Got into an accident with the M5 - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

AWBoy · 18th February 2007, 07:03

Well, ****.

I was driving to get food here in Nashville. We barely have flurries here. There's maybe 1/4" of snow in patches around the roads. I dont' put much into it. I'm from Boston and took my driver's test in 4" of powder. I can handle 1/4" of snow.

Nope. I had just turned left and was very slowly accelerating to about 20MPH. Pretty quickly, the read end bucks out to the right, before I can react, flips all the way around so I'm going backwards, slides across the road and slams into about an 8" curb.

The rear wheel is pretty much destroyed.....not to mention that it's about 20deg off center. The front wheel looks in much better shape but I'm sure it's not ok. I was able to back the car off the road and park it. I had to walk home in my t-shirt (went from heated garage to heated gargage). I'll call a tow truck in the morning.

So: WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR MY CAR?!?!

Can they fix a messed up rear end like that? Will it drive normal again!? I'm so worried it's driving me nuts. I'm gonna lose it if my baby's not ok.

Let me know what the deal is. Thanks guys.

BKH · 18th February 2007, 07:20

Your shop will see if the car meets alignment specs after replacing bent suspension parts. Try to get the whole suspension replaced after a hit like that. The car may align to spec even with a bent suspension piece so make sure to measure the wheel/tire to various points inside the wheel well - if it's forward or back of where it should be for example, you've got additional damage.

ard · 18th February 2007, 07:37

Hard to say. Could be as simple as a new wheel and an alignment... or suspension parts and subframe damage.

The M uses alot of aluminum in the suspension, which isn't very tolerant of impacts.

Make sure the shop is familiar with these suspensions- any old body shop might not be a good call.

Good luck

A

AWBoy · 18th February 2007, 07:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by ard

Hard to say. Could be as simple as a new wheel and an alignment... or suspension parts and subframe damage.

The M uses alot of aluminum in the suspension, which isn't very tolerant of impacts.

Make sure the shop is familiar with these suspensions- any old body shop might not be a good call.

Good luck

A

Well, there isn't any actual body damage, so should I have the car towed to the BMW dealership where I get other work done? I think they'd do a better job replacing suspension parts and such.

wiggis · 18th February 2007, 10:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by AWBoy

Well, there isn't any actual body damage, so should I have the car towed to the BMW dealership where I get other work done? I think they'd do a better job replacing suspension parts and such.

BMW all the way for this kind of repair. They have all the right tools and alignment jigs, etc.

Didn't the DSC kick in and save you? kind of suprised ...

AWBoy · 18th February 2007, 11:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiggis

BMW all the way for this kind of repair. They have all the right tools and alignment jigs, etc.

Didn't the DSC kick in and save you? kind of suprised ...

DSC was trying. Dude, you have no idea what this street was like. 100% ice. You couldn't tell from looking at it though.

okindao · 18th February 2007, 12:40

Not surprising, my beast is the worst i have ever seen in snow....i have been stranded 3 times already in the frigid winters of Cincinnat !!!! Did not know bought the car in December we normally get 3 to 5 snowfalls a year and rarely more than 4 inches........with this beast i feel like i live in Alaska ...will be purchasing blizzak snow tires and wheels for next winter.....sorry bout your wreck sounds like only a wheel and maybe an alignment good luck

mystic1582 · 18th February 2007, 15:47

It's all in the tires. If we mount thinner snows on all 4 corners the beast will be almost unstoppable...With the correct summer tire..my car backs out of the garage hits the 1/2" of snow stops moving and just spins the tires at idle. I got stuck on a hill one winter in a mustang cobra and these little kids came out of nowhere....There wasn't a panel left that did not have snowball marks on it lol...little monsters...lol

rdm190 · 18th February 2007, 16:25

I hit a curb in a similar fasion with my Audi a few years back, Audi uses tons of aluminum just like BMW in their suspension. I ended up needing pretty much a new suspension setup on the effected wheel. The alum bends like puddy when hit. fortunatly it takes all the impact and I had no subframe damage.

Gustav · 18th February 2007, 16:41

Ouch, fell for you. Soory to hear. No witner wheels I suppose

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