B.O.B. (Beware of Bimmers)

white04kj · **Posted:** Thu Oct 19, 2006 12:46 pm

As I was driving to class this morning, I got rearended by a guy in a mid-90's BMW sedan. I had to hit the brakes pretty good to avoid hitting a goon in a PT Cruiser who wasn't paying attention to the car in front of him, and the BMW didn't stop in time - ran his hood/grill into my spare. The Jeep took the hit surprisingly well; the rear gate is dented a bit, but the wheel didn't get bent. The BMW though - it's pretty beat up. His hood was pushed way back up, and the radiator got pushed into the fan, I could hear it tearing stuff up as we pulled off the street. He was pretty cool though, lots of apologizing and such. He said he's glad his wife drives a Jeep after seeing how well mine fared :-)r

What do you guys think I should do about repairs? I think I'd rather get the door replaced rather than have the dent beat out, as I can see the dent coming back eventually with the force the spare puts on it when closing the gate. I'm pretty sure insurance will cover it and I won't be liable, since the other guy walked away with a ticket for failing to stop.

I'd post a pic of the KJ but I don't want to do anything that could get me caught up with the ins. company or cops; liability issues blah blah blah.

Jeger · **Posted:** Thu Oct 19, 2006 12:57 pm

Get a copy of the police report, an estimate or two, of the cost to repair your jeep, (they way you want it done) and send it to the insurance company of the guy that hit you, or have your insurance agent do it. Hopefully you wont get the runaround. And I say get a new door, and tell the body shop or whoever that you want your old one too, if it is worth keeping, dont let them have it.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Oct 19, 2006 1:31 pm

No one should care if you post pics? Ive never heard of anything like that? I may be wrong though, dont want to get you in trouble.. :wink:

ATXKJ · **Posted:** Thu Oct 19, 2006 1:47 pm

With the labor cost of straightening body panels - it's commonly cheaper to replace it that to straighten it.

elephantrider · **Posted:** Thu Oct 19, 2006 1:50 pm

we got rearended in our 03 renegade a couple of years ago, it bent up the rear door pretty good, they replaced the rear door, the spare and the glass. i think the bill was around 2800.

DarbyWalters · **Posted:** Thu Oct 19, 2006 1:54 pm

Most doors...including rear doors...can have the "skin" replaced instead of "banging" it out. Would be knda neat to get someone to make a diamond plate replacement skin. Could even be a little different in shape and have a little hatch built in for a tow strap...

white04kj · **Posted:** Thu Oct 19, 2006 3:30 pm

I didn't think I'd cause trouble with the pics, just wanted to make sure I didn't open a can of worms.

Here are the pics I got, they're not great because I used my phone, but you get the idea.

There's a dent right under the 3.7 emblem, it's a bit hard to make out.

I'm lucky I'm lifted. I think had I been any lower he would have been closer to hitting me square on, which would have damaged the wheel and likely the glass too. As it is that's the only damage, plus a tiny dent in the plastic bumper that may have been there already from wheeling.

As far as custom fabbing a new skin, that'd be cool but I'm only gonna have the KJ for another month.

dirtykj · **Posted:** Thu Oct 19, 2006 4:30 pm

The wheel might still have hairline cracks in it. You'd better have it checked to be sure. It would really suck if, months or years down the road, you needed the spare and when you put it on it split in two (ok, drastic, but you get the idea

)

KW AV8R · **Posted:** Thu Oct 19, 2006 8:31 pm

If you were going to keep the KJ, I would have them clean and smooth the tailgate and go for Rock Lizard's rear bumper and swing away. Also, if you're not going to keep the KJ, I would just have them fix it for the cheapest amount then sell it. Just my $.02

white04kj · **Posted:** Thu Oct 19, 2006 8:38 pm

KW AV8R wrote:

If you were going to keep the KJ, I would have them clean and smooth the tailgate and go for Rock Lizard's rear bumper and swing away.

That's what I would do too. Not having to worry about dentable (is that a word?) plastic back there would be awesome.

I won't be keeping the KJ, but my dad will. After I finish bootcamp and get to Charleston, I'll be picking up an '05 or '06 Rubi. Having the KJ for a trade-in would be nice, but since my parents paid for it, me making money off of it would defeat the purpose of enlisting in the first place

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Oct 19, 2006 8:55 pm

Are you going to be selling anything off it? :wink:

white04kj · **Posted:** Thu Oct 19, 2006 9:08 pm

Jeepjeepster wrote:

Are you going to be selling anything off it? :wink:

Wasn't planning on it... I know I'm keeping the CB to put in the Rubi, and I don't have the plasting molding to replace the skink sliders. Got something you're lookin for?

EDIT: I suppose if you want the Superskid I could pull that, but at 60-70 lbs, shipping would be a killer.

Eddo · **Joined:** Thu Jul 07, 2005 7:01 pm **Posts:** 1214

ATXKJ wrote:

With the labor cost of straightening body panels - it's commonly cheaper to replace it that to straighten it.

Had the exact same thing happened to me. It was the same price to replace it as to repair it. Got 3 quotes, all of them where just about 1000 dollars Damage looked identical, just slightly pushed in. The replacement door is only around 359. Paint install and tax added in the rest of the 600 dollars. If you just get a new door painted and choose to install it yourself you can save about 250. Since it lists labor at about 4 hour to remove and install the new door. That is what one body shop recommend if I wanted to save move.

MattyMac1 · **Posted:** Mon Oct 23, 2006 1:17 pm

Remember you can go to any autobody shop you want and if they need more money to fix it the Ins Co must hand it over. Make sure they alot you enough money for paint blending and make sure you get a new tire out of it. You have the right as a paying consumer to getting your car fixed to as good of condition if not better than before the accident. Don't let the insurance company tell you otherwise. If you don't get it fixed properly it will come back to haunt you when you go to sell the car. just my thoughts.. :wink:

dog_party · **Posted:** Mon Oct 23, 2006 1:44 pm

I definitely say get a new tire/rim and new door. If you dad likes to drive off road, get the cash for the stock rear bumper and get an aftermarket one instead. If you dad's just going to daily-driver it, get the bumper replaced with new plastic.

I'm glad to hear that the KJ's staying in the family. And not taking it for trade-in after they paid for it is a smooth move man.

KJ-BOL · **Posted:** Mon Oct 23, 2006 5:43 pm

Glad u r ok....
as for the door - I'd do what Fester

- AKA USAFCOP did.... get the door fixed, take the spare completely out of the back door cover the holes & put it on the roof
but, that's me
I'm telling ya.... we got to keep an eye out- 3 rear ended KJs in less than a month.... and winter is not even here

B.O.B. (Beware of Bimmers)

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