"Almost stationary" accident - no visible damage

[bungle]

Whilst waiting to pull out at a roundabout this evening, I received a very gentle "tap" at the rear of my car. Driver said he thought I was going to go, so he started, then braked when he saw I wasn't going, but didn't manage to stop in time. It really was very low speed, just a gentle tap, with no visible damage to either car (although it was dark).

I've got his details, but should I be getting my car checked out for any non-visible damage? Could it be damaged beneath the bumper, but the bumper itself show no visible damage?

I don't want to make a fuss about nothing, but at the same time I don't want to foot a later (huge) bill for unseen damage.

Advice? Thanks.

[ging84]

better get your neck looked at too, and don't forget to mention any anxiety you've had since

[Digby]

Look under it with a torch?

Also, prepare yourself for a letter suggesting you rolled in to them.It happens!

My car was smashed to pieces by someone turning across in front of me.He was quite decent at the roadside, then later claimed he was stationary whilst indicating and that I crashed into him!

Edited by Digby on Monday 3rd November 22:31

[numtumfutunch]

ging84 said:

better get your neck looked at too, and don't forget to mention any anxiety you've had since

For balance my sister had an inconsequential tap in traffic similar to what you describe

It was dark and with no obvious damage she accepted the other drivers apology and left the scene with no exchange of details

Come morning she noticed her rear bumper mis aligned as it had deformed on the mount (or somthing) as part of the crumple zone (or something) costing a sizeable sum to put right

So yes - I would look at the car closely when its daylight if I were you
Would I go to a garage - probably not

[tony wright]

ging84 said:

better get your neck looked at too, and don't forget to mention any anxiety you've had since

Uncalled for. I had a bump last Winter in my Son's Mk 4 Golf. Ford Focus started sliding on the ice and ended up on my side of the road where I had stopped (Winter tyres). Collision was very minor and he got out and apologised profusely. It was night time and snowing heavily at the time so we had a very quick look and everything looked and felt fine. We said good buy and went our seperate ways, next morning I had a look more closely at the car and the paint on the bumper had crazed, two days later it started peeling off.

[carreauchompeur]

tony wright said:

Uncalled for. I had a bump last Winter in my Son's Mk 4 Golf. Ford Focus started sliding on the ice and ended up on my side of the road where I had stopped (Winter tyres). Collision was very minor and he got out and apologised profusely. It was night time and snowing heavily at the time so we had a very quick look and everything looked and felt fine. We said good buy and went our seperate ways, next morning I had a look more closely at the car and the paint on the bumper had crazed, two days later it started peeling off.

And my neck became stiff

[Seesure]

Get it checked, I had a car nudge the back of mine about 5 weeks back in very slow stop start traffic... Visually the right exhaust pipes looked slightly out of alignment, one of PDC sensors was partially unclipped. That was it, the paint wasn't even scratched at point of contact...

BUT... The exhaust started to melt the lower difusser as it was touching, and about 10 days later a hairline crack appeared on the nearside of the rear bumper which had dropped by about 4mm...

Went through the 3rd party's insurance and the repair came to just over £1k plus VAT,plus the use of a hire car for 5 days while mine was being worked on....

I also took photographs of both cars at the scene as well, making it quite clear to the other driver that I would be going through insurance for repair as I made sure she could see the issues I had spotted..and that there may be others that might be hidden....

Edited by Seesure on Tuesday 4th November 16:53

[defblade]

Get a garage to check it - I've had it go both ways:

a tap like you had at a roundabout (maybe a bit harder than you describe) = over £1k of damage as all the stuff inside was bent and damaged, invisible from the outside except panel gap had changed top-to-bottom


Quite a good hit while turning, deep gash from their headlight breaking into a trim strip, but no other damage at all. Other driver paid for a new trim strip, about £20 IIRC.

[xstian]

I think this can depend on what car you are driving. I had someone drive into the back of my van, while in very slow moving traffic. It was so slow I didn't even bother to get out and have a look for damage.

A Vauxhall Frontera back into the side of my girlfriend A6. We got out expecting a bit of a dent, but no damage, you couldn't even see where the cars had touched. Didn't bother exchanging details. Both vehicles are of an age where bodywork is no longer 100%, and I felt I had better things to do than chase an imaginary claim. Or worse still, the other party have my details and they may decide there neck is a little sore a few days later.

[bungle]

Thanks all. Still not managed to have a good look in proper daylight, but I can't see anything visible. Difficult to really get a good look underneath. In terms of getting it checked out, are you talking about just going to a bodyshop repair place, or getting a dealer to take a look? It isn't a shed, so if it is damaged I want it fixed.

Dealer would probably be a nightmare - please book the car in sir, 3 weeks on Wednesday, no you can't have a courtesy car, etc etc. I imagine I could just roll up to an accident repair place though.

[SistersofPercy]

I'm in agreement with everyone else, take it in to a garage and get it checked.

My son had almost exactly the same thing happen to him 2 weeks ago, waiting at a roundabout and she rear ended him, very slow impact. Aside from a small scrape to the bumper it looked ok. Inspection revealed there was damage underneath, almost £1k's worth actually which caused the woman who hit him to jump up and down a bit and complain as she thought she could get away with not going through insurance.
3 days work and he's picking it back up from the body shop as I type actually.

[SistersofPercy]

Oh and to add Bungle, son took his to main dealer (car newish anyway) who assessed it the following day. Yours might be quicker for this type of thing as well. Unfortunately for them the Insurance sent him elsewhere so they didn't get the work anyway.

[Andehh]

Really!? Cars have bumpers for a reason, and at such a low low speed impact like this the plastic will have bent then popped back out. If nothing looks damaged/looks out of place then....how much damage below the surface can there honestly be?

[bungle]

Thanks for all the input folks. For peace of mind I'll get it checked (as it is (to me) an expensive and (to me) new-ish car) so I don't want a nagging "what if there was some unseen damage done?" question hanging over me/it (not that I'm a complete worrier, quite the opposite really…).

So I've just phoned the local Listers Bodyshop and they will stick it on the ramp Thurs morning and take a look for me. Hopefully all fine and nothing needs doing, but worth a check anyway.

[xstian]

If there is damage under there, how will you prove it was this accident that has caused it and not some
pre-existing damage? If accident caused no damage to the bumper etc. it might be difficult to prove.

I'm sure all will be fine. What's the car by the way?

[Speedracer329]

carreauchompeur said:

tony wright said:

Uncalled for. I had a bump last Winter in my Son's Mk 4 Golf. Ford Focus started sliding on the ice and ended up on my side of the road where I had stopped (Winter tyres). Collision was very minor and he got out and apologised profusely. It was night time and snowing heavily at the time so we had a very quick look and everything looked and felt fine. We said good buy and went our seperate ways, next morning I had a look more closely at the car and the paint on the bumper had crazed, two days later it started peeling off.

And my neck became stiff

And if it did so what?

[SistersofPercy]

Andehh said:

Really!? Cars have bumpers for a reason, and at such a low low speed impact like this the plastic will have bent then popped back out. If nothing looks damaged/looks out of place then....how much damage below the surface can there honestly be?

When this happened to my cousin she didn't get details (car park and they drove off). Bumper was as you say pushed in then popped out, which crazed the paint. By winter water ingressed through the crazing and the paint flaked off leaving a dinner plate sized mess on the bumper.