Mean Green Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 I have had a very slight prang in which I reversed my car into another car. My car is not damaged but I caught the rear passenger door of the other car. The car I damaged belonged to a friend and we were looking at the options of fixing it without going through the insurance. I spoke to a coach builder that I know well who said the job was a straightforward fix and would cost about £250. However, my friend got advice from "someone" who has said it def needs a new door and there is no way it can be fixed. She is now adamant that she wants a new door - this is likely to cost best part of 750-1k. Right now I just don't have that kind of money lying around - so at what point is it worth going to insurance? I have 2 policies in my name plus named on at least 2 other - i assume these will all increase with a claim. I do have protected NCB -but I assume this will not stop the premium increase. I have never had to claim and am not sure of the process. Thanks (sorry if this is deemed off topic - but if it does not go my way I may need to sell my Land Rover!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stretch121 Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 i would find out who gave her the info about a new door first, they may not really be that clued up, whereas your coach builder friend may have a lot more experiance may be worth getting her to speak to your friend. A door should be pretty easy fix to be honest unless you were doing 30 lol Sure someone will be along with better advice soon I feel for ya mate, i was hit on the front off side in december while in the shop and the other driver just drove off i had no option but to claim on my cover im just glad i was fully comp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillis Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 have you got a picture of the door?, http://www.chipsaway.co.uk/ they do minor dents, and spraying, i have used them in the past and are very good.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mean Green Posted September 3, 2011 Author Share Posted September 3, 2011 Cheers stretch The advice came from another coach works - one of those places with spotless premises and glitzy office. Whereas my guy looks more like a back street place- but he is an old school panel beater and coach builder whose work is excellent and highly regarded. She has spoken to my guy but has "reservations" I am just trying to determine how much my policy is likely to increase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricky tango Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 tell her to go with what you are supplying then if it is not up to scratch afterwards you'll have to replace it and paint it , at the end of the day its a removable panel so it has no effect on the car to do it then replace it and re do it later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maxxed_Ross Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 do to a breakers and get a second hand door, then paint it the right colour A door shouldn't be any more than £50 from a decent breakers And on the quotes, there might be a reason why the place that is quoting highly has a nice clean glitzy workshop.... astrinomical prices that insurance companies won't argue with Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrfarmer Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 i'd go down the second hand door route and get it sprayed the right color i made a claim 3years ago i had P.N.C my premium didn't go up at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 might be worth letting your insurers known, just for info & make it clear you are not making a claim, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axlechorus Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 Another potential question is how much is your friends car worth? If it is old enough to be getting a cheap door from a breakers then the Insurance company may well call it a total loss. They are getting more aggressive on this due to the high cost of repairs and also the associated admin & courtesy car costs of getting a car repaired. Regards Ryck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmerfred Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 Look at your own insurance policy, the part that tells you what your no claims bonus wording says. If you are covered fully comprehensive and have protected ncb then if your 'friend' makes a claim against you then you will loose nothing, your insurance company will pay for the repair. It's what's on your 'friends' policy that will make the difference and they will dictate how she should procede with a claim. She may have to pay the first so much money if she has an agreed excess, say the first £100, her insurance company will probably have their own 'approved' repaiers to which the car will go for repair and her insurance company will asses the damage according to their own assesor which they will send to inspect the car. Like I say, if you have a fully comprehensive policy with protected no claims bonus then let her persue a claim from your company, they will also send you a claim form in order for you to tell them your side of the 'accident'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Bean Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 In my opinion these are the best options. 1. Find a second hand door the same colour and fit. Cost £50 - £100 2. Find a second hand door any colour then repaint it. Cost £250 - £300 3. Supply a new door and paint as appropriate. Cost £500 - £750 Tell the insurance company nothing as it is an excuse to rob you next year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edessex Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 As said, a lot depends on what car she has. If the repairs were quoted at an authorised insurance repairers at about £1,000, then if her car is only worth £2,000 (and they DO go mainly by auto-trader and eBay!), then the car would be classed as a write-off, as it's uneconomical to repair. If she is not used to insurers, and doesn't ask about buying the car back for a nominal figure, she will be left with the eBay value of her car in cheque form, and no car. Meaning hassle of car-hunting. This can be a good point for your to persuade her to let you do it your way. On the other hand, if you regard friendship as being important, you might just want to let her deal with it via insurance. As you have protected NCB, and I'm assuming no previous claims, and if you are over 25, I doubt you would see much of an increase in next year's insurance premiums. You might be best getting a quote from a third coachworks... then if it come sout cheap to can say her one is a rip-off. I tell the coachbuilder I want mine written off... Always get a higher quote then, as the insurer's will definitely write it off. Is she likely to be doing the same? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Range Rover Blues Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 My Micra went into an approved repairers when it was nealry new. All I can say is Stevie Wonder is alive and well and working for just car clinic! Many "body centres" will want to fit new panels and chuck some paint on because it's the easiest option, they are the ones paying for it after all. The best repairs I've seen were at a resoration company, the place looked a tip but you could see your face in the paintwork and I've known them repairs cars you can't buy new panels for. BTW, the law requires that the car is fixed by the most economicsal means, if she chooses to go for a more expensive option than the one you have offered make sure your insurance know that, they may choose not to pay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smego Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 Get yours fixed and then sting her alone for a bit saying you will get it fixed, clean any of your paint of her asap while she is parked up, then just don't mention it again , in a few weeks (month) when she makes a fuss again just pleed inocents that you don't know what she is talking about and watch her trying to explain to her insurance why she didn't claim straght away and watch her try and prove you did it ;-p She sounds like the type of freind you could loose! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mean Green Posted September 4, 2011 Author Share Posted September 4, 2011 Thanks guys. You have all echoed many of my thoughts. RRB - interesting thought on lost economical means of repair need to think further about that. I thought the friendship was worth more but alas not - I think it is the idea that I am trying to get a shoddy job or el cheapo fix done that hurts most. It is all down to trust and it is clear I am not trusted to get it done properly. The guy I use is highly regarded in the car modding and classic restoring world locally and his work is 1st class. Thanks for the responses Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gummikuh Posted September 5, 2011 Share Posted September 5, 2011 Hi Same sort of thing happened to me, I reversed over a daewoo matiz that stopped really close to my bottom after I had indicated to reverse into a parking space, and TBH I never noticed what with the kids in the car talking. I did feel a slight resistance as the NATO hitch ploughed a lovely furrow up to her windscreen. She went mad, I just said I would sort it out, and exchanged details. I managed to get a bonnet off e-bay in the same colour for £30 so I thought I got away lightly, only for the couriers to turn it into a 50p coin. So I took all the dents out myself and got a mate to spray it. cost me just the paint. However in the meantime she phoned me to say her car will now no longer start and had left her stranded at work, I thought maybe I'd squashed the bonnet onto the battery, as after the bump, I did not want to open the bonnet as there would be no way it would close again. I had to go over to her work with a big pry bar, jump pack and a load of zip ties! only to discover she had left the interior light on. This happened twice, but on the second time my mate came with me for a laugh and we all got talking about the many other dents on her car, in the end she agreed to have them all fixed as a cash job, and seeing as we had the right paint, a days work banging and filling and another painting, we in the end made a profit, albeit not much! She was really happy in the end, and now keeps ringing whenever her mates need car work doing, which can be a bit of a pain. Really try and talk her into fixing it yourself, get a secondhand door, (find a part)? strip it yourself, back to the bare shell, repair any damage and get the paint code, and then try to find a friendly bodyshop who will do a cash job, in the lunch hour. Arrange to fit up door at a later date, ask for a mates help as you don't want to drop the door. take your time and be methodical it really is not difficult, be careful with fresh soft paint though. Best of luck, don't let these swish body shops profit, they take all the insurance work and leave the little guys scratching for work. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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