[MENAC3]

Unfortunately my 2020 X3MC was struck by an incompetent driver who blatantly ran a read light on the service road of the LIE yesterday.

Body damage isn't so bad but the driver struck my passenger side rear wheel at +/- 40-50 MPH. My car did a complete 180, was inoperable from the scene & was towed to my friends body shop.

I stuck my hand into the wheel well and the inside of my rear tire was snug up against my wheel liner. No noticeable suspension parts broken or hanging but I am almost certain there are bent parts as the wheel is noticeably not straight..

My dilemma is: If the car is reparable and needs frame, suspension adjustment or has axle, drivetrain, differential damage to some extent, I really want to total the car because I know it will never be the same again.

Anyone on here deal with a similar issue? I am so disappointed and just don't know what the best course of action is at this point.. Any advice / info is greatly appreciated.

[MENAC3]

Pics:

[Ftpohyeah]

Oh man that is so unfortunate!!!! It really sucks. I would want a new car. I wouldnt feel the same about driving it afterwards because it wont drive the same, it wont feel the same.

[Alan l.]

Sucks to hear. This is one of those things that will be worst this winter because due to covid. Nobody wants to take mass transit so lots of newbies on the road since everyone got a car. That plus people seem to think laws no longer applies to them is just a bad combination inclement weather driving.

Unfortunately its up to the insurance company if they are going to total the car or not. You don't have any say in that decision. Chances are if the car needs frame work there is a very good chance they will total it. Looking at your pics that doesn't look like a totaled car unless theres some serious frame damage underneath.

Also you mention you went to a friends shop. How good is his work? Since this is a insurance job I would go with the BEST body shop.

Alan

[MENAC3]

Originally Posted by Alan l.

Sucks to hear. This is one of those things that will be worst this winter because due to covid. Nobody wants to take mass transit so lots of newbies on the road since everyone got a car. That plus people seem to think laws no longer applies to them is just a bad combination inclement weather driving.

Unfortunately its up to the insurance company if they are going to total the car or not. You don't have any say in that decision. Chances are if the car needs frame work there is a very good chance they will total it. Looking at your pics that doesn't look like a totaled car unless theres some serious frame damage underneath.

Also you mention you went to a friends shop. How good is his work? Since this is a insurance job I would go with the BEST body shop.

Alan

I completely understand / agree. His work is great, he has worked on my e90 335, e92 m3, f80 m3.. None of which needed frame work except the e92 which was struck in the rear dead on.. Lease was up 3 months after so I fixed the car and gave it back. This is a different situation as I am only 6 months into my X3MC lease..

[kzg1969]

from a visual stand point - fair bit difference between the 2cars in damage!

your buddy might be very good on body work, but considering the wheel is not straight, would you not be better going to a BMW dealer due to the chassis/running gear/electronics side of things?

[calbear550]

Glad to hear no one was seriously injured. Did any of the airbags go off? Based on my experience that does look like a total loss. To get it fixed by a certified BMW Collision center (hopefully there’s one close) would be quite a bit especially if there is frame damage, which they might not fix all together. It is an insurance decision but look into filing a diminished value claim. This car is no where near the value of one that hasn’t been in an accident. Resale value just took a major hit. Let the insurance company know you are familiar with it and hopefully they’ll factor that into the global cost of repairing it. It really is 50/50 these days but good luck!

[MENAC3]

Originally Posted by calbear550

Glad to hear no one was seriously injured. Did any of the airbags go off? Based on my experience that does look like a total loss. To get it fixed by a certified BMW Collision center (hopefully there’s one close) would be quite a bit especially if there is frame damage, which they might not fix all together. It is an insurance decision but look into filing a diminished value claim. This car is no where near the value of one that hasn’t been in an accident. Resale value just took a major hit. Let the insurance company know you are familiar with it and hopefully they’ll factor that into the global cost of repairing it. It really is 50/50 these days but good luck!

Thanks for the info. No airbags went off in my car. The car is a lease so I am not really concerned with resale value, I believe that would be BMW's problem come lease end.. I am concerned with having to drive a tainted vehicle for 2.5 years. I will update the thread with info as I find out more through the claim process.

[DC X3M40i]

Glad you are okay and no major injuries. I grew up in nyc and drivers were impatient assholes at times. Now that I live in Long Island I find drivers to be just clueless. Treating red lights and stop signs as suggestions.
Hope they can get your car back to 100% keeping fingers crossed. Keep us posted

Again....glad you are okay. Like we always say...cars can be fixed and replaced.

[kzg1969]

Originally Posted by MENAC3

No airbags went off in my car.

Your car did a 180 and no airbags went off? Sounds a bit worrying that!

[Wills2]

Originally Posted by kzg1969

Your car did a 180 and no airbags went off? Sounds a bit worrying that!

Not really, a rear impact pushes you back into the seat rather than throwing you forward.

I was hit from behind once by a van traveling at 40-50mph at impact, the airbags don't go off, the head restraint system fires to catch your head as it's thrown back and the belts also fire but not the airbags unlike like in a frontal or side impact.

On the point of lateral movement not firing the airbags, if the airbags went off if you slide 180 degrees Top Gear car reviews would be pretty funny to watch.

[Razel]

I had a 2011 X3 involved in a rear-end collision in 2018. I-5 in N. California, ~80MPH on cruise control. Rammed from behind in the fast lane, totaled the car.
Check the front headrests and see if they "deployed". In a rear-end collision, they'll shove forward to catch your head before it snaps back. Small, AA-battery-sized explosive charge shoves them forward.
As mine was completely in the rear, the battery compartment was also compromised. As for the total, when you reach 1/2 of the value of the car in repair costs, it gets totaled, at least in California.

FWIW ...

[sittingmongoose]

Glad you're ok! I will tell you that you're very foolish to not just bring it to bmw and let them deal with it.

You will get a bmw loaner, they know everything about the car and what to watch for and it's on them to make everything right. This way if problems pop up down the road your buddys shop isn't on the hook.

[toxic_bimmer]

Sorry about your accident... I hope your insurer will total it, because these are high performance machines and I would ditch the car after such an accident...

I am not a mechanic but judging by the damage from the pics:
- body work on right side quarter panel, rear bumper, rear door, sill molding, wheel well trim piece.
- unless you get a perfect color match you will have to repaint the whole car or the whole right side at least, to avoid any color mismatch.
- rear suspension assemblies on both sides will likely need to be replaced (right side for sure)
- possibly work on the frame or parts of frame where suspension assemblies are attached
- obviously wheel alignment, new tires, new rims, possibly new rotors and calipers if any structural damage to them
- transfer case replacement possibly
- prop shaft replacement possibly

Could be less , could be more, but in any case, looks like a huge bill. Good luck with repairs and insurance company!

[kzg1969]

Originally Posted by Wills2

Not really, a rear impact pushes you back into the seat rather than throwing you forward.

I was hit from behind once by a van traveling at 40-50mph at impact, the airbags don't go off, the head restraint system fires to catch your head as it's thrown back and the belts also fire but not the airbags unlike like in a frontal or side impact.

On the point of lateral movement not firing the airbags, if the airbags went off if you slide 180 degrees Top Gear car reviews would be pretty funny to watch.

Focusing on the SIDE impact - if I was in that rear passenger seat and got hit on the side like that, i would want those curtain airbags to go off to reduce head impacts. Or maybe the car is clever enough to know there is no-one sitting there?

[cfm56d7b]

I am also glad to learn that no one was seriously injured. Cars can be replaced.

Other than working with your insurance company, the only option is to be patient through this process.

Keep us updated!

[DC X3M40i]

Originally Posted by kzg1969

Focusing on the SIDE impact - if I was in that rear passenger seat and got hit on the side like that, i would want those curtain airbags to go off to reduce head impacts. Or maybe the car is clever enough to know there is no-one sitting there?

I’m curious about that as well. I do know when we start the vehicle up it has the indicators for which occupants are not buckled in. However if the rear seat passenger forgoes the seat belt is there a weight sensor to tell the car there is someone in the seat in the event of a collision?

[RR-NYC]

Originally Posted by Wills2

Not really, a rear impact pushes you back into the seat rather than throwing you forward.

I was hit from behind once by a van traveling at 40-50mph at impact, the airbags don't go off, the head restraint system fires to catch your head as it's thrown back and the belts also fire but not the airbags unlike like in a frontal or side impact.

On the point of lateral movement not firing the airbags, if the airbags went off if you slide 180 degrees Top Gear car reviews would be pretty funny to watch.

That entirely depends on whether you were moving at the time and the speed at which you were hit

I was rear rear ended while sitting at a red light. I was thrown into the windshield before the seatbelt could lock. I broke my nose and has a 1 inch gash above my eye.

[r33_RGSport]

Damn, glad you are ok.

[floating.spirit]

Originally Posted by DC F97

I'm curious about that as well. I do know when we start the vehicle up it has the indicators for which occupants are not buckled in. However if the rear seat passenger forgoes the seat belt is there a weight sensor to tell the car there is someone in the seat in the event of a collision?

My Mazda used to tell me it deactivated the airbag when I took my heavy bag off the passenger seat while the Car was on...so I'm guessing there is a weight sensor, among other things.

[MENAC3]

Well there are 2 reasons I believe the rear air bags didn't go off:

1. I was moving @ about 30 MPH and when he struck my car he hit me dead center on the rear wheel. Being that his car is lower than mine, there was no one sitting in the rear and given the point of impact, I am not surprised my bags didn't go off.

2. The X3MC 100% has sensors in each seat and is aware when someone is sitting in said seat. I would like to believe that if there was a passenger in the rear, the bags would have deployed. Again, depends where that sensor is and if his impact would have triggered that sensor to deploy the airbag. He hit me very low.

[reichelj]

I am in the same boat currently. Driver ran a red light and struck me in the exact same spot at a similar speed. Car will be out of commission for at least 2 months. Took it to the local BMW CCRC and the total repair cost is currently at 35k USD. If you do get it repaired I would rec a BMW CCRC shop as they are certified and trained by BMW and use all factory OEM parts. Rear Diffs on these cars are 4500 alone.