Minor Accident, lots of damage - thoughts?

[edb4164]

Hi all,

I have a 2017 X5 50i that is fully loaded. I got the car new. Was never involved in an accident until last night. Ran my car into a concrete cylinder that holds light posts up in parking lots. Was probably going about 10 miles an hour. However, there is quite a bit of damage to the mechanical internals behind the bumper. The car was spewing oil out the side and leaking other fluids beneath the engine compartment. Immediately after the car's iDrive system through a warning about low oil pressure and another code for drivetrain damage and to stop immediately - which I did.

Take a look at these pictures and let me know what you think. The car has the DHP package, ACC, etc. Fully loaded. I know these systems are quite intricate and I'm afraid the car will never drive the same, even if they can fix it.

The insurance adjuster is coming out tomorrow morning to have a look, I already have an appointment scheduled with a BMW dealership who is a certified BMW collision center. I'm pretty upset right now and I'm wondering you're input.

Pictures attached! (note the cracked aluminum bar in directly behind the upper bumper that is mangled, also the two aluminum tubes that are closer to the wheel well which I think were the ones spewing oil, literally shooting it out.

Thanks!

[MizikeTSK]

Dang sorry to hear, and all that damage going 10 mph is nuts! I am not an insurance adjuster but in your case hope for the best. If insurance doesn't total the car make sure to find a good body shop for repairs unless your local BMW dealer has an in-house body shop that is good or make sure they only use oem parts. Being a dealer doesn't mean that they will.

[SupersixM]

it hurts on many levels but it’ll be over and done with, and soon you’ll be driving it again with no issues and a story to tell. They don’t give cars girl names for nothing.������. Good luck.

[ComasF15]

Really sorry this happened. I'm glad you you weren't hurt.

What insurance company? As mentioned, if they won't use OEM equivalents I'd pay the difference.

That said, a good repair is as new for the driving experience. Resale depreciation is part of the loss. If it drives right I'd keep it till the wheels fall off. If it doesn't, trade it when you can.

I had a new Duramax. Deer out of nowhere, semi on coming, deep culvert on the right. Hoof prints in the left door @ 45mph.

[edb4164]

Thank you for the kind words guys! I was not injured at all, the airbags did not even deploy. I use GEICO and they said that in PA, it is law that I am able to take the car to any repair shop I want. So, there are only four (4) BMW Certified Collision Centers in the entire state! One of them happens to be an hour from me - that's where I will take it. They are already aware of the car incoming to them tomorrow.

There's just so many intricate electronic items and parts where that damage happened that's what has me questioning if it can be repaired, especially those metal items and frames that appear to be completely mangled and snapped in half - those look to be part of the frame, not the exterior body of the car.

The adjuster is coming tomorrow and I will update on his observations. When I spoke to him, he said that if it looks like it can be a liability down the road, or if there is not confidence it can be repaired to like new condition, he will have to total the car. Pretty crazy since it's still worth around $60K (according to KBB) and is almost 21 months old. MSRP on this one was $89K

[sj22]

A good shop should be able to fix this for you. I drive a similarly packed X5 and can tell you there is not much "electronic" in that corner. There are some reservoirs and you have cracked a radiator. The PDC wires run there, the high beam bumb is there etc. Interesting that the low oil indicator came on.

If you ever saw an X5 with the front bumper stripped off, you will realize what I am saying.

If this was a low speed accident, a good shop who deals with electronics and installs can fix this as there will not be much frame damage and only some body work will be needed. Perhaps ask the dealer to run some diagnostics before they start and see what errors they are getting.

[RED_Y_]

I don't think they will total the car over this, insurance will loose a lot if they go this route. To me it doesn't look that bad, need new bumper cover, new fog light, new oil tubes, may be new radiator, harness or two. Don't give up this beauty just yet :-)

[edb4164]

Originally Posted by RED_Y_

I don't think they will total the car over this, insurance will loose a lot if they go this route. To me it doesn't look that bad, need new bumper cover, new fog light, new oil tubes, may be new radiator, harness or two. Don't give up this beauty just yet :-)

What about the aluminum bar that is cracked in half and bend around the frame? Also, are the oil tubes those silver tube-like things on the bottom left of the pictures?

[NJDJ]

My son hit a stone wall going less than 15 in my 3.5 and it was a total. The firewall was bent and that is not repairable per BMW. X5 vs immovable object is bad news. The good news is that I replaced it with a 50i. All better now.

[edb4164]

Originally Posted by NJDJ

My son hit a stone wall going less than 15 in my 3.5 and it was a total. The firewall was bent and that is not repairable per BMW. X5 vs immovable object is bad news. The good news is that I replaced it with a 50i. All better now.

Wow! I'm glad to hear it worked out. Do you have pictures of the damage? Also, did the adjuster determine that upon his observations or was it the body shop that determined the firewall was bent and unrepairable later on once the car was taken apart?

[cfm56d7b]

I am glad you are fine. That's the main concern.

I think your car will be repaired as good as new with this incident behind you in a few weeks.

Keep us updated!

[maDjzo]

Originally Posted by NJDJ

My son hit a stone wall going less than 15 in my 3.5 and it was a total. The firewall was bent and that is not repairable per BMW. X5 vs immovable object is bad news. The good news is that I replaced it with a 50i. All better now.

Total? At 15mph!! No bueno

[RED_Y_]

Originally Posted by edb4164

What about the aluminum bar that is cracked in half and bend around the frame? Also, are the oil tubes those silver tube-like things on the bottom left of the pictures?

I think that bar you are referring to is bumper support,
https://bimmercat.com/bmw/EN/search/...iX/USA/51_9426

it is replaceable , tubes are probably from engine or tranny oil coolers, replaceable as well.

[NJDJ]

Originally Posted by edb4164

Wow! I'm glad to hear it worked out. Do you have pictures of the damage? Also, did the adjuster determine that upon his observations or was it the body shop that determined the firewall was bent and unrepairable later on once the car was taken apart?

At first we thought it could be repaired. The adjuster quoted everything out and The Body Shop began work. As The Body Shop tore down the car that's when they realize the firewall was damaged. At that point it was just following BMW recommendations. I was very bummed.

[NJDJ]

Originally Posted by maDjzo

Total? At 15mph!! No bueno

I think it was mostly because it was an immovable object that he hit, just like the OP. When you hit another car there is some give. That makes a big difference. When you hit something that doesn't give, it's only the car the takes the damage. It doesn't take much. In my case the airbags did not even deploy.

[maDjzo]

Originally Posted by NJDJ

I think it was mostly because it was an immovable object that he hit, just like the OP. When you hit another car there is some give. That makes a big difference. When you hit something that doesn't give, it's only the car the takes the damage. It doesn't take much. In my case the airbags did not even deploy.

As long as OP and your son walked away unscathed, safety first!

[positiveions]

Wow. Sorry to read about your mishap. Hopefully you get it squared away.

[The Libertine]

Sorry to read about the accident; hopefully, the repairs go well. Most important is the fact you were not injured. Good luck.

[TOPEC]

u probably just have a lot of broken plastic pieces thats y it looks so bad. oil coming out of the tubes is cause there should be an oil cooler in that corner, and depending on if its the tubes that got crushed or the cooler that is damaged, it'll need replacing. also at 10mph i doubt ull have any frame damage, so just replace the carsh bars and all the broken plastic and u should be good to go.

[parkstr8]

All I will say is... OUCH!!!!

We can't see the rest of the car but I'd be surprised if the passenger side of the car didn't have some kind of body panel alignment issues with a hit like that. I would think the hood, door panels, wind shield, possibly sunroof, etc...would have been affected. And that's just the outside stuff you can see.

[puckybadger]

As an insurance agent I see lots of newer luxury vehicle totaled with what appears to be minor damage, compared to the vehicle cost. Why? With all the cameras, sensors, computer calibrations, etc. it becomes to much of a project to get everything operating correctly. When those robots are building the vehicles, no problem. Finding a human to replicate everything is close to impossible. A big reason why our insurance rates are on the rise.

[ianfp]

It looks like all the damage is on replaceable parts. I would be really surprised if they totalled the car! The whole front of the car is basically a soft crumple zone, so those parts can be replaced.