gvmohan6

Hi All,
I own 2008 G37Sport 6MT coupe, Black Obsidian. I still have it as stock. No mods yet. I live in Philadelphia. My car was hit by someone in the parking area. I don't know who did it. No cameras in the area where I parked. I am attaching pictures to give general idea of the damage.
I have Geico insurance with 500 deductible. I need suggestions on how to handle this situation.

I am a noob when it comes to auto modifications or repairs. I have to completely rely on dealers.
I already drove 55K miles and thinking of replacing rotors and pads. Called my dealer and he gave me a quote for $575 front & $575 rear(includes labor).
Thanks to TunerzStore for sending a quote on StopTech rotors and hsk pads.

Since then I have been actively researching on brakes and still don't understand a bit.
Then I realized I need a good Auto Body shop.
And couldn't find much help on good Auto mod shops in and around philly area on the internet.

--I am interested in following mods.
-- IPL front bumper
-- Grille
-- Tires & Wheels
--Quad tips exhaust(mangaflow).

I don't race. So, I don't need to worry about tuning and stuff.

Knowledgeable members please put me in the right direction.

1.) Should I go with my insurance company for replacing bumper and for removing dent on the side panel?

2.) I have read many members talking about 2011 IPL G front bumper for 2008 G coupe. Is it possible to get IPL bumper and make insurance company pay for it?

3.) Any better auto care shops in and around Philly to establish a good relationship for all my G37 repair & mod needs?

I have a 2012 BMW 328i sedan as well for daily commuting needs. So, I can wait until I find a trustworthy Auto body shop.

Thanks in advance.



-Mohan

OB G

iTrader: (11)

Holy crap ~$1100 for brakes? No wonder they call them stealerships. I know a couple members here have mentioned ordering from brakeperformance.com. Check them out. If you buy a set of rotors from them it includes a free set of pads too and it's all warranteed for the lifetime of the parts. As for your questions:

1. Yes. Your deductible is 500. Bumper will be more than that to replace.
2.Your shop/Geico might be able to get the aero bumper and make you pay the difference. Best to ask them.
3. Not from Philly so don't know.

gvmohan6

Thanks for your reply.
Now I'm browsing through brakeperformance.com
Nice deals.

2008G-Man

Don't be surprised if Geico sends you packing after this, they are notorious for dropping folks after a claim.

gvmohan6

Called Geico and reported the claim. My deductible is $750.
they said I can go to any body shop I like. Their adjuster will come and review the claim.

gvmohan6

But I am not on fault. I hope my premium stays the same.

Twysted37

iTrader: (1)

Once Geico pays you, just buy an IPL bumper in a different color and have the body shop paint it. You get the check, you decide what you want to get.

gvmohan6

+1 Nice idea. Will definitely do that

OB G

iTrader: (11)

^^Assuming you have the title. Else I don't think they'll give you a check, rather they'll pay the shop.

quakerroatmeal

iTrader: (3)

750$ deductible. That's a pretty high deductible. Adjuster will cut you a check, you can take it to any shop you want to have it fixed. Some shops will order after market parts for you instead if you'd like. They'll cut a check to you + the shop.

jon23

iTrader: (1)

Your insurance will cut you a check, whether you own the vehicle or not. You choose the shop where you want the work to be done. Your accident looks a lot like mine, except a piece of wood hit my bumper. My deductible is also $500, and even though this is not your fault, it will come out of your comprehensive coverage.

From own experience, and also depending where you are located (shipping costs) the IPL bumper swap will cost you. I also have an OB G37 and that bumper color will cost you about $1,600 plus shipping, so get ready to pay the first $500, which will leave you with a nice factory painted black IPL bumper at your doorstep. You'll then realize you'll want fog lights to fill those holes down there, which means you need the "slim" windshield washer tank...more expenses. And then the fogs, wiring, etc, etc...

Some here also recommend getting a different color IPL bumper (since the gray and blue color bumpers are still around $385). Now add shipping, slim washer tank, fog lights, wiring, etc. Now you have to get it painted. You're already way past $500 bucks.

Something to think about is the fact that your deductible is $500, but that doesn't mean that you only pay $500 of WHATEVER you want done on your car. Your insurance company will inspect your vehicle and give you an estimate of how much they think it would cost you to get your car fixed. From this estimate, they will take away your $500 deductible. So if the damage is assessed at $800, they'll cut you a check for $300 and say goodbye to you. Now, your body shop of choice will also inspect the vehicle and maybe find more damage that your insurance adjuster did not see (as they usually dont have a lift at their office and such), so they will end up with a higher estimate than your insurance's. At this point, your insurance adjuster will verify the body shop's estimate and either approve it or deny it.

The best way to go about this will be if you find an auto body shop that is also an authorized insurance adjuster. This way you only go through them and should be able to get you a little more.

BTW, beware of the insurance company's estimates. They claim they use authentic dealership parts, but upon inspection of their estimate, my body shop showed me that they had indeed used the dealership retail price for parts, but later deducted an amount to reflect the fact that the car is used (!!!). So they instead use "remanufactured" original parts, which is garbage. We pay our WHOLE insurance premium every month for years, but when it's time to use all that money, we find out we don't deserve new parts...

If you have any more questions, PM me. I just went through this less than a month ago and my G is at the body shop getting fixed. I took advantage of the fact that one of the fog light inserts and the washer tank were destroyed, and went ahead and added fog lights to the bumper following a DIY that TVPostSound had posted, which is terrific.

Keep us updated, and hope it all works out for you. If you are younger than 25, then you're paying a steep monthly insurance bill, only to get bullied by their cheap estimates.

gvmohan6

Thanks Jon for detailed information.
There is a collision center close to the place where I work. They also have a speed shop. I will go talk to them first and see how things will go from there.
I will you updated. Thanks again

gvmohan6

I thought I had $500 deductible. When I called insurance they said it is $750 on collision coverage.
I want to add some more money to the check for replacing rotors & pads.

gvmohan6

My car is financed. So, I don't have the title.

LftSdDrv

Think the aero bumpers are $283 not $385 as mentioned above.