Someone pressed door of my car while opening door of his car

atwal · 14-02-2014 11:10am #1

Hi,

I recently bought an expensive car - Toyota

One moron living next door while opening the door of his car toughted by car and it has left a pressed gap in the door. It is small but it hurts to see it on the door.

This guy came to me and said he touched my car but his english was very poor and it was night time. After analysing the situation it turned out he wanted to move his car but could not. I did not immediately notice my car was touched in anyway. but now after 1 week I am noticing it. I am a novice . I am still waiting for car insurance. So what are my options:
1. Take pictures
2. Ask to this guy if he wants to pay up or go through his insurance company?
3. If he refuses take the insurance disc details on his car?
4. Contact his insurance company?
5. Go to police?

I bought this car from a dealer and have 1 year warranty.

But I am not sure what should be my course of actions? Please someone advice.

sweetie · 14-02-2014 11:11am

Try and get over it. It'll be easier in the long run, trust me.

biko · 14-02-2014 11:14am

Show him the dent and ask him to pay for it.
Get a quote from a local dent repair shop.

djimi · 14-02-2014 11:15am

Talk to him about it first. He has admitted to damaging your car so he should be putting it right. If he has any deceny about him he will offer to put it right, otherwise consider going through his insurance (although that might get tricky when you need to prove that he caused the damage).

antodeco · 14-02-2014 11:15am

sweetie wrote: »

Try and get over it. It'll be easier in the long run, trust me.

The fact that he came in and said it to you, suggests that he did the decent thing. It will happen 100 times more without someone telling you. It will annoy you, but its a fact of life. If you let it get to you, youll never park anywhere again!

EDIT: Do you currently have car insurance, or are you waiting for to be enacted? If its the latter, and its an expensive car, I would get that sorted first!

djimi · 14-02-2014 11:39am

sweetie wrote: »

Try and get over it. It'll be easier in the long run, trust me.

And therein lies the reason why this sort of thing is such a problem in this country. Damage like this may seem small, but ultimately would cost the OP several hundred quid to put right. I dont see why anyone would or should "try and get over it"; you wouldnt accept somebody causing that sort of damage to any of your other property.

EazyD · 14-02-2014 11:47am

djimi wrote: »

And therein lies the reason why this sort of thing is such a problem in this country. Damage like this may seem small, but ultimately would cost the OP several hundred quid to put right. I dont see why anyone would or should "try and get over it"; you wouldnt accept somebody causing that sort of damage to any of your other property.

"Ah sure, it's just a lump of metal like, An A to B machine, stop being so precious", it's people who spout this kind of crap that boil my blood.

atwal · 14-02-2014 11:47am

@sweetie You mean try to repair the car ASAP or forget and move on?

atwal · 14-02-2014 11:50am

Guys I am a new driver, bought expensive car and when you did not even use the car and start damage to your new car, its kind of hurts. You all know even for small repairs you end spending a lot in this country.

This guy seemed a rough guys, I think if I ask him again he will refuse it. Can I not complain someone, if so whom?

djimi · 14-02-2014 12:26pm

atwal wrote: »

Guys I am a new driver, bought expensive car and when you did not even use the car and start damage to your new car, its kind of hurts. You all know even for small repairs you end spending a lot in this country.

This guy seemed a rough guys, I think if I ask him again he will refuse it. Can I not complain someone, if so whom?

You can take it to his insurer. Someone with more experience will tell you how that will likely play out.

sweetie · 14-02-2014 12:43pm

You made it seem like a small mark rather than a dent which was acknowledged by the guy and yet you then leave it a week from when it happened till now to make an issue of it. How do you think he will respond to you now, he could say anybody else could have hit it since. The police won't be interested either. I'm always careful opening my doors but it has happened to me (once during a service) and whilst it's stressful there's not much you can do about it at this stage if he doesn't want to co-operate, hence my advice to leave it. But hey, it all depends on the severity of the damage and how decent the guy is, talk to him and see.

atwal · 14-02-2014 1:02pm

Ok thanks. Actually it was dark that night and the guy has really poor english. My car is just parked not being used. So just since 2-3 days I noticed it. Its a dent to the size shown in this link - see the blue car image - see in this

If he doesn't pay up I won't repair it for now as I am a new driver, I will do more mistakes, I will use the car for few months and if there are more dents then will get repaired altogether.

whomitconcerns · 14-02-2014 2:02pm

atwal wrote: »

If he doesn't pay up I won't repair it for now as I am a new driver, I will do more mistakes, I will use the car for few months and if there are more dents then will get repaired altogether.

your planning on denting your expensive new car????...please for your sake and other drivers, get some more driving lessons first..will save you a fortune in long run. Learn now and get it fixed, at his cost. Once you see how expensive it is to repair, you get the greatest incentive ever to be more careful!

biko · 14-02-2014 2:15pm

atwal wrote: »

This guy seemed a rough guys, I think if I ask him again he will refuse it. Can I not complain someone, if so whom?

Maybe not that rough. If he was honest enough to come to you and tell you about hitting your door he is probably honest enough to pay for the damage.
Get a qoute from a local body shop and then speak to him again.

Greyfoot · 14-02-2014 2:18pm

Depends on the mark really. Give us a picture or at least colors; red mark on a white car marring my mind.

Supergurrier · 14-02-2014 2:18pm

I'm guessing you both use a shared driveway.

If this is the case and the guy was decent enough to bring it to your attention he will probably pay to fix it.

Its not just about money but the next time he will be more careful whereas if you don't pull him on it more accidents will happen.

djimi · 14-02-2014 2:20pm

sweetie wrote: »

You made it seem like a small mark rather than a dent which was acknowledged by the guy and yet you then leave it a week from when it happened till now to make an issue of it. How do you think he will respond to you now, he could say anybody else could have hit it since. The police won't be interested either. I'm always careful opening my doors but it has happened to me (once during a service) and whilst it's stressful there's not much you can do about it at this stage if he doesn't want to co-operate, hence my advice to leave it. But hey, it all depends on the severity of the damage and how decent the guy is, talk to him and see.

Any damage is too severe. It doesnt matter if its a small mark or a dent or whatever; its still going to be expensive to fix and the OP should not be out of pocket because someone else is unable to control their car door.

The guy has admitted to damaging the car; he doesnt really have a leg to stand on here.

wonski · 14-02-2014 2:23pm

First of all i wouldn't call a moron someone who came back to you and admitted his mistake. You should have checked the car following morning and get back to him. If someone came back to me week after an incident i would be worried the damage was done later.
These things should be sorted on the spot, not a week after.
Rough guys wouldn't say a word to you.
Anyway - he admitted to causing the damage so get back to him and ask if he can pay for this. Gardai won't get involved (and rightly so), it was a minor incident after all.

atwal · 14-02-2014 3:12pm

First of all, that guy knocked on my door and said he touched my car then changed the subject he said he cannot move his car my neighbour had parked car in front of his. This rough guy actually parked his car to my neightbours parking lot. There was nothing obivious in the dark that he broke something on my car. he told me he wants me to move my car so that he can move. I still maintain how he was saying f words against my neighbour for blocking his way and the way he was speaking.

H3llR4iser · 14-02-2014 5:32pm

djimi wrote: »

Talk to him about it first. He has admitted to damaging your car so he should be putting it right. If he has any deceny about him he will offer to put it right, otherwise consider going through his insurance (although that might get tricky when you need to prove that he caused the damage).

It's all good and well, and you have much more than a fair share of a point here. I, for one, am one who hates the "bash bang" attitude most people have when opening doors: the fact they don't give a passing feck about their car doesn't imply the same applies to the person parked next to them; Besides, one can do as they please with their own property, but should always respect other's.

I, however, have one doubt: let's say you were trying to open your door, accidentally bashed it in the car next to you; You tell the owner you touched doors, he/she says it's ok, no bother. Not the next morning, not the next afternoon but a full week later he/she comes back wanting some money for the dent "you" put in the car. Can you tell me that you'd pay up no problem at all, or would you be a bit suspicious to begin with?

Not saying the OP is trying to "ride the tiger", only that action should have been immediate - "hey, I touched your car" - "let's go check and see if there's something wrong".

atwal · 14-02-2014 5:40pm

H3llR4iser you are right I am late but believe me, my car is waiting for insurance so it is just parked. not being used. This guy had poor english when I came out of house he first said he touched my car and then he said he want to move his car, no mention of any dent or so, it was so dark and the guy has very poor english. so I immediately thought this guy just wants to get his car out thats it. all seemed fine with my car then in the dark. The dent was small so last 2-3 days I noticed it and I am sure it is that guy who did it. Also the cars were parked in opposite direction then his rare door was near my front door. My neighbour nevers parks in opposite direction. This guy must have tried to open his back door and banged on my car.

H3llR4iser · 14-02-2014 5:50pm

atwal wrote: »

H3llR4iser you are right I am late but believe me, my car is waiting for insurance so it is just parked. not being used. This guy had poor english when I came out of house he first said he touched my car and then he said he want to move his car, no mention of any dent or so, it was so dark and the guy has very poor english. so I immediately thought this guy just wants to get his car out thats it. all seemed fine with my car then in the dark. The dent was small so last 2-3 days I noticed it and I am sure it is that guy who did it. Also the cars were parked in opposite direction then his rare door was near my front door. My neighbour nevers parks in opposite direction. This guy must have tried to open his back door and banged on my car.

What else can I tell you, try and ask him, it's really the only thing to do. If you go over his head directly to the insurance it might set the field for some really bad neighbourhood skirmishes that, I suspect, you could do without. Even so, I think it will be extremely difficult to demonstrate he was the cause of the dent - unless there's absolute evidence, as a paint mark or so.

daRobot · 14-02-2014 5:50pm

If it's just a dent, and the paint isn't damaged, get a quote from a paintless dent removal company like autodent.ie and ask your neighbour if he's willing to pay it.

It shouldnt cost too much from how you've described it.

wonski · 14-02-2014 5:52pm

I have no major doubt you are right op, just a bit slow to follow up, that's all.
Slowing the whole process by a week might be very unfortunate to you. You have to be sure who was at fault - the sooner the better. You can't just show up a week after the incident and expect full cooperation. That's my take on the case. If i had hit someone's else door and he said ok, i would be on my way. Happened to me when someone reversed into me on the petrol station:eek: I gave him a lecture - had a little scuff on the front that was one of a many on the 13 years old car anyway - and sent him back to the car. If i came back to him a week after i wouldn't expect any result at all. My reg plate is still has a crack in the middle from his tow bar, but it passed NCT anyway. If it didn't - i would get the new one.
Approach the guy, ask if he did the damage - if he says no it is up to the insurers to get this sorted. Gardai may be involved at some stage.
Is there a CCTV installed? If there is then good. If not - not so good.

wonski · 14-02-2014 5:56pm

atwal wrote: »

H3llR4iser you are right I am late but believe me, my car is waiting for insurance so it is just parked. not being used.

If it is parked on the public road it has to be insured. As harsh as it sound it is a reality. Not being used makes no difference unfortunately.

slimjimmc · 14-02-2014 8:54pm

wonski wrote: »

If it is parked on the public road it has to be insured. As harsh as it sound it is a reality. Not being used makes no difference unfortunately.

Actually, it's when used (including parked) in a public place which opens it up to a much wider range of locations in addition to public roads.
http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1961/en/act/pub/0024/

But all that is irrelevant to the current issue at hand since the OP would be claiming against the other guy's policy.

You mentioned the other guy didn't mention the dent at the time but consider this, if the dent was so small that you didn't notice for a 2-3 days how would he notice it in the dark?

Isn't it even possible he was trying to say (in his very poor English) that he can't get in without touching your car, not that he actually touched it with such force to cause a dent?

The point I'm making is that you should have immediately checked if there was a dent and if his door lined up with the dent. Unless you get an admission you have no proof he even caused it.

OP, dents are not nice but they can be hard to avoid unless you can ensure no one ever parks near you.

Someone pressed door of my car while opening door of his car

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