Originally Posted by Rockit (Post 1029474)

:iagree:

I hope all works out for you....

Ice Damming is what happens to homes when repeated freezing and thawing then water enters the home when it melts under the shingles.

I live in the Northeast with constant ice and melting and never heard of this happen to a car.

Just reading this post and I'm sure I'm missing something but it seems the damage might have come from the jump start and shorted something maybe after the car was running for a while with something still hooked up.

Insurance covers perils like "fire" theft-vandalism for comprehensive. Generally they pay out when you collide with an object and damage results. So you would have to look into your policy, I don't think there is any coverage but that's me and I hope I'm wrong.

I don't know why the shop would come out and say that they total cars for that. Maybe your shop wants your car to sell and take it from you cheap. If it where me I would absolutely bring it to another shop quickly so they don't add storage and find out what failed and why and the total cost.

I don't mean do be a downer and I hope everything I said is wrong...truly.

Originally Posted by Rush (Post 1029478)

Thanks for the points, you're right.

When I went to start it, I got interior lights, the usual start up routine, plus solenoid, so I knew it wouldn't start. No reason to keep trying that.

Jump: He hooked up the battery pack (correctly), car started first key turn in the time it took him to get from the hood to the key, I pulled it out of the parking space took it no farther than 25 yards, and it died while in drive.

After that? Nothing. No interiors, no locks, warning flashers, no solenoid.

No worries about being a downer, rather cover all the bases. I can't fathom that the insurance company would go see it after talking to the shop if they thought it a snowball's chance in hell that it would be covered. Frankly, I'm sure the inspector and the shop know each other well. Good working relationship anyway.

His point about totaling it was not that he would be totaling it, but that the cost to repair would amount to the same thing.

Originally Posted by upallnight (Post 1029481)

I would check the connection to the battery, could be that somehow when the jump cable was removed from the jump terminal, the voltage spike from the alternator might have fried a cable such as the BST terminal. You can just use a test light to see if the battery is supplying current to car. A test light connected to the jump terminal should easily determine if the battery is still connected to the car.

Originally Posted by Rush (Post 1029478)

Thanks for the points, you're right.

When I went to start it, I got interior lights, the usual start up routine, plus solenoid, so I knew it wouldn't start. No reason to keep trying that.

Jump: He hooked up the battery pack (correctly), car started first key turn in the time it took him to get from the hood to the key, I pulled it out of the parking space took it no farther than 25 yards, and it died while in drive.

After that? Nothing. No interiors, no locks, warning flashers, no solenoid.

No worries about being a downer, rather cover all the bases. I can't fathom that the insurance company would go see it after talking to the shop if they thought it a snowball's chance in hell that it would be covered. Frankly, I'm sure the inspector and the shop know each other well. Good working relationship anyway.

His point about totaling it was not that he would be totaling it, but that the cost to repair would amount to the same thing.

Originally Posted by Rush (Post 1029458)

Yep, and thank you for your thoughts!

I live in DC, so I probably would not get another car for some time. I don't really need one, but I did keep it because I love THAT car.

I'll be running the numbers as much as they do, probably.

Originally Posted by ScoobyDooBMW (Post 1029495)

It's still very possible that it's something battery or alternator related. I can't imagine it's what they said....but maybe. Totaled? I doubt it.

As others have said, I would certainly get a second or third opinion. It can't hurt. It may be very minor.

Good luck and keep us posted for sure.

Originally Posted by jcp240z (Post 1029528)

One thing to do is you can negotiate with your insurance company on the value. You can look at some of my old posts. I had some one hit my rear quarter panel. Took 6 months to get repaired as there where NONE available in the world. Headquarters in Germany had a back order of 27 of them. Any way, I spoke with my insurance, noted that this was not a typical X5. Said to do search for comparable 03 Estoril 4.6is with piano black interior trim and factory tow hitch and my miles. They ended up covering repairs up to $12700. This was in 2013. Receipts, and research are your friend.

Originally Posted by OptimusPriM5 (Post 1029590)

When you get this sorted you should meet us at a cars and coffee in Fairfax got a good group of M's and X's that come out if your into that. My x is your twin.

Good luck in getting this sorted quick!