My 2006 MINI was just rear-ended and will now need to be repaired. I know the bumper bar and bumper cover will need to be replaced entirely. I'm pretty sure insurance will take care of it, but I'm wondering about the bumper. Is it possible to replace it with something much better than the stock bumper? Is there something that resists impact better? A steel bumper bar, maybe? And yes, I know insurance won't pay for that, but if it exists and it's not too much, I might be willing to pay for the extra expense myself.

 

Very sorry to hear about your Mini:(

Not sure if it is possible, depending on Model but I have always added a trailer hitch to my cars and or bike rack. It helps in rear end collisions. Hitch is right to the frame.

I am stuck with nothing as mine is on order and the Coupe model.

Some would disagree I am sure, but if I was rear ended I would look into an Attorney. Been that route before, best choice for me. Insurance companies want to under cut price, some tell you what body shop to use, some say will only pay X dollars a day for car rental. That all changes with an Attorney.

No, I am not looking to make money from the accident, but I don't have time for another full time job and paperwork.

 

Thanks for the hitch suggestion, Bill. That's a good idea, and I'm going to look into that. That might not have helped with this accident, as it was to one side of the car, but still!

I've had GEICO for a long time, and even had an accident while covered by them in the past. Other driver was at fault and everything went smoothly. It seems to be going well this time, too, and it looks like we will have no trouble getting an insurance-covered rental.

I've not had collision coverage, though, but I may change that. Just in case I ever get hit by someone with iffy or no coverage.

 

Glad to hear it is going well, I have dealt with GEICO in the past and had no issues with them. My current insurance is State Farm.

I had a trailer hitch installed on my Corolla from U-Haul. They did a very nice job. They can fit just about anything. Corolla not rated to tow but used for bike racks and safety.

Unfortunately, I have been in many accidents of which were not my fault. Something you don't want to get good dealing with on a daily basis. Sometimes they take the at fault driver away in handcuffs. Some, the other guy does not even speak to me.

One time a kid hit the back of a SUV at 30mph and pushed that into me as traffic was stopped. All I saw in the rear view mirror was the lady's coffee with cream all over the windshield. Not a good idea to use a normal coffee mug in a car. She gets out and says don't look at me it isn't my fault. I guess she was now having a bad day?

Another accident did 17K worth of damage to my truck. Hit and run and I almost took out the gas pumps! Spinning through a gas station. Yes, they saw me coming and killed the pumps. Drunk went back to the trailer park and police refused to arrest him - go figure. It was a wild ride like you see on TV.

Too many are rude or not forthcoming with information. That is where the Attorney is helpful.

I like to give people the benefit of doubt but an accident sometimes shows their true colors.

 

I'm glad you survived all that! When my girlfriend told me what had happened, before she brought the car home on a tow truck, I was ready to get mad. But she said the other driver was a seemingly nice kid with autism, confirmed by his mother when she arrived. We're lucky they're owning it. I never got mad, and I just want to get my car back on the road where she belongs.

Honestly, the way people drive, if I were somehow an Almighty In Charge of Driving, I'd probably be a bit of a dictator. You're operating a vehicle of metal, glass and plastic at high speed in close proximity to other such vehicles, and really, if you can't grok that, you shouldn't drive.