Driveway accident

I curbed mine and slightly scraped the bottom panel and front nose - $3,700. You are probably in that ballpark.

 

do the rear 1/4 panel and the bumper cover need to be replaced?

 

Sorry to learn about this. A bumper shouldn't be too difficult to replace.

 

dont mean to be nosy, but did this happen while backing up? and do you have the backup camera? I didn't option it and I frequently fear hitting something while I am backing out of my garage.

anyways, hope its not too big a job to fix.

 

Sorry to hear about your mishap, but while a camera would have helped, every car does have rear view mirrors that would have let you see well enough to avoid hitting the rear corner. The main advantage to the camera is that it lets you see directly behind, where the mirrors can't see. Hope it's not too expensive a repair. My neighbor forgot his carbon fiber bike was still on the roof of his car and made a much worse mistake than you did!

 

Up to the point where you need to replace the bumper -- or want to -- the extent of the damage matters little. They will need to repair and refinish the entire bumper cover/rear quarter panel -- non metallic.

From experience a good paint shop will get that done in a couple of days. And as a guess I think the 3-5K range is realistic.

I share your pain and sense of self stupidity, but a lot of guys have done that and worse. This writer once actually backed into his closed garage door. Before that I always wondered how anyone could possibly do anything as dumb as that.

 

My great uncle drove through the front wall of his garage,... twice. The second time he took the extra fridge through with him.

 

I did not option it but realized i needed it so had the dealership retrofit the camera. It works great and i think it was around $1,500. I had them do the exhaust bypass switch at the same time as they have to take the back bumper off for the camera.

 

If I'm not mistaken the retrofit is then less than the factory option??

 

One last consideration for resale purposes is CARFAX, and all other such services. I understand most insurance companies DO NOT report claims to those services, and I know for a fact Geico doesn't, but ask first to BOTH insurance company and shop. Otherwise it might be wise to pay out of pocket if not too much over the deductible (and to avoid a potential rate increase too). Just make sure the job is done to factory standards if you don't plan to disclose it.

Another option is to take very detailed pictures (before and after), and even if claim appears on Carfax, most potential buyers shouldn't care about minor cosmetic damage fixed to factory standards. Good luck.

 

NO BACK UP SENSORS?

 

If Geico, and most insurance companies don't report to Carfax, then how does the information get to Carfax? Who's the source and feed of this info? The dealer or repair shop? The police?

 

I don't know for sure how it happens, but whenever I've needed a repair I avoid using insurance and the dealer...this way I figure I keep it between me and the cash money launderer at the body shop...and he ain't telling anyone.

 

A police report will land the accident on Carfax (and other such services) 100% guaranteed. I thought all insurance companies also reported claims to those services, but at least Geico didn't. They told me they didn't, but I questioned that. And confirmed it when I had a claim due to black ice (freak storm not forecasted) on an M3. Carfax was still clean as a whistle more than a year later. I disclosed it anyway when selling the car. Shops are obviously the 3rd possible source, but the one I used told me they have never done that.

So apparently the only source is police reports, which are issued on the great majority of accidents. And maybe some insurance companies and shops. It pays to ask in advance.

On the other hand, you have to be extremely cautions as a buyer because of that. I learned that lesson the hard way with the 430 spider. Clean carfax, but car obviously was wrecked on the side and the front when I inspected it closely after trusting a Ferrari dealer 2K miles away. Never again. Hope this helps.

 

Wow, the Fcar dealership didn't disclose the accident? Did you take any legal recourse or was it too late after the sale? Was a PPI done? This is a major reason I am leery of buying a car from the Mainland. I would have to make the 5 hour flight to the left coast to visually inspect the car.

 

I suggest getting an expert check the paint thickness on every panel with a "computer" prior to any purchase

The car is painted at the factory with a robot and it's easy for an expert to detect a resprayed panel

I wouldn't trust solely a pre purchase inspection from a dealer

 

Ouch! More than most of us thought, much more.

Now I'll be even more careful in the driveway..

Enjoy.

 

Yeah...You just caused my stomach to sink to the floor. I have less than a dime sized mark on mine and am afraid what this will cost.

J