How to resolve this accident damage...
How to resolve this accident damage...
Author
Discussion

MX5noob

Original Poster:

45 posts

64 months

Tuesday 28th September 2021
quotequote all
I tapped a lady in an 09 polo recently.
Minor damage to the trim element of the bumper.

Trim seems to be plastic. Is it normal to offer to cover the repair cost, as opposed to a bumper replacement?
Is it acceptible to say "Here are 3 repair quotes. Im going to give you an average of the three, and let you choose which garage to go to"?

She said she did not want to use the first place I got a quote from, as they are not a body shop. (They gave an estimate to fix, nevertheless).

Any advice gratefully received. Clearly my fault, for not paying attention to what was behind me.

Damage is in two areas next to each other.
There are two patches an inch or two insize, with visible damage.
The inch on the left has a slight dent, perhaps the size and shape of a thumb nail.
The inch on the right has stress causing paint to flake.

Id have thought a filler n spray a fair solution.
Lady seems to want a new bumper. She is afraid whoever repairs it will do a botch job.
Am I within my rights to say Im willing to pay for a repair, not a replacement?

Happened to private land, so neither of us are insured.
Tried and filed twice to upload image to thumbsnap

2 sMoKiN bArReLs

32,006 posts

264 months

Tuesday 28th September 2021
quotequote all
MX5noob said:
Happened to private land, so neither of us are insured.
Are you sure about this bit?


Edited by 2 sMoKiN bArReLs on Tuesday 28th September 14:57

CharlesElliott

2,264 posts

311 months

Tuesday 28th September 2021
quotequote all
Perhaps she should take it to a body shop of her choice and get a quote?

I also think it is very unlikely that you were 'not insured' due to private land.

anonymous-user

83 months

Tuesday 28th September 2021
quotequote all
Did the third party say that she didn't want to go through her insurance? Also, what colour is it? If it was metallic I wouldn't be happy with a fill and spray job either.

Aunty Pasty

786 posts

67 months

Tuesday 28th September 2021
quotequote all
Unless both cars are permanently on private land then they are insured even if they happen to be on private land at the time, such as a car park.

If you are offering to sort this out privately without going through insurance, then the other party holds the cards as you've admitted fault. If you can't come to an agreement then go through insurance.

CoreyDog

886 posts

119 months

Tuesday 28th September 2021
quotequote all
I wouldn't be too sure about the not insured part.

If it was damage to my vehicle caused by someone else's negligence, I'd want it repairing back to the standard it was before or if that couldn't be done, replaced.

Some back street garage sticking some filler in and blasting it over with a rattle can definitely wouldn't cut it for me.

Afraid you caused the damage so you need to sort it.

Pica-Pica

16,566 posts

113 months

Tuesday 28th September 2021
quotequote all
You damaged her car. It’s her call.

superlightr

12,920 posts

292 months

Tuesday 28th September 2021
quotequote all
MX5noob said:
I tapped a lady in an 09 polo recently.
Minor damage to the trim element of the bumper.

Trim seems to be plastic. Is it normal to offer to cover the repair cost, as opposed to a bumper replacement?
Is it acceptible to say "Here are 3 repair quotes. Im going to give you an average of the three, and let you choose which garage to go to"?

She said she did not want to use the first place I got a quote from, as they are not a body shop. (They gave an estimate to fix, nevertheless).

Any advice gratefully received. Clearly my fault, for not paying attention to what was behind me.

Damage is in two areas next to each other.
There are two patches an inch or two insize, with visible damage.
The inch on the left has a slight dent, perhaps the size and shape of a thumb nail.
The inch on the right has stress causing paint to flake.

Id have thought a filler n spray a fair solution.
Lady seems to want a new bumper. She is afraid whoever repairs it will do a botch job.
Am I within my rights to say Im willing to pay for a repair, not a replacement?

Happened to private land, so neither of us are insured.
Tried and filed twice to upload image to thumbsnap
you reversed into her when you were in the MX5 ?!!

Short Grain

3,435 posts

249 months

Tuesday 28th September 2021
quotequote all
superlightr said:
MX5noob said:
I tapped a lady in an 09 polo recently.
Minor damage to the trim element of the bumper.
Trim seems to be plastic. Is it normal to offer to cover the repair cost, as opposed to a bumper replacement?
Is it acceptible to say "Here are 3 repair quotes. Im going to give you an average of the three, and let you choose which garage to go to"?
She said she did not want to use the first place I got a quote from, as they are not a body shop. (They gave an estimate to fix, nevertheless).
Any advice gratefully received. Clearly my fault, for not paying attention to what was behind me.
Damage is in two areas next to each other.
There are two patches an inch or two insize, with visible damage.
The inch on the left has a slight dent, perhaps the size and shape of a thumb nail.
The inch on the right has stress causing paint to flake.
Id have thought a filler n spray a fair solution.
Lady seems to want a new bumper. She is afraid whoever repairs it will do a botch job.
Am I within my rights to say Im willing to pay for a repair, not a replacement?
Happened to private land, so neither of us are insured.
Tried and filed twice to upload image to thumbsnap
you reversed into her when you were in the MX5 ?!!
You caused the damage, you get to pay for it! Or she can claim direct from your insurance afaik. Saying you'll give her the average of the 3 would give her less than the cost of the most expensive, so how does that help to put her back to how the car was before you hit it? She gets to have her car put right by You, at Your cost, because You caused to damage, not Her.

HustleRussell

26,497 posts

189 months

Tuesday 28th September 2021
quotequote all
What a decent and patient lady to put up with all this rigmarole, penny-pinching and risking an inferior repair instead of just claiming on your insurance.

MX5noob

Original Poster:

45 posts

64 months

Tuesday 28th September 2021
quotequote all
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
Are you sure about this bit?


Edited by 2 sMoKiN bArReLs on Tuesday 28th September 14:57
Shop keeper came out and said so, all smiles. I merely presumed what he said was true...

Seesure

1,230 posts

268 months

Tuesday 28th September 2021
quotequote all
Her car,

You damaged it,

She calls the shots.

Not sure what's difficult with that.

Personally I'd be asking for insurance details and going that route.

(IMHO that's what insurance is there for.)


MX5noob

Original Poster:

45 posts

64 months

Tuesday 28th September 2021
quotequote all
CharlesElliott said:
Perhaps she should take it to a body shop of her choice and get a quote?

I also think it is very unlikely that you were 'not insured' due to private land.
The land was a middle ground between two commercial buildings. I would not want to claim on insurance unless I absolutely could not afford to pay the damage myself.

MX5noob

Original Poster:

45 posts

64 months

Tuesday 28th September 2021
quotequote all
Southerner said:
Did the third party say that she didn't want to go through her insurance? Also, what colour is it? If it was metallic I wouldn't be happy with a fill and spray job either.
Doesnt look metallic, certainly no form of starmist.

MX5noob

Original Poster:

45 posts

64 months

Tuesday 28th September 2021
quotequote all
Aunty Pasty said:
Unless both cars are permanently on private land then they are insured even if they happen to be on private land at the time, such as a car park.
Two sort of car parking areas, of sorts, I reversed from one and lightly tapped her car which was hanging out of the other. both of us were temporarily there for minutes, each. No permanent parking there. But as said just now, definitely dont want to claim for a little bit of paint damage.

MX5noob

Original Poster:

45 posts

64 months

Tuesday 28th September 2021
quotequote all
HustleRussell said:
What a decent and patient lady to put up with all this rigmarole, penny-pinching and risking an inferior repair instead of just claiming on your insurance.
We were both told we were not insured by the shop owner who came out.
I had the decency to offer her 50% more than the first estimate we got, so she could choose... repair, or she could put the cash towards a new bumper if thats what she wanted. I was told that it was was acceptible to offer a repair.
- I made the latest offer today, when she asked if id buy her a new bumper.
Just trying to do what is fair and right, for both of us.

CarCrazyDad

4,280 posts

64 months

Tuesday 28th September 2021
quotequote all
The shop keeper was telling you bull st.


Tescos is private land, but if you crash, you can use your insurance company.

That being said, if the damage is minor and under maybe £500-£1000 I'd just pay for the damage privately.


Aunty Pasty

786 posts

67 months

Tuesday 28th September 2021
quotequote all
Shopkeeper is talking crap. Insurance is an option. I remember many many years ago when I was a new driver I accidentally bumped someone on a roundabout and offered to do it privately. I was shocked at the cost to repair what seemed to me to be a minor bump. End up going through insurance in the end.

I understand your desire to avoid insurance if possible but she deserves to get her car put right properly and not with some bodge job.

2 sMoKiN bArReLs

32,006 posts

264 months

Tuesday 28th September 2021
quotequote all
MX5noob said:
2 sMoKiN bArReLs said:
Are you sure about this bit?


Edited by 2 sMoKiN bArReLs on Tuesday 28th September 14:57
Shop keeper came out and said so, all smiles. I merely presumed what he said was true...
As said above, I suspect Mr Shoppie was telling you an urban myth.

paintman

7,860 posts

219 months

Tuesday 28th September 2021
quotequote all
Seesure said:
Her car,

You damaged it,

She calls the shots.

Not sure what's difficult with that.

Personally I'd be asking for insurance details and going that route.
^^^This.