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bike accident - damage to car

133 posts & 74 voices | Started 2 years ago by trickydisco | Latest reply from dyna-ti

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trickydisco - Member

A friend of mine (no seriously not me) knocked into a car in the car park at work. He's scratched the back of the boot. The owner has taken it to the main dealer (it's a bmw mini) and has a quote of £600.

He hasn't got insurance to cover it so where does he stand? Can he request to get a cheaper quote? Is there some sort of insurance cover for the company premises?

She has given him the quote verbally at the moment and he's asking me any advice. Obviously he's willing to pay for the damage but will have to put the lot on the credit card.

EDIT: sorry should have put it was his push bike (not a motorbike)

Posted 2 years ago #
knott4me - Member

no he has to pay by law & i can believe the ccost is genuine aswell.

Posted 2 years ago #
wwaswas - Member

home insurance may cover it. Employers insurance may cover it (although might be cheeky to try and claim).

ask for 3 quotes.

Posted 2 years ago #
trickydisco - Member

yes i can understand the cost from a main dealer. the scratch is 10mm long.

I suppose it's best to pay the garage direct? personally I wouldn't want to pay the person direct.

Posted 2 years ago #
stumpy01 - Member

Might be worth looking into home insurance etc. but I'd be suprised if he was covered.
I would definitely pay the garage direct, rather than the person involved as they may well get a 'chips away' job done once they have the cash.
Also get a written quote in advance, so he doesn't get a suprise bill for more than originally expected.

Posted 2 years ago #
tonyg2003 - Member

If the scratch is 10mm long most of us would get a mobile car scratch repair company to sort it. Unfortunately the mini owner is under no obligation to get the cheapest quote - I think quite justifiably they want a main dealer to do it. Put yourself in their shoes.

I think that the 3 quotes request is probably the best way forward, although you are probably testing the patience of the Mini owner.

Main dealer aren't called "stealers" for nothing! You have to pay for those flash Mini/BMW dealerships somehow.

Posted 2 years ago #
tonyg2003 - Member

If the scratch is 10mm long most of us would get a mobile car scratch repair company to sort it. Unfortunately the mini owner is under no obligation to get the cheapest quote - I think quite justifiably they want a main dealer to do it. Put yourself in their shoes.

I think that the 3 quotes request is probably the best way forward, although you are probably testing the patience of the Mini owner.

Main dealer aren't called "stealers" for nothing! You have to pay for those flash Mini/BMW dealerships somehow.

Posted 2 years ago #
schrickvr6 - Member

£600 to spray a bootlid is an insane price....I'm guessing that's a screen out job, which is probably bonded and needs breaking to get out?

Posted 2 years ago #
Jerome - Member

Chips away sorted my keyed car.
Great job.

Posted 2 years ago #
zaskar - Inactive

Check contents insurance for liability?

(I now glad I paid my CTC membership for 3rd party insurance.)

I hope you're pal does have some insurance. Keep the post updated!

Posted 2 years ago #
declan123 - Member

yeah a just got a quote for my car after a similar accident and it was on a corsa and this things 10 years old and from vauxhall themselfs it was like £500 for the boot because they hade to take off the boot door and strip it down spray it a few times rebuild it and then fit it again WTF go to a car shop buy a can of spray paint and do it much easier

Posted 2 years ago #
happysv - Member

The rear screen can stay in place because they have a chrome trim at the bottom of the screen.
I would say £250 -£300 is a more realistic price.

Posted 2 years ago #
djc1245 - Member

Just say "sorry mate i didn't see you" and walk away. They seem to get away with it enough

Posted 2 years ago #
spacemonkey - Member

If it goes back to BMW/Mini then they're likely to strip the panel back and paint from scratch - hence the cost of £600 sounds perfectly reasonable (albeit expensive when seen from your friend's perspective).

I'm sure he can ask for three quotes, but the owner has the right to choose.

Posted 2 years ago #
scraprider - Member

get 3 quotes, as the owner dosnt have to get the cheapest , you as the paying person dont need to pay the most expensive, accidents happen we all know that.

Posted 2 years ago #
shedfull - Member

I was quoted £600 to de-rust and respray both cabin doors, one sliding door and the body round the fuel cap on my van. £600 for one scratch is silly money.

Posted 2 years ago #
Northwind - Member

Thing is, the owner has the right to expect the car to be restored exactly as it was, and a lot of damage repairs will still be visible- you accept that as a cheap chip repair but they probably won't.

Posted 2 years ago #
landcruiser - Member

How old is the MINI and does the MINI dealer chosen have their own bodyshop, or do they sub it out ?
In fact, which dealer is it?

Posted 2 years ago #
project - Member

Somebody hit the rear door on my van twice with a sharp object 2 small dents, thae following week MBUK, had free stickers,so just stuck them over the dents.

Easy. and you get a free mag to read.

Posted 2 years ago #
chopperT - Member

Sorry for your mate's bother, I'd think that unless the car is fairly new then a chips away type repair (a blow in) is fine. Stuff happens.

Now my rant, people seem to treat cars like they're frickin concours object d'art, and need to be cossetted like a museum piece.
If they were so worried about the thing picking up a scratch why wasn't it helitaped? We all engage in this fantasy of possessing 2ton metal boxes with perfect paint finishes, that we throw around the countryside at 70mph, abandon in supermarket carparks or on the side of the road in all weathers, then we cry because we get a stone chip, or some hapless cyclist puts a 10mm scratch in the boot lid FFS.
WAKE UP to reality people.... it's just a car, in five years you'll be scrapping it, or selling it for 5% of what you paid. It's paint. Paint gets scratched. End of.

Posted 2 years ago #
paulwf - Member

Most people will not be able to spot a decent mobile paint repair. Sure if you really know what you are looking at you can see it.

For her it is the simplest option, they will come to your car park at work and fix it, so no need to go the stealer and have to have a courtesy car for the day.

The trade price for a simple repaint is ~£100 a panel (assuming the dealer will sub it out), you are paying for the courtesy car and for the flashy dealership.

Posted 2 years ago #
lammy - Member

Don't forget they will probably need to get new mini badges which I bet aren't cheap, they'll want to strip and refit the number plate, plynth and rear screen trim. So when you add up the labour, parts and paint and materials that quote isn't that bad.

Bodyshops operate with tiny margins. Most are struggling to make anything at the mo.

Posted 2 years ago #
rich-6 - Member

Get pictures of it, Has he damaged it in any way or just scratched it & whereabouts on the bootlid is the scratch?

I'd be pissed if someone scratched mine TBH but i wouldnt have gone to main dealer bodyshop and if they contributed/ paid out for it i wouldn't mind.

Posted 2 years ago #
matthewlhome - Member

Is your friend actually under any legal obligation to pay for the damage done? It may be cheaper for the mini owner to claim from her own insurance and him perhaps pay the excess as a goodwill gesture.

I have never had anyone who puts a supermarket ding in my car actually apologise for doing it, let alone pay for it! The best yet was when my wife and i were in the car and the person just swung their door into mine. they were not bothered.

Posted 2 years ago #
aP - Member

In the last 6 months we've had 3 buses drive into our car - 2 dented wings (both sides) and a rolling scrape all along the offside from tail to front. Its annoying, however as none of them stopped or left details there's absolutely nothing we can do about it, and to be honest no point in getting worked up about it.
I'm just waiting for a bus to do the job properly and then we'll take them to the cleaners.

Posted 2 years ago #
hilldodger - Member

Just deny it &/or ask for proof the damage was done by him and wasn't there already.....

Posted 2 years ago #
andrewh - Member

My home contants insurance coughed up when I rode into the back of a parked car and smashed the windscreen and spoiler. Cost £100 excess.

AP - Just report them for failing to stop after an accident if you are certain. The police should have to investigate, long shot them doing anything, but might scare the bus company into doing something. Usually a ban for failing to stop if theycan convict so the bus people may take it seriously. Any CCTV round your way? Check the front of buses for matching damage.

Posted 2 years ago #
joolsburger - Member

100 quid from chips away or your mate should see them in court. 600 FFS.

Posted 2 years ago #
sslowpace - Member

BMW minis must have bodywork/paint repaired at an approved bodyshop to ensure the anti corrosion warranty is intact. I know as i had mine repaired.

chopperT, how about someone damages your pride and joy that you work hard to pay for/afford and doesn't give a toss that your upset about it, or that you have to pay to fix it?

Regarding the damage, find out who the bodyshop is and talk to them direct. It can save you quite a few quid going direct.

Posted 2 years ago #
myheadsashed - Member

ap you should claim my old discovery new at the time was hit by a bus in London it fecked off down the bus lane so I could follow, took details got a quote from Landrover for a wing repair/part bumper £580 quid and a few days later the bus company set a cheque through.....it cheaper for them than contesting it. Also it was on CCTV

Posted 2 years ago #
ji - Member

I was covered by home insurance (many years ago) when I managed to write a car off riding a push bike into it. Knocked out most of my teeth too!

Posted 2 years ago #
tonyg2003 - Member

matthewlhome did you really say this? "Is your friend actually under any legal obligation to pay for the damage done?" Of course they are. "It may be cheaper for the mini owner to claim from her own insurance and him perhaps pay the excess as a goodwill gesture" it may be cheaper for the person doing the damage but not when the mini owner loses their excess and sees their premium go up. Put yourself in the Mini owners position. It's not their fault they should not be out of pocket. It's very fair for the bike rider to own up and crap that lots of people don't but the situation here is very clear.

Posted 2 years ago #
nasher - Member

Call chips away when the car is on the car park

then get it fixed and say "what damage?" or give the owner a couple of hundred quid cash to keep them happy!!

Posted 2 years ago #
trickydisco - Member

Cheers for the comments.. Found out he hasn't got contents insurance so it's a no go there.

I think she'll go mad if he suggests Chips away. It happened in a the car park and ppl were outside having a fag and saw it all (and know the woman)

Didn't know about the approved bodyshop. Well i'll tell him to see the written quote from the garage (or phone them up)

Posted 2 years ago #
matthewlhome - Member

tonyg2003 - sorry, I wasn't trying to suggest that was the right thing to do, just that the comments made by others seemed very definite, with the first response suggests that he has to pay by law. I was simply contrasting this with the experience that thousands of people have when someone dings or scratches their car and just wanders off.

The OP doesn't mention how the damage was done either.

It does bring up an interesting and serious point about what any of us would be liable for if we had an accident. i.e. slipped on the icy roads and put a nice lock-on clamp scratch down the side of a car. How would any of u stand in that situation?

I think that it is right that the rider has owned up, but that the cost incurred / agreed should be as any insurance job would, 3 quotes and they go with the cheapest. Especially as it sounds as though the guy does not have the money to pay for the work.

Posted 2 years ago #

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