Updated: Rear ended a car making an illegal U turn. What next?

[JeffreyLebowski]

Update:
So he got back to me on the estimate: $1200 from the dealer-recommended body shop and $1300 from the BMW specialty shop. I guess that's about right for a cracked 335i's bumper. My guess is if I went through insurance my insurance rates would go up by at least $200/6mos for 3 years (=$1200) and I wouldn't qualify for the good driver discount as early, so it's probably in my best interest to just pay him. Opinions?

If you're trying to justify it monitarily, then why don't you look at it as, you've paid how many hundreds or thousands of dollars to the insurance company to have insurance, now when you need it, you don't use it, so effectively you are pissing away your premiums you've been paying.
Also, once you give him the money, like someone else said, you are absolving the insurance company of the liability, so if he decides he's got a hurt neck, guess who gets to pay for that? YOU

 

[OptotsshorP]

I dont know how things are there, but people will not pay big bucks for a car that has been wrecked.

I recently sold a 91 Buick Skylark that ran for 300 because nobody wanted to give me anything for it, and it wasnt a bad looking car.

I think you could buy the parts and fix it yourself or sell it for whatever someone will pay. How many miles does it have on it? That is going to be a big determination on whether to fix it or what to do, especially since its a 1988 model.

 

[Mermaidman]

Thanks to the replies I've gotten here & elsewhere, suggesting I go through insurance, I've changed my mind and am proceeding with that. Hopefully it won't hurt too much when renewal comes around...

Thanks everyone, you have collectively changed my mind. But if my rate goes up by some rediculous amount, you know where I'm going to complain. 😛

Well--Make sure to update this thread when your insurance is renewed and let us know if your premium increased a lot or a whole lot! 😀