My friend has a brand new BMW 335d that was t-boned last weekend by a left-turning zombie driver. Fortunately no serious injuries but the left side of the car got shaved off pretty good.
Her insurance co. has assumed full responsibility already and the body shop and adjuster want to fix the car. Adjuster low-balled the damage @ $8k but the body shop says it could be more like $14k. Major structural damage, they will replace entire "B" pillar and other infrastructure. (It's a top-flight body shop).
I think that he should get a new car, no questions asked. Her insurance co. should just buy him a new, identical car and keep the wreck. What think you? Would you want that Frankenstein instead of the perfect brand new car that he was driving when he entered that intersection? It doesn't seem right to me. That car will not be at all the same. Half the car repainted, major surgery, etc...
Some pics:
