[uucdigest] Tuesday, August 26 2003 Volume 03 : Number 6698
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Advice sought... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 19:59:16 -0700 From: jkerouac <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: re: [uuc] Someone hit my BMW! Advice sought: re: [uuc] Someone hit my BMW! Advice sought... Since I live in the same area, and have been through this in the recent past, there are two avenues to follow. You can follow both without impeding your progress with the other: File small claims against the person who hit you. Not their insurance company. The at fault driver will get their insurance involved instantly once they are served with your suit, since the money will otherwise come out of their pocket. Since no lawyers are allowed in CA small claims, and your amounts are within their limits, you will come out ahead. Particularly in the Palo Alto court which you'll be filing in, where I saw a ruling in the favor of person who an insurance company was trying to cut short on a similar situation. Include the cost of rentals, lost work, $0.35/ per mile for the extra driving, and other material expenses. Seems Stanford European, both for reputation and their proximity to the courthouse, has a lot of local big wigs for customers. So an estimate from them may carry more credibility than a general body shop. You also increase your chances by obtaining estimates from several other shops. You could get a nice ones from Evelyn's and Dunn's both in Mountain View. Second, file with the state insurance comission against Farmers. By past experience, I learned you can not be required to go to the adjustor. Bringing your car to an on-site insurance adjusting office is like walking into the closing room at a car dealer. Never do it. These all too frequent slimeballs parading in the name of reputable insurance adjustors all play the same game, and once you've filed your complaints and suits, you'll come out way ahead. They know that very few ever file, many take the first offer as if they had no other option. So once you file, that itself may get you your money in full. Btw, do you have collision on your //M? If so and its not your fault, file with your own company. They will pay at realistic cost to repair, minus your deductible, and subrogate against the at fault party. Then you get a surprise check in the mail months later reimbursing your the deductible amount. In California, if you can get them to insure you, AAA gives good service on these types of claims. Be absolutely sure that the claims report indicates that you were not at fault. On mine it initially did not, and I had to clear that issue at renewal time or my premiums would have been higher. Good Luck, 'jk '97 //M3, Cal. AAA insured with full collison. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 21:02:00 -0700 From: Harvey Chao <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: RE>[uuc] Someone hit my BMW! Advice sought... Ever hear this one before?: "Insurance companies are in the business of COLLECTING money, and not in paying it out!" Applies to auto insurance as well as medical insurance (guess how I know, - first two guesses don't count!). If you are eligible for USAA, that's the ticket to take! Harvey ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 21:13:50 -0700 From: "Polands" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Re: after mkt cat for e28 535i Randy I second the reference for Steve DeGerolamo. He markets the DEC cats and stands behind them. I have been through several cats prior to the DEC, and am beginning to believe that the DEC product is somehow more robust than some others. Of course any of them are not going to stand up to physical impact, except possibly the factory version which is double shelled I believe. DEC happened to send me one that was ratling after 3 days, so it was obviously no good from the start, and Steve D. arranged for an immediate replacement, with no hassle what so-ever. Perhaps I should be quiet about the excellent response I had from DEC after I clunked my second one with a large rock, let's just say they understand what customer service is! This last one is on it's second year and I expect many more out of it. Note that the factory cat has 2pipes in and 2 pipes out, with no restricting Y in the piping. Many replacements will have a Y. One reason I like the DEC is that while their standard 535 model has a "Y" fore and aft, the tail of the Y is proportional to the cross section of the 2 entering pipes, unlike what you may get with some no-name models. This consistent cross sectional area allows the exhaust system to work efficiently without the hissing and extreme backpressure of a restriction that you'll get if you have one without this enlarged leg in the Y. It is interesting that apparently DEC issues a double cat set-up for the M5. It might be interesting for you to talk to Steve D. and/or DEC to see if it would work to use the M5 set up. Could be even better flow. Steve Poland '88 535is 234,000miles Portland, OR - ----------------- Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 05:47:13 -0600 From: "r.mackrill" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] after mkt cat for e28 535i Need to replace the catalytic converter on the daily driver. Looking at either BMP or Bav Auto. Any recommendations... Randy ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 21:38:15 -0700 From: "Scott & Charlotte Miller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Re: Someone hit my BMW! Advice sought... John, generally I recommend that you go to your own insurance company. They are more inclined to make everything right for you, since you are their customer. Then let them go after the insurer of the party at fault. The tactics that the at-fault's insurer are using may not be legal, so find out what your legal rights are too. Also, I usually qualify this by saying that the laws may be different in your state. But we're in the same state. The one with the expensive, unnecessary recall election that has become a three ring circus. Or more like a 135 ring circus. Scott Miller GGC BMW CCA >Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 17:12:36 -0700 (PDT) >From: John Hovell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: [uuc] Someone hit my BMW! Advice sought... > >Group -- > >I was rear-ended at a stop light a few weeks ago and got an estimate from >a recommended body shop for $1255 to replace the rear bumper cover and >paint it. Seeing the damage was very minor (two pock marks from license >plate screws, and some light scrathes) and my car ('95 M3) is not getting >any newer or more valuable, I was considering just pocketing the money, >and perhaps just having a body shop touch up the damage for a couple >hundred bucks. > >However, Farmer's Insurance, the carrier of the guy who hit me, had me >drive 30 miles away to have an estimate done at their office in order to >get a cash payout (no there was no other option, and I spoke to a >manager). After taking 2 hours off work to drive down there, they >appraise the damage at $683. > >Furthermore, they said if my body shop is unwilling to negotiate, I will >be held responsible for any additional costs than the agreed upon amount >(such as labor rate - my body shop wants $70, they'll pay $60). > >Has anyone been down this road before or have any advice to me as to what >my rights or options are? I figured I would be greeted with a check for >*at least or close to* $1255 so they could just have the claim settled and >not have to put me in a rental car for a week or two, pay additional >damages if they are found, etc etc, minus any negotition they might get >out of the body shop. > >I was very surprised not only by the amount they offered me, but their >lack of courtesy or respect for me... basically acting the whole time as >if this were my problem (I guess it is) not a liability of theirs. > >The location is Palo Alto, California, and the body shop I got an estimate >from is Stanford European. The driver-at-fault's carrier is Farmer's >Insurance, once again, and I would recommend avoiding them if you are in >the market for insurance in California -- they don't seem to be pleasant >people. I can't imagine how I would be treated if I were a customer of >theirs found *at fault* in an accident! > >Lastly, if you wonder how such vastly different numbers are arrived at for >the same damage estimate, repair vs. replace bumper, $60 vs. $70 hr labor, >standard paint vs. color sand & buff, plus Farmer's forgot to add a few >miscellaneous trim pieces to their estimate pretty much tells the story. >Farmers also inexplicably included a 5% parts discount on BMW parts. > >TiA, >- - John >Alpine White / Gray M Cloth '95 M3 for the street >Dakar Yellow S50B32 powered '95 M3 for the track ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 22:16:02 -0700 From: Steve Albrecht <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] RE: Someone hit my BMW! Advice sought... It has been my experience that one should never deal directly with the other guy's insurance company, never! Always make the claim with your own insurance carrier and let them deal with the other company. My wife was clobbered to the tune of $18K worth of damage, and it took our insurer about two years to collect from Farmers. In the meantime, my wife's car was fixed in a timely manner, and the rental ($1200) was paid. Your own company will be much easier to deal with I'm sure. Just take it to the shop of your choice and call your insurance company to report it. They will send an adjuster to the shop and handle everything without your involvement. The adjuster and the shop will come to an agreement on the work required and the price for that work. The key is trust in the shop and the integrity of their work, admittedly not an easy requirement to meet a lot of times. Ask a lot of people who they have used and would they go back. I know this is a bit late for John Hovel, but perhaps this advice will help someone else in the future. Cheers Steve ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 09:16:44 -0400 From: Ron Katona <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [uuc] Big Six Oil? Recently purchased an '89 535i and now it's time for an erl change. No idea what the PO used (purchased at a local used car dealer). Owner's manual says 15w50 for most climates. Some E34 web sites recommend 10w30 synthetic. Given the motor has 150,000 on it and I don't know if it's ever had synthetic, would it be a better choice to just go to a quality 15w50 non-synthetic? The car runs great and shows no sign of excessive oil use or leakage right now. Thoughts? Please Cc my e-mail address as I'm on digest mode and was hoping to go shopping for oil this morning - thanks! - -- Ron Katona ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 08:18:13 -0500 From: Dennis Wynne <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [uuc] Someone hit my BMW! Advice sought... First, no one like to deal with insurance companies - so you have my sympathy. Second - I don't blame them for making you come in and getting a low-ball offer before getting a CASH PAYOUT. You just admitted that you were not going to spend the $1255 to get your car fixed. You were going to let it go or fix it for $200 or so. In that light, their offer of $683 is more than fair. I think if you had told the insurance company who you wanted to fix your car they could have confirmed the estimate with your shop and worked with them directly to shave off some of the cost. You would have had your car fixed correctly and by a good shop. It is like "full replacement" home owner's insurance, you don't get the full value until you replace the item. In the "old days" everyone used to do this - get 3 quotes from the highest price places in town and collect on the lowest one. Then get it fixed someplace else and pocket the difference. It is a lot different now, the companies are tired of being ripped off. Frankly, I pay a lot to insure my cars and motorcycles and I don't much care for any practices that drive up my rates. This includes collecting for repair work not performed. As others have said, file a claim with your insurance and get your car fixed right. They will take care of collecting from the at fault party for you. I would doubt they will help you put cash in your pocket, however. Dennis 330i silver/black/manual/sp/pp/xenon/cd (for now) At 05:12 PM 08/25/2003 -0700, you wrote: >Group -- > >I was rear-ended at a stop light a few weeks ago and got an estimate from >a recommended body shop for $1255 to replace the rear bumper cover and >paint it. Seeing the damage was very minor (two pock marks from license >plate screws, and some light scrathes) and my car ('95 M3) is not getting >any newer or more valuable, I was considering just pocketing the money, >and perhaps just having a body shop touch up the damage for a couple >hundred bucks. > >However, Farmer's Insurance, the carrier of the guy who hit me, had me >drive 30 miles away to have an estimate done at their office in order to >get a cash payout (no there was no other option, and I spoke to a >manager). After taking 2 hours off work to drive down there, they >appraise the damage at $683. > >Furthermore, they said if my body shop is unwilling to negotiate, I will >be held responsible for any additional costs than the agreed upon amount >(such as labor rate - my body shop wants $70, they'll pay $60). > >Has anyone been down this road before or have any advice to me as to what >my rights or options are? I figured I would be greeted with a check for >*at least or close to* $1255 so they could just have the claim settled and >not have to put me in a rental car for a week or two, pay additional >damages if they are found, etc etc, minus any negotition they might get >out of the body shop. > >I was very surprised not only by the amount they offered me, but their >lack of courtesy or respect for me... basically acting the whole time as >if this were my problem (I guess it is) not a liability of theirs. > >The location is Palo Alto, California, and the body shop I got an estimate >from is Stanford European. The driver-at-fault's carrier is Farmer's >Insurance, once again, and I would recommend avoiding them if you are in >the market for insurance in California -- they don't seem to be pleasant >people. I can't imagine how I would be treated if I were a customer of >theirs found *at fault* in an accident! > >Lastly, if you wonder how such vastly different numbers are arrived at for >the same damage estimate, repair vs. replace bumper, $60 vs. $70 hr labor, >standard paint vs. color sand & buff, plus Farmer's forgot to add a few >miscellaneous trim pieces to their estimate pretty much tells the story. >Farmers also inexplicably included a 5% parts discount on BMW parts. > >TiA, >- John >Alpine White / Gray M Cloth '95 M3 for the street >Dakar Yellow S50B32 powered '95 M3 for the track ------------------------------ End of [uucdigest] V3 #6698 *************************** | | In memory of Michel Potheau - friend, enthusiast, founder of the BMW CCA. |________________________________________ | Please visit these UUC-approved BMW parts vendors/service providers: | (listed alphabetically) | | Autoscope-Motorsports - http://www.autoscope-motorsports.com | |==================================================== | | Koala MotorSport . 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