Hey, I've got a question for you guys with VRs or VSs. The other week I was in town and I while pulling out of a park scraped the side of what on first glances looked like a VR or VS. I drove around the corner, checked my car (2007 Ford Focus) and there was a bit of the VR/VS's paint down the side, but I could easily rub it off with my finger (e.g. no scratches or nothing). Anyway I checked the parked Commodore and it was in pretty bad shape regardless of me hitting it, but I couldn't see any major damage (major street so couldn't just stand around gawking at this car all day. I didn't have a good look but first glances I couldn't see nothing) except for a few scratches. I left a note anyway saying if they did see anything to let me know and I'd sort it out. So, they ring me up, and I say I'll pay cash if it's below say $500, then they told me yesterday it'd cost $1500-2000 to fix cause of a number of reasons such as it's an SS model, and that the bumper has been dented. Is it just me, or am I being duped?? GD
and get them in writing. but yes it does sound a little bit sus if you are sure of how damaged it was in the first place. p.s. you need to trade in that circled problem for a commodore IMO
Cheers for the replies guys...I'll grab a few quotes from him first. Ha ha I could be driving a worse set of wheels!
Did U get any pics of the other car and its condition? Did U get pics of ur paint on their car? If not its heresay as to what damaged U caused, unless U or ur insurance comp can view the car and its condition
If their reasons are genuine.. ie you did in fact damage an SS bumper, and there are colour matching issues maybe(?) and they have to spray a couple panels, then the quote of 2 grand is possible (though a little high), but I would ask for more quotes. I'd be more suspicious that your honesty is being taken advantage of though. Sounds to me like they have a POS they don't care much about, and your cash payment will just become beer money. What are the 'number of reasons' specifically? Ask for 3 written quotes, ask them to point out exactly what the damage is and where it is mentioned on the quote. If the car is already so badly damaged that you couldn't tell your new damage from any old damage, you need to know exactly what it is that they are charging you to fix. If the SS bumper has a dent in it for instance.. make sure the dent is where you hit the car!! Not your job to pay for someone elses dent. If they try to give you too much crap about it, just remind them that you left your details and most wouldn't have. Tell them if they want you to spend 2 grand on their car, they are going to have to show you exactly why. If you aren't convinced, offer them $500 to forget about it , or nothing and they can take it further with the small claims court. If they are just trying to take advantage, they will take the cash.
SS bumper is exactly the same as a standard bumper, except with a lip. But he stated that you damaged the bumper. For reference, I got a brand new genuine painted and installed for ~$350. My paint shop got the bumper for about $200 unpainted.
Chrispy - I was sure that bumpers were only around that mark. From my quick glance over the car it looked like an ordinary VR-VS anyway so I'm confused. That's all I hit, my car was undamaged except for a scratch about 30 cm long and 1cm thick which I could wipe off with a cloth anyway so I'm not doubting I hit his bumper and scratched some paint, just sounds a bit steep to me. ephect - nope...no photos of his car at all only one of mine. I didn't think it'd turn into a big deal so I didn't bother... Dakster - Nope, just the bumper, nothing else. And I mentioned above how much paint there was on my car so there can't be much on his car... The guy won't tell me, I'll have to look at the quotes for myself. I'll see his car though tomorrow so I guess he'll show me. That's my plan... Thanks again guys...
OK, I thought you had done some panel damage as well. As far as I am aware, the SS bumper is just a standard bar with a lip added. I'll sell you a bar for $50, you buy a lip for $50, I'll paint the pair for $150, and you can go around and install it on their car Seriously though.. was the bar otherwise undamaged apart from what you did to it? A pro rata payment should be sufficient. A couple of hundred bucks towards fixing what already needed fixing from what you have described. If its only the bar that needs repairing, there is no doubt he is trying to take you for a ride. Maybe its time to call him out on it. Tell him straight.. mate that just ain't right. I've changed my mind, not playing your game. Here's a couple hundred bucks, go down the pub. Take it or leave it, if you don't like it I'll keep my cash and you can take me to court. Make sure you bring some honest quotes with you to the courthouse, judges don't like being scammed either... That's what I'd do. $200 or nothing mate, take it or leave it. The greedy fool should have taken your $500 while it was on the table.
Bloody hell, just give them the $500. My mates VS was reversed into by his neighbour and it put a slight ding in the drivers door which was about the size of a mobile phone and a few little scratches, he was quoted $900 to fix it as most the work was in the colour matching and blending over the entire side of the car. Not to mention the person quoting it was his girlfriends brother so it was still cheap.
