Scraped the neighbours car - WWYD

[PamperGoals2024]

We have a car park. For some reason today as I pulled out I scraped the neighbours car. I heard contact and got out to have a look.

Their car appeared to have a scuff on it. When I checked my car I thought there was no mark but then I saw my whole hub cap had red paint all over it. That has all come off with composite polish but there is one mark on the metal part of my tyre. That's clearly the part that has caused the scuff.

I checked the scuff on their car and it looks black. I've taken their paint off. I'm quite friendly with the garage and they said that would be around £60-£80.

In the same sentence they said see if they say anything, we won't judge you! I know what I'm probably going to do but just wanted to see what others would do.

YABU - tell the neighbour
YANBU - leave it

I would go and speak to the neighbours, apologise and offer to pay for the repairs. I would also take a bottle wine or box of biscuits/chocolates.

We've been on the opposite side of this scenario, but our neighbour tried the 'keep quiet and hope they notice apporoach'. Even though my partner had a distinctive colour car and that particular colour of paint was on the neighbour's car and his was on our car.... I know what I would have preferred to happen.

I can’t believe you wouldn’t tell your neighbour. Seriously.

If it’s only a cosmetic scratch I wouldn’t say anything, I also wouldn’t care if someone scratched my car and didn’t say anything, to be honest I probably wouldn’t even notice. If there’s no actual damage that would effect the workings of the car it’s not really a big deal, it’s normal for cars to face some every day wear and to get scuffed up a bit, I don’t understand people who want to keep a car looking pristine, if they notice and it bothers them then obviously offer to pay but if not I wouldn’t go out of my way to do anything about it.

You are the actions you take when no-one is watching. So, OP, are you an honest person, or a dishonest one?

Someone's kid opened their car door and dented my car today and then drove off and parked in another space. Didn't realise I was in the car park and saw everything. I'll be filing a police report as well as getting the insurance involved. I hope someone also saw you through a window.

I can't believe you even need to ask. Of course you tell them. Glad you aren't my neighbour.

How high are your wheels that the hubcap was somehow level to their paintwork?

Fess up! I did this one morning pulling out of my drive. I posted a note apologising and my mobile number as it was 6am and they didn’t have any lights on. They were so lovely about it and managed to T-cut all the damage out and wouldn’t accept any money. I sent them a bunch of flowers to say sorry!

it might not be as bad as you think!

It's a low car. BMW.

Sure the wheels on every car are above the level of paintwork otherwise they'd look like roller skates.

If I were your neighbours, I wouldn’t want a £60 bodged touch-up job. Usually to be done properly the whole panel involved needs to be stripped down and resprayed, which costs a lot more than £60.

Depends on them and what their car is like though, I suppose.

Just as @Mowyourlawn says. The one person's car that I have reversed into/scuffed was so pleased I left a note and very happy to accept my £200 for the massive dent I'd left in the driver's door. Which I felt dreadful for doing. They said many would have just driven off and it served me well as I'd only recently moved to the area.

Very rural location and we both drove 'bangers' and they spent the £200 in ways that gave me good cheer. They just filled in the dent and hopefully they spent the rest on steak and chips and a few pints.

Likewise, I told the only person that left a note on my much dented and scuffed car to not worry about it as I couldn't really see anything harmful but thanks ever so much for leaving a note.

To be clear when I said I know what I'm going to do, my intention is to inform the neighbour!

I've left a note and I knocked on but they are out.

I am glad to hear most people are honest too.

Of course you tell the neighbour.

Not telling them would be a really shitty thing to do…

This.

It really doesn't need to be completely stripped. I've had two repairs done on my driveway by one of the mobile companies and the job was superb. Completely invisible.

This! Don't be a prick. ⬆️

Is the mark on their car black because it is from the (softer, rubber) tyre? In which case it'll likely come of easily, probably without T cut.
I'd fess up and say your tyre just touched it and left a small mark, did he want you to clean it off?