Someone Dented my P&J and Drove Off
Discussion
NiceCupOfTea said:
I agree though - insurance is unlikely to go better than 50/50...
Why would it go 50/50 - the OP was parked!I don't know, obviously, but based on the info the OP has I'd be dismayed if the insurance companies (both parties) didn't decide in his favour. It's a civil thing, so they go on the balance of probabilities.
Got a couple of quotes for the repair which came in at £400-£450 plus parts which for the wing and liner is £420+VAT.
So I just sent him an email below...
Owner,
I have taken the time to visit two body repair shops today, as I believe a quote of £300 is unrealistic. I come to this opinion as the person who conducted a full restoration of my car and therefore have a full understanding of the realms of possible.
Bartlets Automotive Bodywork Solutions in Dalton, states that the wing is beyond repair and suggests a labour, paint and material cost of £450 plus the cost of a new wing which is £337+VAT and arch liner which is £83+VAT.
Crooklands Auto Body, also in Dalton, also states that the wing is beyond repair and suggests a labour, paint and material cost of £400 plus the cost of a new wing ans liner.
Although we have insurance for such an eventuality where I cause damage or loss to myself and others, this incident is obviously something that I feel I shouldn't be responsible for paying, nor sacrifice my no-claims discount or insurance excess for.
Regards
Steve
Let's see what he has to say? Not holding my breath.
So I just sent him an email below...
Owner,
I have taken the time to visit two body repair shops today, as I believe a quote of £300 is unrealistic. I come to this opinion as the person who conducted a full restoration of my car and therefore have a full understanding of the realms of possible.
Bartlets Automotive Bodywork Solutions in Dalton, states that the wing is beyond repair and suggests a labour, paint and material cost of £450 plus the cost of a new wing which is £337+VAT and arch liner which is £83+VAT.
Crooklands Auto Body, also in Dalton, also states that the wing is beyond repair and suggests a labour, paint and material cost of £400 plus the cost of a new wing ans liner.
Although we have insurance for such an eventuality where I cause damage or loss to myself and others, this incident is obviously something that I feel I shouldn't be responsible for paying, nor sacrifice my no-claims discount or insurance excess for.
Regards
Steve
Let's see what he has to say? Not holding my breath.
Hi Steve
The body shop that gave me the quote committed to that price even though he was aware that the man hours may actually warrant a higher price. They are a reputable firm and a client of mine. I have witnessed their good work on other valuable cars and they have guaranteed a spot on job. I am clearly not going to pay £700+ plus vat when an expert who I trust has guaranteed the restoration at at a rate I think is reasonable.
As discussed previously we can't be 100 percent sure that my wife is at fault and you knocked on my door on the basis that the damage is at the same height as our towbar. As a gesture of goodwill we are willing to contribute to the repair but If the price is going to escalate beyond a reasonable contribution on our part we are clearly struggling to reach a solution.
I have no reason to believe that the work carried out by the company I have received the quote from will not be suitable.
Therefore I think a more than fare contribution on my part would be £240. This figure represents the cost of the repair I received the quote for, minus the would be penalty for your illegally parked vehicle. After all, if it hadn't been illegally parked, the accident would not have occurred.
I think it is fair that either we use my quote and you contribute the £60 or I will contribute £240 to your choice of quote.
I feel we are being more than fair on this matter given that no one can be sure who actually damaged your car and I look forward to a swift and amicable solution.
Kind regards
Car Owner
The body shop that gave me the quote committed to that price even though he was aware that the man hours may actually warrant a higher price. They are a reputable firm and a client of mine. I have witnessed their good work on other valuable cars and they have guaranteed a spot on job. I am clearly not going to pay £700+ plus vat when an expert who I trust has guaranteed the restoration at at a rate I think is reasonable.
As discussed previously we can't be 100 percent sure that my wife is at fault and you knocked on my door on the basis that the damage is at the same height as our towbar. As a gesture of goodwill we are willing to contribute to the repair but If the price is going to escalate beyond a reasonable contribution on our part we are clearly struggling to reach a solution.
I have no reason to believe that the work carried out by the company I have received the quote from will not be suitable.
Therefore I think a more than fare contribution on my part would be £240. This figure represents the cost of the repair I received the quote for, minus the would be penalty for your illegally parked vehicle. After all, if it hadn't been illegally parked, the accident would not have occurred.
I think it is fair that either we use my quote and you contribute the £60 or I will contribute £240 to your choice of quote.
I feel we are being more than fair on this matter given that no one can be sure who actually damaged your car and I look forward to a swift and amicable solution.
Kind regards
Car Owner
What's all this 'gesture of goodwill' nonsense. Bloke sounds like an idiot, personally I'd get it fixed at a place of my choosing and take whatever the other party offered. After all they could have flat out denied it.
If his wife could drive and he wasn't such a drip, the accident could have been avoided too.
If his wife could drive and he wasn't such a drip, the accident could have been avoided too.
Has it not occured to anyone that the husband who is responding to the original poster is just having fun?
The husband seems erudite and logical, the fact that he is pursuing a frustrating line of defence to me suggests he is either trying to flush out harder evidence of their liability and / or is seeking to cap their liability on his terms.
The clever thing is, should the whole thing go legal and / or new irrefutable evidence of their wrongdoing emerge, he has never confirmed or denied any wrongdoing, offered pittance as goodwill (but still offered goodwill) and could credibly admit liability in light of any new evidence.
All the time the OP looks like he is trying to inflate his claim and unable to accept that this could be one of those unfair situations where without evidence there is no remedy.
The probability is that the wife hit the OP's car, but the husband knows that by admitting liability he is going to be in for an expensive gold plated repair and he is managing that situation.
As an aside, I'm not sure why the OP appears to be glossing over the fact that he was parked illegally, naturally the OP shouldn't have incurred damage as a consequence of illegally parking but equally with £260 in his pocket the remaining balance of the situation feels like karma to me.
The husband seems erudite and logical, the fact that he is pursuing a frustrating line of defence to me suggests he is either trying to flush out harder evidence of their liability and / or is seeking to cap their liability on his terms.
The clever thing is, should the whole thing go legal and / or new irrefutable evidence of their wrongdoing emerge, he has never confirmed or denied any wrongdoing, offered pittance as goodwill (but still offered goodwill) and could credibly admit liability in light of any new evidence.
All the time the OP looks like he is trying to inflate his claim and unable to accept that this could be one of those unfair situations where without evidence there is no remedy.
The probability is that the wife hit the OP's car, but the husband knows that by admitting liability he is going to be in for an expensive gold plated repair and he is managing that situation.
As an aside, I'm not sure why the OP appears to be glossing over the fact that he was parked illegally, naturally the OP shouldn't have incurred damage as a consequence of illegally parking but equally with £260 in his pocket the remaining balance of the situation feels like karma to me.
It's very difficult to prove this sort of thing. About a month back I was in Sainsbury's in the car ready to drive off but the old lady in her Fiesta opposite was reversing out. The Volvo next to her was badly parked partly in her space. Of course she scraped along and rear wheel arch of it and drove off, not before I noted her number.
The Volvo owner came back, I told them the story and gave them the number. Nobody ever contacted me so either the old lady admitted it or else the insurers could not be bothered.
A long time back a van reversed into my AMG C43 and smassed the rear light etc. It was caught on CC tv camera, the van drivers got out and looked at it, got in and drove off quickly. They would not give me the evidence. I rang up the van owner, a local fencing company and he said his drivers denied it.
Police got involved. They saw the cctv and rang the owner. The owner then rang me and said the lady police woman was not real and it was all a fraud to con him. Having been told this the police officer and her mates presented him with the evidence finally which showed his drivers were liars
I got paid....
But it shows even with damning evidence it can be a hard journey.
Moral of the story, always park in the disabled spots or parent and children. Only kidding, I have a blue badge and someone still managed to run a trolley down the side, left no note and I had to pay £300 . Gits.
In effect you have to park 3 miles away from civilisation to be safe.
The Volvo owner came back, I told them the story and gave them the number. Nobody ever contacted me so either the old lady admitted it or else the insurers could not be bothered.
A long time back a van reversed into my AMG C43 and smassed the rear light etc. It was caught on CC tv camera, the van drivers got out and looked at it, got in and drove off quickly. They would not give me the evidence. I rang up the van owner, a local fencing company and he said his drivers denied it.
Police got involved. They saw the cctv and rang the owner. The owner then rang me and said the lady police woman was not real and it was all a fraud to con him. Having been told this the police officer and her mates presented him with the evidence finally which showed his drivers were liars
I got paid....But it shows even with damning evidence it can be a hard journey.
Moral of the story, always park in the disabled spots or parent and children.
Only kidding, I have a blue badge and someone still managed to run a trolley down the side, left no note and I had to pay £300 . Gits.In effect you have to park 3 miles away from civilisation to be safe.
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