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So I was at my buddies shop at lunch and just as I am about to leave, a dude in a huge RV pulling a car swipes my car trying to swing the parking lot. My car was dirty and I was bitching about having to wash it (my girlfriend has had the car for the last week and she doesn't care like I do). Now it looks like the drivers mirror and door will be getting resprayed. No dent, but it folded the mirror up good and most of it will buff out, but it has a few spots where it chipped the clear.
I'll swing by the body shop for an estimate on my way home tonight. The guy is an insurance broker and said he would be more than happy to pay for it. He was very cool about the whole deal (so was I, its just a car after all) but it still sucks. He said he wasn't filing a claim and would appreciate it if I didn't, either. I'm more than happy to keep the insurance out of it, but I got his info just to be safe.
He didn't know he had hit it at first until I started yelling (I heard it hit before I made it around the side to see it). He stopped, I jumped in from the passenger side, backed it off, then moved my car into the shop so he could get back out without doing any more damage. I can't figure out how he thought he would clear it.
It's been 6 weeks since I had a situation where the guy who owned a business promised to pay me for the damage he caused. I just got the car back today......It was the worst crap I had to go through with his finally getting a check, finally getting it to clear the bank and finally getting the work done.
NEVER AGAIN! I'll file on the jerks the first day!
LIVE AND LEARN!
Just like the others said....when they get the estimate, they go into denial mode and drag their feet.
At the very least I'd file an accident report. In Oregon there is a $1500 minimum dollar amount. It doesn't take much to add up to $1500 these days. They can and will suspend your license if they catch wind of it. Body shops sometimes snitch too.
Myself, I wouldn't trust an insurance broker who would go under the table, risking his broker's license.
Agreed, file now. The Fedex driver who barely backed up and "tapped" my 99 C5 in the front, freaked out when he got the bill for his 1/10th of a mile per hour "tap".
$1800 and six months worth of payments later he's a LOT more careful about rolling in neutral.
It's been 6 weeks since I had a situation where the guy who owned a business promised to pay me for the damage he caused. I just got the car back today......It was the worst crap I had to go through with his finally getting a check, finally getting it to clear the bank and finally getting the work done.
NEVER AGAIN! I'll file on the jerks the first day!
LIVE AND LEARN!
Just like the others said....when they get the estimate, they go into denial mode and drag their feet.
You don't have to worry about the composite substance "denting". It may crack, but not dent. Make sure the panel is not cracked underneath or internally before they spray.
I will get an estimate today and send it to him. He handed me $200 to get it detailed on the spot and said he would cover it if it didn't buff out. The smudge is all gone, but there is about 2" of clear missing. It was hard to capture in a picture, but it's pretty noticeable. It was barley pressing on the door when he stopped, so I don't think the panel is damaged, just the clear coat.
I have all his insurance info and his card and a ton of witnesses (my buddy owns the shop it was parked at when hit). I got screwed years ago in my Cuda when a jackass rear ended me in LA (minor damage, but I paid for it). Maybe he will try to screw me, but I hope not.
Maybe I'm just an optimist, but I try to give people a chance. He's from SoCal, I'll make a trip down to his office if he pulls anything.
09-16-2014, 05:30 PM
Son of a...
