A bit of advice, pls!

missmatty

Ok it's not a huge issue but I'm a bit wobbly about it.

Next door to us are having renovations done and lads in vans etc arrive very early in the morning (7) and park across the corner in our cul-de-sac and sit in their vans. I was reversing out this morning and I (duh) barely hit one of their bumpers. Yer man got out and wasn't very nice about it. He was ranting on about him having imported the van from the states and he was gonna make me pay and it would cost 3 grand and all this stuff. When I pointed out that he shouldn't have been parked across the corner on double yellow lines, he said he wasn't. When I looked they were scratched away from all the work that had gone on outside the house, although they were definitely there last week.

But anyway, yes, it was my fault. I gave me my name and phone number. I should have taken a photo (I realised when I got to work I had my camera in my bag from the weekend). So do I call up my insurance and go through that? There's no way I'm settling it with him if it's three Gs he's after. He was a bit of a skanger and I'd say he'd love to make some money out of me. There were three very small spots where the red paint came off, It can't be worth 3G surely??

Edited to add I'm on 2nd provisional. Only driving a few months.

kluivert

:D:rolleyes:;)

Fecking builders.

Imports from the States - Dont listen to him. Dont worry about it.

Is it a big scratch and a dent.

Traders vans will take many a knock during its working life. They dont care if its damaged.

Just wanted to make a show of you infront of his mates thats all.

missmatty

Thanks. I think it was brand new though, that's why he was so annoyed. No dent I think, just three small spots, not even scratches, where the red paint had come off. It looked like one of those van/jeep crossover things like a HRV.

So should I wait for him to send me a quote and see if I want to pay it myself (I wouldn't know if it was an accurate quote) or should I call my insurance company tomorrow and let him do it through them? I'm leaning toward the latter.

--amadeus--

My wife opened the door on my car without doing a "lifesaver" check and a passing truck almost took it off the hinges. Truck was marked and scratched and - since it was 100% our fault - I gave him my details.

I never heard from them again - as Kluivert says those vans take a battering so your marks won't be such a big deal in a few months.

The only possible fly in the ointment is that some really builders have started bringing in trucks from the States. Did it look like this:



If so it may be an import and he may insist you repair it. If so insist on at least 3 quotes and follow up on them yourself (ie phone them and ask if it can be done cheaper) Unless yer man runs a bodyshop in his spare time he made up the 3k figure so don't let that worry you.

missmatty

He was a bit of a skanger tbh, that's why I'm wary. It didn't look anything special (not like that pic), I actually think it looked like a HRV (Honda?) He'll probably be in the same place either this evening or tomorrow morning so I'll try and get some pictures.

Dades

missmatty wrote: »

He'll probably be in the same place either this evening or tomorrow morning so I'll try and get some pictures.

That would be a very good idea. Preferably when he's not in it!