body and interior Sizzlerscheesetoast Gets Broadsided By Teenager. Body Shop Recs In So Cal?

[BDB]

File this one under idiot teenage driver.       Cheesetoast got nailed today     

 

I guess the sting of this was made worse because in the last few months, I put a lot of effort into replacing my starter, tuning the carb, installing a new alarm, and having a new exhaust hanger welded on last Friday.  

 

So today I committed to helping my coworker with some things as she got the shaft today.  So I went home, changed into comfy clothes and went to get my package at our apt complex's leasing office.  This teenage girl was waiting in front of the gate waiting for someone to let her in.  There was enough room to drive behind her safely.  As the front part of my 02 reached her left bumper, the dumb chick throws her Ford Explorer into reverse.  I caught a very quick glance at the white reverse light and in a fraction of a second, I floored it.  But by the time my foot hit the gas pedal, she flung her Explorer into full swing and gave me the equivalent of a Bruce Lee 1 finger punch.  I mean, this girl did not even gently put it into reverse.  She nailed it and nailed me.  

 

Hopefully this pic shows up:

 

 

 

Since her bumper was higher than mine, it hit the body pretty squarely on the side.  it appears that the door got hit a little too.  Had I not floored it, I think she would've definitely taken out the driver's door and screwed up all the painstaking work I did on the door (sound deadening, wired up an actuator, painted the inner door panel, etc, etc).  

 

Insurance info was exchanged, she profusely apologized, etc.  Turns out this girl has a boyfriend in the complex.  Ironically, her boyfriend walked up to me many months ago to chat up my car as he as an older 318i.  When he came around to the scene of the accident, he was like "Oh dude, it's you...(eyes got really wide)...uh oh shit man...sorry."  
 

Ok, so she has a reputable insurance company so I'm at least a little relieved.  My major concern is to find a reputable body shop than can and has a history of fixing older cars like this.  I will take my time to find a shop, but I want to know from some of you other So Cal'ers if you know of a good body shop.  I live in Rancho Cucamonga (near Ontario), but if there's a shop farther away (but not too far), I will consider having them do the work.  If they're on the approved vendor list, even better.  So any recommendations would be great.  

 

Thanks...and thanks for feeling my pain.

 

Bob

Edited February 1, 2014 by sizzlerscheesetoast

[jerry]

judging from your photo, that accident COMPLETELY transformed the appearance of your 02.  i'd be bummed too if my 02 looked like that!

[MoBrighta]

Hey, bummer man! Glad no one got hurt, and PLEASE tell us that you are able to convince the insurance company not to total the car and offer you $250 or something equally absurd.

 

Good luck!

[BDB]

jerry,

 

yeah just waiting for the adjuster to take a look.  i'm sure they will get the door panel too for paint blending.  i'm going to ask them how much it will cost to fix rust bubbles on other side and blemishes too.

[M3M3]

judging from your photo, that accident COMPLETELY transformed the appearance of your 02.  i'd be bummed too if my 02 looked like that!

LOL, yeah, what is that a pic of?  looks like an old pickup truck?  ugliest 2002 i have ever seen......

[Kpeters]

judging from your photo, that accident COMPLETELY transformed the appearance of your 02.  i'd be bummed too if my 02 looked like that!

 

Thanks this really made my day I laughed out loud. I too was wondering what was that!

 

Sorry to hear about the car! At least it wasn't a hit and run.

Edited June 11, 2013 by Kpeters

[TR]

That sucks and hopefully it all works out for you.  On a more "important" side note, the pic shows that none of the members have done any serious work on their '02.  The pic is what an '02 looks like when the outer skin is removed!  I also like the conversion to leaf spring suspension.  Must be great when hauling A_ _ or cattle.  

[Kpeters]

The pic is what an '02 looks like when the outer skin is removed!  I also like the conversion to leaf spring suspension.  Must be great when hauling A_ _ or cattle.  

 

For a moment I doubted myself!

[ray_]

Aw, sh!t.

 

[BDB]

OH that is HILARIOUS!

 

I must've posted the wrong pic link, huh?    

Well as I was hoping wouldn't happen, the teen driver is now claiming that she was just sitting there and i U-turned into her.  Fawk I hate this s##!!!  So now I got to prove it wasn't me that caused this.  Fortunately, there's a lot of video tape evidence at the leasing office to prove she threw her Ford Exploder into reverse.  Plus, I found some residents who saw the position of the cars in the aftermath.  She's sunk, but I have to jump through some hoops to prove it.

Oh by the way, we are making some mods to a military trailer for expeditioning purposes:

Edited February 1, 2014 by sizzlerscheesetoast

[Kpeters]

Ouch well that sucks...Could have been worse though it looks completely repairable and just new molding and clips. Good luck! 

[Dabliz02]

I don't really see how it would be your fault, but yeah hoops still need to be jumped through.  The only way I can see it being hit like that was:

A. Driving idiotically and spinning tires and hit a pole/ corner of some kind.

B. Parking

C.  Getting backed into (WINNER!!!!)

 

It doesn't looked like a huge deal to fix, but still want to do it right obviously.  Show us a picture when its all done please!!!

[BDB]

Hey guys,

 

High fives all around today!  I went into the maintenance office and they have video proof that not so nice girl was lying.  I went into the office and the tech played the video for me which I simultaneously recorded on my iphone.  

 

Vindication, baby.  I will sleep well tonight.  

 

But again, So Cal'ers:  I need a good body shop recommendation!  I'm researching now, but if any of you had work done on your BMWs, I want to know.  The adjuster is coming Saturday morning.  

Edited February 1, 2014 by sizzlerscheesetoast

[Guest_anonymous]

I recieved a photo red light ticket a number of years ago. I was amazed by how far away I actually was from the intersection when the light turned red. I also realized that what I was looking at had nothing to do with a question of the legality of photo red light.

[Dabliz02]

Kind of disturbing to see the impact but congrats!!!  Unfortunately I do not live in So Cal to help you out on the body repair    But when you have a shop in mind, look at the cars they work on.  Mine had these so i knew i was in good hands.  What was my '02 at the end of the line