn't the techs fault and the other driver was cited, but now my car will have an accident on the carfax and it's worth jack.

[ShocknAwe]

Your car will retain it's value well if it's repaired by a certified BMW collision center. If not, you're right, it's going to take a huge hit in value.

[gtron]

wow. that effing sucks. i'm curious to see how this plays out.

[DanG]

Most states have diminish value claims. Besides the repairs you can get a check for having an accident on you car fax. Your dealer should help you with the diminished value claim by at least giving you a written estimate of what your car was worth before and after the accident.

[davis449]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

Your car will retain it's value well if it's repaired by a certified BMW collision center. If not, you're right, it's going to take a huge hit in value.

It will take a hit in value. The only way it won't is if he sells privately, explains what happened, how it was repaired, and the buyer still pays what he asks. Either that or you negotiate like hell at trade-in time. Hell this is one of the reasons I am in this 135i I have now. I knew how bad I was going to take a hit on trade if I decided to trade in my former Audi next year with depreciation and the bad Carfax that was coming with it. I hit a pole in a parking garage with that car about 8 mos. after I bought it. I took it the the VERY best body shop here in SA at the time. They did a STELLAR job. You would never know it had incurred $2K worth of damage. The paint match was PERFECT. It didn't matter, the Carfax was a 1 accident...lucky for me, I still came out up in the whole deal and now someone here on this forum is the lucky owner of my former pristine 2011 Audi A3 APR K04'd Quattro with ~40K miles.

[KingOfJericho]

My Lotus was in two accidents and only one ever made it to Carfax. I also know that some paint work was done on my S4 by the prior owner and that carfax is perfectly clean. This is a very minor accident. It might benefit you and BMW if you go to the shop directly and get a quote then have the dealer cut you a check. You could then take a shot in the dark and ask the shop not to report it.

You're talking about this like it's going to have a salvage title... it's just a dent (the wheel will be replaced).

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by davis449

The only way it won't is if he sells privately, explains what happened, how it was repaired, and the buyer still pays what he asks.

Use of a BMW Certified Collision repair center absolutely does mitigate loss of value in an accident. Mitigate, not negate. I don't know if Audi has a similar program, but well, BMW does, so owners of this brand should take advantage of it. Your experience with a different make of car doesn't count, sorry.

For the OP:
http://content.bmwusa.com/microsite/.../docs/CCRC.pdf

[AZ135i]

Thanks for the info everyone. I am going by tomorrow to look at it in person and see what they want to do. I'll keep you all updated.

[davis449]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

Use of a BMW Certified Collision repair center absolutely does mitigate loss of value in an accident. Mitigate, not negate. I don't know if Audi has a similar program, but well, BMW does, so owners of this brand should take advantage of it. Your experience with a different make of car doesn't count, sorry.

For the OP:
http://content.bmwusa.com/microsite/.../docs/CCRC.pdf

Yeah, when it comes down to numbers time, he'll find out whether or not it even mitigates it. A bad Carfax is a bad Carfax. You also utterly FAILED to take into account whether or not he's going to even trade it to another BMW dealership in the future. How much value another dealership of the same or different brand places on that program you linked is completely subjective, sorry.

[2011CrazE89]

Wow sorry to hear. Puts you in a good position to negotiate with them. I would certainly try and get something out of the situation.

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by davis449

Yeah, when it comes down to numbers time, he'll find out whether or not it even mitigates it. A bad Carfax is a bad Carfax. You also utterly FAILED to take into account whether or not he's going to even trade it to another BMW dealership in the future. How much value another dealership of the same or different brand places on that program you linked is completely subjective, sorry.

I'm not sure why you are so upset about this, or preoccupied with CarFax. Carfax is not the end all be all, most companies and repair facilities don't even report. The fact is here, if he doesn't want the fender bender to show up on Carfax, that's fairly easy to do. Not nice, but easy.

Independent mechanical inspection and records are what will really matter down the road. If the car was properly repaired and has full documentation from a certified facility, it will absolutely be worth more than if it were not. That is not subjective.

Go have a beer man, you need one.

[fujitashi]

You could then take a shot in the dark and ask the shop not to report it.

[newoldbeemer]

Ask for a good tradein price and buy a new car!

[gtron]

Originally Posted by newoldbeemer

Ask for a good tradein price and buy a new car!

i kinda like this idea. hit them when they're sorry about it. kind of like "you want to make it better? well i want a new car and it better be a helluva deal!" type of thing.

they won't care about you in a week from now so you have to hit them while it's hot and fresh.

[Red Bread]

My previous M Coupe was rear ended three times and when I sold it, I disclosed that. The buyer ran a CarFax and it did not have any accident claims. All repairs were done at a BMW body shop.

Now, when I buy used cars, I take a paint thickness gauge and can tell where there's any repair work in a matter of seconds, I would guess most dealers do the same. You can tell where there's been paint blending and any body filler very easily.

[Ruggernaut]

Had this happen to me back in the 80s with a Mitsubishi van.
The dealer called to say that they damaged my car and would be doing a change of collateral on my loan for a new one. Got a brand new replacement. They fixed the one that was damaged and sold it as used.
The good old day.

[AZ135i]

Spoke with the dealer today. They said they are fixing the car at a certified bmw body shop. Any compensation will be collected from the other drivers insurance since they were at fault. Waiting on the full police report. Seems they are fixing and getting it ready for me as soon as they can. I spoke to a lawyer today. He said dealer isn't at fault and to make sure I'm happy after the repair from the body shop. I can claim depreciation from the insurance company but I'll have to prove what it was worth before the accident and now after it. So I should be able to claim a couple grand from this in the end hopefully.

[AlpineV8]

How bad is the damage? Pay out of pocket at another shop and keep it off Carfax.

[boogie1]

talk to dealers i know some dont disclose that info to car fax , agree to that pre hand.maybe diff is insurance involved

[DanG]

Car fax report is if the damage is above a certain percent of cars value. I am not sure of the percent but I think it is 10%.

[fujitashi]

This is a very minor accident. It might benefit you and BMW if you go to the shop directly and get a quote then have the dealer cut you a check.

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

My previous M Coupe was rear ended three times and when I sold it, I disclosed that. The buyer ran a CarFax and it did not have any accident claims. All repairs were done at a BMW body shop.

Now, when I buy used cars, I take a paint thickness gauge and can tell where there's any repair work in a matter of seconds, I would guess most dealers do the same. You can tell where there's been paint blending and any body filler very easily.

+1

My old Infiniti was side swiped and I went through all the proper channels (filed police report, insurance claim, etc) and it never showed up on the Carfax. However when it was time for trade-in, some of the "high end" dealerships took a paint thickness gauge, tapping each panel of the car and immediately identified the areas that had been repainted.

OP - go to a BMW Certified Collision Center and while you're at it, ask for some free Performance Parts, installed free of charge lol.

Originally Posted by fujitashi

This is a very minor accident. It might benefit you and BMW if you go to the shop directly and get a quote then have the dealer cut you a check.

Agreed, if you haven't filed the insurance yet then it might be worth getting a quote directly and have them pay for it directly. No insurance, no record, no hit on value. But I would still try to get some CF Performance parts lmao.