Post accident: bodyshop or alignment/tire shop?

cheweihu · 11-04-2018, 01:44 PM

Hi all,

Happy Sunday! Last night I was driving on 101N near San Francisco when a fellow swerved into my lane, I lost control of my car and ended up spinning on 101 before I hit the center divider and stopped the car. Good thing it was later in the night so not many cars on 101 -- they all stopped on time.

After I pulled to the other side of the shoulder I quickly inspected the damage and drove home - the steering wheel shakes pretty bad when it's highway speed (I think 50+) but feels alright on local roads - I assume the balance is off?

My questions is - should I bring my car to a body shop and have them take care of everything (most likely I will order a TE37SL and have it shipped online) or should I first fix my wheel (and make sure there's no further damage to the chassis ) at an alignment shop then hit the body shop for cosmetic fixes?

I wasn't sure if I can trust body shops with balancing/alignment/chassis stuff..

Thanks everyone and be safe on the road!

Myztahe · 11-04-2018, 03:02 PM

Glad you're alright, your safety is the most important factor here.

I can ask around for different shops, but as a general rule of thumb, start with the most inexpensive thing, then work your way up. I would recommend getting the vehicle re-aligned & wheel re-balanced, then bringing it to the body shop. If the handling issues persist, then take a deeper look at the suspension geometry & chassis.

I would highly recommend Trackspec Autosports in Fremont, as they deal with high end vehicles, are very familiar with the E9X / S65, and service a track/race-oriented clientele. This impact is more akin to something a car would experience on track, as it was interference with a fixed barrier as opposed to a vehicle-on-vehicle collision, so I think their experience would serve well here.

Tell them Eduardo sent you and they'll take care of you

dfwashere · 11-04-2018, 07:14 PM

Damn I might have driven by this then last night. Glad you're alright. As suggested, trackspec would be a good place to start.

cheweihu · 11-06-2018, 09:22 AM

Thank y'all for the wishes! Made an appointment with Trackspec (and mentioned your name, Eduardo

) Can't wait to get it fixed!

11-04-2018, 01:44 PM	#1
cheweihu Private 17 Rep 63 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Marin County, CA iTrader: (0)	Post accident: bodyshop or alignment/tire shop? Hi all, Happy Sunday! Last night I was driving on 101N near San Francisco when a fellow swerved into my lane, I lost control of my car and ended up spinning on 101 before I hit the center divider and stopped the car. Good thing it was later in the night so not many cars on 101 -- they all stopped on time. After I pulled to the other side of the shoulder I quickly inspected the damage and drove home - the steering wheel shakes pretty bad when it's highway speed (I think 50+) but feels alright on local roads - I assume the balance is off? My questions is - should I bring my car to a body shop and have them take care of everything (most likely I will order a TE37SL and have it shipped online) or should I first fix my wheel (and make sure there's no further damage to the chassis ) at an alignment shop then hit the body shop for cosmetic fixes? I wasn't sure if I can trust body shops with balancing/alignment/chassis stuff.. Thanks everyone and be safe on the road!
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11-04-2018, 03:02 PM	#2
Myztahe Handy with a Set of Wrenches 20 Rep 174 Posts Drives: '08 E60 M5 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: San Francisco iTrader: (1)	Glad you're alright, your safety is the most important factor here. I can ask around for different shops, but as a general rule of thumb, start with the most inexpensive thing, then work your way up. I would recommend getting the vehicle re-aligned & wheel re-balanced, then bringing it to the body shop. If the handling issues persist, then take a deeper look at the suspension geometry & chassis. I would highly recommend Trackspec Autosports in Fremont, as they deal with high end vehicles, are very familiar with the E9X / S65, and service a track/race-oriented clientele. This impact is more akin to something a car would experience on track, as it was interference with a fixed barrier as opposed to a vehicle-on-vehicle collision, so I think their experience would serve well here. Tell them Eduardo sent you and they'll take care of you __________________ Former: '00 E39 M5 \| '01 986S \| '09 1100S \| '11 E92 M3 \| '02 996 C2 \| '14 Super Duke R \| '15 Scrambler \| '09 IS F \| '93 Miata \| '11 Street Triple R \| '15 MkVII GTI (RIP) \| '09 E90 328i
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11-04-2018, 07:14 PM	#3
dfwashere Second Lieutenant 62 Rep 232 Posts Drives: 2008 E90 M3 Sedan 6Spd Join Date: Oct 2017 Location: The Bay iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 BMW [0.00]	Damn I might have driven by this then last night. Glad you're alright. As suggested, trackspec would be a good place to start.
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11-06-2018, 09:22 AM	#4
cheweihu Private 17 Rep 63 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Marin County, CA iTrader: (0)	Thank y'all for the wishes! Made an appointment with Trackspec (and mentioned your name, Eduardo ) Can't wait to get it fixed!
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