Am I an idiot?

We scraped our car driving into the garage and DH dented the same area falling of a ladder (don't ask). It cost us £500 in a small repair place. Would have been £1000 in the main dealers. These sums aren't worth claiming on the insurance.

I was cleaning out the car (an annual job!) and accidently opened the door into my neighbours car. No damage to mine and a teeny dent in her door. She came round with a quote for £90 to fix it. That was a year ago and she still hasn't got round to getting it done. I suppose I'll get a bill one day.

I had a similar shunt in a supermarket car park when my car was still reasonably new, Both cars backing out and we ' kissed" bumpers. Anyway, being a good sort I agreed to exchange details. My car could hardly be seen to have any damage, apart from a scuff, hers was an old banger with many and varied war wounds. The insurance decided it was 50/50, but I was so cross as I definitely think she was trying it on. Unfortunately I didn't have a phone camera back then.

At least you are honest phoenix even if it will cost you

Someone left a little note on my car once, it said that they had seen someone bump my car when trying to park in a parking space, then go and park at the other end of the car park! They wrote down the car number, but I never got anywhere as it belonged to a large firm and was one of their fleet cars and they just would not do anything about it despite me trying.
It was a notch out of the side of the bumper, not too bad but very annoying.

I do wish I had been able to take a photo of her car.

Deep down I don't think she is trying it on, but then I do usually try to think the best of people, and of course I'm putting my hand up, but could really do with minimum expense currently.

Oh well, it has been a bloody crap week, so can only hope next week is better!

Oh dear, hope things are not too bad now and that next week is better and brings some

It's that stomach churning feeling when you have a bang in your car.

I was taking DS to college on his last day, of all days, and they have a turning circle but it has great big stone boulders around the inside circle. I caught one of the stones, a crunching sound, oh no, my beautiful new car! Disability car too. I was as sick as a dog when I got home. I phoned the disability number and reported it but was told if it was only cosmetic to leave it alone and not repair it. It would go against me on my insurance for further cars if I claimed, which I obviously do not want. It was the day before my birthday too. I sat and beat myself up about it for a few days but now I have bought an "Ouch" sticker to put over the dent/scratches. Not funny really, but if I can't do anything about it but try to be more careful, I might as well have a sense of humour about it, like Phoenix, no one was hurt which is the main thing.

No, you are not an idiot and as everyone has said, you did the right thing.

I am wondering if you perhaps use a local garage, i.e. not a main dealer, or know of one with a good reputation? As you will be paying the bill, I think it would be reasonable for you to request the lady concerned takes her car to the garage you have selected, for another quotation. It may be lower.........

£260 for a clear conscience is very reasonable.

OK you didn't want to spend the money, but karma being what it is you will somehow get that money back or at the very least someone decent to hand when you need them.

Car repairs are pricey so I don't think she is having you on, check your insurance you may have gone for the not losing your no claims bonus in the event of a claim, which would mean that you could go that route and lose nothing if your excess is 200 and her claim 260.

Doing the right thing is seldom cheap, which is why so few people other but wouldn't it be nicer if we all did?

We have a local man who even mixes the paints to get the right colour. He's brilliant and it's always the same price- scraped bumper or complicated round the hood stuff £130. We have an old car which is always getting itself into predicaments with hedges and stone pillars and such like.

I once had a scrape with the car ( at that same place as you) so I blame the other car for bad parking, it may well have been the same person! you should have immediately legged it ( or floored it , to be precise) with them none the wiser.

stansgran I like the way that you blame your car, haha, always getting itself into predicaments ( norty thing.)

No you are not an idiot you are honest put it down to bad experience hope you ok ?

Well at least you were honest try to put it behind you at least your conscience is clear it is probably an average estimate garages do charge a lot for this type of repair.

I don't think she is trying it on. My car bumper has some minor scrapes on it from someone who didn't leave their details, and the estimate to repair it was £275. I have never had it repaired but learned to live with it, but it will reduce the value when I trade it in.

You definitely did the right thing. How anyone can damage someone else's property and run away is beyond me, particularly amongst our generation that prides itself on its honesty and fairness.

Sorry for your predicament, happens to the best of us, but I think you should ask for 3 estimates and as you are footing the bill, you choose the one you want to repair the damage. Good for you for being honest, many wouldn't have owned up, sadly.flowers

The main thing is that you did what you felt was right to do - and that way you are able to look yourself straight in the eye in the mirror every day. It's called having integrity. I live in Paris, am a careful driver but have a lovely car with quite a few scratches along the side etc. which I have not inflicted on the car. Be sure that nobody left a word on the windscreen or would ever own up to having done it. I have learned to live with them as the car would be constantly in the garage and I would be bankrupt.

At least you can drive. I passed my test after 5 attempts but after getting a car I just got my self in a state every time I was to drive anywhere. In the end I called it a day and never drive now - so I admire anyone who gets behind the wheel. So no you are not an idiot, just an honest person and that can never be bad.

You absolutely did the right thing, I don't think the estimate is unreasonable for a proper job. Sadly you will have to tell your insurance company at renewal even if you don't claim, or you could be technically uninsured.

Have a clear out and sell some things on ebay to soften the blow a bit?

Phoenix for a lovely lady who did the right thing. I hope that everything will speedily get better for you and that this incident will soon be just a small shadow in the landscape.

The wind blew my car door out of my hand and into the side of (wouldn't you know it?) a BMW. I left my details under his windscreen for which he was grateful. We left it to our insurance companies and luckily I had no-claims protection. Heard no more of it. Sorry you have come off the worse for it, phoenix. Unfortunately, I also feel that her estimate for repairs could be honest, but if you have a mechanic you can trust, couldn't you get an alternative quote and have it done at your expense if it's cheaper?

Some kind person went into the back of my daughters parked car. They dented the bumper bar and the back of the car under the boot-must have hit it quite hard to do that damage. Of course no one left their details. Estimates from £630 to £750. She doesn't want to claim on her insurance cos it will cost a lot more next time she renews.
So dents will stay till they really need to be done.

I had a similar situation once coming out of a hospital car park. Not many spaces so people had parked at the side of the road. Someone came round the bend towards me (going too fast in my opinion), I instinctively steered out of the way but then didn't straighten up properly when moving off again - cue scraping noise, instant sick feeling and shaking. I moved off, dashed back into the dept I'd come out of to beg some paper and like you left a note under the windscreen wiper. Also like you, it cost me about £250, but my conscience would not have let drive off without saying anything (plus it was busy, who knows who might have been watching )!

You did the right thing. Sadly any mark on a car costs a fortune.

You must choose a garage you use and get another estimate to compare.... They are after bumping it up as your paying cash.Because your a woman they will assume you don't know much about this sort of thing. Trust me I've been bitten by this situation before, repair cost elbow grease and £38 I was quoted £340. Don't be fooled.