[antknee]

btw Martino Auto does great work too. Rocco's Collision in South Jersey restored my E30, and they also do flawless work too. Go w/ a shop you know is good. Nothings worse than getting half-assed bodywork.

[OptionLessM]

get it fixed then move out of New Jersey

[Goose81]

I would definitely go after his insurance for diminished value. Just call his agent and tell them you want to file a third party diminished value claim. Based on the estimate of damages and assuming your car is in otherwise good condition, you should receive a check for around $2,000. It's the dirty little secret in the insurance industry.

[Goose81]

Originally Posted by gobuffs

since it was the other guy's fault....you can ask his insurance company for a diminished value payment if your state allows it

My understanding is that every state allows it. Legally speaking it is simply a tort law. The person who suffered loss, in this case his car being worth less since it has been in an accident, has the right to "be made whole"(using legal jargon).

[nikzbord]

Insurance company isnt doing to well with me, a big headache.

[MSpeedAddict]

Originally Posted by PerkM3

Sorry to see this happen to you.

In my experience the at fault parties insurance company should be responsible for returning the car to the same condition as it was prior to the accident, so yes they should replace the carbon diffuser if it was damaged.

x2.
Honestly if you spend even a little time dealing with the body shop and insurance company they will make it happen.
Receipts help, I have every one since I purchased the car and some from the previous owner(s).
State Farm has without fail covered my parts in collision repairs and given a portion for totalled cars' parts depending on age.

Originally Posted by PerkM3

As for them writing a check to you, that just depends on the insurance company. When I first bought my M I got backed into in a parking lot and it damaged my hood and bumper, they wrote the check to me and I spent that on some Vorsteiner parts. On a preivous car I tried to do the same thing and the insurance company insisted on writing the check directly to the body shop. So it just depends.

State Farm will cut you a check unless it is a State Farm approved facility.
This has its advantages and disadvantages.
Cutting you a check, once everything is said and done if a problem arrises down the road you're S.O.L.
If its an approved shop, you'll have a warranty for the lifetime that you own the car.
I chose a State Farm approved shop so that if any cracks/webs/etc show up it'll be corrected free-of-charge

[MSpeedAddict]

Originally Posted by nikzbord

Insurance company isnt doing to well with me, a big headache.

Call YOUR insurance company.
If you don't have "cut-rate-insurance" usually they'll go to bat for you.
In my case I paid my deductible (even though it wasn't my fault) and had my insurance cover everything and had them go after the other insurance company.
Once the other insurance company paid up, I got my deductible back

[Obioban]

Pretty sure that Jersey, being the worst state in the nation, is a no fault state. Meaning that you are responsible for the damage.

Unless something has changed since last time I looked into it.

[nikzbord]

^^ Nope. Theres certain "loop holes" but you need to have a police report that shown in your favor.


So here I am about a month later and my car is still at the shop and THEY STILL HAVE NOT TOUCHED IT.

when I left I drove to dealer with my top down- first sunny day in weeks.

Now the top didn't go up and they are saying it wasn't part of the accident? Is there something I should say? Aren't there sensors and pumps in the trunk? I mean my trunk floor is bent.. and my top worked flawlessly, I've always had a hard top for most of its life and only does the top see summers and never winters

help!