A bump...

I

i am so peng its unreal!

New member
just set me back a bit under 500$.

I hit the rear end of a car in front of me, with my front bumper. This happened about a week ago; and the guy was friendly about the whole situation. We exchanged information and we moved on. I expected to pay the man...eh...I dunno; anywhere between 50$-100$?

His bumper was scratched. The same type of scratch you get when a bicycle slices by? Well it had a scratch about 1 inch long. Nothing a little paint can't get rid of. It wasn't even deep, I ran my finger through it and it barely even subbed under the general surface.

Well, now he calls me and tells me that I owe him 473$. What the fuck?
Since when do you pay 473$ for a paintjob on a Mazda? Is it really that expensive to get bodywork on that car?

I have the option of either paying this myself or letting the insurance do it; but I really don't want to see my rates go up. An 18 year old with an accident under his belt...I probably wouldn't be able to afford it.

Am I getting ripped off? What can I do?
 
Yes, you're probably getting ripped off. Ask to see the estimate in writing, then pay it but keep a copy. You're probably correct about your premium going up much more than $500.
 
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Pay him. Smoke some herb. Listen to The Doors.

A small scratch can be repaired with nail polish. You can easily find a matching color and no one would notice. People make me laugh with their cars and their insurance scams. Sorry to hear you got into this bind. Better to pay him off and cut your losses.
 
Ask for the official estimate on paper, and if you still doubt it, go and ask at one or two bodyshops.

As far as I know, though, you can't just fix a little scratch. The whole bumper would have to be removed, sandblasted, and painted. That could be why the cost is up there.
 
For starters, stop taking driving lessons from Descent.


Definitely ask for a copy of his body work. Make sure he isn't using your money to stencil some flames on his hood.
 
hey guess what, if you both leave the scene of a crime, and neither files a police report the insurance company won't cover it, and you're also off of the hook, because you both left the scene of the accident.

Sounds dickish, give him $50 and tell him to suck a big fat one.
 
You did not agree to pay that. He should have told you the estimate before getting it fixed. He should have gotten a second opinion. I went through this with a woman whom I bumped in to one time.

It wasn't too bad, but she was going to need more work than your bumb did. She wanted to go to her friend's garage. I told her let me know the estimate before makign repairs. She did and it was about 800+ dollars. NO FRIGGIN' WAY! I had already had a dent at one point from an accident with a pole that was less than that and that required much more than paint work. I suggested another place. She was so mad! She began threatening me that if I don't pay then she's going to take me to court. Now I never said I wasn't going to pay, It's my money and I want to make sure I'm not getting ripped off. She told me to call the place she went to and talk to the garage owner (her friend). I told him I didnt' agree to this. He was annoyed because he already ordered the part. I repeated that I didnt' agree to any of this. I only agreed to fix her damage, but I want a second opinion before agreeing to anything. I never approved ordering some part. He was still pissed, but he knew I was right.

She eventually agreed to go to the place I knew of. A high quality place with fair prices. I agreed that if it's within $50 of the original price, I'll pay for the place she prefers. She did not believe there'd be any difference. The new place offered the same repair for $500. MUCH BETTER! She couldn't believe it. I paid for the damage, and she called me back admitting that she was extremely happy with the repairs.

That is why it is so important to insist you approve of the repair price before it's done or you have agreed to nothing. You should pay him only the $100 which is what you agreed on in the first place. Without that police report stating the damage they saw and who they believe is at fault, there's no proof of any of this. The police should always be called. All they do is report the damage. They don't contact the insurance companies, they don't even put anything on record unless they find someone was driving reckless and or under the influence. They jsut write a report and give a copy to both drivers so they can deal with it as they wish. The police keep a record incase it goes to court and they can hold on to originals so no one gets the bright idea of changing the facts in their favor.

I learned my lesson through my experiences. Next time, and hopefully there won't be, but next time. call the police no matter how insignificant the damage appears.
 
Hold on a second. Unspun, if you or any of you can answer me quickly, it will save me a shitload of trouble.

Here's the scene:

Me. I bump into the rear end of his car. He gets out. I get out. A police (that was randomly in the area) pulls up.

Police: What happened?
Me: I bumped into the back of his car...
Police: Let me see.

-Police officer checks the rear end of the guy's car-

Police: I don't see the need to file a report...this damage is minimal. You two can sort this out.
Him: Okay.
Me: Okay.

-We drive to the side of the road. We exchange information. I give him my number, license, insurance, registration; everything. He has all my information. -

Him: I'll call you with the estimate.
Me: Right.

-drive away-


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Unspun, does what you said still hold true?
 
Don't damage the car too badly or else he might have it towed and thus lower the likelihood of the sugar in the gas tank doing maximum damage.
 
$473?

I know exactly what this asshat is doing. Ever get a flat tire yet from normal wear and tear? Well if you have, you know that it's time to get not just A new tire, but two new ones at least. This guy sees that you're 18, and easily shaken by the accident, sees a scratch and decides it's time for a new paint job on the whole body. Most normal paint jobs cost about that much (at least up here in North Cali.), so this moron is trying to sucker you into paying for a whole detailing... not just the bumper.

And considering that he is contacting you directly also means that he didn't inform his insurance company within 24 hours like he should have. Here in California, having a police report taken is essential for when it looks like it's going to be a legal hassle, but reporting it to your insurance agency is the all important de-facto matter out here. If he didn't report it to his insurance agency, which by his contacting YOU instead of his insurance company contacting your insurance company and then your insurance company getting in contact with you... I'd have to agree with Unspun and say that yes, you are indeed off the hook.

But be cautious, here's my solution: Call a couple of bodyshops and get an estimate on painting JUST the rear bumper, not the whole body. Then contact the guy and offer to only pay that much. You have to remember that it wouldn't be wise to completely stiff the guy, because although you basically know where he lives... he knows where you live as well. He could do something to your car in retribution, and if there's no witnesses then you're screwed.

Just think about it.
 
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