Does this panel allignment look like the result of crash repair?

chrisb321 · 11-30-2009, 09:56 PM

Currently looking at an 08 135i convertible with 12,000 miles.

After test driving it I noticed that the gap above the headlight (on the right in this picture) was substantial. The hood sat lower, and looked to be more in line.

We will be going back to take closer looks and i'm going to get a mechanic involved but as I am not experienced in BMW's, does this look to be within normal build tolerances or would you suspect some repair work?

Thanks for your opinions

WILLIE92 · 11-30-2009, 10:05 PM

get a carfax on the car!

chrisb321 · 11-30-2009, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WILLIE92

get a carfax on the car!

I did. Shows it's clean but all that means is the repair (if one happened) didn't get reported.

I had a Audi years back that came up clean but then during a different repair evidence of crash repair was found.

Thats what makes me nervous. Probably the only real way is to get the mechanic to take a good look.

pmeloche · 11-30-2009, 10:40 PM

Carfax means crap. There was once a 650i on sale on eBay with bullet holes on the driver side and its Carfax was clean. This 128i does not look promising, this alignment is not normal. Be very careful.

Year's_End · 11-30-2009, 10:45 PM

Definitely a crash repair. Someone (my brother, who's incapable behind the wheel of a car) backed into my headlight and the hood looks vaguely similar to this, but nonetheless, that's a hard part of the car to fix and leave it looking like new again.

chrisb321 · 11-30-2009, 10:52 PM

Thanks I appreciate the replies.

domobrown · 11-30-2009, 10:54 PM

Yup, a crash repair would be the only sure way to know what's going on. Good luck!

DevJ · 12-01-2009, 09:24 AM

I went over a curb in my is350 and it looked like that lol I wouldn't buy it.

kyleb350 · 12-01-2009, 10:11 AM

Adjusting the rubber stopper under the hood on that side wouldn't help I'm guessing?

ragingclue · 12-01-2009, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kyleb350

Adjusting the rubber stopper under the hood on that side wouldn't help I'm guessing?

No it looks like the hood is showing proper gap over the headlight. Looks like the fender was hastily and half-assedly hung.

ptack · 12-01-2009, 02:41 PM

It looks like it's probably within tolerences. The color and angle make it particularly noticeable here, but it's not unusual. Here's a couple other examples.

ragingclue · 12-01-2009, 02:43 PM

Lol that's normal?

Wow.

kyleb350 · 12-01-2009, 03:00 PM

That would bother the hell out of me

chrisb321 · 12-01-2009, 08:27 PM

Here is another picture from the front.
I also found another one locally (pictured) that I haven't seen in person. It kinda looks the same although not as bad.
Maybe it is within normal tolerance and the angle just looks bad.

Going to have a better look inside over the weekend

Feyd · 12-01-2009, 09:19 PM

yeah... mine looks almost like that from the factory...

ragingclue · 12-01-2009, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feyd

yeah... mine looks almost like that from the factory...

Seriously? I mean I was always a bit annoyed by the tremendous gap over the headlights with the hood, but I never knew the fender could be fit that badly as intended....

That's almost unbelievable.

mtla4 · 12-01-2009, 11:22 PM

Mine does look like that too from factory

Citizen Z · 12-02-2009, 05:26 AM

Yea, unfortunately thats how he front end fits together.

jibaholic101 · 12-02-2009, 10:29 AM

carfax is for shit, i cant tell you how many times i have seen cars that have gone through hell as far as accidents and carfax shows nothing

bottom line, get a PPI to uncover if there is anything else going on in there

rubber_ducky · 12-02-2009, 03:31 PM

maybe the gap is there to distract you from the overall unattractiveness of the "aligned" sheetmetal of the 1 series.

somebody had to say it.

crfine88 · 12-04-2009, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rubber_ducky

maybe the gap is there to distract you from the overall unattractiveness of the "aligned" sheetmetal of the 1 series.

somebody had to say it.

Bunkei · 12-05-2009, 04:41 AM

The problem with carfax is that it only has information reported to the DMV (like if the car is totaled, via accident or flood, etc), and from dealers detailing servicing records; but nothing from the insurance companies.

So technically, the car could have been in a very serious accident but show a clean report.

The only way to be protected is the age-old advice .. bring a mechanic, esp. one that has experience with auto repair.

11-30-2009, 09:56 PM	#1
chrisb321 New Member 5 Rep 24 Posts Drives: 135i vert, Saab 93 aero sport Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Chicago iTrader: (0)	Does this panel allignment look like the result of crash repair? Currently looking at an 08 135i convertible with 12,000 miles. After test driving it I noticed that the gap above the headlight (on the right in this picture) was substantial. The hood sat lower, and looked to be more in line. We will be going back to take closer looks and i'm going to get a mechanic involved but as I am not experienced in BMW's, does this look to be within normal build tolerances or would you suspect some repair work? Thanks for your opinions
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11-30-2009, 10:05 PM	#2
WILLIE92 H20 KING!! 16 Rep 525 Posts Drives: E92 328I Join Date: May 2009 Location: COLORADO/DOWNEY ,CA iTrader: (0)	get a carfax on the car!
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11-30-2009, 10:40 PM	#4
pmeloche Lieutenant Colonel 24 Rep 1,604 Posts Drives: 2013 F25 X3 xDrive35i Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Montréal, Canada iTrader: (0)	Carfax means crap. There was once a 650i on sale on eBay with bullet holes on the driver side and its Carfax was clean. This 128i does not look promising, this alignment is not normal. Be very careful. __________________ Patrice 2013 F25 X3 xDrive35i Vermillion Red
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11-30-2009, 10:45 PM	#5
Year's_End Lieutenant General 1137 Rep 12,444 Posts Drives: 2020 Shelby GT350 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: FL iTrader: (0)	Definitely a crash repair. Someone (my brother, who's incapable behind the wheel of a car) backed into my headlight and the hood looks vaguely similar to this, but nonetheless, that's a hard part of the car to fix and leave it looking like new again. __________________ Past: '08 E92 335i\|ZPP\|ZSP\|6AT Past: '15 Mustang GT\|401A\|PP\|6MT Current: '20 Shelby GT350\|6MT
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11-30-2009, 10:52 PM	#6
chrisb321 New Member 5 Rep 24 Posts Drives: 135i vert, Saab 93 aero sport Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Chicago iTrader: (0)	Thanks I appreciate the replies.
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11-30-2009, 10:54 PM	#7
domobrown Banned 16 Rep 513 Posts Drives: Audi RS5 S-Tronic Join Date: May 2009 Location: Salzburg, Austria iTrader: (0)	Yup, a crash repair would be the only sure way to know what's going on. Good luck!
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12-01-2009, 09:24 AM	#8
DevJ Colonel 154 Rep 2,736 Posts Drives: R8 V10+/YMB M4 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Tulsa, OK iTrader: (1)	I went over a curb in my is350 and it looked like that lol I wouldn't buy it. __________________ ‘23 RRS First Edition '22 X7 M50i '18 R8 V10+ http://www.bimmerpost.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=133578&d=1204654487[/IMG]
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12-01-2009, 10:11 AM	#9
kyleb350 Brigadier General 424 Rep 4,709 Posts Drives: '21 X3MC Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Milwaukee iTrader: (6)	Adjusting the rubber stopper under the hood on that side wouldn't help I'm guessing?
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12-01-2009, 02:41 PM	#11
ptack Brigadier General 269 Rep 4,470 Posts Drives: 135i Join Date: May 2008 Location: NJ iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 135i [6.50]	It looks like it's probably within tolerences. The color and angle make it particularly noticeable here, but it's not unusual. Here's a couple other examples. Attached Images __________________ 135i, SGM, Coral, Sport Package, Auto, Premium Hifi, USB/ipod, Apex EC-7s, PPK Stage II
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12-01-2009, 02:43 PM	#12
ragingclue One cam is enough 130 Rep 6,801 Posts Drives: VF Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: mulletville iTrader: (1)	Lol that's normal? Wow.
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12-01-2009, 03:00 PM	#13
kyleb350 Brigadier General 424 Rep 4,709 Posts Drives: '21 X3MC Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Milwaukee iTrader: (6)	That would bother the hell out of me
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12-01-2009, 08:27 PM	#14
chrisb321 New Member 5 Rep 24 Posts Drives: 135i vert, Saab 93 aero sport Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Chicago iTrader: (0)	Here is another picture from the front. I also found another one locally (pictured) that I haven't seen in person. It kinda looks the same although not as bad. Maybe it is within normal tolerance and the angle just looks bad. Going to have a better look inside over the weekend
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12-01-2009, 09:19 PM	#15
Feyd Major 346 Rep 1,288 Posts Drives: a DEEZZULL Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Chicago, IL iTrader: (2)	yeah... mine looks almost like that from the factory...
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12-02-2009, 05:26 AM	#18
Citizen Z Alpine Master 111 Rep 1,310 Posts Drives: '08 135i AW Sport Join Date: May 2008 Location: Kansas iTrader: (1)	Yea, unfortunately thats how he front end fits together. __________________ Alpine White with Taupe Leather 135i, Sports Package, Heated Seats, Comfort Access, iPod Adapter Fastness: http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=252727
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12-02-2009, 10:29 AM	#19
jibaholic101 Brigadier General 159 Rep 3,496 Posts Drives: women wild Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Charleston, SC iTrader: (0)	carfax is for shit, i cant tell you how many times i have seen cars that have gone through hell as far as accidents and carfax shows nothing bottom line, get a PPI to uncover if there is anything else going on in there __________________ some italian, german, and japanese ones; and on order more of the same
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12-02-2009, 03:31 PM	#20
rubber_ducky Colonel 386 Rep 2,989 Posts Drives: roach coach Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: boston-ish iTrader: (21)	maybe the gap is there to distract you from the overall unattractiveness of the "aligned" sheetmetal of the 1 series. somebody had to say it.
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12-05-2009, 04:41 AM	#22
Bunkei Anti-Fanboy 68 Rep 572 Posts Drives: 2018 BMW M4 Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Seattle, WA iTrader: (0)	The problem with carfax is that it only has information reported to the DMV (like if the car is totaled, via accident or flood, etc), and from dealers detailing servicing records; but nothing from the insurance companies. So technically, the car could have been in a very serious accident but show a clean report. The only way to be protected is the age-old advice .. bring a mechanic, esp. one that has experience with auto repair.
	Appreciate 0 Quote