I hit the driver's side of a mini parked on the street just opposite the driveway. I barely tapped the car. Stopped to check. Owner came out and no one out of 5 people looking found any damage. Gave her my info just in case something like a wheel alignment might be needed. Her tire was protruding out (meaning she had the front driver's side wheel turned completely toward the left) and I believe that's what I hit. Three days later owner's insurance company calls and says the owner reported a claim for nearly $2,000. How is this possible? 5 people saw no damage. The estimate said something about the replacement of a wheel cover. Could they possibly be that expensive? Wouldn't we have seen the damage? Thank you for your help. Just want to understand.

 

I believe it. I hit a curb once in my Mini at less than 15mph to avoid a dog and there was over $2500 in damage to the suspension. It bent dang near everything. The car was still drivable though.

 

Ouch! Wheel cover though? No mini's I know of have wheel covers. id have them fax you the estimate. Estimate should list in detail what they are going to do to the car.

 

I had someone hit my parked Mini 3 weeks ago. Cracked my headlight and did a little damage to my hood and front bumper. From 10 feet away everything looked fine. For some reason it still cost $2400 to get it repaired.

 

That's why I am posting here. I was confused about the wheel cover, but that is what the insurance company said was written on the estimate. The thing was, she was very nice and I asked her to call me if she found any problem. She didn't see any that night, but must have taken it to the dealer. I guess and they found something. Instead of calling me, she submitted the claim to her insurance company and then called me. I'll ask for a copy of the estimate. Thanks.

 

Yes you do need to get a copy of the damage estimate that details what needs to be fixed. It could be a justifiable claim. However it is a sad commentary on our society that demands that any event requires monetary compensation. The only thing you can do is carry a camera with you and take a suitable number of pictures of the accident to protect yourself from perhaps fraudulent or excessive claims.

 

Jeebus! Seriously?! .. they need to make FRAGILE logos/stickers/decals for our MINIs, like seriously. My friend's civic was t-boned at about 40 mph. Barely not even $2,000 in damage.

..We're traffic's worst nightmare

 

You hit a parked car?

 

I wopuld call your MINI dealership and find out what a rim cost. I suspect they mean it was the rim that needs replacement. I heard they are expensive but would not think they approach $2000. I suspect the estimate is for replacing the rim and getting a wheel alignment. One reason some get the tire warranty and why it is so expensive compared to getting tire hazard insurance when you buy tires at a tire store is that the MINI tire warranty includes cost of replacing a rim - For that reason and the fact that we have rather low profile tires, the chance of damaging a rim is not necessarily rare....Anyway, I suspect they mean rim and not wheel cover and the cost may also include alignment. Still...seems very high cost for that.

 

I'd say so, yes.

anyway, Yeah a new 17" rim for mine was going to be about $400 and the alignment was just over 100.

Maybe it did something to the fender afterall...that technically covers the wheel lol.

The only way its costing that much is if it actually bent some of the suspension pieces.. No way a wheel with labor would cost that....even if it needed a damn tire, your looking under 1000.

I'd try to find some itemized quote or whatever they do... post back here if you need more answers!

there is also www.realoem.com where you can look at exploded axon drawings of most all the parts of these cars w part numbers if you really want to do your homework

 

Yes. Backing out of a driveway. Slowly.

 

I just called the insurance company, they don't have a copy of the estimate yet. They gave me the name of the Body Shop though--- the owner did not take it to her mini dealer. Is this also odd? She said it was a new car, I would think if someone hit my new car I'd take it back to the dealer. Maybe they don't do body work, though. The owner also told her insurance company that I was going to pay out of pocket. I never said that. Maybe she didn't think I'd get my insurance company involved?

 

i guess there is a small chance she wants you to pay for this years' Christmas lol

 

I think after she thought about it, or talked to somebody, she saw an opportunity to try and make some cash.
I would question everything.

 

No, actually this isn't odd really...my dealership cut costs by outsourcing their body repair to a local vendor and so I was sent to a nearby (and yet still recognized by my insurance company) body shop that was truly versed in BMW and MINI body repairs - to include linked in with BMW and MINI supply channels. But I WOULD just double check with the dealership; ask them who does their body work if a new mINI is under warranty.

She may have misconstrued your discussion - I mean, she IS a MINI owner, and was probably a little distracted by the accident itself. We tend to be a little OCD about the cars. And if she mentioned, "I think she said..." the insurance company probably took it as gospel. As long as you're clear about it to the company calling, it ought to be a moot point...

Good luck.

 

Including her honesty............

 

One time I was backing into a parking space with the store I worked for's pickup truck when a lady pulled in back of me to get into the same spot. I just tapped her car. I called the police and got my witnesses names and numbers. She left before the police got there. I had the police fill out the report of what happened.
One week later my boss got a call from her lawyer that not only did I total her car but she had physical damage to her body. He said she really did not want to sue but would settle for $9,999
The lawyer was told to get a copy of the police report and my boos hung up on him. We never heard another word.
If anyone ever hits anything at all a Police Report is your best protection against having something costly pulled on you at a later date.
Accedents will happen to the best of us. That is why police reports are free and credible if someone gets greedy and try's to get rich quick.
Ronnie948

 

Such a shame it has to be that way. I live in such a small town there is no local police. State police would have had to come, and I don't think they come for minor things like this. I guess I can keep speculating, but I wont know anything definitive until I see the estimate. Thanks for your replies.

 

You all have been so kind to reply...I might have to go out and buy a mini myself!

 

Have you contacted your insurance company about it? They should be able to deal with the other company and make sure the claim is legit.

 

Yes. They are.

 

I would be suspicious, too What MINI dealer is btw?
Did you take pics of her car and yours at incident site?
Where is PBL&W the insurance people?

 

What he said. And always get a police report. I was hit in August by a woman who backed into me at a stoplight. She realized she was in the wrong lane and didn't even see me stopped behind her (SUV), and backed into me very slowly. It didn't look bad - just a small dent in my hood - but once I brought it to my body shop (my dealer doesn't do body work) the estimate came out to be $4500. There were things wrong under the hood that didn't show on the outside, and that added up, plus my clear bra ahd to be totally replaced, and so on.

 

The mini is pretty durable IMHO. I got rear ended at a light. Person hit me going roughly 10mph. in a honda civic. I got out and noticed that the damage wasn't bad at all. Tweaked my rear bumper (but I had a new one painted and ready to go on at home) I still filed a police report, but told her I wasn't going to do anything about it. Police report is just for protection. Why did I let it go? Because this girl was completely nervous. She was also cute and around my age, so I got a number too. =P sorry my story doesn't really help, but as stated a Police Report is always a smart idea.

Like I said before just get a complete estimate of what will be done on the mini. I've re-built a few mini's. If you throw up the estimate on here I can tell you if the cost is accurate or not.

 

thx, will do.