How to handle - dinged another car’s door in parking lot

[LYSE]

Just wait and see and do what your comfortable with, but if you asked me to get more than one quote I would just call your insurance and have them pay my one quote/repair bill.

 

[mjkacmom]

I would not worry too much. Sounds like just a little scratch. Honestly, if it wasn't a pristine Infinity, most would probably wave you off (HAD to be an Infinity and not a beat up Toyota LOL!) I would not ask to get multiple quotes, that is asking too much. It's a pain to go get one quote and they will have to either take time off work, arrange rides and be inconvenienced enough. From the sounds of it, I can't imagine it would cost a lot of money.

The damage on dd’s 2008 Honda Civic is barely visible, DH attacked it with a magic eraser, their insurance company still sent a check over $1000.

 

[ronandannette]

if someone told me to get three different quotes I would tell them where to shove those quotes- that is way excessive- I have my autobody shop that my car goes to when needed and I am not going to make special trips to other places to get more quotes.



I had a 17 year old kid back into my 2 week old parked car with his daddys big 40,000+ truck- it was a small parking lot and he wasn't going fast-his trailer hitch went into my bumper but it didn't look terrible- the kid was like "I will pay it" but I told him I needed to call the cops for a report anyway, when the cop was looking at it I asked what he thought about the kid paying it and not going through insurance. The cop said "that looks like a few thousand in damage so I don't know if I would want to trust him to pay it but then again his dads truck is well over 40,000 truck so he may be able to"- I decided to go through insurance since it was 100% his fault and it ended up costing close to $10,000! The back up camera, sensors etc along with the back bumper, exhaust and more had to be replaced.

Our vehicles are leases so we strongly prefer to have them done through the dealership just to avoid any issues when it comes to turning them in. Our insurance company allows work to be done at any accredited bodyshop as long as they don't charge more than the appraisal. In our most recent situation I feel sorry for the youngster and her dad (and so, so grateful she didn't hit and run) but also not willing to take chances with DH's less-than-a-year-old Toyota Avalon.

 

[tvguy]

You may want to check on that. Liability coverage almost never has a deductible for personal lines. Some, and I mean just a few, commercial lines policies do. However, I can't recall the last time I saw it on a personal lines.

Thanks. I was wrong. There is no deductible.

 

[ronandannette]

The damage on dd’s 2008 Honda Civic is barely visible, DH attacked it with a magic eraser, their insurance company still sent a check over $1000.

Our DS's one at-fault mishap turned out like this too. He actually cleaned the mark off the (old, beat-up) vehicle himself at the scene but they still ended up getting a pay-out and our rates went up a small amount. Win some/lose some.

 

[mjkacmom]

Our DS's one at-fault mishap turned out like this too. He actually cleaned the mark off the (old, beat-up) vehicle himself at the scene but they still ended up getting a pay-out and our rates went up a small amount. Win some/lose some.

We are usually on the losing end (Dd actually totaled 2 of her vehicles in a year, and ruining her boyfriend’s vehicle by driving it on the highway in 2nd gear, plus backing up on someone in a parking lot and rear ending someone getting onto a highway - cost her over $10,000 OOP on top of insurance - since the car that hit her was a company car, it had to go through their insurance. Before we realized this with the police report, we wer3 just going to offer to buff it out and let them pay OOP.

 

[Kellydelly]

I bet you probably won't hear a thing about it again, if it was indeed the size of a fingernail. I wouldn't pursue a repair on a ding that size with no dent. But then my husband would probably just take some wax or something and fix it himself. I hope it all works out without too much if any, out of your pocket.

 

[Klayfish]

The damage on dd’s 2008 Honda Civic is barely visible, DH attacked it with a magic eraser, their insurance company still sent a check over $1000.

Yes, people often drastically underestimate what auto body repairs cost. The rear bumper cover on a car is roughly $300-$600 just for the part itself. Add in 2-3 hours labor to replace it and 2-3 hours labor to paint it, plus paint cost etc... and you're looking at something around $1000 give or take.

Crease the quarter panel? That's the panel above the rear tires. If it's bad enough that it needs to be replaced, that's $3000 easily, even if the damage doesn't look bad. That part is welded to the car and takes a very long time to replace.

 

[nkereina]

The decision to go through insurance or pay for it on our own will depend on the cost to fix it I suppose.

I don't know what you discussed, but considering your DH gave them your insurance info, who's to say they won't just automatically go through your insurance now? It would be easier and safer for them to do this. That is what I would do if I were the other person in this scenario, both for ease and not having to deal with another person. I'd rather deal with a company.

Is it reasonable to ask them to get quotes from 3 different body shops?

IMO, no. You hit their door. They should be able to go to a place of their choosing, where they are comfortable doing business and with the quality of work, and get an estimate. If they provide you with the estimate at that point, you can then opt to go through insurance or not depending on the cost. This is assuming they call you first, before contacting insurance.

 

[rickybobby]

We got hit about a month ago at Cabana Bay parking lot while we were at Uni Studios (and no, the other party did not leave a note). I have $250 deductible, so thought I would just get it repaired myself, but when we got home, the repair estimate was over $5000 at one shop using genuine Toyota parts, and $3200 at another using after market parts. They told me it is more difficult removing dents anymore because the metal is thinner on newer cars. Have to replace the entire side of the vehicle as it is one piece from front to back (no left rear quarterpanel).

 

[Klayfish]

We got hit about a month ago at Cabana Bay parking lot while we were at Uni Studios (and no, the other party did not leave a note). I have $250 deductible, so thought I would just get it repaired myself, but when we got home, the repair estimate was over $5000 at one shop using genuine Toyota parts, and $3200 at another using after market parts. They told me it is more difficult removing dents anymore because the metal is thinner on newer cars. Have to replace the entire side of the vehicle as it is one piece from front to back (no left rear quarterpanel).

What kind of Toyota? That doesn't make any sense to me. I can't think of any car that has its outer skin as one entire piece from front to back.

Removing dents can still be done. However, shops no longer want to do it. They'd rather just replace. In that sense, cars are becoming more like Legos. The art of repair is becoming lost.

 

[rickybobby]

What kind of Toyota? That doesn't make any sense to me. I can't think of any car that has its outer skin as one entire piece from front to back.

Removing dents can still be done. However, shops no longer want to do it. They'd rather just replace. In that sense, cars are becoming more like Legos. The art of repair is becoming lost.

Camry,2016. It is all one piece on the left side, except for the doors.
USAA did waive my deductible, applying it to Uninsured Motorist coverage.

 

[Klayfish]

Camry,2016. It is all one piece on the left side, except for the doors.
USAA did waive my deductible, applying it to Uninsured Motorist coverage.

Camry uses a traditional quarter panel, like most others. Joins the rocker panel at the bottom and roof structure at the top, not one piece from front to back.