advice on car scratch caused by other person

[icho]

Once again I'm appealing to my pts family for what they would do in my situation.

Yesterday this woman pulled out and because she did not check her blind spot scrathced my car, as i swerved she caught the back passenger door and my rear bumper [it's my motorpoint car]

They want to pay cash which i'm not too bothered about as long as my car is fixed. Anyway went this morning and they will have to replace bumper etc and the chevrolet garage is quoting 1017. Eek!

Anyway her husband supposedley has a garage and will get me a new bumper etc and do it there.

I'm a bit hesitant as i don't know them and if they do a botch job i might lose out. Been told by a paint sprayer that some garages don't do it properly and it's when an expert checks thay can see the flaws so not sure if this would affect value?

Does anyone know what happens in these situations?

[michelle111]

Sorry dont know, but if it was my old banger i would take the money and probably live with the damage , but if its a nice newish car i would do it all through the proper channels and through a reputable garage

[gardner1]

go thru your insurance let them sort it if it upsets her tough ****

[michelle111]

Just asked my brother (his friend is a sprayer) he said dont let him do it ....go get it done at garage,its so difficult to get the paint to match only someone who knows what they are really doing can get it to perfectly match.HTH

[obscure]

Contact your insurance and tell them that she made this offer. The only reason to do otherwise is to do this woman a favour but you owe her nothing! She has damaged your car and you need to get it repaired properly. Worst case scenario - she might not even have insurance or be driving on husband's garage insurance without a valid reason to be doing so and might be trying to avoid getting caught. Best case - he mends it and you have no guarantee or no way to get it fixed if he does mess it up.

My best advice is to let the insurance co. deal with it and step away.

[Twinks]

Agree with previous advice given - also asked hubby who is a Sales Manager within the car trade and he says that there is nothing worse than a trade in with a botched paint job - it can knock serious value off your car - you also have to consider the paint match as previously said as well. Hope you take the advice and contact your insurance company after all that's what you pay a lot of money for.

[mutley muppet]

I wouldnt let the womans husband fix it. No way!

Show her the quotes you have from the garage and tell her she can either go through the insurance company or pay the garage cash.

Why should you settle for a possible bodge job?

Good luck.
MM x

[BritBrat]

We recently had the same thing and went through the insurance.

Better safe than sorry.

If you do not get an authorised garage repair it could affect your warranty.

[Waterfall]

Totally agree with everyone here - go through the insurance. You do not want your nice car bodged up. :nono:

[angelic]

Another agreement here for Chevy garage or insurance - choice is the woman's as she was at fault.
Good luck :)

[Deedee]

it'll teach her a valuable lesson to check her blind spots.....could have been a child!!
Don't do her any favours.
God, I got quite angry over that! hope I dont prang someone...lol

[princessa]

Hmm, I'm not sure what I'd do. OH has friends who work in garages, and one of them is a bodywork specialist so if he did it and offered to pay, I'd bite his had off, as he'd do a better job than any other garage that the insurance would recommend. But then we don't know what her husband's garage is like, and if he's as reliable. And there's the warranty of any paintwork done... I'd have thought it would be cheaper for her to go through her insurance, too. I know it wouldn't cost her hubby £1000 to repair it, but would have thought it still would have been cheaper to go through the insurance for her.

Did they offer to pay cash, and then when you told them the quote they decided to tell you her hubby had a garage? Or did the mention the garage straight away? Would seem odd if they didn't tell you straight off.

[Darkangel709]

I had the same as you and would definately go through your insurer! Thats what you pay insurance for. Dont let them bully you into doing it themselves. My cars scrapped but hey ho never mind. Got the cheque this morning. Would deffo go through insurance....also am thinking about making a claim for whiplash which i suffered when car hit mine. Good luck hun and stand your ground!

[Darkangel709]

Have learnt hard way even if its a small prang get there insurance details cos you never know what has happened to your car and it saves a load of hassle and grief later.

[COLIN]

I work in the motor Industry and supply manufacturers and Accident repair centres with paint, equipment, etc, put the car through your insurance, sat behind the bumper is an aluminium reinforcement bar that in the case of an accident absorbs the impact and stops the boot floor or front panel being pushed in (its for safety), the door also has an impact bar in it, if this or the reinforcement bars behind the bumpers has been damaged on impact, it will not be as strong as it should be, therefore not as safe and based upon this would you want to drive your kids around in it? don't get me wrong the chance of this are limited, my point is you won't have thought about this, however an estimator at a quality accident repair centre will, forget under the arches repairs that just deal with superficial damage, Paint matching is the least of your worries, if you use any reputable garage this will not be an issue. My only advice is get you car repaired properly, the accident wasn't your fault!!

[nettie_b]

Agree with good advice that been said. However, to compromise ask for the name of is garage, phone your insurance company - ask if its on their list of reputable garages. If not you cant do it!! Sorry I tried but it has to be on their list.


It's your new car and you worked hard for it :eek:

[BritBrat]

I think we all agree use your insurance.

For you it does not matter for the other person they are trying to save their no claims.

If you help them out you could find yourself in for a lot of agro for no possible gain.

Do it through your insurance and have no worries.

[SimonJB]

Another vote here for claiming on the insurance. You don't know who you're dealing with and you owe them nothing so why play on their terms? Also make sure you inform your insurance asap and claim back any uninsurable costs inc your excess.

[Dominic]

I agree with everyone, however I think asking for the name of the garage is a good idea, chances are they won't be an approved repairer. If they are tho wouldn't you really in your heart of hearts rather have it repaired 'no expense spared' by an independent (of the accident) garage if you aren't paying, rather than by someone trying to screw the cost down to the minimum to save themselves money?

[icho]

Thanks for the advice. i was at a family function yesterday so i told her i'd ring at lunch time today to sort everything.

i did ring my insurance company last week and they said that they give you a 'grace period' if the person wants to pay cash, she said any problems and to ring them back.

will let you know how it goes!

[Dominic]

Thanks for the advice. i was at a family function yesterday so i told her i'd ring at lunch time today to sort everything.

i did ring my insurance company last week and they said that they give you a 'grace period' if the person wants to pay cash, she said any problems and to ring them back.

will let you know how it goes!

Good luck, just remember the good advice given here and don't let her talk you round from what you feel is best for YOU.

[Darkangel709]

Dont let her bully you pay cash!! Get it done through insurance as said before thats what its there for! good luck hun xxx

[mum1964]

DONT DO IT
Go through your insurance and ring police for incident number, Just in case. I have heard too often of people loosing out because of this sort of thing

[icho]

been ringing all day and goes to answer phone... her kid goes to same school as dd1 so if push comes to shove i can nab her in morning.
could be geniune why she's not answering tho as it is lovely day here and is first one in a while!

[icho]

decided to just try again and lo and behold she answered. she is now trying to claim i was speeding...there's speed humps on the street about 5 metres from where she hit me. she says she is not liable but was stationery and pulled out! damage is to rear passemger side. she thinks she is not bullying me into using hubbys garage. yeah right. i told her i want to go thru the garage i went to and if she wants to go thru insurance that's fine. she still went on that there's only a few scratches and that she was only being a good muslim in offering to pay! finally she said she will talk to her husband and get back to me.

in the meantime...
i rang my insurance. they are insured. they will start the ball rolling. have to take car to a diff garge for a quote. one that they have approved. asked about liabilty and he says if she denies it he can't guarentee it but says i have a strong case. says i don't have to speak to the woman again if i don't want. i'm going to sit back and if she rings

[Darkangel709]

right what i would do now icho is to phone the police and get an incident number....Give them the time and date and the what the weather was like and what happened etc, the police will come round ask you what happended and ask you for your driving licence and your insurance then they will go round to the other party's house and do the same to them. They should give you an incident number....tell the police exactly what she told you and every convo that you have had. They will take a look at the car and the damage too and they will write this down also. Good luck and stand your ground!!

[pollyanna_11]

decided to just try again and lo and behold she answered. she is now trying to claim i was speeding...there's speed humps on the street about 5 metres from where she hit me. she says she is not liable but was stationery and pulled out! damage is to rear passemger side. she thinks she is not bullying me into using hubbys garage. yeah right. i told her i want to go thru the garage i went to and if she wants to go thru insurance that's fine. she still went on that there's only a few scratches and that she was only being a good muslim in offering to pay! finally she said she will talk to her husband and get back to me.

in the meantime...
i rang my insurance. they are insured. they will start the ball rolling. have to take car to a diff garge for a quote. one that they have approved. asked about liabilty and he says if she denies it he can't guarentee it but says i have a strong case. says i don't have to speak to the woman again if i don't want. i'm going to sit back and if she rings



Go back to the scene of the accident if you can, and take a couple of photos of the scene. Your view of the road, the speed bumps, mark on them where her car was, and take a couple of pictures of your cars damage.

If the accident happened outside some shops/offices etc, it might be worthwhile checking to see if anyone remembers the accident and take their name and address as witnesses.

The photos will be useful to your insurance company, remember to keep copies though. The limited amount of damage to your car does not indicate excessive speed, and in a court of law, 'speed does not constitute negligence' ie speed alone is not a reason to hold anyone at fault in any event. The responsibility for the accident would lie with the person who is performing the most dangerous manoeuvre, ie the one pulling out into traffic.Hope that helps.:)

[BritBrat]

This is what happens when you start talking to the other person and not just letting the insurance deal with it.

Just a load of hassle.

Don't forget what I said about warranty (body/rust warranty)