noticed today that someone hit Stella's left rear bumper corner, probably while backing out of a tight parking space. there's about a 3" crack in the bumper, one edge pushed under the other so i can't push it out from inside. Bumper repair isnt covered under the warranty, is it?

upside's that i followed unixgal's instructions in another thread to install my Nuvi 680 with the Kuda mount. looks spectacularly good

 

No you'll (or insurance) will probably have to cover that one.

From my understanding of bumpers if there is a tear that big in it they will need to replace the whole bumper and then respray to match the body.

 

Bummer I'm sure your insurance will cover it - warranty will not I'm afraid. It's probably going to cost more to replace than you think. Those little buggers are expensive...

Donna

 

I had a lady back into mine--she FORGOT she was in reverse when the light changed. The pics are posted on the General MINI forum, under "post crash pictures here thread." The damage estimate for the small crack I had, and a "punch mark" from the license bracket screw, was $382. That was a repair, not replacement of the whole bumper. As I interpret the estimate, the top strip alone will be replaced, but I'm not sure on that.

Oh, and yes, I got the cash from the lady. Really stupid mistake! (And I saw it coming, laid on my horn, and was just helpless to stop things with someone behind me.)

 

Your insurance company MIGHT cover it as an Uninsured Motorist claim. Given you have no idea of when or where it happened, expect them to be quite suspsicious that you didn't back into something though.

Difference in a Collision claim verses a Uninsured Motorist claim is in the amount of deductible (UM ded. varies by state but is usually around $250) and an at-fault accident versus not-at-fault.

BTW... I had a rear bumper cover replaced and the bill ran around $300.

 

My advice, after the fact is, stay away from tight parking spaces !!! Park as far away as possible in an open area and walk. That way you can also turn around and get another look at your Mini as you walk away, and when you return.

 

Good idea in principle but slighly flawed.

You park way out in the open and you bring unwanted attention to yourself. People can be spiteful and if they know how protective you are of your nice vehicle, some will intentionally park VERY close to you and may even ding your door.

Park several spots away from other cars but not out in the wide open spaces. Or find a nice end spot and park on the far line, away from the other parking spot. Strategic parking.

 

It's INSANE that there are people who will go out of their way to do mean things like this, but that's the world we are in I guess. Too bad though.

 

Might also be jealousy prodded on with flamboyant gear like this shirt from mini

 

Sniff your bumper crack? Errr, no thanks

 

The back bumper cost about $1,000 if there is no structural damage underneath. I backed into a BMW in a parking lot at about 1 mph. Cost $1,500 because a bar underneath the bumper was bent.

 

ROTFLMAO! (We need more smilies, especially this one!)

 

You trying to tell me that a bumper cover cost $1000 ?

 

As much as it sucks, that's very much true. I actually got into quite an argument with a good friend of mind about exactly that. She actually admitted to parking right next to cars that park way out in the open. Claims that they're either too obsessed with their cars or conceited in thinking that their car is better than everyone elses... Such stupidity, I love her to death, but it pisses me off just imagining the amount of people who must think the same.

I generally try to follow CR&PW&JB advice and park in an end spot, as close as possible to the curb. Either that I or take time to position my MINI directly in the middle of a spot to where either driver should be able to freely open their doors without dining me. If I see that's not possible, I choose another spot. That may be obsessive but I'm trying to keep my MINI looking new for a very long time.

Also, call me judgmental, and it may be flawed logic as depending they can be worst door dingers and bumper hitters of anyone, but I also try to park next to nicer cars. Figure with any hope, their owners appreciate them more. I've also heard many stupid comments from the driver's of older cars that they can care less if they ding/hit someone; their car is already a piece of sh*t anyway. If nothing else, I at least try parking next to a smaller car which I figure the driver should be totally capable of maneuvering without an issue.

HEY, I kinda like that shirt!

 

Avoiding cars with 2 doors is another tactic--their doors swing a lot wider (and heavier) than those of 4-doors.

 

It has to be painted and installed. IIRC, the bumper was about $300, but I could be wrong about that.

 

I got rear ended in Oct 2006. The body shop replaced my bumper cover. Total cost of the job, including painting and clear-coating, removing the old, installing the new: $289.

 

Not an R56, then?

 

No, a 2006 Cooper. But I can't believe the difference in bumper skins would be *that* much. Besides, what you're saying is the labor cost is $700 and the labor to do mine was only about $120. Is the R56 bumper that much larger ??

 

here's a photo of the damage. maybe i'll just slap a sticker on it. any recommendations?

 

I got two bids for this repair. The estimates were assuming no damage underneath the bumper. The company the insurance company recommended in Salinas, CA bid $1,500. The company that MINI of Mountain View recommended bid $1,000. I went with the MINI of Mountain View recommendation because they knew the MINI better.

 

That crack is from the bumper cover being forced against the reinforcement bar behind it.

A lot of shops can now repair plastic (sorry, that's what our bumpers are made of ), just like they can repair metals.

You can turn the claim into your insurance company and *hope* they call it an Uninsured Motorist claim. If they do not, then it's a Collision claim and considered to be at-fault. But either way, the cost of the repair may not even reach your deductible.

So... I would take it to a shop to get an estimate first. Then, consider your Collision deductible and find out what the UM dedictible is in your state. Then you can make a sound decision.

 

appreciate all the input, guys. on a happier note, here's how the nuvi gps with the kuda mount looks on my dash.

 

Nice! I may look into doing the same with my nuvi 660.

 

i think garmin needs to make a round GPS device for the mini