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Original poster

What is fair - damaged car (has some parking in it;) )

18 replies

Tumtitumtum · 08/10/2021 10:02

Not a lot to be fair. I’ve namechanged as outing. I clipped the wing mirror of a car in a club car park I use regularly. Stopped of course, checked both cars for damage, called someone who works there and told them. Then left as there was nothing on either car.

Roll forward a week and I get a phone call from the person whose car it was, apparently it is damaged, can I pay for it. 2 small scratches on the bumper apparently, “probably £30 to fix”.

Only now it’s been verbally quoted at £300! Which seems excessive so I have asked for a written quote but apparently I have to pay the garage £30 just to get a quote.

AIBU in thinking that paying for a quote isn’t a normal thing? That taking a car apart for a scratch at £300 is excessive and that I should be able to ask for 2 quotes maybe?

Or do I just suck it up and pay the ever expanding fee…

OP posts:
TakeYourFinalPosition · 08/10/2021 10:04

Have you got photos of the car after you clipped it?

You’d be lucky for neither car to have any scratches/marks if you clipped it; I think, but it’d be pretty unlucky for them only to be noticed two weeks later and to cost £300 to fix…

Did you let your insurance know? If you did, they may well count it as an accident anyway, so you could go through them and they’d handle costs.

SoupDragon · 08/10/2021 10:04

If you clipped the wing mirror, how did the bumper get scratched and not the wing mirror?

tigger1001 · 08/10/2021 10:08

I think two quotes is standard. But would also query why bumper is damaged and not wing mirror. Did you take photos?

SundayTwizzle · 08/10/2021 10:10

@SoupDragon

If you clipped the wing mirror, how did the bumper get scratched and not the wing mirror?
This!
DrunkenKoala · 08/10/2021 10:12

@SoupDragon

If you clipped the wing mirror, how did the bumper get scratched and not the wing mirror?
How on earth was the bumper damaged?

I did damage someone’s bumper (about 3-4yrs ago) I didn’t pay for a quote and repairing the scratches cost £75.

Original poster
Tumtitumtum · 08/10/2021 10:19

God knows, they said I was wrong and it was the bumper, I was fairly sure I just clipped the wing mirror.

I didn’t but should have taken photos, won’t make that mistake again!

I’m not actually questioning if they are being honest, it’s a bit of a coincidence I thought I’d clipped it (and checked), and then they noticed damage. It’s possible I’ve just not seen the scratches and touched the bumper too, it was just being too close as I pulled out of a tiny space.

I suppose I’m questioning why 2 tiny bumper scratches would cost me £300 to fix and why I’m not allowed a written quote, or more than one quote without paying £30 for it before coughing up, it’s a lot of money!

OP posts:
PingoPingoPingoPingoPingoPong · 08/10/2021 10:20

Christ you must be a shit driver if you managed to clip the wing mirror and the bumper in the same manoeuvre Grin
I'd refuse to pay until I had seen the quotes, they've seen you as a weak target because you did the decent thing and owned up

Original poster
Tumtitumtum · 08/10/2021 10:21

@TakeYourFinalPosition hiya I have, and I have a £250 excess reclaim off gocompare that covers the first bit of excess.

Worried about it raising my insurance quotes (though I have no claims discount protection too), but if they will raise it anyway I may as well claim!

OP posts:
Original poster
Tumtitumtum · 08/10/2021 10:22

Apparently ty hey are annoyed as it’s the 3rd time someone has hit their car in that car park.

I mean, there is unlucky and then there is a pattern…

OP posts:
NeverNotNoNameNeverNoMore · 08/10/2021 10:24

[quote Tumtitumtum]@TakeYourFinalPosition hiya I have, and I have a £250 excess reclaim off gocompare that covers the first bit of excess.

Worried about it raising my insurance quotes (though I have no claims discount protection too), but if they will raise it anyway I may as well claim![/quote]
Excess doesn't apply to your insurers repairing someone else's car.

MildCreamyCheddar · 08/10/2021 10:35

Sounds like there might have been a fourth time someone clipped it - it might not even have been you.

tigger1001 · 08/10/2021 10:39

I would put this to the insurance company and tell them about others clipping the car.

That's why we pay insurance and let them worry about how accurate the claim is.

I wouldn't pay without seeing the quote, and I would want to see two quotes to ensure a fair price

Whatiswrongwithmyknee · 08/10/2021 10:49

OP I think if you're only 'fairly sure' it was the wing mirror, something very odd is going on. I don't think £300 is excessive tbh. Re-spraying, which is probably what this needs, is expensive. If you feel you're being taken for a ride then perhaps go through insurance?

I had someone drive into my car once and smash up the door. I had been standing in the open door putting my child in the baby seat so the door slammed into my legs too. She wanted to avoid going through insurance but I think had no idea of the actual cost - the re-spray was a fair amount and in addition I needed a hire car for about 3 days. She obviously thought it was going to be much, much cheaper than it was but I was not scamming her. That is just what it cost to fix the problem she caused.

SoupDragon · 08/10/2021 11:35

Apparently ty hey are annoyed as it’s the 3rd time someone has hit their car in that car park.

And the first time someone did the decent thing and left their details. I don't think you damaged their bumper at all.

Suggest they get a quote from a mobile repair company. A fairly recent bumper spray cost me £160 for significantly more damage than "a few scratches"

There would surely be marks on your bumper if you'd scraped theirs.

TakeYourFinalPosition · 08/10/2021 11:41

If you clipped the wing mirror, how did the bumper get scratched and not the wing mirror?

I replied pre-coffee and didn't even clock that... which does make it more suspect!

But if you've told your insurance, I'd call and see if this is going to affect your premiums anyway. If it is, it's probably worth just letting them deal with it and saving yourself the stress.

I wonder if they've taken it to their usual dealer to get the scratches done? I used to have a beloved Mini Coupé and I can definitely see them quoting £300 for a scratch; everyone on that car cost a bloody fortune 🙈

Leftphalange · 08/10/2021 11:41

I think you're querying the wrong part. I would ask the club to check their CCTV and see what you actually hit, though they might not get involved or give out that info.

I had a scratch on my car that cost me 200 to get fixed and resprayed about 5 years ago, so depending on what it's like the quote itself isn't excessive. But surely you know if you hit the bumper or wing mirror?

Sausagedogsarethebest · 08/10/2021 14:17

I too wonder if you're being scammed into repairing damage to their bumper that was caused by a previous bump in the car park. If you're pretty sure you only clipped the wing mirror then don't get pulled into paying for damage to their bumper. Be assertive and tell them that was not down to you. Check your own car first though to make sure there's no corresponding damage where it may have touched their bumper.

I also wouldn't pay £30 for a quote, and I'd demand at least two quotes.

Fdksyihfd · 08/10/2021 14:21

£30 for a quote is just made up and if somewhere is actually charging it then they need to go elsewhere. I’d ask for at least two quotes and if they get funny suggest you go through insurance and stop any direct communication

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