Please help save my 2.8L all original atlanta blue!

UK forum for general and technical discussion about the Z3 roadster
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LdP
Joined: Tue 24 Apr, 2012 13:20
Posts: 3

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Please help save my 2.8L all original atlanta blue!

Post by LdP »

My wonderful car had a little hit to the curb knocking the wheel out of place - insurance company want to write it off!!! I understand that repair can look simple but may require replacing the whole steering arch too, costing over 3k... That's fine I want to save this beauty in any way I can but I need to find a garage willing to help!

This Z3 is all original in 'Goldeneye' colour and interior, 1999 pre-face-lift 'fat-arse' beauty, 85k miles now but and has run like a dream for so many years, never any problems its been the perfect car - I am so heartbroken :bawl: don't know what to do!

Interior
Image

This is the damage there, cracked bumper and wheel knocked out of place. :oops:
Image

I can't bare to see this car go to heaven just yet, does anyone have any ideas?

Finally, if there is no hope I wonder if people will be interested in some of these parts.

Good day to all, I'm going to spend the day in bed :(
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colb
Joined: Sat 05 May, 2012 22:46
Posts: 690

  Z3 roadster 1.8 TU
Location: Newport South Wales UK

Re: Please help save my 2.8L all original atlanta blue!

Post by colb »

Better picture without the dog would be useful and take it parallel with the wheel arch to see how far back it pushed the wheel.
You need to strip it down to assess the damage to the suspension components, it may be they have just bent so replacement would not be too much however you need to see if the body mounts that are connected to the suspension components are undamaged, if they are then it will need to be put on an alignment jig to straighten any misalignment back to correct specs. Thats going to be the costly part of any repair.
The bumper will be easily sourced from one of our breakers on here, obviously there will be a cost to paint it.
Once the bumper is off you might see what else at the front end needs changing.
Colb
1999 BMW 1.8 Z3
2003 BMW 2.5 Z4
1998 Honda Deauville NT650V
therealdb1
Joined: Tue 25 Jun, 2013 21:47
Posts: 263

  Z3 roadster 2.0

Re: Please help save my 2.8L all original atlanta blue!

Post by therealdb1 »

Where did the quote of £3k come from?
That sounds like BMW prices.
Sure there is plenty of work to do but you need someone who knows what they are looking at to take a proper peek at it with the bumper and wheel off rather than just saying "insurance job + old car = write off"!
You could always buy the car back off the insurance company and rebuild it out of your own pocket and you will probably find that the repair will be a fraction of the insurance quote.
Only problem with that route is the car will be classified as a Cat D and will never command the residual value it looks like it deserves but if it is a keeper and you do not intend selling it then that is not a problem.
I'm sure someone will be along shortly with a recommended indy near to you.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Del
Joined: Sat 19 Nov, 2011 18:35
Posts: 2136

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Please help save my 2.8L all original atlanta blue!

Post by Del »

May have bent the control arm (aka wishbone). New front pair £150 - DIY replace. Tracking check £50. The bonnet doesn't look pushed out of place or twisted so I would get estimates from the dent experts e.g. Dentmagic and similar - you be amazed what they can do if the paint is still in place. There are even individuals who do similar outside your house. :)

I expect the insurance estimate was swollen by a quote for a new bonnet and front bumper and a respray for half the car - blending at the door area :?
mrscalex
Joined: Fri 13 Mar, 2015 09:14
Posts: 910

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Please help save my 2.8L all original atlanta blue!

Post by mrscalex »

An insurance quote is always going to be using BMW panels & parts or worst case a high quality and expensive alternative.

And they will look to put eg a new bonnet on not repair the old one. It's very convenient for the insurance company to write-off rather than fiddle with a claim.

Based on the quote of £3k I doubt there is any chassis damage. Jig prices tend to start at £1,500 at big bodyshops. And you've easily got £3k of damage there at insurance prices if the bonnet, bumper and headlight are all bust.

You really could have done with putting up proper pictures with the damage showing though.

Personally I wouldn't even have put it through insurance but then I've usually got the parts as a car breaker to fix it up cheap.

One of the most telling ways you have at your disposal to determine chassis damage is to see if new parts all bolt up and it goes through an alignment check okay. In particular the chassis brace is literally a big gauge as the rails only need to be out 1 or 2mm for a known good one from another car (ie that hasn't bent with the chassis) not to go back properly.

If the wheel has been pushed back hard enough it will have deformed the rear of the wheel arch and pulled the chassis rail around.

These 2 pictures (taken looking up from under the rear of the wheel arches) show a straight and an accident damaged area respectively. The latter caused by the wheel being pushed back into it. The wishbone and the wheel are also likely candidates to bend or break. Everything else in the area has a chance of not being busted as it's designed to flex around on joints anyway.

Image

Image
ImageImage
2001 Z3 2.2 Topaz Blue (Trudy) - Keeper rebuilt from a write-off
2002 Z3 2.2 Titan Silver (Cookies) - Keeper rebuilt having been bought with a seized engine
2002 Z3 3.0 Sapphire Black (Peanut) - Keeper awaiting rebuilding having been bought as an abandoned project
Plus Willy, Kodak & Maycee - All 2.2 Sport projects. Yes, 6 is a lot of Z3s :)
Always happy to try and help with spares :)
woodsta888
Joined: Wed 25 May, 2011 09:26
Posts: 32

  Z3 roadster 2.0
Location: Exmouth

Re: Please help save my 2.8L all original atlanta blue!

Post by woodsta888 »

Can you not let them write it off and give you the money - then buy the car for a nominal amount back off the insurance company? Then use the money for the repairs picking up any extra cost yourself? Sounds like it's not written off due to never being road worthy again but simply because it's cheaper for the insurance company to give you the value as to what it's worth which is less than the repair value an insurance company will get.

I've heard of other people doing this to cherished cars, bike boats and aircraft. Just get ready to argue the rebuy value if they are going to give you a lowball offer on the insurance value. I know someone who did this when he bent the front of his Audi R8.

I've not been through this process myself but just a thought to consider as it's what it's worth to you, not the insurance company.

I could be wrong.
mrscalex
Joined: Fri 13 Mar, 2015 09:14
Posts: 910

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Please help save my 2.8L all original atlanta blue!

Post by mrscalex »

As a Cat it will never be worth more than 60% of it's pre-accident condition when repaired.

Add in loss of excess, hit to no claims, hit to premium and handing over to a garage you may not have picked yourself.

It's why I always say first port of call see if you can fix it yourself for cheaper.

Of course if another party is involved it changes the lay of the land. But it's still an option to see if you can negotiate something between you.
ImageImage
2001 Z3 2.2 Topaz Blue (Trudy) - Keeper rebuilt from a write-off
2002 Z3 2.2 Titan Silver (Cookies) - Keeper rebuilt having been bought with a seized engine
2002 Z3 3.0 Sapphire Black (Peanut) - Keeper awaiting rebuilding having been bought as an abandoned project
Plus Willy, Kodak & Maycee - All 2.2 Sport projects. Yes, 6 is a lot of Z3s :)
Always happy to try and help with spares :)
LdP
Joined: Tue 24 Apr, 2012 13:20
Posts: 3

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: Please help save my 2.8L all original atlanta blue!

Post by LdP »

Thank you all so much.

The car wasn't driveable so it was carried away and I've not got chance to take better pictures - I'm glad I took these ones! I really thought it was just the wishbone and front bumper I would be seeing her again in a few days, so I am shocked and desperate now.
I haven't got a place to store her so the dream of getting her fixed via DIY won't work, and I don't know garages myself that can help me do a good job, say at reasonable price. Price isn't necessarily the object though I just really want to save the car, and quite inexperienced in all this!

The quote I got is for 3400, but car is insured for twice that!
Here's the quote I got;

*Parts / Panels Requiring Renewal
FRONT BUMPER
L.F SIDE PANEL COVER
ENG ROOM PROTECTION
UPP ENG F.WALL INSUL
L.F WHEEL
L.F TYRE
L.F TRACK CONT ARM
POWER STEERING BOX
L.TIE ROD
R.TIE ROD
L.F CPL SPRING STRUT
L.F STEERING KNUCKLE
FRT BRAKE PAD SENSOR
L.RUBB MNTG BRACKET
L.PRESSURE ROD BRKT
L.SWING SUPPORT

*Parts / Panels Requiring Repair
REPAIR L/F WING

*Associated Work Required
CHECK FRONT AXLE SUPPORT
CHECK AND ROAD TEST

*Parts / Panels Requiring Painting
FRONT BUMPER NEW PART PAINT K1R
L/F WING REPAIR PAINTING <50%

Labour: £399.67
Paint Materials: £205.32
Parts: £2,243.95
+ 571 VAT
=£3426


Here's the only pictures I have;
Image

Image

Image


:head: :head:
LdP
Joined: Tue 24 Apr, 2012 13:20
Posts: 3

  Z3 roadster 2.8

Re: Please help save my 2.8L all original atlanta blue!

Post by LdP »

When the insurance company gave me the news yesterday, I said I would organise to have it sent to another garage to get a new quote, in the mindset that IT WILL BE REPAIRED.

But I'm still in limbo as to where to send it / what to do. If any of you guys have a suggestion of a no none-sense garage in/near London that can help then I would love to consider. Ideally I can buy it off the insurance company as scrap, fix and have it just as a hobby car - I'd want to keep her forever. I'm only just learning about CatD this is all a mystery to me.

Im pretty sure its insured to 6 or 8K.. so I wonder why they wouldnt repair it anyway, but what do I know.

I'll probably give it another day before doing anything further...
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colb
Joined: Sat 05 May, 2012 22:46
Posts: 690

  Z3 roadster 1.8 TU
Location: Newport South Wales UK

Re: Please help save my 2.8L all original atlanta blue!

Post by colb »

If you plan on keeping it forever then it's a no brainer, get it fixed, the only thing that worries me is the state of the chassis as Mr Scalex explained in his post and if it can be straightened if distorted. Really need to have the wheel off to see what got bent, you should be able to source body parts from the breakers on this forum. Car looks far too good to scrap for parts and worth keeping.
Colb
1999 BMW 1.8 Z3
2003 BMW 2.5 Z4
1998 Honda Deauville NT650V
therealdb1
Joined: Tue 25 Jun, 2013 21:47
Posts: 263

  Z3 roadster 2.0

Re: Please help save my 2.8L all original atlanta blue!

Post by therealdb1 »

Unless you have an "agreed value" with the insurance company, in which case you will know what it is and probably paid extra for it, it will only be insured for the market value of the car and not £8k despite whatever you write on the form.

That is why they will write it off.

Just looking at the list of parts they have quoted to replace all at BMW new parts prices of course;

Do you really need a new wing? Surprised they have not quoted for a sill cover also!
What do they mean by steering box? I thought Z's had rack and pinion.
Can't believe you need a tie road for the other side unless you had bolted the steering up solid when you hit the kerb.
It is unlikely there will be much wrong with the brake pad sensor unless it has snapped the wire off right at the sensor itself.
You could get a complete set of used wheels from eBay for the price of a single new one from BMW.
You will be able to source a tyre cheaper than they have quoted too.

There we are saved a fortune in parts already!

You will have to swallow the painting and labour if it is not something you can do yourself but to be fair to them £400 is not extortionate for the work required.
peter2b
Joined: Sat 01 Nov, 2014 18:47
Posts: 963

  Z3 roadster 2.2i
Location: cheshire

Re: Please help save my 2.8L all original atlanta blue!

Post by peter2b »

if you thinks that's bad should have seen my z3 when I got her been hit on the off side just above the bumper so a new bonnet (second hand from a guy doing a kit conversation £150 ) 2 second hand head lights£45 each (pre face lift)2nd hand slam pannel new fan and radiater £180 new water pump fog light and a plastic bumper repair kit that I saw on car sos some cut and shut on the front chassis rails passes mot inspection every time, you can get a buffing wheel to get most of the scratches out then fill and respray I used a rattle can then clear acquer
peterz3
sebring
Joined: Thu 12 Dec, 2013 12:45
Posts: 53

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Please help save my 2.8L all original atlanta blue!

Post by sebring »

PM SENT
spurs fan in a coupe
Joined: Fri 18 Apr, 2008 19:24
Posts: 1446

  Z3 coupe 2.8
Location: woking

Re: Please help save my 2.8L all original atlanta blue!

Post by spurs fan in a coupe »

I've just picked up an Atlanta blue for breaking, body work is really clean, PM me if you're still looking for parts.

Thanks
we expres: " He did hear the bells ringing, but doesnt know where where the clapper hangs".
sebring
Joined: Thu 12 Dec, 2013 12:45
Posts: 53

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Please help save my 2.8L all original atlanta blue!

Post by sebring »

z
sebring
Joined: Thu 12 Dec, 2013 12:45
Posts: 53

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Please help save my 2.8L all original atlanta blue!

Post by sebring »

Took its time to get through insurance, but I'm happy to report the car is now fully repaired and has been treated to a full respray

Looks fantastic in the flesh!
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