So I'm sitting at a red light in Hollywood today, when a guy approaching me from behind decides that his Cavalier and my Cooper S should "become one".
My rear bumper and exhaust are basically destroyed.

I filed an insurance report and apparently I get to choose my body shop, so my question to you SoCal motorers is: Where should I take it?

Insurance will be covering it, so I guess money is no object.

Should I take it to a Dealer or an independent body shop? Anyone know of one in particular that does geat work?

I'd love my cooper back as close to new as possible.

Thanks. (sniff)

 

Hey Calvin77, sorry to hear you got hit, I had a similar thing happen to me yesterday, a tractor trailer truck apparently didn't see my mini parked (legally) on the side of the street near where he was going to be backing into a loading dock... he wrecked my left rear quarter panel and my bumper, and broke off my trim... I went to the Autobody shop that's affiliated and/or attached to Long Beach Mini. Ted took a look at my car and came back with an estimate of $2500 and a total time in the shop of 3 weeks.

The shop itself seems to be in total chaos, there are cars and parts strewn all over the place. I haven't visited many autobody shops so this is probably normal... but it gave me a bad feeling.

The trucking company's insurance carrier is going to cover the repairs but now I get to fight it out with them over renting something halfway decent in the interim.

Good luck with yours, if you want I'll let you know how things go with the shop, quality of work, speed, etc.

orb.