A dent/hole about the size of a penny

[danz75]

I was going to pull into a parking lot today and a chevy blazer (with a bunch of high school kids)had just pulled into the lot on the right just before. the left rear passenger door had the door cracked open and i waited for her to get out but she did not and closed the door again. So i presumed that they were waiting for me to pull in before getting out. I inched slowly into the lot and when I was halfway into the lot, she(left rear passenger) suddenly flung the door wide open and the bottom of her door dug into my front passenger door. I stopped immediately and she panicked and tried to yank the door back but could not. I had to reverse slightly before she could shut the door. I got out and looked at the damage and could not believe what I saw. The dent/hole was about the size of a penny and the paint cracked.

The driver claimed it was not his fault because he was parked. I waited for them to get out but they did not and I was pulling in the parking lot slowly. There was no way I could have seen her fling the door and with me half way into the lot, there was nothing i could have done either. My wife was in the passenger seat and she said that the girl flung the door open quickly and she felt the impact of their door hitting our door.

Amazingly, the chevy sustained no damage because it was the bottom, sharp corner of their door that dug into my door.

So since no one was admitting fault, I made a claim to my insurance company since i know that it's going to cost a lot for the dent/hole to be fixed. I wonder how the insurance company is going to say who's fault it is.

[porcupine73]

Well that doesn't sound good. You see some weird things happen in parking lots. Sounds like you're lucky your air bags didn't deploy! What year/model is your vehicle? A good body place could patch that up pretty quick I'd say, but if you want the door skin replaced of course that costs $$$.

[kimokalihi]

Did you get their information? I'd be pissed.

 

I parked my car in the school bus loading zone one time because I was doing detention and forgot the busses parked there to get the kids(Hadn't ridden the bus in probably 4 years).

 

When I got out of detention and walked outside to my truck, I saw immediately from probably 100 feet away that my door had a huge dent and the mirror was smashed all the way forward and yellow paint streaks lined the side of my truck.

 

My truck is already pretty beat up from going offroad but I was pissed because it was obviously a hit and run(at the time I didn't know it was the schoolbus!).

 

I learned from witnesses that the bus had parked behind me anyways and tried pulling out but since the rear end is extended so far past the rear wheels it swung around and found it's target.

 

The bus driver got out and looked at my truck and waited around for a few minutes but eventually left to do it's route. The bus garage was notified and they looked at the truck and determined there was no damage!

 

Not only can you see yellow paint on my truck but when I looked at the bus there's my navy paint all down the side of the bus and a black line from my mirror!

 

They made me go get quotes from body shops and I got 1800 and 2100 in damage. Then they sent "their own quote guy" to make an estimate and they estimated 1300. It took them 4 or 5 weeks but they eventually sent me a check for like 2400 bucks. They said they were going to take 10% off because it was partially my fault but I think they took 10% off the original number and added the 90% back onto the original estimate. My mom didn't want to cash the check because she's paranoid about things like that but I made her.

 

Then I paid off my truck and my car. Props to LAIDLAW for hiring crappy drivers!

[danz75]

Well that doesn't sound good. You see some weird things happen in parking lots. Sounds like you're lucky your air bags didn't deploy! What year/model is your vehicle? A good body place could patch that up pretty quick I'd say, but if you want the door skin replaced of course that costs $$$.

 

This is on my 03 OBW silver which i've babied and kept it in excellent condition. I just could not believe the damage that happened. She must have swung that door out so fast and hard to do that type of damage. I didn't think air bags would deploy since I was definitely going a lot less than 5mph and i don't have side airbags. Although the damage seems to be very bad to me, I think the body shop will be able to repair it well because the damaged is localized to a small area. They might not even have to repaint the entire door.

 

The guy who owns the blazer just called me and he told me that he would like to settle the matter privately instead of making a claim because he does not want his insurance to go up. I guess he figures that he being 21 with a group of college friends will probably not go well with insurance claims. So he wants me to get an estimate and he said that he will make his passenger pay half of the costs and he will cover the other half.

I'll get the estimate on monday and go on from there.

[jon38iowa]

This is on my 03 OBW silver which i've babied and kept it in excellent condition. I just could not believe the damage that happened. She must have swung that door out so fast and hard to do that type of damage. I didn't think air bags would deploy since I was definitely going a lot less than 5mph and i don't have side airbags. Although the damage seems to be very bad to me, I think the body shop will be able to repair it well because the damaged is localized to a small area. They might not even have to repaint the entire door.

 

The guy who owns the blazer just called me and he told me that he would like to settle the matter privately instead of making a claim because he does not want his insurance to go up. I guess he figures that he being 21 with a group of college friends will probably not go well with insurance claims. So he wants me to get an estimate and he said that he will make his passenger pay half of the costs and he will cover the other half.

I'll get the estimate on monday and go on from there.

 

I bought my Forester with very simillar damage to the back passenger door. It costs $600.00 at Suabaru; They did an outstanding job.

[danz75]

So I took a cloaser look at the dent tonight under a brighter light and saw that the dent was deep enough that it pushed the top part of the panel above the crease line out. Now I'm wondering if it's cheaper to fix the damage or to replace the door sheet metal.

I'll try to get a quote from the subaru dealer tomorrow as well and compare it to other body shops.

[wirelessenabled]

So I took a cloaser look at the dent tonight under a brighter light and saw that the dent was deep enough that it pushed the top part of the panel above the crease line out. Now I'm wondering if it's cheaper to fix the damage or to replace the door sheet metal.

I'll try to get a quote from the subaru dealer tomorrow as well and compare it to other body shops.

 

Its a car, not your first born! At 200k miles dings like this don't matter!

 

Just drive your Subie to 200K like the rest of us and no worries:D

[danz75]

If I had 200k miles on my car, I would agree with you fully but my car has 28K miles and I would like to have a operational door at 200k and not rusted from the inside out.

 

Its a car, not your first born! At 200k miles dings like this don't matter!

 

Just drive your Subie to 200K like the rest of us and no worries:D

[ericem]

If I had 200k miles on my car, I would agree with you fully but my car has 28K miles and I would like to have a operational door at 200k and not rusted from the inside out.

 

duct tape

[kimokalihi]

I can't believe the driver is paying half! I wouldn't fork out a penny. I'd be pissed at the moron in the backseat and they would be paying 100% of it.

[danz75]

I hate to have them pay for the damage as well. If it was a minor ding, I would probably have let them go but with the sheet metal pierced and paint cracked and chipped off I need to get this fixed so that it will not start rusting and cause future problems. I guess japanese cars generally have a softer skin.

I'll get an estimate tomorrow so I know what type of damage we're talking about.

[Setright]

If there's a hole, and the dent has smoothed out a stamped-in crease. You'll need a new door.

 

Of course, window, trim panels, and all that can be moved over, but I would fight for a new door. No amount of repair work will effectively seal out rust if the panel has been perforated :-\

[cookie]

and on the other hand, a good body person and two seconds with a wire welder and the hole is gone. Grind and season with bondo, spray undercoating beneath the damage and paint. Over here doors are often reskinned also.

Just have it fixed by a bodyshop with a good guarantee.

[danz75]

and on the other hand, a good body person and two seconds with a wire welder and the hole is gone. Grind and season with bondo, spray undercoating beneath the damage and paint. Over here doors are often reskinned also.

Just have it fixed by a bodyshop with a good guarantee.

 

So I went to 3 reputable body shops in the area and the estimates came back with the lowest at $805 and the highest at $974. A lot more than what I had expected. Reason was that they need to blend the paint in.

I'll talk to the other guy and see what they say.

[offroadsubaruguy]

just being me, i would go through insurance jsut because it obviously isnt your fault.. not to mention they asked not to go through insurance.... that right there is a red flag to me..... if they ask not to, then i would do it just for that reason...... you get in an accident you pay for it...... i've just been screwed by people who say they want to pay for it... i give them the estimate and then never hear from them again, and by that time its too late to go through insurance, so i would just do it the insurance way......

[johnceggleston]

just being me, i would go through insurance jsut because it obviously isnt your fault.. not to mention they asked not to go through insurance.... that right there is a red flag to me..... if they ask not to, then i would do it just for that reason...... you get in an accident you pay for it...... i've just been screwed by people who say they want to pay for it... i give them the estimate and then never hear from them again, and by that time its too late to go through insurance, so i would just do it the insurance way......

 

or you can find out what the insurance deadline is and tell the other guy, he has till then to pay up or else....

[michaelbteam]

#### happens. A good reason to drive a beater, a car with "character."

A heck of a thing to lose sleep over. Good luck!

[cookie]

Around here it is between $600 and $800 per panel so that's not too far off.

I have a guy who does touh up for dealers on new cars who does small repairs for me. These are quite a bit cheaper but the hole in the panel would move it out of his catagory as he does not carry a welder in his van. He did a deep dent in the back bumper or my BMW for $200 but the blending he does is an art.

[ctoth]

I had a similar incident in a Dunkin' Donut's parking lot. I parked away from all other vehicles and went into the store while my girlfriend waited in the passenger seat.

 

I was waiting in line patiently and moments later and old feller came in. In total disregard for eveyone else in the store he jumps to front of the line and snags a coffee. I was pissed but didn't say anything.

 

I finally came back to my car and my girlfriend told me some old guy in a Mercedes park next to me and smacked my car with his door when he got out. She said she didn't get his info because there was no damage upon first glance. We got home and I took a gander. Low and behold a dent the size of a quarter and a scratch to match it.

 

He cut the line to escape before the reprocussions, no doubt.

What ticks me off the most was that judging my his Mercedes SUV, he probably had enough for the body work in his pocket. It was the G-class not the more common and less expensive M-class.

 

I would have beat the tar out of the old man if I had witnessed it. I wax this thing once a week and take a great deal of pride in it's exterior condition. The interior is another story though.

 

Good luck

[jon38iowa]

I had a similar incident in a Dunkin' Donut's parking lot. I parked away from all other vehicles and went into the store while my girlfriend waited in the passenger seat.

 

I was waiting in line patiently and moments later and old feller came in. In total disregard for eveyone else in the store he jumps to front of the line and snags a coffee. I was pissed but didn't say anything.

 

I finally came back to my car and my girlfriend told me some old guy in a Mercedes park next to me and smacked my car with his door when he got out. She said she didn't get his info because there was no damage upon first glance. We got home and I took a gander. Low and behold a dent the size of a quarter and a scratch to match it.

 

He cut the line to escape before the reprocussions, no doubt.

What ticks me off the most was that judging my his Mercedes SUV, he probably had enough for the body work in his pocket. It was the G-class not the more common and less expensive M-class.

 

I would have beat the tar out of the old man if I had witnessed it. I wax this thing once a week and take a great deal of pride in it's exterior condition. The interior is another story though.

 

Good luck[/QUO

I love the two paint on early Foresters, thats was the reasons I wanted one.

However, last year while parked, someone hit the corner of my bumper

(didn't bother to say anything)removing the paint and leaving several deep grooves. The funny part is I always park strategicly (out of the line) to avoid this.

The lesson your girlfriend learned, write down the plate# regardless of first assessment.

[danz75]

just being me, i would go through insurance jsut because it obviously isnt your fault.. not to mention they asked not to go through insurance.... that right there is a red flag to me..... if they ask not to, then i would do it just for that reason...... you get in an accident you pay for it...... i've just been screwed by people who say they want to pay for it... i give them the estimate and then never hear from them again, and by that time its too late to go through insurance, so i would just do it the insurance way......

 

So this is the latest situation.

I gave him the amounts and asked him what he wanted to do about it. He told me that he talked to 'people who know situations like that' and said that it would be a case where both parties are at fault.

So i asked him how would it be my fault since I had taken all precautions...waiting for them to get out and making sure that doors are closed before proceeding into the parking spot. And not to mention that his passenger was the one that flung the door out wide suddenly. On top of that, the damage was on the middle of my front passenger door which would have put my car halfway into the lot and had she taken the time to look out before opening the door, she would have seen my car. He didn't have much to say about that except that he didn't think he could take full responsibility for this accident.

So we agreed to let the insurance take care of the matter.

I just had a couple of questions. Should the insurance find that he is at fault, would my insurance go after him for my co-pay? Besides witnesses statements, how would the insurance investigate this since there was no official police report? I did call the cops but they told me that since there was no injuries and both vehicles were mechanically sound and that it happened in a parking lot, there was no need for a police report.

I sure hope to get my car repaired soon with the rain that we've been having. I'm tempted to put tape over it for now but don't really want to mess up the situation any more if the tape takes off more paint or leaves marks.

[brus brother]

Use your insurance. Explain what happened.

So this is the latest situation.

I gave him the amounts and asked him what he wanted to do about it. He told me that he talked to 'people who know situations like that' and said that it would be a case where both parties are at fault.

So i asked him how would it be my fault since I had taken all precautions...waiting for them to get out and making sure that doors are closed before proceeding into the parking spot. And not to mention that his passenger was the one that flung the door out wide suddenly. On top of that, the damage was on the middle of my front passenger door which would have put my car halfway into the lot and had she taken the time to look out before opening the door, she would have seen my car. He didn't have much to say about that except that he didn't think he could take full responsibility for this accident.

So we agreed to let the insurance take care of the matter.

I just had a couple of questions. Should the insurance find that he is at fault, would my insurance go after him for my co-pay? Besides witnesses statements, how would the insurance investigate this since there was no official police report? I did call the cops but they told me that since there was no injuries and both vehicles were mechanically sound and that it happened in a parking lot, there was no need for a police report.

I sure hope to get my car repaired soon with the rain that we've been having. I'm tempted to put tape over it for now but don't really want to mess up the situation any more if the tape takes off more paint or leaves marks.

[jon38iowa]

So this is the latest situation.

I gave him the amounts and asked him what he wanted to do about it. He told me that he talked to 'people who know situations like that' and said that it would be a case where both parties are at fault.

So i asked him how would it be my fault since I had taken all precautions...waiting for them to get out and making sure that doors are closed before proceeding into the parking spot. And not to mention that his passenger was the one that flung the door out wide suddenly. On top of that, the damage was on the middle of my front passenger door which would have put my car halfway into the lot and had she taken the time to look out before opening the door, she would have seen my car. He didn't have much to say about that except that he didn't think he could take full responsibility for this accident.

So we agreed to let the insurance take care of the matter.

I just had a couple of questions. Should the insurance find that he is at fault, would my insurance go after him for my co-pay? Besides witnesses statements, how would the insurance investigate this since there was no official police report? I did call the cops but they told me that since there was no injuries and both vehicles were mechanically sound and that it happened in a parking lot, there was no need for a police report.

I sure hope to get my car repaired soon with the rain that we've been having. I'm tempted to put tape over it for now but don't really want to mess up the situation any more if the tape takes off more paint or leaves marks.

 

You can put duct tape or any tape over the damage, moreover, the body shop will have no problem removing it as they will likely sand the entire door for repaint.

[NV Zeno]

If the other guy is found to be "at fault" , your insurance company goes to work for you. You should not incur any out of pocket expense after it's all over, and a rental car should also be provided at no cost to you (coutesy of the other driver's insurance co.) while your car is in the shop, even if for only one day.

 

Do NOT do what the other guy's insurance company says. As a matter of fact, don't talk to them at all. Tell your insurance company what you want, and they'll hash that out for you. It's part of the service you pay for. This will not affect your rates in the future.

 

Just my 2 bucks

(I've been there)

[danz75]

If the other guy is found to be "at fault" , your insurance company goes to work for you. You should not incur any out of pocket expense after it's all over, and a rental car should also be provided at no cost to you (coutesy of the other driver's insurance co.) while your car is in the shop, even if for only one day.

 

Do NOT do what the other guy's insurance company says. As a matter of fact, don't talk to them at all. Tell your insurance company what you want, and they'll hash that out for you. It's part of the service you pay for. This will not affect your rates in the future.

 

Just my 2 bucks

(I've been there)

I called up my claims adjuster today because progressive(that guys insurance company) called me up. my adjuster told me it was ok to talk to them to give them an official statement. So when progressive called again, I gave an account of what happened. To my surprise, progressive accepted liability for the whole accident. He told me that he had already spoken with his client and since they opened the door and hit me, they're at fault. I called my insurance company and they noted down the adjuster's name and number and told me to let them know when the car is repaired so that they can close my claim.

Progressive scheduled for me to bring my car into their service center to get an estimate. I asked for a list of body shops that they are contracted with and 2/3 of the estimates that I got was on the list. So I am bringing my car in for them to do their estimation but I am insisting on using the body shop of my choice. I will be given a rental car for the entire period and progressive gurantees the repair for as long as i own the vehicle and so will the body shop.

So i think this is ending well.