Insurance questions 5-Series

It's BS

Err no. BMW has gone to adhesive bonding instead of welding on certain body assemblies. Changing requires:

1. Significant investment in new equipment (BMW dealers must install this equipment)
2. Additional training of body shop workers (BMW dealers must get their personnel up to speed).

Independent body shops feel frustrated by the new equipment needed and training of their employees (who resist learning new things at all cost).

BMW is doing this to reduce the cost of manufacture. Others will surely follow.

In recent years, however, all body shops have had to learn how to deal with aluminum body panels (such as hoods for example). The welding technique for aluminum is a bit different than for steel if for no other reason than that aluminum conducts heat so much better; hence it is harder to keep the metal hot enough.

Jim

That was sort of the thrust of the article. The writer also said it had to do with BMW engineering's desire to lighten the front of the car to improve weight distribution but the upshot was a car that was VERY difficult and expensive to repair, and the independents - even if they bought all the pricey equipment and had BMW trained personnel could never be "certified", thus the only acceptable repair on a BMW could only be achieved at an authorized BMW dealership, otherwise the car would probably have zero resale value. And of course with BMW dealers realizing they have an EXCLUSIVE the predictable result is preposterously high repair estimates --- thereby forcing insurers to "total" a lot of late model cars that might be satisfactorily repairable at reasonable prices if they were steel.

I never did make contact with my agent today (a lot of football games, ya know?) to check rates on BMW's vs. competing models so I'm still curious.

Pat

The cost of insuring my BMW isn't prohibitive.

Good to hear.

Pat

You said that you expected your insurance agent to tell you that insurance was going to cost you too much. I'm telling you that he won't be saying that at all.

Pat, I would certainly be interested in hearing what your insurance agent has to say on this subject.

Jaguar and others use this method of construction.

I just switched from an Audi to a BMW 530 and my full coverage is about the same-about $500/6 months with the Hartford. Larus

That's not bad, depending on deductible. That number doesn't scare me. Thanks Larus.

Pat :-)

$250 deductible. Larus