Scratched some guy's car, need advice!

[jnfr]

Okay, so on Sunday, my boyfriend was driving and I was in the passenger seat. We went to a plaza in Scarborough to eat and my boyfriend wasn't paying attention to his parking and scratched the car that was parked next to the parking spot we had our eye on. After he parked properly, he surveyed the damage on his own car and it was NOTHING, it was basically just like, dust from the other guy's car.

Then, we looked at the other guy's car (it was a Pontiac) and there was a visible scratch on it. We took pictures and left a note (it was the right thing to do) telling him to call us and we'll pay a reasonable amount for repair.

Here are the pictures of the scratches I took on my cell phone:
http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/6540/dsc00001vr1.jpg (http://img443.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00001vr1.jpg)
http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/dsc00001vr1.jpg/1/w480.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img443/dsc00001vr1.jpg/1/)
http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/4080/dsc00002co3.jpg (http://img443.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00002co3.jpg)
http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/dsc00002co3.jpg/1/w640.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img443/dsc00002co3.jpg/1/)
http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/5610/dsc00003ek7.jpg (http://img393.imageshack.us/my.php?image=dsc00003ek7.jpg)
http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/dsc00003ek7.jpg/1/w640.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img393/dsc00003ek7.jpg/1/)

So then later, he calls my boyfriend and says that he basically couldn't find any scratches on his car (even though we told him, above the back right wheel), and then he asks us to send him pictures. He even suggested we made a totally irrelevant scratch on the other side of his car!!

We sent him the pictures from above.

He sends us back an e-mail saying he washed his car and he attached a picture of the scratch he suddenly notices.

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/143/1009480fq9.jpg (http://img201.imageshack.us/my.php?image=1009480fq9.jpg)
http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/1009480fq9.jpg/1/w320.png (http://g.imageshack.us/img201/1009480fq9.jpg/1/)

He tells us he's going to bring it into the body shop tomorrow (today- Monday) and get an estimate. Okay fine, we're thinking it's just going to be a paint job.

TODAY, he e-mails us back and says:

Here is the quote for repairing the damaged part near the passenger side's rear wheel.
Preliminary estimate Material + Labour (tax included) = $468.95.

It will take 2 days to repair.

Rental car for 2 days during repair costs about $95 (tax included).

The total compensation to cover this incident is $563.95. Please let me know today if this is what you may consider to compensate the damage. Also, how soon can you deliver the compensation? I need to book an appointment soon.

The Body shop is Thornhill Precision Automotive, Unit 5 - 60 Green Lane, Thornhill, Ontario L3T 7P5. The phone number is ### ### ####. You may ask for [withheld]. He appraised the damage.

Please let me know today.

As if that amount wasn't shocking enough, he follows up with another e-mail a few minutes later:

Just to let you know that this quote is preliminary and based on the best estimate that they can do without taking the bumper off for inspection. If they do, they will have to charge a fee $85.

They told me from their experience and visual inspection that there should be only the paint job needed to be done. If there are more problems, they will leave it open, during re-painting, for you and me to see and verify because they will do any additional work. In that scenario, the compensation will go up. But they are quite confident, this possibility is very low.

I hope this is clear.

WHAT! I mean, was the damage even ON the bumper?
Okay first of all, is this guy milking us for all we've got? Are those prices reasonable?

What should I do?! :mad:

UPDATE

We just replied the guy with the following:

Hi *,

Surely you must not have expected the estimates for this damage to be so high, which is why I am very taken aback by these numbers. Unfortunately, at this point (I am a University student paying my own tuition), I feel like upwards of $600 is far too much to pay for such a scratch. I know some people who are studying auto mechanics who have given me significantly lower estimates, and even ballparked the repair to take less than 4 hours. It does not seem reasonable for me to pay extra for a rental car while yours is in the shop.

What I am trying to say is that I am not willing to go through with the quoted compensation for repairs on your car at that body shop in Thornhill. I have two proposals. One, is that I find one or two other reputable body shops and get more estimates, or two, is that I pay you $300 flat, right away. My condition for the first suggestion is that I be present, since you thought I had initially caused another scratch on your car, I would like to be there to ensure the estimates only embody the damage I have caused. You mentioned when you first called that you thought the damage incurred was on the rear bumper of your car, and could not even locate the scratch until I sent you pictures detailing the incident, which suggests that the state of your vehicle was not in pristine condition to begin with. I do not mean to accuse you or anything, but you must understand that the amount you are asking for is far too high.

I know we agreed to get this sorted out as soon as possible but I will only feel comfortable paying up if I am confident it is the right amount.

I hope you understand things on my end,
*

:(

[robbiedigital]

Although this is a bit late, you shouldn't have reported anything.

Anyway, what I would do now is simply write back to him and say that you did not expect the damage to cost so much and you cannot afford to pay. Tell him (bluff?) that you'll have to go through insurance.

Parking lot accidents are considered 50-50 by insurance, and therefore he probably won't bother getting it fixed.

Same thing happened to me, though I was on the receiving end of this very story.

[fastlayne]

That body panel on the vehicle is the rear bumper skin/cover and starts immediately behind the rear wheels (as your pictures show).

Painting the whole bumper skin is certainly $400+. (And if it was my car, I would ensure that the skin was removed for painting to avoid tape lines, which would add to the cost.)

[jnfr]

This might guy also be trying to get as much repaired on his car as he can by having us pay for it. That's what I'm scared of. :mad:

[booblehead]

Request two more quotes and go from there.

[Tomy]

the quote seems legit, however, there are many different ways in painting this bumper..

in this case, they chose the most expensive way, probably new paint on the bumper+ labour at ~65$

u can always take those pictures, go to a well respected garage and get them to give u a ballpark estimate.

or go to malibu forums and pray that someone is selling or willing to sell their rear bumper at a cheaper price.

and work out a deal with them.. u did a goodwill, i guess they are willing to forgo to rental of 100$ to save u a few bucks.

[Mayoo]

Yes I think he is milking .. I had a similar but small scratch and it took 4hours for the paint job done by jacking up the car.. You don’t need to remove the bumper for this .. it costed me $200 all in .. its not a low end paint job ..

[ullyeus]

This might guy also be trying to get as much repaired on his car as he can by having us pay for it. That's what I'm scared of. :mad:

It seems like a very reasonable quote for me...what were you expecting?

I don't imagine just about anything on a car costing less than $500, even cosmetic.

[Whitedart]

WHAT! I mean, was the damage even ON the bumper?
Okay first of all, is this guy milking us for all we've got? Are those prices reasonable?

That scratch is on the bumper cover, that runs from that passenger side wheel, around the back of the car to the driver side wheel. Given the prep work involved, paint setup at $100 an hour at a shop, quart of auto paint and colour matching, etc. it would seem reasonable.

What should I do?! :mad:

Pay for the repair. It was not the other driver's fault.
But consider what would you do if it was your car that was scratched. Would you not want it repaired?

[robbiedigital]

Trust me, don't pay.

I'm 99% sure parking lot accidents are 50/50 liability, meaning that his company will pay for his damage and your bfs will pay for damage to his (none).

I know it's not the right thing to do, but do your research (confirm what I'm saying) and tell him you can't pay. He will have to take his car to a collision centre to have it reported. Does he have your names, addresses, license plates, insurance info, etc. (in other words, all the things you are supposed to exchange during an accident)?

I'm guessing not, in which case, I think you can just walk away from this altogether.

[jnfr]

Trust me, don't pay.

I'm 99% sure parking lot accidents are 50/50 liability, meaning that his company will pay for his damage and your bfs will pay for damage to his (none).

I know it's not the right thing to do, but do your research (confirm what I'm saying) and tell him you can't pay. He will have to take his car to a collision centre to have it reported. Does he have your names, addresses, license plates, insurance info, etc. (in other words, all the things you are supposed to exchange during an accident)?

I'm guessing not, in which case, I think you can just walk away from this altogether.


I'll look into the insurance thing. So the guy can claim the repairs through his insurance company as if we never contacted him before?

All he has is my boyfriend's e-mail address, cell number (which is going to change in January when we go back to school) and first & last name which show up on his e-mails.

[Shaner]

I don't know for sure, but I highly doubt it's 50/50 when the other person wasn't even in the car. You hit a parked car, I would be shocked if it's not 100% your fault. Parking lot accidents are almost always 50/50 when both drivers are in the vehicle, but things change when you hit a parked car.

But listen to that guys advice and try and run and hide. The guy will probably report it to the police as a hit and run and your boyfriend could get in some serious trouble. He has your boyfriends name and a cell phone number, the police will be able to track him down based on that information.

Also, if he does go through his own insurance, your insurance will be notified and your rates could possibly go up.

Anything under $500 for car repairs is more than reasonable. My neighbour once hit my car causing a very small dent and a small scratch. My car was a Pontiac Sunfire, so nothing special. It cost $800 to get it fixed.

You hit the guys parked car. That is entirely your fault, regardless of insurance policies. How would you feel if someone hit your car? Do the right thing and pay for the damage.

Also, isn't that a Chevy and not a Pontiac?

[robbiedigital]

I'll look into the insurance thing. So the guy can claim the repairs through his insurance company as if we never contacted him before?

All he has is my boyfriend's e-mail address, cell number (which is going to change in January when we go back to school) and first & last name which show up on his e-mails.

I honestly don't know...this is getting into territory which is a bit shady. I'm sure there are people who know the intricacies of all of this more than I do, but you are certainly NOT obligated to pay him just because you offered. As far as the government/police/insurance is concerned, at the moment, there was no accident between you two. That's all I'm saying.

If you refuse, his next step should probably be to take his car to a Collision Centre to report the accident. I don't know what info the ask for "the other guy" when you get there. Is a name sufficient to identify your bf as the other party, I don't know.

Hope that helps.

[nsr250]

I'm pretty sure its an Impala

[Shaner]

I'm pretty sure its an Impala

that's what I thought based on the pics. It looks like an Impala, not a Malibu. Also, unless I'm mistaken, Impala's are strictly Chevy and were never labeled with the Pontiac badge. Not that it matters, I'm just curious.

[thelefteyeguy]

*******

It was a parked vehicle and Shaner is correct...how could you even find fault for someone that just parked their car?

If you want real advice head to the Insurance Thread (or pm Cosmic5)

http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=415480&page=79

[jnfr]

that's what I thought based on the pics. It looks like an Impala, not a Malibu. Also, unless I'm mistaken, Impala's are strictly Chevy and were never labeled with the Pontiac badge. Not that it matters, I'm just curious.

I don't know, maybe then :( I obviously know very little about cars.


It was a parked vehicle and Shaner is correct...how could you even find fault for someone that just parked their car?

I am not trying to deny that we were at fault. I left a note on the guy's car, for pete's sake! What I am trying to do is gather advice on what I should do to ensure I am not getting ripped off by this guy when we pay for his damages.



UPDATE

We just replied the guy with the following:

Hi *,

Surely you must not have expected the estimates for this damage to be so high, which is why I am very taken aback by these numbers. Unfortunately, at this point (I am a University student paying my own tuition), I feel like upwards of $600 is far too much to pay for such a scratch. I know some people who are studying auto mechanics who have given me significantly lower estimates, and even ballparked the repair to take less than 4 hours. It does not seem reasonable for me to pay extra for a rental car while yours is in the shop.

What I am trying to say is that I am not willing to go through with the quoted compensation for repairs on your car at that body shop in Thornhill. I have two proposals. One, is that I find one or two other reputable body shops and get more estimates, or two, is that I pay you $300 flat, right away. My condition for the first suggestion is that I be present, since you thought I had initially caused another scratch on your car, I would like to be there to ensure the estimates only embody the damage I have caused. You mentioned when you first called that you thought the damage incurred was on the rear bumper of your car, and could not even locate the scratch until I sent you pictures detailing the incident, which suggests that the state of your vehicle was not in pristine condition to begin with. I do not mean to accuse you or anything, but you must understand that the amount you are asking for is far too high.

I know we agreed to get this sorted out as soon as possible but I will only feel comfortable paying up if I am confident it is the right amount.

I hope you understand things on my end,
*

:(

[thelefteyeguy]

I don't know, maybe then :( I obviously know very little about cars.


We just replied the guy with the following:



:(

To the OP...you really dont have much leverage to negotiate in this situation

the other party has no disadvantages of going through insurance.

[gmsron]

Neighbor hit my parked in our shared driveway. Admitted to hitting it and agreed to pay for damages. It was also "merely a scratch" but I knew a simple bumper paint job goes for about 400. So I told him 200 and we'll forget about it. Well he decided he'd rather go through insurance..."because that's what it's for right"

So I reported it to the collision center. I already had all his info. So he calls me later that day and tries to pay cash now instead of going through insurance. He had called his adjuster I guess? and they said it would be a better idea to pay cash.

So I got exactly what the OP's victim got. Paint job plus free rental.

Basically the same situation. Private property accident with no one in the car....Is not 50/50.... You'd probably be better off paying cash or making a deal. Never know...He could get you for hit and run or something...He's already got enough info.

In a different accident where I was rear ended. The driver agreed to pay cash. I asked the bodyshop what happens if they decide not to pay ..."We'll get the police to visit him and they'll make him pay"

[thelefteyeguy]

I am not trying to deny that we were at fault. I left a note on the guy's car, for pete's sake! What I am trying to do is gather advice on what I should do to ensure I am not getting ripped off by this guy when we pay for his damages.



my comment was directed to robbiedigital and not you :|

[TenzoR]

I think your biggest mistake is posting on the forum asking for help with so much details. Sometimes you should really keep it to yourself and not have everyone on the internet know about until it's dealt with. Or at least be more discrete about it

[robbieD]

***********

I retract my original statement, but I'm trying to get her some real, helpful advice other than "it's your fault, so you have to pay". We live in land of non-responsibility, didn't you know?! lol

As far as any official body is concerned, there was no accident (yet). Agreed? Great. Bringing up insurance and the issue of "fault" with parking lot accidents with the guy may deter him from even fixing his car in the first place. It's worth a shot anyway. It's an old Impala (or Caprice) and he didn't even notice it...

[untaka]

First they already admited fault so they either have to go through insurance or negotiate with this guy. Also are you 100% sure? Because if it was an "accident" in a parking lot then yes it is 50/50. However the driver was not present in the veichle and the car was stationary this may not be collision therefor the OP maybe at 100% fault, so don't tell them not to pay unless you are 100% sure. Also I hope your car and others in this thread that suggested not to pay get scratched up. What goes around comes around and I think it is good of the OP to offer payment.

@OP

Just honestly tell them it is more then you expected and ask if he is willing to negotiate, maybe he covers the cost of a rental since that really isn't necessary. Mention to him that you were nice enough to provide your information for contact and you are willing to help with the repairs but its a steep amount and again his rental is really his responsibility.

Other then that get more quotes from other places.

[robbieD]

...what if he takes the $300 and THEN goes through insurance just to spite you?

There is absolutely nothing stopping him from doing that.

I am, of course, assuming he's an ass...but I wouldn't put it past anyone.

[robbieD]

dude you are banned

(I have stopped feeding the troll)

I'm not trolling!

Why would I be banned? I changed my email, and realized I don't have the password. The system sent an activation email to that address and locked out my account..what could I do?

[TenzoR]

I'm not trolling!

Why would I be banned? I changed my email, and realized I don't have the password. The system sent an activation email to that address and locked out my account..what could I do?

email the administrator ? duh

[robbieD]

Neighbor hit my parked in our shared driveway. Admitted to hitting it and agreed to pay for damages. It was also "merely a scratch" but I knew a simple bumper paint job goes for about 400. So I told him 200 and we'll forget about it. Well he decided he'd rather go through insurance..."because that's what it's for right"

So I reported it to the collision center. I already had all his info. So he calls me later that day and tries to pay cash now instead of going through insurance. He had called his adjuster I guess? and they said it would be a better idea to pay cash.

So I got exactly what the OP's victim got. Paint job plus free rental.

Basically the same situation. Private property accident with no one in the car....Is not 50/50.... You'd probably be better off paying cash or making a deal. Never know...He could get you for hit and run or something...He's already got enough info.

In a different accident where I was rear ended. The driver agreed to pay cash. I asked the bodyshop what happens if they decide not to pay ..."We'll get the police to visit him and they'll make him pay"

What information did you have to provide to uniquely identify your neighbour as your neighbour?

What if the OP's bf's name is John Smith?

Honestly...not trolling...just curious! They have a name, an email (name), and a phone number. Is this truly enough info to pinpoint the OP's bf? Can they request Rogers/Telus/Bell to divulge info?

[jnfr]

I think your biggest mistake is posting on the forum asking for help with so much details. Sometimes you should really keep it to yourself and not have everyone on the internet know about until it's dealt with. Or at least be more discrete about it

:| How else am I supposed to get advice?


Thanks to everyone else who have given me advice ... wish everyone would stop assuming that I am trying to deny that I am at fault here, or that I need to pay up no matter what. Let me reiterate that I've never been in such a situation before and needed advice on how much is a reasonable amount to pay and how to carry out negotiations with the guy. Also, this is RFD isn't it? There's always a cheaper alternative :lol: So, thanks to those who have helped!! Will keep you guys updated...

[Shaner]

If I were the guy whose car you hit, I would give you two options:

1. Pay exactly what I stated,
or
2. I will go through insurance and report you for hitting my parked car.

If someone ever hits my car, I will not negotiate. I will also not go to some shop of their choosing. I will go to a shop I am familiar with and one that is credible. If it happens to be more expensive than other places, that's just too bad. I will also expect money for a rental. If the person who hit my car refuses to pay or hesitates, I would immediately go through insurance.

To the OP, if you want to screw around with this guy, you may find he just goes through insurance and you could easily end up paying much higher insurance premiums. Your insurance going up $100 per month after an at fault accident isn't completely unreasonable. That's what you could be looking at. I know a guy who fell asleep while driving and smacked up his car. The police did not charge him, but his insurance company raised his rates to over $500 per month. While it's not the same situation, you need to realize that it's usually cheaper to just pay for the damage than it is to risk going through insurance.

[selpats]

Trust me, don't pay.

I'm 99% sure parking lot accidents are 50/50 liability, meaning that his company will pay for his damage and your bfs will pay for damage to his (none).

I know it's not the right thing to do, but do your research (confirm what I'm saying) and tell him you can't pay. He will have to take his car to a collision centre to have it reported. Does he have your names, addresses, license plates, insurance info, etc. (in other words, all the things you are supposed to exchange during an accident)?

I'm guessing not, in which case, I think you can just walk away from this altogether.

That is completely wrong. It was a parked vehicle! lol

[robbieD]

That is completely wrong. It was a parked vehicle! lol

Yes, I realize..I didn't read properly. What that be correct if both cars were moving?!

[srg83]

If I were the guy whose car you hit, I would give you two options:

1. Pay exactly what I stated,
or
2. I will go through insurance and report you for hitting my parked car.

If someone ever hits my car, I will not negotiate. I will also not go to some shop of their choosing. I will go to a shop I am familiar with and one that is credible. If it happens to be more expensive than other places, that's just too bad. I will also expect money for a rental. If the person who hit my car refuses to pay or hesitates, I would immediately go through insurance.

To the OP, if you want to screw around with this guy, you may find he just goes through insurance and you could easily end up paying much higher insurance premiums. Your insurance going up $100 per month after an at fault accident isn't completely unreasonable. That's what you could be looking at. I know a guy who fell asleep while driving and smacked up his car. The police did not charge him, but his insurance company raised his rates to over $500 per month. While it's not the same situation, you need to realize that it's usually cheaper to just pay for the damage than it is to risk going through insurance.

I think it would be reasonable to negotiate how to cover repair costs, but to a point. I'm sympathetic to people who can't pay but I would certainly be weary of someone who seems like they are trying to get out of paying by pretending to be poor (not referring to the OP, but some people don't like admitting to mistakes and actually paying for them).

OP, I think your e-mail could have been worded a lot better, and I certainly wouldn't expect a positive outcome from it. As others have said, you're not in a position of strength to negotiate - you could get burned. You never know, though.

[JAGpilot]

Tell him to get you 2 more estimates. There are a few bodyshops on Guardsman which is right off Green Lane. Ask to see the written estimate to make sure he's only quoted to fix the bumper.

[thelefteyeguy]

What that be correct if both cars were moving?!

not all the time

(i.e. someone moving out of a parking space (into the lane) and hitting someone driving through the lane. The vehicle moving out of the parking space is at fault. However, in all accidents, make sure you have a camera and take a picture with a wide angle shot, and a detailed shot of the damage)

[ticketcombat]

You did cause the damage so you should be responsible for the repair. But he's choosing the Cadillac of repairs (for an Impala). From touch up paint to full bumper removal, you should be able to find a compromise you can live with.

Make sure to get at least two other estimates before doing anything else. Insurance companies have a max. rate to avoid over pricing. Do the same. Yes he can get it repaired anywhere, but he has to stay within the approved estimate.

You may not have to deal with the car rental issue if the repair can be done the same day. But keep this in mind: the car rental is for "loss of use". The guy may not have this clause in his insurance. Some insurance companies only cover a sub-compact, not necessarily a mid-size which he is likely quoting.

Another approach: since rental prices change hourly, you can shop around for a smaller replacement vehicle for two days in February when prices are cheaper: a sebring or caliber is $27/day in Thornhill.

[thelefteyeguy]

You did cause the damage so you should be responsible for the repair. But he's choosing the Cadillac of repairs (for an Impala). From touch up paint to full bumper removal, you should be able to find a compromise you can live with.

Make sure to get at least two other estimates before doing anything else. Insurance companies have a max. rate to avoid over pricing. Do the same. Yes he can get it repaired anywhere, but he has to stay within the approved estimate.

You may not have to deal with the car rental issue if the repair can be done the same day. But keep this in mind: the car rental is for "loss of use". The guy may not have this clause in his insurance. Some insurance companies only cover a sub-compact, not necessarily a mid-size which he is likely quoting.

Another approach: since rental prices change hourly, you can shop around for a smaller replacement vehicle for two days in February when prices are cheaper: a sebring or caliber is $27/day in Thornhill.

...dont know many places that can remove bumper, strip paint, prime, put multiple layers, bake, clear coat, put back the bumper in a few hours :cheesygri

[ticketcombat]

A bumper removal is a big job. I'm suggesting there may be alternatives to that that won't take two days.

[thelefteyeguy]

A bumper removal is a big job. I'm suggesting there may be alternatives to that that won't take two days.

well the quote is for $400...my bets are the autoshop is quoting for a bumper repaint

[arthur_z27]

taking off the bumper is not a big deal (30 mins ... 1 hour max)

stripping the paint, prepping the bumper, painting, putting on the clear coat and waiting for it to dry in between the processes is what takes time

if done properly, i have no idea how all this can be done w/in a day

[jnfr]

i just thought of something!

okay .. so, I mentioned how he could only notice the scratch AFTER he washed the car, which means AFTER he moved his car from its parked position, drove it back home (along the way, performing whatever errands), and washed it with whatever fluids he could have used.

At this point, I'm wondering if I am still liable for these damages. How can he prove that no additional damages were done to his car between the times my pictures were taken and his were taken? Furthermore, how can he prove that he didn't deliberately make the scratch more noticeable or something..?

Please let me know if that makes any sense at all and can help my case in reducing the amount of damages I need to pay.

THANKS!

[spf1971]

Maybe because the picture you send him and the picture he sent back (after the wash) are IDENTICAL. It is very plainly obvious that it is the same damage in both pictures.

How would you feel if someone struck your parked car and then refused to pay for the damages. You caused the damage, Pay up!

[ticketcombat]

Based on your picture and his, the shape and size of the scratch are the same. I doubt he would have gouged it further.

Also when I said touch up I literally meant touch up paint from the dealer. If it happened to me and no one came forward, I doubt I would repair it for $400. I would buy a bottle of touch up paint for $20.

My point is that there must be a compromise between these two extremes. You just have to find it.

[gmsron]

Stop trying to weasel your way out. If he were there to witness you scratch the car. You'd have no choice but to pay up. You're trying to take advantage of the fact that he wasn't present when you scratched it?

Any scratch at all on a bumper is going to cost 400ish. Most people wouldn't want just half of their bumper painted. They want the whole thing painted so it will match.

If you can't afford to pay for it. Then go through insurance and you can pay in yearly installments....... The price he gave you IS fair. Call any random shop. It'll be in that range.

I would offer him 200-300 to forget about it. Tell him in a respectful tone that that scratch is not all that serious and a touch up pen is more than enough to make that unnoticeable. And that 200-300 is what you think is fair. I'm sure he doesn't really want to go through all that trouble when he can have money in hand and spend it on something else.

[jnfr]

oh lame.
I regret sending him any pictures at first, he wouldn't even have noticed it :(

GAH! Okay. Now I'm wondering ... if he's deadset on me paying the $600+ to repair his car, how much am I able to argue that and suggest going to a different autoshop?

Maybe I should tell him I'll buy the touch-up paint and do it myself for free :)

But to what extent is he allowed to, for lack of a better term, "take advantage" of me paying for his damages? If we went to court, how would the judge rule?

[spf1971]

oh lame.
I regret sending him any pictures at first, he wouldn't even have noticed it :(

GAH! Okay. Now I'm wondering ... if he's deadset on me paying the $600+ to repair his car, how much am I able to argue that and suggest going to a different autoshop?

Maybe I should tell him I'll buy the touch-up paint and do it myself for free :)

But to what extent is he allowed to, for lack of a better term, "take advantage" of me paying for his damages? If we went to court, how would the judge rule?

1. It's his car, he gets to decide who will fix it.

2. You're joking right!!

3. He's not taking advantage of you. He's getting the damage, that you caused, repaired. $400-$600 is nothing in terms of bodywork.

[gamer123]

i just thought of something!

okay .. so, I mentioned how he could only notice the scratch AFTER he washed the car, which means AFTER he moved his car from its parked position, drove it back home (along the way, performing whatever errands), and washed it with whatever fluids he could have used.

At this point, I'm wondering if I am still liable for these damages. How can he prove that no additional damages were done to his car between the times my pictures were taken and his were taken? Furthermore, how can he prove that he didn't deliberately make the scratch more noticeable or something..?

Please let me know if that makes any sense at all and can help my case in reducing the amount of damages I need to pay.

THANKS!

what happened to "wish everyone would stop assuming that I am trying to deny that I am at fault here"?

if im the victim and you are telling me this, i would go through the insurance instantly

[jnfr]

1. It's his car, he gets to decide who will fix it.

2. You're joking right!!

So if some guy scratched my Chevy, I can bring it to a prestigious body shop that will pamper me while my car is being worked on and have the guy pay for it all? :D

And maybe, maybe not, I've been told I'm good at painting by numbers ;)

what happened to "wish everyone would stop assuming that I am trying to deny that I am at fault here"?

if im the victim and you are telling me this, i would go through the insurance instantly

Yeah, probably, but I'm consulting some of my friends and my parents and stuff, and they're giving me some ideas so I am asking for clarification here. Yeesh. I'm just trying to cover all the bases here. Got time to kill anyways waiting for this guy's e-mail reply..

[axela3]

Live and learn from your mistakes, your original intention for taking responsibility is good. Your life decisions will sum up the kind of person you will be, so be honest to yourself- do the right thing. Thats only money, you can easily earn that.

As for the repair quote, its reasonable...

[spf1971]

You want to make sure you're not getting screwed, go to your insurance. They have whole legal departments to ensure that. Don't want to use your insurance; then suck it up buttercut and pay for it.

[ElvaSoShexai]

i'm assuming $400+ for a bumper repaint would b top notch... i would probably get a few more quotes to show him... i've had a couple bumpers repainted for $300... pretty decent job. but maybe they were on a compact so dunno if that makes a diff with prices...

but whenever i had them painted it was @ least 2 days 2 get it all fixed...

n yea, even if he was quoted to fix another scratch on the bumper, it makes no difference because any bodyshop you take it to will quote you on repainting the entire rear bumper since they don't want you coming back complaining how come 1/2 ur bumper is a different colour.

the rental thing.. i guess you'd have to negotiate with that... i mean, if it was his only vehicle i guess it would make sense... hard to go anywhere w/o a car there for 2 days

[gamer123]

just dont do anything stupid and wait for his reply regarding paying 300 flat, chances are he doesnt really care about the scratch and will just take the 300. but either way why do you care so much? i mean it was your bf and hit him so...hes paying for it? lol

[iluvmikeharris]

You want to make sure you're not getting screwed, go to your insurance. They have whole legal departments to ensure that. Don't want to use your insurance; then suck it up buttercut and pay for it.

In Ontario you go with your own insurance carrier for damages to your own car only. So the guy who's car was scratched claims from his insurer.

[iluvmikeharris]

In a different accident where I was rear ended. The driver agreed to pay cash. I asked the bodyshop what happens if they decide not to pay ..."We'll get the police to visit him and they'll make him pay"

That's one of the funniest things I've ever heard. The cops will tell you it's a civil matter and won't get involved.

[lagzor]

While OP was at fault, everyone may be being a little harsh.

This thread reminds me of this thread http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=635093&highlight=leaving+note

I'm just saying, everyone is telling to pay up, but you gotta give OP some credit for even leaving a note, where as mentioned in the thread I linked, how many ppl would even be willing to do that? :?:

OP's gotta be more careful next time.

[spf1971]

While OP was at fault, everyone may be being a little harsh.

This thread reminds me of this thread http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=635093&highlight=leaving+note

I'm just saying, everyone is telling to pay up, but you gotta give OP some credit for even leaving a note, where as mentioned in the thread I linked, how many ppl would even be willing to do that? :?:

OP's gotta be more careful next time.

Congratulations to the OP for being honest and accepting responsibility for their own actions. Up until they found out the cost, didn't like what they heard and decided to try and weasel out of accepting responsibility for their actions.

Have we really slid so much as a society that people should be congratulated for doing what's right? Shouldn't that be the minimum of what's expected of you?

[gmsron]

That's one of the funniest things I've ever heard. The cops will tell you it's a civil matter and won't get involved.

That is what the shop said. I'm sure they didn't mean they would force the person to pay up. More of a scare tactic....

[at1212b]

Definitely seems overpriced IMO.

The least he could do then is go to 1 shop of your recommendation. There's alot of recommendations if you do a search on here. Looks like he's going for a Cadillac paintjob on a Chevrolet.

But you would also likely need to pay him for a car rental since he would need a car for a day or so. Thing with painting, it requires prep work and drying so that always takes a bit of time.

[hagbard]

Seem to recall in the "old days" if you have a minor accident, you're insurance would cover it and you wouldn't face a premium increase (at least, nothing as absurd as what they now hit you with). That's supposed to be what insurance does, absorb some of your risk in exchange for paying a premium. Now they gouge for whatever they can get away with. And hey, I've never had even a minor accident in nearly forty years of driving.

When its the insurance companies turn for a "bail out" I hope they get told to bugger off (they won't, for course...they're not like you or I, they're big business).

[Dungeon]

Not sure if Ontario insurance is the same as Saskatchewan but here is something most people don't know. When you buy plates at least here in saskatchewan you get 100,000 liability insurance.

What this means is if you damage a parked car it comes out of this. There is no deductible and it costs you nothing.

I was in a car that a girl opened the passenger door and put a scratch in an older camaro. We went through insurance didn't cost us anything and no deductible. It was explained to her that it came off of the liability insurance that you get when you purchase your plates.

[help_questions]

oh lame.
I regret sending him any pictures at first, he wouldn't even have noticed it :(

GAH! Okay. Now I'm wondering ... if he's deadset on me paying the $600+ to repair his car, how much am I able to argue that and suggest going to a different autoshop?

Maybe I should tell him I'll buy the touch-up paint and do it myself for free :)

But to what extent is he allowed to, for lack of a better term, "take advantage" of me paying for his damages? If we went to court, how would the judge rule?

If he is deadset on the $600+, tell him to go through insurance, and leave it at that. Don't give him any other info about you, as it is his responsibility to find it.

And his wanting a rental car is perfectly valid. What is he going to do while his car is getting fixed?

[sillysimms]

The only way to resolve the situation is to pay the damages or have the other person go through their insurance and have an at fault on your insurance record. The car was parked, the accident will be 100% your fault. Don't know whether your insurer has accident forgiveness or not for your first claim, and I don't know how this would impact your premiums, but insurer's don't look at the amount of the claim, only the fact that it was an at-fault.

Yes, Ontario has no-fault insurance and the person you hit will report it to his insurer and his insurer covers him. However no fault does not mean that they don't determine who is at fault - and in this case it will be 100% the OP. This claim will not impact the other person's insurance since he wasn't at fault.

Unfortunately, the other party doesn't have to negotiate with you. His car was damaged and he can pick where he wants the repairs done. If you don't believe him or think he is inflating his claim, you can go through insurance. Since the claim is 100% not his fault, he would be entitled to a rental if he goes through insurance.

I don't think it would be best to withhold your insurance information from him if he decides to go through insurance as technically you're the party that left the scene without providing insurance information.

[xRicEx]

I'm with most the people here. I dont think you have much room to negotiate saying you will give him 300$ flat.. Best thing to do would be to get quotes from other places and give them to the other person and let them decide. I doubt they are trying to get more money out of this since they did give u the location of the shop. If you dont believe them you could go there and ask for a quote with the picture.

[pontiac_driver]

he'll probably take your $500 and go over to cdn tire to buy a bottle of touch up paint, than pocket the rest

its a old model impala, ain't worth a $500 paint job on the bumper, when the whole damn thing is worth no more than $5G

but you kinda don't have a choice now. props for taking responsibility tho, many other ppl won't

[deuce]

why do so many people on here think that the owner of the other car has to get 2-3+ estimates?

why would he waste more of his time just to have you pay less for inconveniencing him?

[SkylineGTR]

why do so many people on here think that the owner of the other car has to get 2-3+ estimates?

why would he waste more of his time just to have you pay less for inconveniencing him?

??? Probably because it is wise to get a few quotes because the first one is almost always not the cheapest. He is doing a good deed by paying for the damage he caused so the other guy should be happy to have a little inconvenience because it could be worse - he could have just took off and let the guy pay for the repairs himself or pay the deductible and have his insurance cover the rest.

p.s WOOT 1000TH POST!

[deuce]

??? Probably because it is wise to get a few quotes because the first one is almost always not the cheapest. He is doing a good deed by paying for the damage he caused so the other guy should be happy to have a little inconvenience because it could be worse - he could have just took off and let the guy pay for the repairs himself or pay the deductible and have his insurance cover the rest.

p.s WOOT 1000TH POST!

op is only doing a good deed because he did something wrong in the first place.

and saying the guy should be happy to get paid is stupid. if it wasnt for the op's carelessness the other guy wouldnt have been in the situation at all. when someone damages someone elses property, they should have NO say at all as to how or if it gets fixed. that person made the mistake, he/she should pay the concequences.

[SkylineGTR]

op is only doing a good deed because he did something wrong in the first place.

and saying the guy should be happy to get paid is stupid. if it wasnt for the op's carelessness the other guy wouldnt have been in the situation at all. when someone damages someone elses property, they should have NO say at all as to how or if it gets fixed. that person made the mistake, he/she should pay the concequences.

Yeah the guy might have been careless, but that doesn't mean he should pay double the price to fix it if the "victim" would just take a few minutes of his time to look around and find a few other quotes. Almost every single person these days would have just drove away and I'm sure the "victim" knows this so he should be A BIT thankful.

[spf1971]

Yeah the guy might have been careless, but that doesn't mean he should pay double the price to fix it if the "victim" would just take a few minutes of his time to look around and find a few other quotes. Almost every single person these days would have just drove away and I'm sure the "victim" knows this so he should be A BIT thankful.

No the other driver shouldn't be "thankful" and no almost every single person wouldn't have simply driven away. Only dishonest people unwilling to accept personal responsibility would have drive away.

[Neil]

I commend the OP for doing the right thing in the situation and being honest. As evidenced in this thread, not everyone has their moral cap screwed on so properly. I also thought your wording in writing to the other party was fine, detailing your concerns but not being accusatory either.

I would ask the OP... is doing the right thing something that you turn on or off, based on the cost? Of course not. Sure you expected the cost to be a lot lower, but unfortunately body work is really overpriced in this world.

There are standard cost charts that would say for sure if the estimate is right or not. If this claim went through insurance, I'd expect that's the amount the body shop would charge the insurance company.

Could the victim get the work done for less? Perhaps, with a bit of shopping around. Their rental car price of $85/day shows they weren't too concerned with finding the best value, that's certain.

If his car is his baby, or if it's on a lease, I could see him wanting to get a high standard of repair.

What hasn't been discussed in 5 pages yet is:
- what are your insurance implications? (coverage, deductible, what consequences would you face?)
- what are the victim's insurance implications?

This could really be the deciding factor.

Think about your situation. If your deductible is $500, it's worth spending a little bit more just to avoid the consequences.

You might want to get the victim thinking too about what his insurance situation is. Maybe he's looking at paying a deductible too, and might be more agreeable to a cash settlement from you. Or maybe his insurance coverage is such that he's just as well off to make a claim, and that giving you the chance to settle would actually be in your best interest.

Resist the urge to play games or try to hide from the situation. You already know that the right moral thing to do is accept responsibility. Just because acting morally now costs $500 instead of $200 shouldn't change things. To do otherwise would just sets a value of $300 on your integrity and you're clearly above that.

The real bad guys in this situation are the insurers and their policies that make people act like this, and the body shops who charge such high rates.

I'm speaking as someone that was charged 'at fault' and had to pay increased costs when a ladder fell onto my parked car. The insurance company's justification was to blame me for parking in a place where such a thing could happen. Here, the government monopoly insurance company represents both parties, so they were unwilling to stand up for me in a challenge against themselves - what a surprise. Suing them would have been difficult and cost even more so I had to just suck it up.

[totech]

oh lame.
I regret sending him any pictures at first, he wouldn't even have noticed it :(

GAH! Okay. Now I'm wondering ... if he's deadset on me paying the $600+ to repair his car, how much am I able to argue that and suggest going to a different autoshop?

Maybe I should tell him I'll buy the touch-up paint and do it myself for free :)

But to what extent is he allowed to, for lack of a better term, "take advantage" of me paying for his damages? If we went to court, how would the judge rule?

His car was undamaged before you arrived, it is your responsibility to return it to undamaged.

[jnfr]

Hi guys,

More questions.

First of all, his quote is to get his whole bumper repainted so that the colours match or whatever right? In the high-rez picture that he sent me of his car, you can see that his bumper has sustained damage that is irrelevant to our incident with his car. So, is it fair for us to be paying full price for his bumper re-painting when it would be covering up all the other scratches or dents that we didn't do? Do I have grounds to argue that I should only pay a certain %?

Secondly, if we are agreeing to pay for the damages or whatever, does he still have to go through insurance? What does that do, anyways? He is asking my boyfriend for his insurance information but we are reluctant to release this information to him.

Also, anyone recommend a cheap body shop in the Markham area? :lol:

Thanks guys!

[thelefteyeguy]

If he is deadset on the $600+, tell him to go through insurance, and leave it at that. Don't give him any other info about you, as it is his responsibility to find it.

And his wanting a rental car is perfectly valid. What is he going to do while his car is getting fixed?

that's a really bad piece of advice.

I'd argue 99/100 brokers will tell you to just pay the $600 and wash your hands away from strike 1 out of a 2 strike system.

for the next few years if the OP ever gets into another accident the insurance could double.

Strike 2 could be another minor accident. If you thought $600 was bad...wait until you see the premium for 1 year with 2 claims under you (for the next 4-6 years)

[Shaner]

Hi guys,

More questions.

First of all, his quote is to get his whole bumper repainted so that the colours match or whatever right? In the high-rez picture that he sent me of his car, you can see that his bumper has sustained damage that is irrelevant to our incident with his car. So, is it fair for us to be paying full price for his bumper re-painting when it would be covering up all the other scratches or dents that we didn't do? Do I have grounds to argue that I should only pay a certain %?

Secondly, if we are agreeing to pay for the damages or whatever, does he still have to go through insurance? What does that do, anyways? He is asking my boyfriend for his insurance information but we are reluctant to release this information to him.

Also, anyone recommend a cheap body shop in the Markham area? :lol:

Thanks guys!

You're being a complete ass to this guy. You hit his car, you should either pay what he asks or tell him you're not paying so that he can go through insurance. It doesn't matter if there was previous damage, you are required to pay for the damage you caused, and that requires painting of the entire bumper, not just half of it.

I hope you get absolutely destroyed by insurance premiums if this guy ends up going through insurance. I hope your insurance more than doubles and you can't even afford to drive. I have no time for people like you who think it's ok to damage someone else's property and then not take full responsibility for your actions.

[dgmorr]

Tell him to go through insurance. I'm sure he'll have fun paying the deductible on his own.

[jnfr]

You're being a complete ass to this guy. You hit his car, you should either pay what he asks or tell him you're not paying so that he can go through insurance. It doesn't matter if there was previous damage, you are required to pay for the damage you caused, and that requires painting of the entire bumper, not just half of it.

I hope you get absolutely destroyed by insurance premiums if this guy ends up going through insurance. I hope your insurance more than doubles and you can't even afford to drive. I have no time for people like you who think it's ok to damage someone else's property and then not take full responsibility for your actions.

I am taking full responsiblity, but I don't believe I should be paying for the repair of the damages that were there before I hit the guy's car.

If he, say, lent me his set of 12 pencil crayons, but there were already 1 or 2missing, and then I admit to losing another one, and he makes me pay up for an entire new box of 12 pencil crayons, is that at all fair?

Plus, I am just asking for advice on here, I have not actually suggested anything to the guy so there you go! I am only trying to inform myself and know the extent of my rights and how much this guy can control my money. Quite frankly, you're being a complete ass to everyone who is giving me advice that you don't agree with. If you don't have anything else to post here other than slander, please post elsewhere.

[Shaner]

Tell him to go through insurance. I'm sure he'll have fun paying the deductible on his own.

There won't be a deductible in this case as the OP is 100% at fault.

[kleptodathief]

op: any update? did u pay him out of ur pocket? if i scratched his car like that...i' wudda just left there ASAP :cheesygri

course ive had a MOFO do that on me

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c307/kleptodathief/fender/kleptofender002.jpg

crunched my front left fender and left me hi and dri!!! :mad:

it was weird how my sidemarker stays intact :!:

morons that can't park FTMFL!

[jnfr]

Found a body shop in Markham, spoke to them over the phone and told them my situation and told them the other shop's estimate and they said they could probably do it for $320. Boyfriend is meeting the guy tomorrow afternoon to get a better estimate. :)

Thanks for everyone's help - will keep you updated.

[fooit]

IMHO, $300 is very reasonable to paint the complete bumper at small shops around 1100 Finch West area, I am sure they will take cash too.

[fq007]

there's some law I remember that if the damage is under 3000 you don't have to report it and this damage is under 3000 so police doesn't have to be involved...whereas the guy is rupping you off for rentals and paint job...my brother scratched some guy last month and he got the estimate for it which came to 800...my brother was like I'll pay you 50 dollars if not then go do whatever...he took the 50...I hate how people can be so selfish when it comes to small scratches especially if its like a normal car...I understand if its Mercedes or Ferrari...the guy my brother scratched had like 95 civic...so 800 for its paint job is a rip off :P

[sw1ft]

The Body shop is Thornhill Precision Automotive, Unit 5 - 60 Green Lane, Thornhill, Ontario L3T 7P5. The phone number is ### ### ####. You may ask for [withheld]. He appraised the damage.

The body shop that I go to is in this plaza... you might want to get another quote.

Koiston Yu
Car Wings Auto
(905) 882-1027

I had a huge dent on my bumper back a few years ago and was charged $300 flat. Unfortunately, I can't view your images from my work PC for comparison. I hope this helps though.

[Tomy]

yes..you should just negotiate with them and bring them to a few more shop.

In this case, if you talk sense into them, i bet they wouldn't mind. They know you are doin them a goodwill by leaving a note and i know they are thankful.

Get them to do 2-3 more quotes and ask if it's possible to save up on the rental.



it's all about communicating... it's inconvenient for them, everyone taking a step back and call it a day.

[thelefteyeguy]

The body shop that I go to is in this plaza... you might want to get another quote.

Koiston Yu
Car Wings Auto
(905) 882-1027

I had a huge dent on my bumper back a few years ago and was charged $300 flat. Unfortunately, I can't view your images from my work PC for comparison. I hope this helps though.

as much as everyone on rfd appreciates your help sw1ft...I doubt the guy would agree to a repaint at Car Wings Auto ;)

[thelefteyeguy]

yes..you should just negotiate with them and bring them to a few more shop.

In this case, if you talk sense into them, i bet they wouldn't mind. They know you are doin them a goodwill by leaving a note and i know they are thankful.

Get them to do 2-3 more quotes and ask if it's possible to save up on the rental.



it's all about communicating... it's inconvenient for them, everyone taking a step back and call it a day.

hey Tomy, if I scratch your TL, would you take it to an autoshop recommended by the other party or one of your choice? :)

[sw1ft]

as much as everyone on rfd appreciates your help sw1ft...I doubt the guy would agree to a repaint at Car Wings Auto ;)Very true. What I meant to say was that if the OP does decide to visit the original shop, then he/she could easily walk over to another nearby shop and ask for another estimate: to negotiate the price. (I'm working so I should've elaborated.)

[srg83]

If he, say, lent me his set of 12 pencil crayons, but there were already 1 or 2missing, and then I admit to losing another one, and he makes me pay up for an entire new box of 12 pencil crayons, is that at all fair?

Honestly, I don't think it's fair to compare it to pencil crayons - in that case I wouldn't bother making you pay for a new set unless you really destroyed it. I'd buy a new one. But in the case of pencil crayons, you really can't buy them individually, they only come in sets.

Not really relevant to the situation, but I just had a small problem with your analogy.

[jnfr]

Honestly, I don't think it's fair to compare it to pencil crayons - in that case I wouldn't bother making you pay for a new set unless you really destroyed it. I'd buy a new one. But in the case of pencil crayons, you really can't buy them individually, they only come in sets.

Not really relevant to the situation, but I just had a small problem with your analogy.

:rolleyes: Obviously the magnitudes of the situations are very different, I was trying to make a simple point but next time, I'll try harder.

Still waiting for reply on the guy ... my boyfriend told him a meeting time and place. Car shops have 9-5 hours so my boyfriend had to take some time off work :mad: Bah! Hope it really does come out to $300-ish. :cheesygri

[ifergusson]

You might consider another option.Since it is an older car in a factory colour and the scratched part is removable you might be able to find another one the same colour reasonably priced at a wrecker and bolt it on.A site like Car-part.com will give you an idea of price and availability.

[googoo]

First of all this is not an OLDER car, they still make this model!

We took pictures and left a note (it was the right thing to do)

YES it was the right thing to do!

I also agree that you shouldn't be forced to pay for a full bumper repaint unless if was the only major damage on the bumper. Little scratches will do little to the value, but things like this WILL. I'd offer %60 of the repair + the cost of a rental for 2 days.

Newer paint like this will be much easier to repaint a section because the paint won't be faded, keep that in mind too.

Brent

[Cas77]

He is asking my boyfriend for his insurance information but we are reluctant to release this information to him.


Do not under any circumstances release this information to him!!

If you do you may not be charged with 'hit & run' and lose your licence thus making the streets a safer place.

[Tomy]

hey Tomy, if I scratch your TL, would you take it to an autoshop recommended by the other party or one of your choice? :)

i have been hit and run 2 times.. and no notes were left..

and yes, I would go get it quoted from a few garage.. and i know a few garage in the GTA that will give me a better price and better quality.

and depedning on the situation, I might forgo my rental. in this case, if i was driving the impala, i would forgo the rental and even just accept a 200$ cash settlement..

fyi, I have a winter beater. so i would really do it.

but on the other hand, if i caught the guy hit and running my car, it's a diff story.. i really believe in karma.. :lol:

[sillysimms]

To the OP - you started out sounding like you wanted to the right thing, but at this point, if I was the other party, I'd contact my insurance company and let them deal with it. It wasn't his fault his car was hit. He'll have 0 deductible and 0 insurance consequences since he is 100% not at fault. He can pick the shop and it's his car that was hit and him that was inconvenienced. He doesn't have to negotiate with you. He agreed to let you pay for the damage so it didn't impact your insurance, but this case is a good example of why, if someone is 100% not at fault for an accident, it isn't in their best interest to keep the insurance company out of it. If the other party had some fault that would be a different situation, but in this case he has nothing to lose by contacting his insurer.

You might want to get the victim thinking too about what his insurance situation is. Maybe he's looking at paying a deductible too, and might be more agreeable to a cash settlement from you. Or maybe his insurance coverage is such that he's just as well off to make a claim, and that giving you the chance to settle would actually be in your best interest.

I saw you're in Saskatchewan. In Ontario, if a party is 100% not at fault, they pay no deductible regardless of what the deductible is on their policy.

Hi guys,

More questions.

First of all, his quote is to get his whole bumper repainted so that the colours match or whatever right? In the high-rez picture that he sent me of his car, you can see that his bumper has sustained damage that is irrelevant to our incident with his car. So, is it fair for us to be paying full price for his bumper re-painting when it would be covering up all the other scratches or dents that we didn't do? Do I have grounds to argue that I should only pay a certain %?

Secondly, if we are agreeing to pay for the damages or whatever, does he still have to go through insurance? What does that do, anyways? He is asking my boyfriend for his insurance information but we are reluctant to release this information to him.

Also, anyone recommend a cheap body shop in the Markham area? :lol:

Thanks guys!

It sounds like you think you're going to pay for things you didn't do. If you really think that I guess it is best for you to go through insurance. It will be an at fault accident on your record, but if you think you're getting ripped off, you can do that. How much it will impact your premiums in the future, I don't know. Not release your insurance information to him - you're obligated by law to give him your insurance information after an accident and you left the scene without doing so. If you are charged with failing to remain at the scene of a collision (because in this case you did not stay and the other party could not request your insurance information the scene as should be done) that's 7 demerit points to start with which will further impact your insurance.

Tell him to go through insurance. I'm sure he'll have fun paying the deductible on his own.

No deductible for him to pay - he's 100% not at fault = 0 deductible.


Found a body shop in Markham, spoke to them over the phone and told them my situation and told them the other shop's estimate and they said they could probably do it for $320. Boyfriend is meeting the guy tomorrow afternoon to get a better estimate. :)

Thanks for everyone's help - will keep you updated.

If he agrees to go to your shop rather than the one of his choice and not go through insurance instead, he's doing you a big favour. He can pick the shop and has nothing to lose by reporting it to his insurer as it will be 0 fault for him and won't increase his premiums.

You might consider another option.Since it is an older car in a factory colour and the scratched part is removable you might be able to find another one the same colour reasonably priced at a wrecker and bolt it on.A site like Car-part.com will give you an idea of price and availability.

If it was the OP's car, that might be an option. The other party doesn't have to agree to something like that and has no reason to.

[kingrukus]

Depending on the car and the shop, bumpers can cost $600 to repaint. Luckily the shops aren't trying to make him purchase a new bumper skin (some will make you replace the entire skin to get out of sanding and prepping the current one).

I have had bumpers repainted on previous cars for as low as $100 to as high as $350.00.

To the OP - a fair price for you to pay for that era of Impala would be between $250.00 to $400 for the body work, plus the cost of the rental...so his $600 quote definitely isn't too shocking.

If I were in his position, I would be thankful that you didn't just run off and would be willing (only to a certain extent) to find a cheaper quote...but at the same time he shouldn't have to bring it to a bargain basement shop.

In the end, I would like to say this - people need to be more careful around other people's vehicles.

[vek]

Lol. The more I read, the more I wouldn't even bother doing anything but go through insurance if I was in the same situation as the guy who got dinged.

[l69norm]

...I'd argue 99/100 brokers will tell you to just pay the $600 and wash your hands away from strike 1 out of a 2 strike system....for the next few years if the OP ever gets into another accident the insurance could double.

Strike 2 could be another minor accident. If you thought $600 was bad...wait until you see the premium for 1 year with 2 claims under you (for the next 4-6 years)

+1. OP, what you are really paying for is avoiding getting the first strike on your insurance record. If you have another accident later, you'll have 2 strikes and a long term expensive insurance headache on your hands.

The guy is doing you a big favor by not going through insurance. The quote he got is pretty reasonable for a proper "standard grade" repair.

You don't want to get into a substandard repair issue because if he's not happy, you'll end up having to pay again and it'll cost more to fix the substandard repair work.

My advice is to just pay the $600. The extra $300 you might save by haggling with the guy isn't worth it.

[tyfriend]

To the OP,

I would like to commend you on your noble intentions to take responsibility for hitting the guy's car. This is a complicated issue. You acknowledge you wronged him, but do not want to face the consequences. It seems to me that you are reluctant pay for the repairs because you feel like he is milking the situation. Although, $600 does seem like a reasonable quote for that kind of repair work. Nevertheless, I agree that paying $600 for a newly painted bumper on a $5000 car is a ripoff, but you did cause it.

From what I have gathered you want to get out of this situation suffering the least amount of damage to your wallet. ;) But you decided to go the honorable route and take responsibility. You sent him emails clearly stating YOU damaged his car with documented photos. You have no chance if this goes through insurance, since you already admitted fault. I would pay the $600 because from the looks of it you cannot win.

I assume in the future you won't be leaving any more notes :cheesygri:cheesygri:cheesygri:cheesygri:cheesygri

[Singh_21]

$300 is a reasonable offer considering he wouldnt even have noticed the scratch had you not left the note....I dont expect him to let you go without paying anything but the fact is he is not gonna repair the scratch and will just buy a touch up paint from cdn tire and use the money elsewhere....I would also suggest that if he persists with $600, then give him and do not go to insurance cuz this is a lost case even before it goes to the court with you admitting the fault.

[Sepiraph]

To be honest that estimate is not that unreasonable and your BF did scratch his car.

[mystery]

Just remember that you are doing the right thing, which not many people would be willing to do.

Karma will re-pay you in the future :)

[IceQue]

i have been hit and run 2 times.. and no notes were left..

and yes, I would go get it quoted from a few garage.. and i know a few garage in the GTA that will give me a better price and better quality.

and depedning on the situation, I might forgo my rental. in this case, if i was driving the impala, i would forgo the rental and even just accept a 200$ cash settlement..

fyi, I have a winter beater. so i would really do it.

but on the other hand, if i caught the guy hit and running my car, it's a diff story.. i really believe in karma.. :lol:

I've been hit 2 times and nobody never left me a note. :cry:

[spf1971]

$300 is a reasonable offer considering he wouldnt even have noticed the scratch had you not left the note....I dont expect him to let you go without paying anything but the fact is he is not gonna repair the scratch and will just buy a touch up paint from cdn tire and use the money elsewhere....I would also suggest that if he persists with $600, then give him and do not go to insurance cuz this is a lost case even before it goes to the court with you admitting the fault.

Are you the guy the OP hit? If not, how do you know what they are planning on doing with the money. It doesn't matter what the other person is planning on doing with the money. The OP caused $600 worth of damage and therefore has to pay $600.

[ruthless]

The best thing to do is to find someone who does car detailing there are some who come to the persons house to do it. Talk to someone who does car detailing and for a scratch like that they should only charge maximum 150.

i had similar situation but multiple scratches cost me 180

[dgmorr]

Are you the guy the OP hit? If not, how do you know what they are planning on doing with the money. It doesn't matter what the other person is planning on doing with the money. The OP caused $600 worth of damage and therefore has to pay $600.

Reminds me of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Similar thing happened to Larry David.

[Code85]

Some idiot backed into my car and left a nice long scratch along my rear bumper. I brought it to get it painted at my mechanics place which cost me $200 and the paint was Premium White Pearl which is one of the hardest colors to match, but he did a damn good job at it. So IMO $400 is kinda steep.

[Tomy]

Some idiot backed into my car and left a nice long scratch along my rear bumper. I brought it to get it painted at my mechanics place which cost me $200 and the paint was Premium White Pearl which is one of the hardest colors to match, but he did a damn good job at it. So IMO $400 is kinda steep.

since the victim wanted to repaint the whole bumper.. and it also includes a 2 day rental...

[gilboman]

Some idiot backed into my car and left a nice long scratch along my rear bumper. I brought it to get it painted at my mechanics place which cost me $200 and the paint was Premium White Pearl which is one of the hardest colors to match, but he did a damn good job at it. So IMO $400 is kinda steep.

u probably didnt get the entire bumper repainted, which i would never do. but if you did get ur entire bumper repainted for $200, it most certainly is not the average rate.

i would never trust a place that did $200 full bumper repaint unless i knew i was getting a deal for some reason.

[PCDawg]

Some idiot backed into my car and left a nice long scratch along my rear bumper. I brought it to get it painted at my mechanics place which cost me $200 and the paint was Premium White Pearl which is one of the hardest colors to match, but he did a damn good job at it. So IMO $400 is kinda steep.

Wow..that is a deal.

I repainted my rear bumper the same color about 4 yaers ago and it was about $500.

The situation the OP is in, damned if you do and damned if you dont.

Leave a note to pay for damage, and the bill is high. Leave and pretend you didnt hit the car, and your guilty conscience will be with you always.

Best thing to do is get a few quotes and go with the cheapest one.

[Code85]

u probably didnt get the entire bumper repainted, which i would never do. but if you did get ur entire bumper repainted for $200, it most certainly is not the average rate.
Yep got the whole bumper repainted. Well I knew the guy and he gave me a deal =P

[wiebecj]

No the other driver shouldn't be "thankful" and no almost every single person wouldn't have simply driven away. Only dishonest people unwilling to accept personal responsibility would have drive away.

My car has been scratched (BADLY) at least 4 times in the last 10 years - and not 1 note - every single time the person has driven away. Props to the OP - and don't let this guy take advantage of your good deed.

[wiebecj]

Are you the guy the OP hit? If not, how do you know what they are planning on doing with the money. It doesn't matter what the other person is planning on doing with the money. The OP caused $600 worth of damage and therefore has to pay $600.

yeah, you'd have to be an idiot to spend $600 on a scratch on a POS car.. I'd take the $300 and be happy with it personally.

[deuce]

yeah, you'd have to be an idiot to spend $600 on a scratch on a POS car.. I'd take the $300 and be happy with it personally.

your opinion of a POS car is probably different than the owner of the impalas.
there are a lot of people out there that really love their 'cheap' cars.

there are also a lot of people who think anything less than a 7 series or s-class is a pos... if one of them hits your car and then offers you 1/2 of what it costs to repair it how would you respond?

[drumboz79]

if one of them hits your car and then offers you 1/2 of what it costs to repair it how would you respond?

****, i should have bought a better car! :D

[jetway1212]

I honestly don't know...this is getting into territory which is a bit shady. I'm sure there are people who know the intricacies of all of this more than I do, but you are certainly NOT obligated to pay him just because you offered. As far as the government/police/insurance is concerned, at the moment, there was no accident between you two. That's all I'm saying.

If you refuse, his next step should probably be to take his car to a Collision Centre to report the accident. I don't know what info the ask for "the other guy" when you get there. Is a name sufficient to identify your bf as the other party, I don't know.

Hope that helps.

Please dont post again, I'm disgusted by your mentality and stupidity.

First, its not 50/50. Second, dont give someone advice if you dont even know. In previous post, you said "trust me". Ppl like you just pulling shiet out of their ass and say "trust me".

Third, advice someone to be a low life and irresponsible is not ok. Life sometimes throws a curve ball, learn to take it and move on.

[jetway1212]

:| How else am I supposed to get advice?


Thanks to everyone else who have given me advice ... wish everyone would stop assuming that I am trying to deny that I am at fault here, or that I need to pay up no matter what. Let me reiterate that I've never been in such a situation before and needed advice on how much is a reasonable amount to pay and how to carry out negotiations with the guy. Also, this is RFD isn't it? There's always a cheaper alternative :lol: So, thanks to those who have helped!! Will keep you guys updated...

You sound contradicted . How old are you?

You're in a stage of being denial. Put yourself in in the other guy's shoes. Dont you feel how much hassle have you and your bf caused the other guy? You came on here to check on the cost. Bravo thats a smart thing to do. Ppl have told you its a reasonable cost. What else you're looking for? away to get this off without paying the right amount?

Let me scratch your car and we will negociate ok?

[jetway1212]

Yep got the whole bumper repainted. Well I knew the guy and he gave me a deal =P

There you go. Why ppl like you claiming something is overpriced then state the other of half of the truth?

Stoping being a troller.

[jetway1212]

yeah, you'd have to be an idiot to spend $600 on a scratch on a POS car.. I'd take the $300 and be happy with it personally.

Damn i would love to smash your car man. Its a POS so itsnt worth fixing ya know. And yeah i will leave a note as well. Thats a good deed i'm doing for ya. You should be thankful eh?

[canada519]

If you want the colour to match, you'll have to repaint the entire bumper, and it doesn't matter what car it is or what you can afford.

If you can't afford it, perhaps you shouldn't be driving.

[thelefteyeguy]

Yep got the whole bumper repainted. Well I knew the guy and he gave me a deal =P

that's what I thought...and therefore your post was useless cause your friend didnt make anything and just gave it to you at cost + labour

[Tomy]

that's what I thought...and therefore your post was useless cause your friend didnt make anything and just gave it to you at cost + labour

actually i got my front lip and rear lip painted installed for 350-380? and i got a quote from 3 stores and it was +20-40 max

and i didn't know the owner or get hook ups..

sometimes, it really depends on the victim, in this case, they want to choose the most exp thinking quality correlates with the amount paid.

that's why i said negotiate... =)

[thelefteyeguy]

actually i got my front lip and rear lip painted installed for 350-380? and i got a quote from 3 stores and it was +20-40 max

and i didn't know the owner or get hook ups..

sometimes, it really depends on the victim, in this case, they want to choose the most exp thinking quality correlates with the amount paid.

that's why i said negotiate... =)

my comment was directed to Code (ie. $200 comment and then afterwards indicating that the boby shop was a friend)

...painting multiple things and baking it all at once creates savings...so painting 2 things compared to 1 really isnt that much more work.

[HP_John]

My car has been scratched (BADLY) at least 4 times in the last 10 years - and not 1 note - every single time the person has driven away. Props to the OP - and don't let this guy take advantage of your good deed.

People never leave notes, I at least give credit to the OP for leaving a note.

[theavonlady]

You're being a complete ass to this guy. You hit his car, you should either pay what he asks or tell him you're not paying so that he can go through insurance. It doesn't matter if there was previous damage, you are required to pay for the damage you caused, and that requires painting of the entire bumper, not just half of it.

I fully agree with Shaner! You guys hit his car and then you are trying to weasel your way out of paying for the most of the bill. I think that is nuts. He didn't have a scratch like that prior to you hitting him so you are at fault here. Why should the victim have to pay out of pocket for something that they had nothing to do with???

If you want the colour to match, you'll have to repaint the entire bumper, and it doesn't matter what car it is or what you can afford.

If you can't afford it, perhaps you shouldn't be driving.

+1

I've been hit 2 times and nobody never left me a note. :cry:

Try getting hit 4 times (with 2 different cars!)
1st time bf's neighbour across the street did it. Totally denied it, even though there was paint transfer. Left a huge dent in my front driver fender, broke my driver headlights/side (Just gotten new headlight housing assembly for it too Not cheap!)

2nd time @ Work (Can you believe a co-worker of mine didn't fess up??) After replaced above damage to lights and fender, someone dented my new fender.

3rd time, at bf's house again but this time the other neighbour across the street! Nice small dent and long scratches (They reversed into their driveway hitting my car on the opposite side of the road) Didn't even f***ing bother to ask them. (And btw, I know it was them for sure, as I fully witnessed them do it to my bf's brothers car!!! I was sitting in my car waiting for my bf and I saw it happen!!!) This happened a month after I got my new car.

4th time again at work. Luckily we had video surveillance this time and caught the stupid employee who hit my car! She claimed she didn't know she hit my car (I had an alarm installed on it so my headlights were flashing like crazy and my alarm was blaring!) Then she changed her story when I told her I saw her on the camera rolling down her window, and sticking her head out to see if there was any damage to her car. She then said she was going to report it to security the next day but forgot because she was busy!!!! Give me a break! She fully knew she hit it and was trying to weasel out of it. She agreed to pay me as she didn't want her insurance going up. I got 5 quotes for her and told her what shop I wanted to go to (not the highest quote nor the lowest - but somewhere I felt comfortable taking my car to get fixed!) and she freaked out! She started getting her husband involved and he tried to use scare tactics on me so I would drop it all. Ummmm I don't think so. My car was in pristine condition before she decided to reverse her van into it and drive away) I told her I was not trying to take advantage of her and told her she can give the dealership a certified cheque made out to the company. I wanted to get my car fixed (It looked horrible driving around with the damage) and wasn't taking the money and going on vacation with it.

Honestly, from what I have learned out of it, quotes for repair work on cars is crazy expensive!!! I didn't even know how much it would cost and it surprised even me!

I don't drive a super expensive car, but to me I baby it. I paid for it with my hard earned money and treat it well. For someone to come along and damage it without it being my fault, that's something I won't take easily or lightly!

I hope the OP paid up. It's a lesson learnt to be more careful and they were lucky that they had no visible damage to pay for themselves!