Are you kidding me?

[Nick R]

So I'm leaving Radioshack after I picked up a Kill-a-watt, and the guy sitting in the truck parked on the far side informs me that when the girl that got out of the car on the other side opened her door, she slammed it into my rear quarter panel. Her daughter was the one that had done it, and walked into radioshack when I was leaving. I had not half an hour before gotten my car washed, too. So I look, and sure enough there is a nice little dent on the crease in the rear passenger wheel arch (metal), along with a nice gouge in the paint/metal and a nice spot where the clearcoat was removed. Shoot.

So I go in, and tell her that the guy had told me that her daughter had hit my car, she was all "Oh that was your car? Do you want to go through insurance" I'm like [censored] right I do, that's a 7 month old car, mand it's definitely noticeable, especially from a distance.

So she comes out and we exchange information, and my mom (our insurance agent through state farm) calls hers, and files the claim.

I take it to the body shop for an estimate, and I was staggered, over a thousand dollars, because they have to repaint/match the rear passenger door, bumper, trunk, and that panel as well as remove the dent itself.

A thousand dollars, because of carelessness. She was only like 10, so I felt kind of bad, I mean they weren't snotty or try to deny it or anything, they were very nice, so I didn't give them a hard time. I wasn't really angry, just more frustrated because of the inconvenience of it all.

Anyway, just wanted to rant. Maybe I'll take some pictures tomorrow and post them.

 

[volk06]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
So I'm leaving Radioshack after I picked up a Kill-a-watt, and the guy sitting in the truck parked on the far side informs me that when the girl that got out of the car on the other side opened her door, she slammed it into my rear quarter panel. Her daughter was the one that had done it, and walked into radioshack when I was leaving. I had not half an hour before gotten my car washed, too. So I look, and sure enough there is a nice little dent on the crease in the rear passenger wheel arch (metal), along with a nice gouge in the paint/metal and a nice spot where the clearcoat was removed. Shoot.

So I go in, and tell her that the guy had told me that her daughter had hit my car, she was all "Oh that was your car? Do you want to go through insurance" I'm like [censored] right I do, that's a 7 month old car, mand it's definitely noticeable, especially from a distance.

So she comes out and we exchange information, and my mom (our insurance agent through state farm) calls hers, and files the claim.

I take it to the body shop for an estimate, and I was staggered, over a thousand dollars, because they have to repaint/match the rear passenger door, bumper, trunk, and that panel as well as remove the dent itself.

A thousand dollars, because of carelessness. She was only like 10, so I felt kind of bad, I mean they weren't snotty or try to deny it or anything, they were very nice, so I didn't give them a hard time. I wasn't really angry, just more frustrated because of the inconvenience of it all.

Anyway, just wanted to rant. Maybe I'll take some pictures tomorrow and post them.


This winter after a snow storm I was going around a semi on my way to work at 5:45am at 69mph, speed limit was 70, and a large chunck of ice came flying off of the top and hit the hood of my new truck. I had the truck less than 3 months. Roads were good and clear and it was a snow storm the day before. It was dark and I had to clean out my pants, never did get the truck number or company. The ice ball was the size of a basketball and I coudlnt tell how much damage there was, day light came out and there was 12 different small dents on the hood! A couple right on the crease of my hood cowls on the new F150 hoods. I was pretty upset, took it to a local shop and for $250 they did paintless dent repair and took out every dent! I was very surprised. You might want to check and see if PDR is an option because it saved me and insurance claim and a new hood. I didnt want them to sand, pound, then repaint as once you break that paint seal it seems like things rust very fast! I know how you feel! Atleast they were honest.... most people now days would have just left.

 

[DrDusty86]

Nick,
That's why I park WAY WAY out. It's not uncommon for me to walk 75 yards or more to go into a store.
I would slaughter someone if they scuffed my dually.

 

[volk06]

Originally Posted By: DrDusty86
Nick,
That's why I park WAY WAY out. It's not uncommon for me to walk 75 yards or more to go into a store.
I would slaughter someone if they scuffed my dually.


+1 I do the same.... the extra walk is good for me and most people don't park out there except nice vehicles or people that care about theirs.

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: volk06
Originally Posted By: DrDusty86
Nick,
That's why I park WAY WAY out. It's not uncommon for me to walk 75 yards or more to go into a store.
I would slaughter someone if they scuffed my dually.


+1 I do the same.... the extra walk is good for you and most people don't park out there except nice vehicles or people that care about theirs.


Well, even if I would do that, this parking lot is small enough that it wasn't really an option.l

 

[The motor guy]

Me too. Instead of driving around forever trying to park next to the store I head straight for an area where nobody else parks.

 

[01rangerxl]

At least she fessed up and didn't put up a fight about insurance. That part of the ordeal definitely could have gone worse. It's good you had a witness too and didn't drive off without noticing.

It always sucks when a new car gets that sort of body damage though.

 

[sciphi]

I can believe $1000+ to repair that area. They got you right on the crease, right? That'll be a bear to remove. Plus, paint is expensive! Something similar happened to our Fit, and it cost the other person's insurance well over $1000 to respray our car. Of course, you can't tell it ever happened. Hope they restore your Cruze to pristine condition!

 

[Dakota1820]

One thing I like about my Saturn its parking lot idiot resistant.though its been hit 4 times I'm aware of by doors and carts and not a scratch still makes you angry though. I would have been angry because they were going to get away with it . Only reason they didn't was because that guy said something.

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: chevyboy14
One thing I like about my Saturn its parking lot idiot resistant.though its been hit 4 times I'm aware of by doors and carts and not a scratch still makes you angry though. I would have been angry because they were going to get away with it . Only reason they didn't was because that guy said something.


Well in fairness if he hadn't told me, I wouldn't have noticed it right away, and she had no way of knowing whos car it was, as the parking lot was full.

 

[RoGuE]

Could you take a check for the same amount instead and seal the damaged paint yourself? An extra thousand in your pocket, and even better you don't have to worry about the that next "first" dent.

When someone ran a red light and smashed my bumper (all it did was take a lot of paint off, the plastic popped right back out), I just collected a check for $750 and left it alone. Got totaled 5 months later anyway...

 

[tomcat27]

you are luck that: someone told you, you found the person, and they did the right thing. I always tell my kids when they are getting out of the car to watch the car next to us (in the event that there are no remote spots)

 

[Rock_Hudstone]

At least you caught them and they admitted it, I highly doubt they were planning to leave a note.

My moms car got rear ended as she waited to make a left turn, the people tried to claim the damage was prexisting.

Unfortunately, she didn't get a police report, had to take them to small claims court, the amount we got wasn't even worth the time wasted.

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: RoGuE
Could you take a check for the same amount instead and seal the damaged paint yourself? An extra thousand in your pocket, and even better you don't have to worry about the that next "first" dent.

When someone ran a red light and smashed my bumper (all it did was take a lot of paint off, the plastic popped right back out), I just collected a check for $750 and left it alone. Got totaled 5 months later anyway...


Considering where he is in life and what that car's going to be needed for career-wise, it's better to get it fixed. Nothing worse than showing up to an interview, and a prospective boss catching a glimpse of a rusty area on a newer car.

 

[R2d2]

Originally Posted By: Nick R
Originally Posted By: volk06
Originally Posted By: DrDusty86
Nick,
That's why I park WAY WAY out. It's not uncommon for me to walk 75 yards or more to go into a store.
I would slaughter someone if they scuffed my dually.


+1 I do the same.... the extra walk is good for you and most people don't park out there except nice vehicles or people that care about theirs.


Well, even if I would do that, this parking lot is small enough that it wasn't really an option.l


I've actually been in similar situations, mall lot is so crowded that you can't park far away from other cars like I usually do. You know what I do, I leave. [censored] the old lady off but some things are more important.

 

[daves87rs]

Wow! Sucks that it happened...

 

[3311]

A grand for a ding? Unfortunately [censored] stuff happens to our vehicles when we drive them. I have tons of damage on my trucks for the low grade filth that are dump truck drivers and I used to get pretty hot about it but life is to short to worry about any more.

 

[R2d2]

When repair shops find out your going through insurance they tend to juice the bill. You could have probably got it done for less if it was a cash transaction, but sometimes its not worth the headache I guess.

 

[morris]

my ex HAD to park close, at the cheep/mart. i gave a ghalange to her. she park close, while waiting for a slot, i park 1000 feet out. yep i got in the store first. and no marks on the side.

 

[JHZR2]

Sorry to hear of this. Horrible.

Some workers thought they were ski g me a favor by putting a tarp over my new 135i when they were doing work nearby (I was parked far away too). Scuffed the paint a bit. Repairable in a very easy way, but horrible to see.

I feel your pain.

What amazes me is the fact that a 10yo hitting one door I to another could cause so much damage.

I've been amazed a few times at how resilient panels can be in some situations to being damaged...