Disaster

[DaveC52]

Exactly 4 weeks and 1 day since purchasing my new Merc I am sitting in the doctors car park on the phone after picking up my mothers prescription when BANG a Toyota Aygo has reversed into the back of my car not even bothering to stop, the driver speeds off well if you call around 10mph speeding off I am fuming I don't even bother to get out and look at the damage I go into Bullitt mode even though Staffordshire Moorlands is a far cry from the streets of San Fransisco it doesnt take me long to catch this inconsiderate driver up I am behind him flashing my lights for him to stop does he, no he carries on at the neck breaking speed of 20mph no chance of a flying car scene on this edge of the seat car chase. Eventually he pulls into his drive and I alight and approach him, his son gets out of the car and he can't be a day under 70 I watch as his father alights at a leisurely pace and totters towards us, on broaching the subject asking them why they didn't stop after hitting my car as we walked around the back of my car where I was expecting at least a cracked and mangled bit of plastic which probably costs a fortune to replace just a minor scuff normally I would have been a bit more sympathetic but driving off and their attitude that they didnt know they had reversed into me soon made any sympathy disappear (the incident has been recorded on the doctors CCTV so there is no word of theirs against mine). Now he wants to pay cash rather than put it through the insurance company. I know a great bodyshop in the potteries who do an excellent job at very reasonable prices do I lower myself to their standards and take it to the Mercedes main dealer and get a quote off them and present that to them and pocket the difference normally I wouldn't.

 

[Blobcat]

I'd take it to your bodyshop and get them to bill the individual directly. I wouldn't be looking to make money out of an accident it's not the right thing to do. Yes, the old gent drove off, he might not have realised fully what he did but he's doing the decent thing now.

Also, if this is a disaster to you then you've lead a very fortunate life

 

[Tony Dyson]

... normally I wouldn't.

Hmmm Dilemma...

My Father in his final Years suffered several minor accidents that he was directly responsible for and settled the damages in cash on every occasion, it was pride that drove this, I only found out about it from my old neighbours at a later Date, As long as you're happy with the end result is all that really matters.

 

[DaveC52]

I'd take it to your bodyshop and get them to bill the individual directly. I wouldn't be looking to make money out of an accident it's not the right thing to do. Yes, the old gent drove off, he might not have realised fully what he did but he's doing the decent thing now.

Also, if this is a disaster to you then you've lead a very fortunate life

Believe me he knew exactly what he had done, so did his son his very words of "I didn't get away with that" and that was after the doctors confirmed they had it on CCTV so he has begrudgingly admitted liabilty and like I say I wouldn't normally do that, as for profitting out of an accident too many do and that is one reason why insurance prices are high.

As for leading a fortunate life I probably do, though when you have searched high and low for a car and found one has spent most of it's life as a static exhibition in someones garage, therefore very low mileage and the body work is blemish free for someone to damage it then I count that as a disaster even if it is a minor one.

 

[RhodieBill]

I'm with Blobcat reference getting it fixed....

 

[DaveC52]

Hmmm Dilemma...

My Father in his final Years suffered several minor accidents that he was directly responsible for and settled the damages in cash on every occasion, it was pride that drove this, I only found out about it from my old neighbours at a later Date, As long as you're happy with the end result is all that really matters.

I know my mother was in her late eighties after several minor accidents all her fault we had to convince her stop driving before she did some serious damage either to herself or someone else, a hard task to tell someone that their driving days are over none of us want to say goodbye to driving but there must come a time even for us.

 

[CJD]

It's a tough one, especially with elder drivers - as they probably know their shortcomings with driving at that age.
But they will see driving as a way of keeping their independence, and as way to get out of the house more regularly.
If they loose that ability, it can often have very sad unforeseen circumstances.

I fully appreciate how you feel - especially as he tried to get away with it, by doing a runner, which is a thoroughly despicable thing to do what ever age you are, and he really should have known better.

If it was me I would get a quote from your trusted bodyshop, give this to the offender and get the cash upfront before the repairs are completed.

Hope it all works out for you, whichever route you take.

 

[umblecumbuz]

I would do it a little differently.
First, I would get a written quote , then I would take the quote to the old boy and get the cash from him.
Only after that would I get the job done.

Whatever the culprit might say now, he might balk at paying when the job has been done and the bill lands on his doorstep.
Where would that leave you?

 

[LostKiwi]

I'd take it to your bodyshop and get them to bill the individual directly. I wouldn't be looking to make money out of an accident it's not the right thing to do. Yes, the old gent drove off, he might not have realised fully what he did but he's doing the decent thing now.

Also, if this is a disaster to you then you've lead a very fortunate life

This.

 

[John Laidlaw]

^+2 not the worst disaster

 

[McDonald]

I'd take it to your bodyshop and get them to bill the individual directly. I wouldn't be looking to make money out of an accident it's not the right thing to do. Yes, the old gent drove off, he might not have realised fully what he did but he's doing the decent thing now.

Also, if this is a disaster to you then you've lead a very fortunate life

Do the decent thing, even if the other driver didn't. Its good for your soul. Even successfully ripping someone off doesn't feel good in the long run. You probably don't need the money enough to take it from an old guy.

 

[flowrider]

................I know a great bodyshop in the potteries who do an excellent job at very reasonable prices do I lower myself to their standards and take it to the Mercedes main dealer and get a quote off them and present that to them and pocket the difference normally I wouldn't.

You could do that if you are happy to commit fraud just to get one over the other driver.

 

[Jim2]

You could do that if you are happy to commit fraud just to get one over the other driver.

Fraud? Not really...if you have a shunt like this...then you are fully entitled to take it to your local MB dealership to have it restored to pre-crash condition...MB standard. So at a future date if you are trading it in / selling it, you can truthfully say, Yes it got hit, but was repaired by MB.
The other option, getting it repaired for a lower price in a non MB workshop, and pocketing the differance, while it may sound like "Sharp Practice", bear in mind that it could cost you when you trade in/ sell, and have to say, Yes, It got hit, but it was repaired in xxxy Bodyshop.
The question here, is not the competancy of the bodyshop ( it's quite possible that the independant Bodyshop is doing all the bodywork for not only the local MB dealership, but other dealerships too !! ) With MB taking credit ( and cash ) for it...for just basically just handling the paperwork . None the less, personally, if its' only minor damage, I would get the quote from the independant Bodyshop, present it to guy who hit you, and after he pays up, get in done acording to the quote.

 

[EmilysDad]

Fraud? Not really...if you have a shunt like this...then you are fully entitled to take it to your local MB dealership to have it restored to pre-crash condition...MB standard. So at a future date if you are trading it in / selling it, you can truthfully say, Yes it got hit, but was repaired by MB.
The other option, getting it repaired for a lower price in a non MB workshop, and pocketing the differance, while it may sound like "Sharp Practice", bear in mind that it could cost you when you trade in/ sell, and have to say, Yes, It got hit, but it was repaired in xxxy Bodyshop.
The question here, is not the competancy of the bodyshop ( it's quite possible that the independant Bodyshop is doing all the bodywork for not only the local MB dealership, but other dealerships too !! ) With MB taking credit ( and cash ) for it...for just basically just handling the paperwork . None the less, personally, if its' only minor damage, I would get the quote from the independant Bodyshop, present it to guy who hit you, and after he pays up, get in done acording to the quote.

MB repaired my R Class after both passenger doors were stoved in while in their care ..... their repair looked like an apprentice had done it with rattle cans .... it was appalling.

 

[Jim2]

I'd take it to your bodyshop and get them to bill the individual directly. I wouldn't be looking to make money out of an accident it's not the right thing to do. Yes, the old gent drove off, he might not have realised fully what he did but he's doing the decent thing now.

Also, if this is a disaster to you then you've lead a very fortunate life

Ah, come on Blobcat..Brand new Mercedes. just after getting it....and some one shunt's into the back of it.... and then drives off ??? I would be seriously ****ed off !!!. On the other side of the coin...if this is indeed, the worst he has experienced in his Life...Good Luck to him !!! There is ( unfortunately ) enough bad experiences in life to more than go around for everyone. I would be very happy to be able to say that an incident like this was " the worst thing in my Life " to happen.

 

[mercmancdi]

You could always take it to the workshop you know and trust and add a small fee , say price of a cheap hire car for couple of days
while yours is getting repaired.

 

[Jim2]

MB repaired my R Class after both passenger doors were stoved in while in their care ..... their repair looked like an apprentice had done it with rattle cans .... it was appalling.

Yes Emily'sDad...and this was (supposedly ) top class MB repair. Most main dealer's in my experience, dont have their own dedicated panel shop on their premises...not enough work to justify it, so they use " Approved MB Specialist Workshop ", but unfortunately,,, some of these places leave a lot to be desired where quality work is concerned. And you were one of the unlucky ones to experience this 1st hand. You complained, I expect? ( though how the MB workshop supervisor could hand it back to you in that condition...I dont know )

 

[Jim2]

You could always take it to the workshop you know and trust and add a small fee , say price of a cheap hire car for couple of days
while yours is getting repaired.

The thing is, you are entitled to car hire ( and similar car ) for the duration of the repair, and depreciation in a case like this.....so its up to the individual if he /she wants to claim it or not. Normally, if I remember rightly, depreciation worked out at 10% of the damage estimate.

 

[EmilysDad]

Yes Emily'sDad...and this was (supposedly ) top class MB repair. Most main dealer's in my experience, dont have their own dedicated panel shop on their premises...not enough work to justify it, so they use " Approved MB Specialist Workshop ", but unfortunately,,, some of these places leave a lot to be desired where quality work is concerned. And you were one of the unlucky ones to experience this 1st hand. You complained, I expect? ( though how the MB workshop supervisor could hand it back to you in that condition...I dont know )

Yes I complained, though not at the time. They delivered my car to my house after they'd made numerous attempts to sort a leaky airbag, I lived with repair for a while & then decided I couldn't live with it & contacted MB customer services over another matter & mentioned my crappy repair. The local dealer then contacted me & replaced the doors (presumably with used ???)

 

[Jim2]

Yes I complained, though not at the time. They delivered my car to my house after they'd made numerous attempts to sort a leaky airbag, I lived with repair for a while & then decided I couldn't live with it & contacted MB customer services over another matter & mentioned my crappy repair. The local dealer then contacted me & replaced the doors (presumably with used ???)

Well at least you got some satisfaction from it.. Was the original repair due to damage, or just paint work? And was your main complaint about the paint ( rattle can) finish on the doors?