[bavarianboar]

Hi all,

I am trying to figure out where to take my leased car which has a bumper damage and perhaps some other hidden damage, as it has thrown up some codes on the display.

Local BMW Dealership says all Insurance claims must be made through a local body shop. Body shop will not be able to clear codes or perform electronics related repair, but the SA mentioned it will be outsourced by the body shop for anything else which they cannot fix.

My vehicle is a lease vehicle and I believe I am only supposed to take it to Authorized BMW dealership for repairs. I am not sure what the consequences will be if un-authorized/undocumented repairs are performed on the car, which a dealership has not approved prior to repairs.

I am confused at the moment, about the direction to take and would really appreciate if anyone can tell some thing from their own experience.

Thanks again!

[WVU335I]

I actually just went through what you are talking about... i called the dealership they said as long as my insurance will guarantee the shop i goto its fine by them... to be safe after i pick it up the body shop knows that i will take it to BMW to check it out and give me the okay... so long story short, call the dealership they will tell you to do it through them call your insurance find a place that guarantees their work.

[jopa489]

If you don't already have a relationship at a particular body shop, just take it where the dealer recommends. It will be easier for all parties involved. Unless you know (or there's a chance) you'll buy the car after the lease and/or have preference as to who fixes it, that's the easiest way.

[bavarianboar]

Originally Posted by jopa489

If you don't already have a relationship at a particular body shop, just take it where the dealer recommends. It will be easier for all parties involved. Unless you know (or there's a chance) you'll buy the car after the lease and/or have preference as to who fixes it, that's the easiest way.

I was going to do that, but should I be asking this from the Dealership in written?

I am trying not to screw things up by taking it directly to the body shop because from my understanding, all repairs maintenance must be performed at a BMW Center/Certified Service center.

How can I check or be sure that the body shop will be fine, if they work on the car, which apparently is not my personal property, and terms and conditions are set by BMWFS.

Thanks again!

[jopa489]

We've had minor repairs done on leased BMWs a few times in the past, and simply got a verbal recommendation from the dealer over the phone. They had a list depending on what was most convenient for us. If they give you the go ahead, you're all set.

[bavarianboar]

Originally Posted by jopa489

We've had minor repairs done on leased BMWs a few times in the past, and simply got a verbal recommendation from the dealer over the phone. They had a list depending on what was most convenient for us. If they give you the go ahead, you're all set.

Cool!

I read the contract/lease agreement again, and it says use original OEM parts and does not seem to mention much about going specifically to the dealership.

I guess I will just go and get an estimate of the damage from the recommended body shop.

Thanks for your help and advice! Appreciate it!

My only concern is how the electronic repairs/damage/inspection will be handled by insurance company as getting a quote on that will not be straight forward.

[jopa489]

Originally Posted by bavarianboar

My only concern is how the electronic repairs/damage/inspection will be handled by insurance company as getting a quote on that will not be straight forward.

At this point, that's their problem. If the body shop finds more damage or needs to adjust the claim, they should be contacting the insurance company on your behalf and getting the claim re-evaluated/adjusted. My Ford F-350 was recently in the body shop for some relatively minor repairs (minor accident, I was not at fault) and they needed to adjust the claim after discovering one of the power folding/telescoping mirrors was broken and the entire assembly is over $1000. In this case the body shop was nice enough to call me and let me know what was going on, but it didn't require any decision or action on my part.

But after you initiate the claim everything else should be handled by the body shop.

[bavarianboar]

Originally Posted by jopa489

At this point, that's their problem. If the body shop finds more damage or needs to adjust the claim, they should be contacting the insurance company on your behalf and getting the claim re-evaluated/adjusted. My Ford F-350 was recently in the body shop for some relatively minor repairs (minor accident, I was not at fault) and they needed to adjust the claim after discovering one of the power folding/telescoping mirrors was broken and the entire assembly is over $1000. In this case the body shop was nice enough to call me and let me know what was going on, but it didn't require any decision or action on my part.

But after you initiate the claim everything else should be handled by the body shop.

Thanks again jopa489.

Geico - my insurance company wants the damage evaluation to be done at a different body shop than recommended by the local BMW dealership.

Should I be convincing Geico to deal with the recommended bodyshop or just wait for the damage estimate report to be generated by Geico's 'preferred' body shop.

Really appreciate your advice.

[jopa489]

I'm almost certain the body shop is up to you, regardless of insurance company. Someone may be able to chime in with a definitive answer on that though. If that is indeed the case, then you can tell Geico to get bent and the car will be at the shop recommended to you by the dealer.

[nimaghiani]

You can choose your bodyshop

[dtc100]

I think your insurance company has the right to recommend repair facilities for items that do not require an authorized dealers' involvement, and BMW should be ok with that because they allowed your insurance carriage as part of the lease agreement.

If the BMW dealer recommended shop is much more expensive than the insurance recommended shop, you may not want that since the high payout may increase your premium unnecessarily.

I don't know if this is your first lease or not, when it comes to repair under warranty or due to collisions, it is no different than if you financed or owned the car. Don't let the concept of lease scare you, it is not your car so you should be less concerned Seriously though, I have leased many cars and there has never been one instance where the bank cared if any excess wear and tear and damages were properly repaired.

There are no "lease specialty repairs" and "finance specialty repairs." If you know how to paint the bumper properly yourself there is nothing BMW will have problem with at the lease return.

[bavarianboar]

Originally Posted by dtc100

I think your insurance company has the right to recommend repair facilities for items that do not require an authorized dealers' involvement, and BMW should be ok with that because they allowed your insurance carriage as part of the lease agreement.

If the BMW dealer recommended shop is much more expensive than the insurance recommended shop, you may not want that since the high payout may increase your premium unnecessarily.

I don't know if this is your first lease or not, when it comes to repair under warranty or due to collisions, it is no different than if you financed or owned the car. Don't let the concept of lease scare you, it is not your car so you should be less concerned Seriously though, I have leased many cars and there has never been one instance where the bank cared if any excess wear and tear and damages were properly repaired.

There are no "lease specialty repairs" and "finance specialty repairs." If you know how to paint the bumper properly yourself there is nothing BMW will have problem with at the lease return.

Thanks for the advice, it does make a lot of sense. I quick review of the contract made me believe so too.

Appreciate your help. Meeting Geico representative on Friday to get a damage assessment report and repair estimates.

[bavarianboar]

Originally Posted by bavarianboar

Thanks for the advice, it does make a lot of sense. I quick review of the contract made me believe so too.

Appreciate your help. Meeting Geico representative on Friday to get a damage assessment report and repair estimates.

No wonder, the local dealership does not want to touch it.

they want $199 for any diagnostics (in my case, I wanted to take it for clearing the codes of Seat belt and Airbag warning signs if at all possible). They say this is not part of warranty coverage (I had mentioned before about the collision). I am taking the car to the preferred body shop for an evaluation/estimate and then to Geico's recommended body shop.

My insurance premium would go up by $200 for 6 months, if my claims are any more than $750. This sounded like a very low number to me.

Just for an update, if anyone has comments/advice, it would be really helpful.

Thanks again

[renaultf1]

Wow - $400/yr premium increase in insurance. Get the estimates, but I would seriously consider paying it out of pocket to avoid the premium increase - especially since your deductible is $500 anyway.

Not at all surprised that clearing the codes isn't covered as a warranty item - it wasn't caused by a defect in the car. I would have probably paid the $200 for the diagnostics (being the curious sort, just to find out what is going on) and then if submitting the claim thru insurance would have submitted it to them.

[dtc100]

Originally Posted by bavarianboar

My insurance premium would go up by $200 for 6 months, if my claims are any more than $750. This sounded like a very low number to me.

This sounds like worse than having no insurance. Basically they are saying unless you have a $5K plus repair don't bother. But then it is also true most people buy insurance to cover big events, not small ones.

I thought you can clear the codes at other shops like Autozone. So if you clear the codes, and they do not come back on, there is no problem, if they reappear, something is wrong, is this correct?

[bavarianboar]

Originally Posted by dtc100

This sounds like worse than having no insurance. Basically they are saying unless you have a $5K plus repair don't bother. But then it is also true most people buy insurance to cover big events, not small ones.

I thought you can clear the codes at other shops like Autozone. So if you clear the codes, and they do not come back on, there is no problem, if they reappear, something is wrong, is this correct?

THAT is my concern.

I am not really sure what has happened inside, there may be some sensor failure or so, which might cost me more than I can predict right now. And I do not know if the could be a malfunction to the extent, where something has to be replaced.

If it was a little bumper thing only, I would never have even reported the incidence, it did not make any sense. 1000-1200 at the max to have new stock E90 bumper I believe? That would have been much smaller than what I will end up paying for the next few years for insurance.

I do not have a long standing driving record in US, which makes me more vulnerable to insurance premium increase. I pay $800 for 6 months at the moment, and that was the cheapest I could get with the BMWFS recommended minimum insurance coverages for a lease vehicle.

I never had even a single contact/accident issue during driving numerous rental cars for more than 6000 miles over the last one year in SoCal (half the time in LA county). When bad luck strikes, I hit my e90.

I seem to be out of options and have to claim insurance because of those codes showing up, not going to be easy estimate as i see it.

[dtc100]

Originally Posted by bavarianboar

THAT is my concern.

I am not really sure what has happened inside, there may be some sensor failure or so, which might cost me more than I can predict right now. And I do not know if the could be a malfunction to the extent, where something has to be replaced.

If it was a little bumper thing only, I would never have even reported the incidence, it did not make any sense. 1000-1200 at the max to have new stock E90 bumper I believe? That would have been much smaller than what I will end up paying for the next few years for insurance.

I do not have a long standing driving record in US, which makes me more vulnerable to insurance premium increase. I pay $800 for 6 months at the moment, and that was the cheapest I could get with the BMWFS recommended minimum insurance coverages for a lease vehicle.

I never had even a single contact/accident issue during driving numerous rental cars for more than 6000 miles over the last one year in SoCal (half the time in LA county). When bad luck strikes, I hit my e90.

I seem to be out of options and have to claim insurance because of those codes showing up, not going to be easy estimate as i see it.

If clearing codes are not covered under warranty, then your insurance should cover it. If you anticipate the cost will be high, then go all the way let your insurance do all the work for you, after all this is why we have insurance. If your insurance is going to jack up your rates very high, switch to a different insurance carrier after this is all said and done.

[dtc100]

BTW, you kept mentioning the required $500 deductible in the lease agreement. This is pretty standard for leases, but if you have to raise your deductible to avoid paying too much insurance, you should be fine. For me $1000 is the sweet spot and no bank has ever had issue with it.

There are only two consequences when you lease, you will have to pay penalties for excess wear and tear and damages, and if you do not conform to the lease agreement the bank can terminate the lease. A bank will not terminate a lease if you keep up with your payments, it will not do anything to stop the flow of your money to it

So relax and enjoy your ride, knowing that anything inherently wrong about the car the bank will have to eat it at the lease return, not you But be careful not to run into things or be run over by someone else.

[bavarianboar]

Originally Posted by dtc100

BTW, you kept mentioning the required $500 deductible in the lease agreement. This is pretty standard for leases, but if you have to raise your deductible to avoid paying too much insurance, you should be fine. For me $1000 is the sweet spot and no bank has ever had issue with it.

There are only two consequences when you lease, you will have to pay penalties for excess wear and tear and damages, and if you do not conform to the lease agreement the bank can terminate the lease. A bank will not terminate a lease if you keep up with your payments, it will not do anything to stop the flow of your money to it

So relax and enjoy your ride, knowing that anything inherently wrong about the car the bank will have to eat it at the lease return, not you But be careful not to run into things or be run over by someone else.

Hey thanks!

No, did not mean $500 is the required deductible. I just have my insurance policy configured that way.

I can go no more than $1000 deductible each for collision and comprehensive according to BMWFS, that is it.

My policy is expiring Jan 11, so I should be able to figure out a different company and/or tweak the deductibles to make it a lower 6-month premium.

It was a bad day, local people at work tell me that is the tightest parking spot in town, and boy oh boy, I went in that one for the very first time in my new car. I was not paying much attention and sh*t happened while backing up. Its like Live-n-Learn I guess. Not bummed about it anymore, as you said, that is why insurance is for.

My preferred and dealership preferred bodyshop, referred to me by the 'other bmw forum founder' estimated $1800 with labor for repairs, including replacement of the seat belt system on the driver side. Going tomorrow to Geico's body shop to figure what they have to say in numbers. Either way, will push and get the car fixed at the preferred body shop.

Thanks again for all the support, and valuable advice.

[cb1111]

The insurance company cannot dictate which bodyshop you take it to.

[bavarianboar]

Originally Posted by cb1111

The insurance company cannot dictate which bodyshop you take it to.

Even for getting estimates?

I don't know if I have been misinformed, but they said all damage evaluation/report/estimates have to be done at the body shop (A) they work with.

And I imagine once that is done, I can take my car to another bodyshop (B) where I actually intend to get it fixed.

If they would agree to go to (B) also for damage report/assessment, it would save hassle and time. Can that be worked out?

[dtc100]

Originally Posted by bavarianboar

Even for getting estimates?

I don't know if I have been misinformed, but they said all damage evaluation/report/estimates have to be done at the body shop (A) they work with.

And I imagine once that is done, I can take my car to another bodyshop (B) where I actually intend to get it fixed.

If they would agree to go to (B) also for damage report/assessment, it would save hassle and time. Can that be worked out?

When I had my cars repaired I always went with the shops recommended by my insurance, as long as the insurance was paying it. If I am paying the repair myself I will go with what I think is the best place.

I don't know why there is this thinking that you need to take it to a shop recommended by a BMW dealer, the dealer isn't paying for the repair.

If A and B are close in cost, or if you know for a fact B uses better quality parts then I can see you demand your insurance to let you take it to B, provided that the high cost is justified. Otherwise I really don't see why you wouldn't let your insurance do the work for you, one less thing to worry about.