So I was unfortunately rear-ended on New Year's Day first thing in the morning. I was on my way to get breakfast, I was stopped at a stop sign, checking to make sure a major road is clear before I make a left turn. The car hit me while I was still at a stop. The hatch door was dented, back bumper has cracks, and my backup sensors haven't been the same since the accident.

I am in the process of working with the other person's insurance company to get my Mini Cooper S fixed. My question is, do people go with the body shop that the insurance recommends, or do you go with a known body shop? Do you call the dealer if they have a body shop that they recommend? Anyone here who lives in OC that can recommend a body shop? I live in Lake Forest area.

 

Some dealers have some body work done on site. I'd ask them about it or their preference. This is sort of a classic "insurance company usually picks the cheapest place" situation, but not always. See what they say and check out the place with dealer.

 

I got hit 2 weeks after picking my car up and went straight to my dealer. Their body shop is combined with the BMW body shop next door. I was very happy with the choice not only with the service but also because the car had to be checked out by the MINI service Tech while there. I did have to wait a couple of months but that was because of back ordered parts. I live in NJ and I was slightly pressured by the insurance company to use their shops. All parts used were genuine MINI parts, primarily because the car was so new. If you have any other questions PM me and I'll be happy to share my thoughts. It sucks this happened and hopefully all will end well.

 

I think it is a federal law that you DO NOT have to use the body shop recommended by the insurance company. You can get quotes from any shop you want, but the insurance company may not want to pay what they charge. It then becomes a negotiation.

 

Thanks for the replies. I called my dealer to see if they have a body shop. They don't but they recommended a body shop. I looked it up on Yelp, wasn't happy with the reviews I saw. It was mixed. So I just yelped body shop in my area and found one with great reviews. When I called the insurance company, they mentioned the body shop I found on yelp, so I told them I'd bring it in to that body shop. Brought it in this morning, I want a new bumper since the bumper got cracked. The shop said they'll submit for a new bumper, we'll see if the insurance approves it.