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Ok...first this car is actually a great car. Rear wheel, light, and handles really well. BUT......you started this thread on the wrong foot. You asked if you were going to get standard, or auto. If you get auto in a performance car.......well your a dude who is just in it for the show...thus making you a duche.
Second it is NOT going to cost you less then 8 grand to fix a car you bought at auction ( if you get the work done at the shop that is......which you are). The reason these cars go up for auction in the first place is because it is way too god damn expensive to get the car fixed in the first place. So if the insurance company is not going to dish out the money, what makes you think that you can afford it?
If you got 18 grand to throw around, and this is your first car.....let me give you some advice.
1. don't buy auto....if you know how to drive stick, then stick it is.
2. Get a car that your gonna get your money's worth....while not having it in the shop for 6 months, or losing 8 grand. I.e. older model Suby STi, Hyundai Genisis, Mazda RX-8
3. Look at something versitle....that you can use all year round. The suby is awesome, but nothing is more useful then a truck. Plus a truck doesn't make you look like a duche, and you can get to the hill way easyer.
Not that many people have been saying anything about paying for their own shit. They're just commenting on the fact that you only want this car for the name brand and what it will do for your "image". The 1 Series is a fucking shit stain in the underpants of BMW. Do yourself a favor, and like many other people in this thread have suggested, use your money more wisely. You could easily find a mid 2000's BMW that ISN'T a 1 Series, and in better shape.
On the other hand, to back you up, depending on where you live/what your parents do, $18,000 is NOT ridiculous for a first car, by any means, so I'm not hating on you for that at all, I just think that the money could be spent on something better than a 1 Series BMW.
You know what, after re-reading your post and getting to this sentence, I decided, fuck you. Maybe it's just because I'm in a bad mood today from studying for finals and drinking far too much coffee, but where the fuck do you get off? You're basically bragging about how you're "more priveleged" than other NS'ers and telling them to get over it. You're getting an $18,000 car, that doesn't make you rich. Now it may be your turn to call me an asshole, or conceited, or whatever you want, but I'm willing to bet that I'm "more priveleged" than you, and you don't see me making threads about which BMW to buy, so get over yourself, you cocky little 15 year old brat.
Heerrreeee comes the karma rape weeeeee.
What state are you from?
I haven't read through all this, but pending where you're from, a salvage means either repairs are greater than 50% of the cars value, or greater than 75%.
Now, obviously they go off of dealer prices for parts (which are grossly inflated) to estimate the cost of repairs, which they then compare to the dollar value of your car, but consider this;
A bodyshop garage will charge the same rate per hour regardless of the make/model, so basically the biggest expense on the BMW will be parts.
Given that ALL BMW's (even the 1 series) will have a "high" value in the eyes of the insurance company, to get to repairs to 50% or 75% of the cars value, it's going to have to be a big hit, probably big front (engine$$$$ and major subframe/frame$$$, definetly airbags $$$$$) or medium frontal($$) and medium rear($$$).
SO, to write that BMW off as a salvage, it's going to be fuuuuuuccckkkeeeeddd up from an auction. You will NEVER get that tight BMW trademark feeling/handling back (let's remember haters, that even a 1 series has considerably better handling and engineering than a Civic. I'm sure none of you would tell your parents "no" if they offered it to you). Hell, it'll be a challenge just to get rid of the rattles and to make it drive straight. But, if you're convinced it'll all work in your favor, go for it. I'd suggest sticking with Japanese cars, where parts are readily available and less expensive.
My importer fixed an M3 and a few other high value BMW's, vowed to never do it again. Sure, a few hundred dollars were saved over market value, but the savings were marginal versus the headaches it caused (finding parts, passing inspections, etc.). I question the quality of the workmanship of your garage. You can't just torch everything, bend it back, and call it a day.
You said $5000 to fix a rear accidented BMW? How did they paint it, by roller? Come on man, no way.
