I tossed my good friend the keys to my MINI as we were leaving his ex'es place because I had a major migrane headache and didn't feel like I was in good condition to drive. He is one of the best drivers I have ever known so I never thought anything would go wrong...then of course it did.

He missed a turn badly and ended up hitting the median with the front drivers side tire, launching over the median and landing on the other side. There was no traffic and nobody was hurt except the car. She is now out at the car hospital. I haven't heard from them yet and plan to call them soon. The wheel was pushed in to the back of the wheel well. I am pretty sure the axle is shot and a bunch of plastic came off on that side too, as well as the shattering of the actual wheel itself.

I know that my insurance is going to get hit hard with this and I am greatful that I am insured, but its gonna cost me a few bucks in the long run no doubt. What I was wondering is if his insurance, which is only liability would pay for the damage to my car rather than my insurance which is full coverage. I know he is insured under mine, but I was wondering since it is not his property that he damaged if his liability would come into play.

Any info as always would be greatly appreciated. And yes we are still friends, he feels horrible about hurting my baby by taking the turn to quick (the ground was wet...or else theres almost no such thing...lol) and he was the first to point out that it was careless and stupid. I also wonder if the car will ever be like new...it had just under 10000 miles on it.

Kinda sad, but glad nobody got hurt.

 

Glad everybody is fine, I learned many years ago to never ever let someone drive my cars. MY wife doesn't even ask to drive either my MINI or M3. I have heard way to many stories just like yours and I prefer not to become a statistic like you. Lots of luck in getting eveything repaired and back on the streets motoring soon. :???:

 

So sad skokiedude... :???:

Of all the dumb things you could do,
this is really not one of them. Just a
mistake made, that you could have
done as easily. You made the right
choice, because you knew that you
could not drive.

Best of luck with the insurance and all.

God speed.

 

Same here. Even my wife doesn't drive MY cars b/c she knows how important they are to me. I'll drive hers, but not the other way around.
Sorry about your MINI. I hope it gets back to you soon as good as new. Sorry I can't answer your insurance question.

 

:smile: :smile:

Chow!

Donna

 

Sorry about your car, but glad that no one was hurt. I had a similar situation with someone else damaging my car (not the mini). I was told that insurance goes with the car in those situations so it would be your insurance that covers the damage.

Good luck

Andy

 

:???: Sorry to hear about your MINI...... hate it when that happens. you got any pics??

 

I'm glad that both of you are doing OK. Sorry your MINI is ouched.
It's hard to be restrained with the MINI but you have to be that much better a driver esp with bad weather.

My wife never drives my MCS- her rule.
I drive all of the cars we have. I have no accidents and she has a few. We have only one manual transmission car.
Be careful out there. I hate accidents.

 

Hope all turns out well.

At the risk of being flamed, I never hesitate to let my wife--or my friends--drive my MINI or any other car I've ever owned.

I can certainly understand not wanting friends to drive your car, I don't understand not allowing a spouse to do so. How can you make a life-long commitment to someone and then turn around and say, "but I don't trust you to drive my car."

The MINI is a great car, but IT IS ONLY A CAR...

 

Sorry to hear of the accident, but luckily no one was hurt, and your car is repairable. Have him call his insurance company as he should be liable for damaging your property. Worst case scenario, your insurance covers the repairs, and your friend then works out a repayment plan with you (deductable and whatever hike you get in your rate, usually for the next couple or three years). Put it down as one of life's experiences, much worse could have happened.

 

Let me get this straight. I've got a terrible headache. I ask my friend to drive me home in my car. He has an accident. Then I ask him to shell out the money for the deductible. What's wrong with this picture???

 

Sorry to hear about the accident. Glad all are well. Except of course the MINI, :???:

And Deli - no one drives mine but me too!

 

Skokie, unless there are multiple EB Coopers in your vicinity, we may have met recently. I'm the guy who pestered you endlessly with questions about your MCS, at the Village Inn. You (i THINK) managed to enjoy the evening DESPITE this stranger with 20 (200?) questions.

I forgot at the time (can't remember manners after about 4 Coronas), so now I'm saying THANKS!

I'm sorry to hear about the mishap, that's for sure - I'm curious about the precise location though... I understand that the Oakton/Lincoln intersection (right by Desiree restaurant) is "haunted" or at least there's a bunch of less than ideal karma there. Beware, left turners.

I wish you speedy repairs, man. OK I confess to selfish motives here, cuz next time our paths cross I hope to bum a ride.

Sorry if I pulled a Barney Fife and got the wrong man, my sympathy FWIW is genuine,

Tatt

 

So sorry to hear about the suspension redesign. With regards to the 'third party insurance' I would be very surprised if your friends insurance covers this. Maybe you could get him to chip in for your deductable?

 

>>Hope all turns out well.
>>
>>At the risk of being flamed, I never hesitate to let my wife--or my friends--drive my MINI or any other car I've ever owned.
>>
>>I can certainly understand not wanting friends to drive your car, I don't understand not allowing a spouse to do so. How can you make a life-long commitment to someone and then turn around and say, "but I don't trust you to drive my car."
>>
>>The MINI is a great car, but IT IS ONLY A CAR...

i'm with u dawg... :smile:

 

>>Skokie, unless there are multiple EB Coopers in your vicinity, we may have met recently. I'm the guy who pestered you endlessly with questions about your MCS, at the Village Inn. You (i THINK) managed to enjoy the evening DESPITE this stranger with 20 (200?) questions.
>>
>>I forgot at the time (can't remember manners after about 4 Coronas), so now I'm saying THANKS!
>>
>>I'm sorry to hear about the mishap, that's for sure - I'm curious about the precise location though... I understand that the Oakton/Lincoln intersection (right by Desiree restaurant) is "haunted" or at least there's a bunch of less than ideal karma there. Beware, left turners.
>>
>>I wish you speedy repairs, man. OK I confess to selfish motives here, cuz next time our paths cross I hope to bum a ride.

Dude, you totally got the right guy!! You know how there was the guy there at the Village Inn who was having his birthday? And then there was the other guy sitting to my right? Those are two of my best friends, and the one to my right is the one who taxed my Mini...and yes we are still best of friends. It happened coming off the expressway Dempster going east, taking the immediate right onto Lockwood. You can see where there is a little chunk of the median taken out, (small white chunk) and tire tracks going across it. Anyway, both those guys work there at the VI to so make sure to razz Joey (hes there at night) for taxing my baby...lol..

As far as tbe deductable and everything goes, he totally immediately felt terrible, said that he would pay for the deductable immeditely, payed my late insurance payment, bought me a 1:18 scale MINI in EB with great detail, and bought one for himself to be a constant reminder of what he refers to as the biggest mistake in his life....which as much as it sucks because my baby is injured, so far life has been alright. He is virtually always a great driver, and this is the first mistake driving he has made since his first car, and more importantly he is a great friend. First thing I am going to do when I get the keys (after I drive of course) is ask him if he would like to try again...lol

 

Hey another question for everybody - What insurance company do you use/recommend. Currently my insurance is through Clover insurance agent and through Unique insurance. I was on the phone all morning with them trying to figure out the BS they were pitching me about how they dont cover the rates that are charged by the MINI body shop, and they would have to take it to one of the body shops they have contracts with which would allow them to pay about half the labor rate.

I had no idea that they could do this, but I have learned that if the work is subpar I can refuse it. The good news is that I went out to the auto body place (Tempo Auto Body- on Pulaski) tonight and the place looked like it was a really clean place in a good part of town iwth the cars stored indoors. That eased my tension a bit, but from what I was told by the BMW body shop guy in Schaumburg (John) the rack and pinion would have to be replaced which is about $650 and that most people that work on the car wont know this is the case, but that BMW posted something regarding this that he had. He sounded like he was sure that the insurance company would not want to cover that and that I would find myself in a bit of a battle.

Anyway, this morning really sucked trying to sort everything out with everybody, and I really wished I had known the major differences in insurance companys. I was really irate with them this morning, but after seeing the shop (though they were closed) my anger has subsided quite a bit. I am actually giving them a fair chance to do a good job...but I am worried that this is going to sacrafice part of my warrenty. From what I was told by visual estimate it would be about 5 grand in damage, pulling the wheel out of the back of the well, replacing the axle, rack and pinion, wheel, two tires, and some of the platic work around the wheel well as well as within the wheel well.

Think this work will void any of the warrenty since it is not being done by BMW? I really cant afford the antisipated grand or two out of pocket for potentially the same work because it is being done by BMW so having it taken to the other place is seemingly my only option...am I making a mistake here? And what insurance companies should I look at after all the dust settles on this to assure that i can use the facilities of my chosing next time?

 

In my younger days, i would swap vehicles with a friends now and then.
After getting my vehicle back damaged on several occasions, I swore never
to let anyone drive my primary vehicle again. It's worked out great over the years.
My wife, daughter,father or mother will never drive my primary vehicle.NO ONE..
NOBODY DRIVES MY MINI !!!!

Glad your both ok. Worse thing about crashing your mini will be going without it for the next few weeks, that will be hell.

When I first got my mini, I hit some junk laying in the street and ripped up that plastic cowling on the front and a few plastic items underneath.Couple weeks in the body shop drove me crazy. Had to drive my van. that sucked...

 

I agree... I even get a kick of being in the passenger seat while she zips through traffic...

 

Holy blast from the past, Batman!

 

Nothing is wrong with that picture. You didn't ask your friend to explore the limits of your car.

 

Did you ask your insurance company or BMW if they might be an authorized repair facility by your insurance company. I have State Farm and when my '05 MCS was a victim of hit & run to the tune of $2500, I had the local BMW dealer/bodyshop do the repair as they were an authorized repair facility and therefore wouldn't need an adjuster & would automatically replace everything with OEM...no questions asked. Might be worth checking on.

 

oh man... hope its fixed up by now. I guess what you said is true.. He's one of the best drivers you know... but maybe you dont know many people who drive well no?

The accident is purely your friend's fault and should be out of pocket from him. Sorry, if i crashed someone's car, i'd be paying for it.... but that's just me. insurance or not.

 

i think you would use your friend's insurance to fix the car...and watever
he took out of the median.

you shouldn't have to pay anything if you were to use insurance as
an option. Your insurance agent would not like you if you didn't let
your friend's insurance pay for it and boost your premium.

 

Sorry about the accident. I can sympathize, although only slightly, becuase I was rear-ended after having my MINI only 2 weeks (had 1200 miles on it). I hope that all works out with you, your friend and your MINI. Good Luck.