First door ding, should I report?

velobard · 06-08-07, 08:06

After multiple headaches last year that required bodywork, ranging from hail and tree limb damage to a truck tread on the highway, I've been keeping a close eye on my car. I usually park back a ways in parking lots, but admittedly sometimes not in the very back.

Yesterday I was parked in the middle of the lot several spots back from the crowd and when I came out I immediately noticed a light vertical crease on the left rear door, with black paint to match the old S-10 Blazer parked beside me. It lined up just about right for where his driver's door would have swung open. I considered waiting, but I figured a face-to-face confrontation over this sort of thing might not be the best idea. I decided to leave a note under the wiper saying that I noticed the dent, that I just had a $5000 paint job (well, it was last November), that I had recorded his vehicle description and license number and would be reporting it to my insurance company. I mostly wanted to play a head game with the jerk and get at least slight satisfaction of causing him to worry a little about his careless actions, but I did write down the information. I was tempted to stick around and watch his reaction when he found the note, but I had a busy evening and had no idea how long he might be in the stores.

Now for the question, should I actually report it? It's a very light crease that a lot of people might not take note of, but of course it sticks out like a sore thumb to me. He hit my door hard enough to leave paint and an indentation on my door molding, then leave the light dent in the door itself. I only have a $100 deductible on comprehensive, so that's the most I'd be out even if they couldn't collect from the other guy. Or is it useless to try to make a report like this after the fact?

BMW335i · 06-08-07, 08:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by velobard

After multiple headaches last year that required bodywork, ranging from hail and tree limb damage to a truck tread on the highway, I've been keeping a close eye on my car. I usually park back a ways in parking lots, but admittedly sometimes not in the very back.

Yesterday I was parked in the middle of the lot several spots back from the crowd and when I came out I immediately noticed a light vertical crease on the left rear door, with black paint to match the old S-10 Blazer parked beside me. It lined up just about right for where his driver's door would have swung open. I considered waiting, but I figured a face-to-face confrontation over this sort of thing might not be the best idea. I decided to leave a note under the wiper saying that I noticed the dent, that I just had a $5000 paint job (well, it was last November), that I had recorded his vehicle description and license number and would be reporting it to my insurance company. I mostly wanted to play a head game with the jerk and get at least slight satisfaction of causing him to worry a little about his careless actions, but I did write down the information. I was tempted to stick around and watch his reaction when he found the note, but I had a busy evening and had no idea how long he might be in the stores.

Now for the question, should I actually report it? It's a very light crease that a lot of people might not take note of, but of course it sticks out like a sore thumb to me. He hit my door hard enough to leave paint and an indentation on my door molding, then leave the light dent in the door itself. I only have a $100 deductible on comprehensive, so that's the most I'd be out even if they couldn't collect from the other guy. Or is it useless to try to make a report like this after the fact?

I would take the hit if it looks like under 500$...A crease is going to have to be molded then repainted, probably not that expensive, but I am no expert.

It sucks but man's misery comes from other stupid human actions. Thats life.

velobard · 06-08-07, 08:35

I'm wagering a skilled PDR guy would have no trouble taking care of the mild crease. It's not really visible looking straight on. I'm fairly sure I could clay off the paint on the molding, though the indentation there is another matter.

Accumulator · 06-08-07, 10:15

velobard- That really sucks, you can't seem to win for losing

I myself would just try to get over it. PDR, claying, etc. and living with it. I can't imagine getting any legal/etc. satisfaction...private parking lot, "minimal damage" to non-Autopian eyes, time lapse since occurrence, etc.

And I'd rather live with a dent than get my insurance company involved (the have long memories where claims are concerned).

FWIW I'm approaching this as if it happened to my S8 or the Jag

velobard · 06-08-07, 12:51

I appreciate your thoughts on this Accumulator. I'm inclined to drop the whole thing anyway, I hesitated to actually write down the license number in the first place. I mostly just wanted to mess with his head over being thoughtless.

I have to take my car in for some paint warranty work soon, I might just see if they can PDR it cheap while it's in the shop anyway. Thankfully it really is light damage.

tod071 · 06-08-07, 01:05

Did you get pics? Did the driver contact you (did you leave your contact info)?

If so, why not settle without insurance. I'm sure he wouldn't want his insurance involved either. Take the cash and run.

If his car hit yours, doesn't that fall under collision? Or is it still comprehensive? Anyone know?

RTexasF · 06-08-07, 01:41

You cannot prove that the other vehicle did it now matter how well everything lines up. The other guy can tell you to P off and that's that. Getting the insurance involved after all they have paid out is likely not in your best interest.

I believe the PDR out of pocket is the wise way to approach this.

David Fermani · 06-10-07, 11:21

You should have taken a bunch of good detailed pictures of the vehicle next to you showing where the dent is in relation to how the othe vehicle is positioned to the dent. Then at the scene, call the Police to report the collision/make Police report. That way you would prove that the other person's vehicle damaged your vehicle, thus resulting in their insurance company paying for the damages. When this doesn't happen, it's pretty tough for you to have recourse. Technically this falls under your collsion coverage becasue 2 vehicles struck. Comp is when it's vandalism or when flying debris hits you(before hitting the ground).

Macko · 06-10-07, 02:19

That's bad news velobard.

I always park my car at the far end of car parks, well away from other cars. It amazes me the number of times I come back to find, with a choice of 100s of spaces, some knobhead has parked next to me. Why would anyone chose to park 4 inches away from another car when they have the run of the car park ?

kaval · 06-10-07, 04:12

that is terrible to hear!
not to highjack your thread, but i feel your frustration as this is what happened to our brand new Honda Odyssey with only 800km on the ODO...the knucklehead hit, and ran

I could only imagine your frustration after getting a new paintjob.

94BlkStang · 06-10-07, 07:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by velobard

Now for the question, should I actually report it? It's a very light crease that a lot of people might not take note of, but of course it sticks out like a sore thumb to me. He hit my door hard enough to leave paint and an indentation on my door molding, then leave the light dent in the door itself. I only have a $100 deductible on comprehensive, so that's the most I'd be out even if they couldn't collect from the other guy. Or is it useless to try to make a report like this after the fact?

Unfortunately that kind of damage is covered under your collison policy and the appropriate deductible, not the comprehensive policy. Comprehensive only covers malicious damage (such as keying or someone taking a tool or kicking your car). A door ding no matter how severe will be covered by your collision policy unless you can prove who did it and that he did it maliciously and with intent. I found this out awhile back when I was left with a couple good size dents in the side of my Mustang. Like others have suggested, check out some good PDR guys in your area as they typically charge onlyaround$75.00 per panel. Many times they can take it out and you'll never know it was there.

Gimp · 06-12-07, 03:43

It might be a little late for this now, but a couple of things that possibly could have helped you:

1) VIDEO SURVEILLANCE - Did this parking lot have video surveillance? A while back, a friend of mine came out of the mall to find a nice crease in the door of her brand new car that looked to match up perfectly to the vehicle beside her. She flagged down a security guy who patrols the parking lot and asked if there was anything she could do. They went inside the mall and looked at the tapes of the cameras in that parking lot and it showed the vehicle parking beside her and although you couldn't see the physical hit from its door, you did see her car move slightly when they opened their door and then the two occupants got out and spent a minute or so surveying the damage to the side of her car. She called the police to get them to write a police report on the incide.t When she and the security guard went back outside to her car, the two guys in the offending vehicle showed up and the security guard told them that the police were on their way to write a report and that the mall security office had it all on tape. The offender's insurance paid for the repair.

2) GOOD SAMARITAN - A few months ago, we were going out to eat at a very busy restaurant and while walking through the parking lot, we saw a guy in a late model Mustang who was backing out of a parking space bump and crease the car next to him. He quickly glanced at the damage he had caused and apparently decided it wasn't worth messing with. Unfortunately for him, we took camera phone pics of his car and his tag number, and then called the police. The police found the owners of the car in the restaurant and wrote a report. The car owner thanked us for getting involved and called me a couple of weeks later to tell me that the Mustang owner's insurance was paying to fix their car and that the teenage Mustang owner had two very upset parents when they found out what he did.