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SOT: The 733i 3.5 is not as nice as it was this morning :(
Posted: Feb 23, 2011 11:24 PM
by Kenny Blankenship
Coming home from work today I was in my neighborhood when I was following a "Living Spaces" furniture truck making a delivery. He was obviously looking for an address and was driving about 5 mph. I was patiently following him since I didn't want to pass him in case he makes a turn. He comes to a T which was my street and stops. I stop behind him and somewhat offset so he can see my headlights in his outside rear view mirror. So I assume. All of a sudden, I see the backup lights turn on and he starts moving backward. I can't believe what I'm seeing so I try to turn to the left but don't have room. I press the horn but he doesn't react right away and his bumper goes into my car. "Fortunately" it appears he didn't get any of the fender. The large Euro headlight (passenger side) was taken out as well as the turn signal and grille. The headlight bezel is toast. The metal filler behind the bumper was bent and a small bumper piece which appears to cover a gap on top of the bumper was ripped. Since it was kind of dark I couldn't tell if the bumper is still straight. He was a nice guy and apologized, but it's just an inconvenience...
Posted: Feb 23, 2011 11:29 PM
by wkohler
Well, my initial reaction when seeing the title was pretty bad, but it's not nearly as bad as I had imagined. I assume you'll be dealing with his insurance on this?
Sorry to hear.

Posted: Feb 23, 2011 11:32 PM
by rmiddendorf
That does suck bro. Glad you seem ok and hopefully you'll get it fixed soon.
P.S. Is this the car with the S38 in it? If you don't mind me asking how many E23s do you have?
Posted: Feb 23, 2011 11:39 PM
by austin8753
That sucks! Sorry to hear this!
Posted: Feb 23, 2011 11:44 PM
by vance
Aw man that sucks. I hope the damage is as minimal as possible.
Vance
Posted: Feb 23, 2011 11:51 PM
by Kenny Blankenship
wkohler wrote:Well, my initial reaction when seeing the title was pretty bad, but it's not nearly as bad as I had imagined. I assume you'll be dealing with his insurance on this?
Sorry to hear.

Yes, I have to file a claim with the company. I'll probably have AAA handle it on my end (I pay them enough...).
It will be interesting. Some of the parts are probably NLA so I don't know what kind of estimate I will end up with if I take it to a body shop.
P.S. Is this the car with the S38 in it? If you don't mind me asking how many E23s do you have?
Nope it isn't the M7, it's the Delphin 733 with Euro bumpers and a polish/ported Euro 3.5. Officially, I have 5 E23s in my name (1984 M7, 1984 733i 3.5, 1985 Euro 735i, 1982 733i, 1984 745i). I expect to get that down to two by the summer...

Posted: Feb 24, 2011 12:05 AM
by Mike W.
Kenny Blankenship wrote:
Nope it isn't the M7, it's the Delphin 733 with Euro bumpers and a polish/ported Euro 3.5. Officially, I have 5 E23s in my name (1984 M7, 1984 733i 3.5, 1985 Euro 735i, 1982 733i, 1984 745i). I expect to get that down to two by the summer...

Your fleet has expanded since the last I knew. A 745i? And an early one, the 82? I may have something you're interested in.

Posted: Feb 24, 2011 12:20 AM
by Cactus
I rue the day something like that happens to me. I can just picture time slowing to a near stop as you watch a truck back into you. Condolences to your headlights.
Posted: Feb 24, 2011 1:23 AM
by wkohler
I remember when a rental car agency airport shuttle backed into our E21. The bumper hit the hood. No other damage. My mother tried honking, but the car was off, so that didn't work. Brand new hood, pinstriping done to match the rest of the car. Then one month later, it goes in for some repair and some guy on a bike runs into the car and lands on the hood, so it got a do-over.
Posted: Feb 24, 2011 6:24 AM
by BMWgiant
Kenny Blankenship wrote:wkohler wrote:Well, my initial reaction when seeing the title was pretty bad, but it's not nearly as bad as I had imagined. I assume you'll be dealing with his insurance on this?
Sorry to hear.

Yes, I have to file a claim with the company. I'll probably have AAA handle it on my end (I pay them enough...).
It will be interesting. Some of the parts are probably NLA so I don't know what kind of estimate I will end up with if I take it to a body shop.
P.S. Is this the car with the S38 in it? If you don't mind me asking how many E23s do you have?
Nope it isn't the M7, it's the Delphin 733 with Euro bumpers and a polish/ported Euro 3.5. Officially, I have 5 E23s in my name (1984 M7, 1984 733i 3.5, 1985 Euro 735i, 1982 733i, 1984 745i). I expect to get that down to two by the summer...

I'll buy one in May or June... So keep me in mind.

I'll be looking for an E23... Either 733 or 735...
Sorry to hear about this little accident... Good thing it wasn't any worse.. This should really teach you about being patient.

Posted: Feb 24, 2011 8:02 AM
by Karl Heinz
This should really teach you about being patient.
WHAT? Blake, did you read his first post? He DID wait for the driver and WAS patient. Douche canoe truck driver didn't follow the basics of driving and use his freaking rear view mirror before HE started to back up. Damn, man, pay attention for once.
Sorry to hear of the damage from a careless driver. Even if he was the nicest fellow in the world, and I highly doubt he was doing anything malicious, it still pisses me off horribly when a driver (especially one that drives for an occupation) does not follow the simplest rules of the road. I hope that your damages are minimal and you get everything straightened out ASAP.
Posted: Feb 24, 2011 8:29 AM
by MicahO
Kenny - sorry to hear of the damage. You can be as careful as possible, but there is no accounting for stupidity on the part of the other guy.
Karl Heinz wrote:Even if he was the nicest fellow in the world......
This can make it worse. They feel so bad, you end up consoling them, even though it's your car that's damaged!

Posted: Feb 24, 2011 8:48 AM
by johnnye23
Sorry to read this Eric

I had the same thing happen to me in my Porsche with much much worse damage .
Posted: Feb 24, 2011 9:29 AM
by davintosh
Wow; that does suck. Sounds like the accident that happened to my sister a while back. She stopped at a stop sign behind a dump truck, and the truck backed up over the front end of her Honda's front end. Scared the livin' daylights out of her. IIRC, the driver lost his job over that one; gotta wonder if the Living Spaces guy will have the same fate.
If it helps at all, I know where you can find parts for it, and best of all
it's in SD. 
Posted: Feb 24, 2011 9:51 AM
by slammin_e28
Do these trucks not realize the road is used by others? They just back up whenever they please?
I'd rather go around the block if I missed my destination.
If I stopped in the middle of an intersection, well, that wouldn't happen 'cause if I though I would end up in the middle I'd just roll through the yellow light.
Or at least toot the horn before reversing. Maybe sit in reverse gear for a few seconds to let anyone behind know what was going on? Some sort of warning before proceeding to back up.
Maybe check the mirrors!?
I know driving a truck you don't have the best view around you (meaning one should be more aware of what is going on, and not just move before thinking), but geeze, when someone is sitting to the side in an effort for you to see them, well, ever heard, "If you can't see my mirrors, I can't see you" ? Doesn't quite work if the driver isn't checking his mirrors....

Posted: Feb 24, 2011 10:11 AM
by L_N_Love
Feel your pain. Next time, honk the shit out your horn and pass his ass.
Posted: Feb 24, 2011 10:51 AM
by Jeff B.
Darn it! You know how much I like that car Eric.
I was rear ended 2 weeks ago in front of the San Diego airport. Good thing I wasn't driving the M5.
Posted: Feb 24, 2011 10:58 AM
by Jeremy
Karl Heinz wrote:This should really teach you about being patient.
WHAT? Blake, did you read his first post? He DID wait for the driver and WAS patient. Douche canoe truck driver didn't follow the basics of driving and use his freaking rear view mirror before HE started to back up. Damn, man, pay attention for once.
It was a joke. Blake was implying that Eric should have been less patient and passed the obviously lost truck. Being patient resulted in damage to Eric's ride. Lesson learned. Get it?
Eric, that sucks. Good luck getting it back to usable status.
Posted: Feb 24, 2011 11:19 AM
by Karl Heinz
Jeremy, I know, but busting Blake's balls can be so stress relieving, know what I mean?

Posted: Feb 24, 2011 11:49 AM
by Blue Shadow
John in VA was lucky enough to have this happen the day he got his car back on the road following head gasket replacement. The day he got it back. All good now, I guess it was a few years ago. His car looked better with the euro lamps, shadowline and paint job that resulted.
Hope your car comes back better.
Posted: Feb 24, 2011 11:52 AM
by Tammer in Philly
Karl Heinz wrote:Jeremy, I know, but busting Blake's balls can be so stress relieving, know what I mean? ;)
Yeah, but it's no fun when he's actually right.
-tammer
Posted: Feb 24, 2011 7:27 PM
by BMWgiant
Karl Heinz wrote:
WHAT? Blake, did you read his first post? He DID wait for the driver and WAS patient. Douche canoe truck driver didn't follow the basics of driving and use his freaking rear view mirror before HE started to back up. Damn, man, pay attention for once.
I was being sarcastic... DUH!!!
I guess I forgot my sarcastic smiley, aye?
Edit: On second glance, the laughing smiley is there... It was a joke! Read into the smiley!