Worth repair or not for leased BMW X5?

[bigox343]

First BMW, first lease and got hit & run in parking lot

Checked video surveillance and didn't find anything. see the damage below..

My question: Is it worthwhile to call insurance and got it repaired ($500 deductble) or just wait until lease ends (< 2 yrs away). Would there be a rip off given this damage...


thanks!

[David70]

First thing I would do is see how much of the black marks will come off. I think you will be surprised. Nothing wrong with using a solvent or cleaner.

[KnightedBMW]

I'm sure a lot will come off. No way I could drive around like that for 2 years.

[Dackelone]

I bet one of those "smart repair" guys who come to you and paint the bumper cover at your location would be very cost effective. Replacing the bumper cover at a body shop is probably gonna be a $2K job. A smart repair will be around $500.

Maybe first try a clay bar and some mild paint correction stuff/scratch-X. I bet 90% would be fixed that way.

Good Luck,
Dackel

[bigox343]

Originally Posted by David70

First thing I would do is see how much of the black marks will come off. I think you will be surprised. Nothing wrong with using a solvent or cleaner.

Thanks! Would WD-40 work here?

[R3dliner]

Originally Posted by bigox343

Thanks! Would WD-40 work here?

no and no. Either claybar or get some 3M compound

[David70]

Originally Posted by bigox343

Thanks! Would WD-40 work here?

I would try it or some mineral spirits. WD 40 won't hurt the paint if you use it with a soft, clean rag, and use reasonable pressure, and worst case is it won't take off the marks, try it in a small area and see what happens. Clay bar would work but it will make a mess of the bar, I think compound is overkill. After you are done with everything you need to wash whatever you use off really well (soap) and then wax the area to protect it.

Many years ago (roughly 1988-90) while in high school/college I worked at a Nissan dealership and all of the cars came in with a protective coating on them. We then washed the whole vehicle with mineral spirits. Eventually Nissan stopped and started using the white plastic.

[BEM-S4]

Take it to your body shop and tell them you want it "lease fixed" and ask what they think they could accomplish with a good buff. I've had worse fixed for free. Granted I had a good relationship w them, but you should get it fixed enough not to get hurt at turn in for next to nothing.

[cgiibanez]

Meguiars Cleaner Wax works miracles. I've used the product over the years and everytime it amazes me. Goodluck!

http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotiv...htWFGD46kCk.97

[P1]

You should be able to get 95% of that off, just by finding a really good detailer. From the looks of it, it's a lot of paint transfer. This should cost you no more than $150.

[Kzang]

I had a similar mishap on my E70 ( Leased ) car and 90% of the marks came off by using scratchX polish/scratch remover. Mine was slightly worse than yours since mine had a 6 inch or so crack on the plastic panel. Luckily it happened towards the end of my lease and I didn't have to look at that eye sore for too long.

I returned the car and the dealer charged me around $300 for damage and I leased another X5.

If I were you, I wouldn't claim it on the insurance.. just clean it and repair it as best as you can.

[stewy604]

As said above, I'll mirror the same...90% of those marks will probably come off. Start there first. Then it just becomes a matter of you being able to "live" with the result. For me, any mark would annoy the heck out of me, and I'd need to have it fixed. Looks like you already have, but I'd keep photos of the original damages should you choose to pursue insurance down the road. Not sure how your insurance company works, its rather different here in the Great White North!

[aligazi]

buffer and compound. or if your price conscious, some ajax and elbow grease.

[smc007]

Originally Posted by aligazi

buffer and compound. or if your price conscious, some ajax and elbow grease.

DO NOT use any product on paint that feels like sand. AJAX is not meant for car paint and does not break down like car polishes/compounds.

[artem123]

Originally Posted by aligazi

buffer and compound. or if your price conscious, some ajax and elbow grease.

Oh.... Please... No Ajax.

[Neuera09]

Same happened to my wife at a hospital parking lot 2 weeks ago. The damaged is about 5x worst but mostly black scuff marks. Luckily the bumper wasn't dented. I used Mr Clean dry erase pad and clay bar lube (soapy water works too) to remove the scuff marks. Then I finished with Dr. Color chip to fill the paint that came off the bumper. We still know it's there obviously but not as noticeably as before. Good luck.

[alphaod]

I hate it since moving back to NYC. People either can't drive or there is no courtesy. Just yesterday, someone thought it would be nice to roll their shopping cart down the entire driver side of my car leaving a mark from head to tail. I watch this guy do this. He said his car was on the other side. He offered me $20. I told him it would be at least $2000 unless he wanted to clean it off. Fortunately most of it was just plastic from the shopping cart leaving no real damage, so I let him go.

[Neuera09]

Originally Posted by alphaod

I hate it since moving back to NYC. People either can't drive or there is no courtesy. Just yesterday, someone thought it would be nice to roll their shopping cart down the entire driver side of my car leaving a mark from head to tail. I watch this guy do this. He said his car was on the other side. He offered me $20. I told him it would be at least $2000 unless he wanted to clean it off. Fortunately most of it was just plastic from the shopping cart leaving no real damage, so I let him go.

Dude, no different here in Kali, especially SF. San Jose is no different. I wonder sometimes if some people got their licenses from a Cracker Jack box. Sorry to hear bout what happened.

[Alan l.]

Originally Posted by Neuera09

Same happened to my wife at a hospital parking lot 2 weeks ago. The damaged is about 5x worst but mostly black scuff marks. Luckily the bumper wasn't dented. I used Mr Clean dry erase pad and clay bar lube (soapy water works too) to remove the scuff marks. Then I finished with Dr. Color chip to fill the paint that came off the bumper. We still know it's there obviously but not as noticeably as before. Good luck.

This is what i was going to recommend. My brother had the same thing happen to his white GTi and after buffing with compound and using Drcolorchip it was pretty much 99% invisible unless you were inches away from the area.

Alan