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The guy who scratched my car is an old man who shouldn't be driving anymore, but this is my opinion. However he admitted fault and he is covered by insurance.
I immediately contacted his insurance to start a claim on his behalf, and sent all the videos and pictures.
Imagine my distress at this moment, owning my car for just two months.
Couple of hours later the guy's insurance was ready to schedule an adjuster to meet at my bodyshop sometime next week.
I started thinking of what was going to happen next:
- take the car to the bodyshop next week, meet the adjuster
- schedule the repair
- leaving the car at the bodyshop for who knows how long, get the door fixed and repainted
- paint will never be the same even with the best job ever and I will always see the damage
- Carfax tainted and depreciated value
No, I had to find another way.
So I got home and wiped the scuffs with a microfiber towel and found out it was not as awful as it looked. The guy basically transferred his paint on top of my clearcoat, but no scratches.
However a dent was left on the driver's door:
There's a dent repair guy here in town I have known for years and at this point I am committed to save my car without going to the bodyshop.
I called the dent guy and sent him pictures of my door and he told me he will look at it.
He came yesterday (he's mobile, all his tools fit inside a van) and these are the results:
In less than 24 hours the damage was gone like it never happened. It makes me very happy mostly because I keep the original paint and I don't have to leave the car for 1-2 weeks at the bodyshop.
I called the insurance and canceled the claim.
Yes, I had to pay out of my pocket for a damage I didn't cause ($350), but I believe a clean carfax AND keeping the original paint (not mentioning the time and hassle) greatly outweighs filing the claim.
The guy who scratched my car won't give me the money back for the repair ("go with the insurance, they will pay you back") and I don't intend to keep bugging an old man.
Sometimes you have to bite the bullet, and that's what I did.
The guy who scratched my car is an old man who shouldn't be driving anymore, but this is my opinion. However he admitted fault and he is covered by insurance.
I immediately contacted his insurance to start a claim on his behalf, and sent all the videos and pictures.
Imagine my distress at this moment, owning my car for just two months.
Couple of hours later the guy's insurance was ready to schedule an adjuster to meet at my bodyshop sometime next week.
I started thinking of what was going to happen next:
- take the car to the bodyshop next week, meet the adjuster
- schedule the repair
- leaving the car at the bodyshop for who knows how long, get the door fixed and repainted
- paint will never be the same even with the best job ever and I will always see the damage
- Carfax tainted and depreciated value
No, I had to find another way.
So I got home and wiped the scuffs with a microfiber towel and found out it was not as awful as it looked. The guy basically transferred his paint on top of my clearcoat, but no scratches.
However a dent was left on the driver's door:
There's a dent repair guy here in town I have known for years and at this point I am committed to save my car without going to the bodyshop.
I called the dent guy and sent him pictures of my door and he told me he will look at it.
He came yesterday (he's mobile, all his tools fit inside a van) and these are the results:
In less than 24 hours the damage was gone like it never happened. It makes me very happy mostly because I keep the original paint and I don't have to leave the car for 1-2 weeks at the bodyshop.
I called the insurance and canceled the claim.
Yes, I had to pay out of my pocket for a damage I didn't cause ($350), but I believe a clean carfax AND keeping the original paint (not mentioning the time and hassle) greatly outweighs filing the claim.
The guy who scratched my car won't give me the money back for the repair ("go with the insurance, they will pay you back") and I don't intend to keep bugging an old man.
Sometimes you have to bite the bullet, and that's what I did.
Sorry it happened but wow your guy did a good job restoring it, glad it was a happy ending in a way.
The guy who scratched my car is an old man who shouldn't be driving anymore, but this is my opinion. However he admitted fault and he is covered by insurance.
I immediately contacted his insurance to start a claim on his behalf, and sent all the videos and pictures.
Imagine my distress at this moment, owning my car for just two months.
Couple of hours later the guy's insurance was ready to schedule an adjuster to meet at my bodyshop sometime next week.
I started thinking of what was going to happen next:
- take the car to the bodyshop next week, meet the adjuster
- schedule the repair
- leaving the car at the bodyshop for who knows how long, get the door fixed and repainted
- paint will never be the same even with the best job ever and I will always see the damage
- Carfax tainted and depreciated value
No, I had to find another way.
So I got home and wiped the scuffs with a microfiber towel and found out it was not as awful as it looked. The guy basically transferred his paint on top of my clearcoat, but no scratches.
However a dent was left on the driver's door:
There's a dent repair guy here in town I have known for years and at this point I am committed to save my car without going to the bodyshop.
I called the dent guy and sent him pictures of my door and he told me he will look at it.
He came yesterday (he's mobile, all his tools fit inside a van) and these are the results:
In less than 24 hours the damage was gone like it never happened. It makes me very happy mostly because I keep the original paint and I don't have to leave the car for 1-2 weeks at the bodyshop.
I called the insurance and canceled the claim.
Yes, I had to pay out of my pocket for a damage I didn't cause ($350), but I believe a clean carfax AND keeping the original paint (not mentioning the time and hassle) greatly outweighs filing the claim.
The guy who scratched my car won't give me the money back for the repair ("go with the insurance, they will pay you back") and I don't intend to keep bugging an old man.
Sometimes you have to bite the bullet, and that's what I did.
how much is your deductible for collision? Because you would still have to pay that, right? If the deductible is more than the $350 then you saved yourself money.
how much is your deductible for collision? Because you would still have to pay that, right? If the deductible is more than the $350 then you saved yourself money.
No, the offender's insurance would have paid so my deductible it's not the point (my deductible it's much higher though)
Had I involved his insurance (or mine) my carfax would then report the car had a minor accident, and right away it would have depreciated.
Paying $350 and keep clean carfax is worth it IMHO.
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