Someone hit my M !!!

[Strongbad]

I was recently hit in a parking lot in my M. They hit me right at the front end of the passenger side fender and then ripped off my bumper cover. At the same time, they apparently pushed the headlight over as well. When it did, it snapped the two plastic mounting tabs at the top of the headlight.

Now the body shop is saying I may need a new headlight, despite the fact that my old one is still working fine. Xenon's, blinkers, everything. Still works fine. Only thing wrong is the mounting tabs are broken.

Is there a way to fix this? Epoxy?

Anybody experience anything similar?

[auditech10]

Have your insurance cover it and dont worry about it. If not you can probably get away with epoxy on the tabs

[lswaidz]

I went through the same thing. My insurance wanted to give me $250 instead of replacing the headlight. It's because you can only purchase the entire assembly. They are around $1300 and that's a discounted price. Just have your insurance replace it. Then go buy that headlight re-fresh kit because you WILL notice a difference between the old and new one. It's actually rather drastic.

[ClutchKick]

Not sure where you are getting that "Discounted" price from...

[Strongbad]

Unfortunately, the guy who hit me did not leave a card, and I do not want to put this on my insurance out of fear of suffering higher rates.

[ClutchKick]

drop me an email... I can help you out on some stuff...

[audtatious]

Unfortunately, the guy who hit me did not leave a card, and I do not want to put this on my insurance out of fear of suffering higher rates.

Since someone hit you and "ran", did you file a police report? If so, then the insurance company should not increase your policy because someone hit your car. You pay the deductible and they pay the rest.

[Strongbad]

Email sent...

[Strongbad]

I did call the police, but it was Saturday night and pouring rain, and they told me it would be a minimum of an hour and a half before they could get somebody out there. Needless to say, I didn't wait.

As for my insurance, I don't trust them farther than I can throw them. They already tried to raise my rates once on a wreck where I got hit from behind (different car).

I figure I am better off long term just paying for the work myself.

My bodyshop quoted me $1100 without replacing the headlight. The headlight alone is more than the body work though. I really wanna try and save it (and save some money)

[ClutchKick]

If you are handy... swapping the bumper and fender isnt very hard at all (I can also send you service manual pages on how to do it...)

You would just have to get the parts painted...

Body shops around here (Good ones) charge $250 to paint bumper / $150-$200 for fender paint)...

Some body shops charge less... Ive seen bumpers painted for $100 even, but you get what you pay for with paint alot of the times...

Good luck with everything!

[nmgoodthing]

Ohhh, only if it was this simple. If it's a single car accident or a hit and run and no insurance is gathered from the other party, they will jack the rates up. They get you one way or another. I know I lost my good driver discount due to a hit and run.

[ATMOSquare]

ouch! man thats one of my nightmares right there. especially where i live bad drivers and bad parking are all to common. I had this one lady spend 8 mins trying to park her car, jumping the curb and everything till i just got fed up moved and drove across the street and parked in an empty lot.

[Popsickle]

Strongbad: How much did they quote you on the fender? Someone either hit mine with a shopping cart or kicked it. I ask because the body shop I use is over an hour away (no time to make the trip) and I'm not going to contact my insurance either.