Our brand new MINI was brutalized last night -- cop was stunned by the intensity of the attack. It could have been worse (they nailed the rear quarter and the door, but not the front quarter), but it sure is bad.

My question to y'all (I haven't even connected with insurance co. yet) is basically "What would you expect from insurance company?" Will I be allowed to have a MINI place fix it -- and should I even want that? Are there things I should watch out for? Things I should specify?

Pardon me for not phrasing this post better. I'm still rattled.

I will be able to read posts today but not respond until later in the day. Any advice in the meantime will be most helpful!

AAAAAARRRRRGGGGH!

[for the curious: the vandalism took place on a trip in the Midwest... the car was not in Savannah]

 

Being that it was vandalism it will be covered under your comprehensive coverage. There are quite a few MINI owners who have experienced similar incidents. I have. Both of my badges were stolen and in the process the vandals gouged the heck out of the paint on the bonnet and boot. Both had to be repainted. Cost about $800 and thank goodness my comp deductible is only $100. My insurance co. is state farm and you have the option to take your car wherever you please to be repaired. Most insurance companies allow it as well I think. So you should not have a problem getting your MINI repaired.

 

Bummer. I feel your pain. Your insurance company should allow you to take it anywhere you want and have it repaired to your ultimate satisfaction. If not, they should be your former insurance company. YOU are in charge, not them. They work for you. Don't let them forget that. By MINI place I assume you mean the dealership? Not many dealerships do their own bodywork, but I'd ask them where they farm it out to. It would certainly be best to find a shop with MINI experience. Best of luck to you.

 

Only take this route if you really trust your dealer. My dealer in Boston referred me to a shop that did crappy work (which they probably own or get kickbacks from); I had to bring the car back twice before I was satsified.

Sorry to hear about your incident! Good luck getting it back to new.

 

IED...

 

Sorry to hear for the very sad moment. One if my cars i use to own was vandalised and i to feel your pain. My previous car that i owned was involved in a hit and run when I was on vacation. It was hit in the driveway of the house we were staying at. The driveway was being shared by another house as well. The people who do such things are jealous. It aches me so bad to hear how they can do such a thing to something that someone worked hard for to own. I hope all gets sorted out well and that you get it looking like new again. Best of luck!!!

Garrett

 

Man, sorry to hear that!! ...you just gotta wonder what's up with some folks!!??

What kind of damage did they do? Hit the car with a bat or something?

As far as body shops go, I'd ask around with a few mechanics in your area. Since they work on cars (and usually one's that have been in accidents) they usually know what shops are best in an area. You can also call your local Better Business Bureau, however that will probably tell you which one's to avoid as opposed to the one's that are good.

Good luck - and don't worry... you'll get it fixed!!

- - m

 

I had my vandalism fixed at a body shop that does BMW, Mercedes, Lexus and Ferrari. I felt good about taking it there. I put stickers on two windows that say: "No valuables." I think it discourages break-ins. Good luck!

 

It is your car, and your choice as to who does the repairs. The insurance company is just paying the bill. Sometimes they need to be reminded of that. You want to look for a shop that meets "I-Car Gold Class" standards for body repairs. The following is an explanation of what this certification means:
Gold Class Professionals®

The Gold Class Professionals program was created in 1990 to recognize those businesses that are committed to quality and excellence through training. Being a Gold Class Professional is the highest recognition for training a business can earn in the collision industry. Gold Class businesses are dedicated to providing their customers with efficient, safe and high-quality repairs. They are confident they can properly repair their customers’ collision-damaged vehicles and understand the need to continually update their training and knowledge of the collision repair process.

A shop that meets these standards should be able to repair your car so that it is at least as good as new, if not a little better. I had a car that was "keyed" on a parking lot down the whole passenger side. After the repair was made, the only indication that was visible was the fact that the paint on the side that was repaired was actually a little smoother than the factory paint. The color match was perfect and the repairs were otherwise completely unnoticeable.

 

They did something typical (gouged the hell out of the passenger side) and something rather unusual (sliced off my temporary license/tag). The temp tag is about to expire, so it's not as though it could be used on another vehicle, and the creep actually cut (not tore) it, leaving the state identifier there. It was a sloppy cut but done with such force that at the end of the blade-swipe, the creep also took a chunk out of my aluminum license plate frame. Much force! The work on the side of the car was done with a blade as well -- very clearly not just a random "key" job. The cuts were numerous and extremely deep... took some real time and effort!

There are clearly some sick folks out there. Very, very sad...

 

Thanks to all for sympathy & advice!

Special thanks to haskindmh. Although for a variety of reasons I was unable to verify the certification you recommended, I was very relieved to be greeted by this logo (which I wouldn't otherwise have recognized) the moment I walked into the shop we're using for the repairs. Thanks for this tip... the shop was very impressive in every respect. The ultimate test, of course, will be the finished product. But for now at least my mind is at ease. If only there weren't so many nut-jobs out there roaming the streets!

 

Oh, davn8tr!! I am SO sorry about this brutal attack on your new MINI! I'd find out which shop top-end vehicles are sent for repairs and try to go with them. Some people cannot stand to see others enjoy nice things...


Clover

 

Thanks, Clo... the good news (yep, I can find a silver lining in any cloud) includes the fact that Lafayette, IN -- where I'm temporarily stranded on business -- seems to have an astounding collision repair shop (I don't think they like the label "body shop"). They treat folks like royalty, and their work on high-end vehicles looks solid. They're also certified in everything but Mandarin poetry, from what I can tell. I've been in a lot of body shops in my time, but I've never seen one that approached this place in terms of atmosphere, confidence, and courtesy.

Another silver lining is that the car is so-o-o-o-o-o new that it will be much easier to make the paint match -- it hasn't had time to fade yet!

Life goes on... thanks again to all for the comfort you've provided. What a day!!!

 

Where in the midwest was this incident? Please tell us so other MINI owners can avoid the place where this attack happened


By the way, I love Savannah!

 

Lafayette, Indiana... right across the street (literally) from the downtown police station. Parked within 20 ft of the hotel entrance and within spitting distance of the door to the police station. Grrrr...

I keep telling myself: "it coulda been worse"... and it's true.

Honestly, as much as I adore Savannah, I would have been less surprised to suffer this crime in certain parts of my fair city than here in the wholesome Midwest. On the other hand, the cop who took the report (he literally drove his car from one side of the street to the other to take the report... now that is motoring, my friends!) said, "Maybe somebody didn't like the fact that you didn't have an American car. What kind of car is this again?"

So I guess the Midwest brings its own set of risks... hmmmm...

 

Now there's a classic law enforcement attitude!


Clover

 

Sorry to hear about your Mini being vandalized. I think MINIclo is right about "some people not being able to see others have nice things". Unfortunately that's the sad truth of the matter. But on the bright side... It looks like you haven't wasted any time in finding a good shop for repairs that's great news!

 

Sorry about the MINI, a true bummer.

When my car was crashed a couple years ago and the fact I live nowhere near a dealer, I looked for the auto body shop that worked on the exotic cars in my area. I found loads of repair places, but only one that all the high end cars were taken for repairs. I made a good choice and they did a fantastic job.

 

That sucks -- sorry to hear it.

I will clarify that it is your choice to take your car wherever you choose... and it is also your choice to pay the difference between the area's average pay rate and the cost of the repairs.

Insurance companies cannot tell you where to take your car, but they are not on the line to cover more than the average cost of the repair work. So if, say, your area's average repair cost is $70/hour and the body shop you want to take it to charges $80/hour. Your insurance company will call and attempt to negotiate with the body shop, but the body shop doesn't have to play ball if they don't want to. If the body shop doesn't lower their price, YOU will be on the hook to pay the $10/hour difference, should you choose to take their MINI there.

Good luck!

 

I saw a MINI cabrio yesterday with a skull and crossbones sticker on the back that said "There is something inside worth losing your life for."

 

Don't you mean "there is NOTHING inside worth losing your life for"?...

- - m

 

No, it said "something" - sort of a taunt or challenge...

 

A thought occured to me (hey... it happens), considering the location, there is a good chance your car was in the view of a security camera during the vandalism. If you are interested, you may point that out to the police. Maybe they can check it out, if THEY are interested.

 

You would think so, wouldn't you? Honestly, that was my first thought too -- right outside the front door of a major hotel and across the street from City Hall and the Police Station... but nope. No security camera anywhere around. I was almost as shocked by that as by the vandalism itself. Dang!

Thanks for chiming in though, SolarMax. It never hurts to bring up the obvious. So often that's what gets lost in the shuffle.

 

Hey Dave!

How is my dark twin now? Did you get all your repairs done to your satisfaction?! I wasn't on the forum in the summer, so I just came across this thread... so sorry that that happened to you! And I totally get what you say about being surprised that your vandalism didn't take place downtown!

BTW, I just came across a blogger, trying to rally MINIs in the SAV. He doesn't have much on there, and apparently I am the first in SAV to notice it and/or respond, but his blog is at www.murmini.com. I think it would be great to finally get a group together, although I don't know if the interest is there. There are plenty of MINIs downtown... but are there enthusiasts???

Take care!
kim