Totalled my ti last night...

[durnadupa]

Ok, so this may be my goodbye to the 318ti community. What can I say, it has been fun while it lasted.
So I was on my way to a friends house only one town over from me, when I came upon a T-intersection. I had to turn left on it, and as I turn onto that road my car slightly turned left and then just kept going straight....
Straight into a tree. I don't know why it happened, it wasn't because my rear end spun out or anything. The car just casually went into the tree. I hit it going about 25mph and basically totaled the front end. It had to be towed because the corner lights and the like were just dangling out my front end. The hood is crinkled back a bit, and the whole front bumper is bent in.
I got a call today from the auto shop and they said it would be $5,500 to fix. That was the minimum, because they couldnt even see into the engine bay because the hood woudln't open.
I don't know if it is worth it to fix or to let insurance know about it. My insurance is already $2,500 and I don't need it to skyrocket anymore. I think I will be parting out undamaged pieces like doors and hatch. But other than that, the car is done.
What do you guys think? Fix it? Part it out? I don't want to leave the BMW community and will be looking for another car for a reasonable price...
But I loved the 318ti to death, as it was my first car. Had alot of fun adventures and activities in it. and I will miss it dearly.
Thank you to all of you guys (and girls) that had helped me through problems and what not through the 5 months I owned the car. I appreciate it.
--Erik

PS. To top things off I had just filled up the gas tank maybe 10 minutes before, that was a good twenty dollars well spent. Plus I was only a block away from the destination. AHH!!!

[1996 328ti]

I know how it is. I wrecked my 1998 ti March 2000. A month later I bought my 328ti.
When I hit a signpost in 99 it was around $5,000 in damage, but it was a new car at the time.

I don't know if I would repair it. What is your insurance going to give you?
You can probably find another ti for what it will cost to repair.
Give yourself a few days to think about it. You do not need to make a decision yet.
Most likely the insurance company will total it.

[hotdog19d]

post pics please, sorry for your loss

[L84THSKY]

Hey Erik

I hope it's not the curse of Erik, my name is spelled Eri"c". At least you are OK, that is what matters.

Not to sound like a vulture, but was the car a sport or active model?

Originally Posted by durnadupa

Ok, so this may be my goodbye to the 318ti community. What can I say, it has been fun while it lasted.
So I was on my way to a friends house only one town over from me, when I came upon a T-intersection. I had to turn left on it, and as I turn onto that road my car slightly turned left and then just kept going straight....
Straight into a tree. I don't know why it happened, it wasn't because my rear end spun out or anything. The car just casually went into the tree. I hit it going about 25mph and basically totaled the front end. It had to be towed because the corner lights and the like were just dangling out my front end. The hood is crinkled back a bit, and the whole front bumper is bent in.
I got a call today from the auto shop and they said it would be $5,500 to fix. That was the minimum, because they couldnt even see into the engine bay because the hood woudln't open.
I don't know if it is worth it to fix or to let insurance know about it. My insurance is already $2,500 and I don't need it to skyrocket anymore. I think I will be parting out undamaged pieces like doors and hatch. But other than that, the car is done.
What do you guys think? Fix it? Part it out? I don't want to leave the BMW community and will be looking for another car for a reasonable price...
But I loved the 318ti to death, as it was my first car. Had alot of fun adventures and activities in it. and I will miss it dearly.
Thank you to all of you guys (and girls) that had helped me through problems and what not through the 5 months I owned the car. I appreciate it.
--Erik

PS. To top things off I had just filled up the gas tank maybe 10 minutes before, that was a good twenty dollars well spent. Plus I was only a block away from the destination. AHH!!!

[maurolin]

That's very sad, but YOU ARE OK!!!! Buy used and aftermarket parts! i can direct you to the links and companies that sell aftermarket parts for a very reasonable price. example.... hood $130 Fenders $68ea and there are PLENTY non M3 bumpers on Ebay that go for $150.
Send pics. I deal with a lot of wrecked cars.;

[John Firestone]

I am sorry to hear about your car. I once put my 3er into understeer at an intersection very much like you did, and only with more luck than I probably deserved, got the car through unscathed.

Please post pictures of the car! I will show them to some friendly body specialists and get their expert assessments.

[robcarync]

sometimes i wish my car would run into a tree when it breaks all the time...

but anyway...you are OK...like everyone said...that is the important part.

you can get a new car...cant get a new life...thank god (buddha, allah, whatever...etc) that you are OK and go check out autotrader.com! (thats how i found my car)

[gooten1]

Keep it and fix it up on your own, as I said. Insurance totaled mine when I wrecked going 45 and rearended someone...it only cost a guy like $900 to fix it. I saw her the other day...couldn't tell it had been wrecked.

[durnadupa]

I am going this weekend to the Auto shop it was towed to, and while there I will take pictures of the damage. What ended up happening while I was at school today is that my mom notified the insurance company. Not only is this slightly annoying, but they are most likely gonna call it totalled and then my insurance will jump a thousand dollars. I am not sure of the details of it or what will happen. Communicating with my mom is hard as hell, considering she is so pissed at me about the accident.
But tomorrow they are going to lift the car to give me a better estimate of what it will cost to fix. I figure if there's not that much mechanical damage the shop can do that, and than I can fix most of the body work myself. I was planning on replacing the bumper anyways.... This is my plan if it is not totaled.
I will get pics, and if all else fails I will try to part out pieces...
Oh, and L84THSKY, I believe it is a Base model... from 1995.

[1996 328ti]

Sometimes insurance does not raise your rates after just one accident.
I had an accident in 98. Nothing changed with my insurance. Then totalled the car in 99. On top of that I had 3 speeding tickets. Then my insurance doubled.

[DerbyCity]

Cars can be fixed or replaced, Glad your OK!

[L84THSKY]

That is so true. Sometimes we get so caught up in the material issues, that we forget how lucky we are to walk away from an accident.

Originally Posted by DerbyCity

Cars can be fixed or replaced, Glad your OK!

[durnadupa]

I know, I am glad that I got out of there ok and I was not going any faster before hitting the tree. I mean if the airbag went off that would have been bad news... My back and ribs already hurt just from the strain of the seatbelt.
But just the fact that this is my first car, I just got my license, and I had it for less than 5 months. I accomplished something most people don't do in a life time.
As for the insurance since I am a 17yr old male, it can go up for the slightest of reasons...
I loved the 318ti, and would love to find another one nearby if mine is totalled. If not a ti I want to stay in the BMW crowd and get another one, maybe a 325is. But I really want my car to be alright. I hope she is...

[1996 328ti]

Find yourself an E30 325is.

[PettitWC]

The e30 325es also has the sport package and is a very fun car to drive...plus it gets better gas mileage than the is if that's important, I know it is to me.