Update: Just got off the phone with Progressive and this is how it's going down. Monday 10am I'm dropping the car off at there building and won't see it again until it's done. They are going to take care of everything and use the first available body shop in there 7 shop network. So it's going to get fixed faster and I don't have to run around with the car and deal with any body shops. I just need to make sure all my custom painted trim stays with the car because I can't afford to replace them.

 

You could just take it off before you drop the car off. All that stuff pops off in minutes.

 

Yeah I know but isn't the adjuster going to notice piece's missing from the car and question me about them. I feel like he is going to think I'm trying to pull some scam to get new parts.

 

I would not pull anything off the car at the moment. Take pictures of it now so you can prove it was there before the accident and dig up any of your sales receipts you have for it. Your insurance company should put your car back to the exact condition that it was in pre-accident. And if they are swapping out parts ask the adjuster if he/she is giving you OEM parts - most insurance companies don't give OEM (they go aftermarket) and justify it by saying all insurance companies do the same thing but that's B$!

 

I'm going to leave them on and just make sure the adjuster knows these are custom painted and when they send the car to be fixed they make tons of notes about reusing these parts.

 

Sorry for you lot man. What new tires did you put on?

 

Some GoodYear Eagle RS-A 205/55/16 non runflats.

 

You are going to leave the car with the insurance company & hope for the best? I would suggest rethinking that. Ask around & use the best shop in the area not one the insurance company is buddy buddy with. Just my .02. Good luck.

 

As I said in a round about way before... I second Crashton!

 

I third that!

 

I Fourth it!!

Not knowing the Body Shop they are going to send your car to is like...well...I can't think of anything off the top of my head, but I for one would not want just any ole body shop working on my MINI. If you have ties to your local MINI Club ask them which body shop they would use, if not then I'd be sure and get an "in" with the local club, there you will find a wealth of information from local MINIacs and get recommendations on the best body shop who know and work on MINIs.

Good Luck!!

 

Yeah don't get me wrong I'm not 100% comfortable with leaving it with any old body shop. It's just a situation I'm in right now where I don't have time or in the right state of mind to deal with this stuff. I am going to put my faith into Progressive and there body shop because it's what needs to be done. If the car comes out horrible I'll make sure it's taken care of at that time.

 

Progressive repaired my 2008 MINI using their "preferred" body shop who I never heard of. I was amazed by what a fantastic job they had done. Over the years I've been an Allstate, State Farm and Geico customer, but Progressive stands above them all in terms of quality and customer satisfaction. I think youi'll be quite happy with the results.

 

Good luck, hope it all works out to your satisfaction.

 

Dropped the Mini off this morning at progressive and I was extremely firm about my painted trim pieces. She made tons of notes about the custom work and promised me everything is taken care of. Now the crappy about all of this I have to drive around a Buick for couple of weeks the first 30 seconds driving down the road I miss the feel of a mini.

 

Ha, I had the same thing happen to me this morning. I finally dropped my car off at the body shop and they gave me a 2010 Ford Focus, yuck!!

 

Hey, not so fast! I just bought my wife a new Focus!

Okay, it's a long way from a MINI; but it beats the heck out of the minivan, she was driving.

 

Forgot to mention on Monday is that Progressive called me 2 hours after I dropped it off to tell me the total amount of damage was $1200 and that they already were shipping my mini to the body shop that day.

 

Got the mini back yesterday and holy crap who ever did the work did a outstanding job. You could never tell I was hit and the car looks brand new. All my custom pieces stayed with the car even the tinted reflectors. I couldn't be happier with the results and it only took a week to to completely finished. Only problem I have now is I need to drop off my car to the dealer for a timing chain tensioner and will be without the car once again. Also they did a fanatic job with detailing the car inside and out it was cleaner than the day I bought it.

 

It took a week to fix that and you don't know who did it? haha.

Glad to hear it turned out well!!

 

Glad it turned out well for you. Congrats! Hope the dealer takes care of it while it's in their care.

 

Glad everything worked out BigJoe!!

 

Glad to hear this! It would be nice if you could find out who did the work so you can let people knnow in your area! Nice going!

 

Nice. Hope that chain tensioner gets fixed so you can enjoy motoring again.
I got my first blemish today but I wouldn't call it a battle scar. Some hater decided to key the MINI. I know it happened at work. ****! I hope I catch em try to do it again and I will mangle those hands so bad they'd wish they'd grow back right!

 

Choice Collision Center in Warren RI
http://www.choicecollisioncenters.com/index.html

This is the body shop that did all the work.