[bmw] hit and run (or bike)

[Jed Crystal <jc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello all - 

It's time for some body work advice.  I am sorry to report that, after
stopping to see a friend for a short 10 minutes, on residential street, that
I exited her house to find a huge dent in my drivers door of my 88 325is.
Actually 3 dents.  There's no scratches and no place that someone could have
accidentally backed into the car from.  The best I can figure is that a
biker was on the wrong side of the road, got sandwiched, and fell into my
door.  But he must have been a real lard-ass to to so much damage.  And a
real jerk to leave without fessing up.

Ok, enough venting.  I would appreciate any advice about body shops in the
Providence, RI area and general insurance dealings (I've never claimed body
damage before - do I have to watch out for the insurance company?..)  Also,
if I do the work myself, does anyone know about pulling/pushing out dents
and avoiding cracking the paint?  The dents are right on the crease of the
door, and may be able to be popped out from the inside(?) If touch-up
painting is involved, is it possible for a good shop to blend it, or will it
always be visible?

Thanks in advance for any advice, rants, or especially if you catch this guy
bragging about banging up a BMW......... (Fort street, South Portland,
Maine)
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