Car passanger opened my door into adjacent car - Help!

Yucca · 21 Jan 2017 at 17:37

Evening all,

Would appreciate some advice. My friend (the driver) parked up at work and her friend (passenger) opened her car door and hit the adjacent car door leaving a dent.

It was a windy day and the passenger was caught of guard.

My friend, the driver, did the honourable thing and told the other car owner what had happened and asked her to obtain a quote for her to consider paying directly rather than going through insurance.

The quote has come back and is much more than expected, £1200 odd. My friend the driver, is obviously upset and worried. She has asked me for my advice and I am unsure what to say.

Who is responsible here? Surly my friends passenger and not the driver? And why would it go though the drivers car insurance? Is this not a case of the other car owner issuing a civil claim against the person who has caused the damage - i.e. my friends passenger?

Note: My friend doesn't really want the bill to fall on her passenger who is struggling for money. Not that I agree with this....! :eek:

Efour · 21 Jan 2017 at 17:40

is she fit?

yes - gets off free with a potential "thanks" pity shag.
no - Dont care

Sankari · 21 Jan 2017 at 17:43

CREATIVE!11 · 21 Jan 2017 at 17:44

1200 for a dent? LUL

What was it... a lambo?

Moley · 21 Jan 2017 at 17:44

Your friend tried to keep it cheap by not going through insurance, now the bill is too high they need to go through the right channels. That's what insurance is for.

Yucca · 21 Jan 2017 at 17:45

Moley said:
Your friend tried to keep it cheap by not going through insurance, now the bill is too high they need to go through the right channels. That's what insurance is for.

Is the driver liable for the passenger opening the car door into an adjacent car?

CREATIVE!11 said:
1200 for a dent? LUL

What was it... a lambo?

Its a mini cooper. The owner has obtained a quote from mini and thats what they've quoted.

Seemed expensive to me also. It may include respraying that one panel if the paint has been damaged I guess. But yes, still seems high.

Nasher · 21 Jan 2017 at 17:47

That is insane for a dent repair. You could buy a new door for less than that. Is the paint work damaged? If not a paintless dent repair guy will probably charge about £100 to knock it out and you wouldn't be able to tell it's been damaged.

But if they took it to the dealer they will want to get the whole panel repainted, plus a big markup for themselves. Whenever I've taken damage like this to a bodyshop directly it's been £300 at most including painting :/

Moley · 21 Jan 2017 at 17:47

Yucca said:
Is the driver liable for the passenger opening the car door into an adjacent car?

Technically yes. What does your friend care about more - friendship or money?

Yucca · 21 Jan 2017 at 17:53

Moley said:
Technically yes. What does your friend care about more - friendship or money?

If the driver is liable either way then its a moot point right.

Diagro · 21 Jan 2017 at 18:04

It's too much..
Should be no more than £250 to tag weld a massive dent out, skim and repaint

Yucca · 21 Jan 2017 at 18:05

I agree with everyone its too much. But if my friend was to pay for the damage then she can't really negotiate. She will simply have to pay the quoted price.

Blackjack Davy · 21 Jan 2017 at 18:08

Yucca said:
My friend, the driver, did the honourable thing and told the other car owner what had happened and asked her to obtain a quote for her to consider paying directly rather than going through insurance.

And how much is the yearly insurance premium?

Stop being daft and get in touch with the insurance and get them to to sort it out get an assessor out, etc.

When they heard her/you were going to cover the cost yourselves they must have been laughing so hard.

*Psst... get this sorted will you? £200 for the repair for you and a grand to pocket for me!"

norm · 21 Jan 2017 at 18:10

People take the Michael honestly. Somebody has the decency to own up to damaging your car, and they pull out the most expensive quote they can find, with the intention of pocketing the money no doubt.

Just use your insurance, it'll hit the other person on their premiums now.

Rroff · 21 Jan 2017 at 18:14

norm said:
People take the Michael honestly. Somebody has the decency to own up to damaging your car, and they pull out the most expensive quote they can find, with the intention of pocketing the money no doubt.

Just use your insurance, it'll hit the other person on their premiums now.

This - accidents happen. Go through insurance.

Proper scummy people who try to take advantage of an accident like that.

Burned_Alive · 21 Jan 2017 at 18:15

Some of the figures quoted here are hilarious. For that price you'd assume it needs a respray and they're probably blending into the wings, which will then need clear coating over the whole panel. So almost respraying the entire side of the car, plus main dealer prices and there you go. You'll also get a 2 year warranty and proper dealer service with that. So it's really not that crazy at all.

Suck it up and go through insurance.

tom_e · 21 Jan 2017 at 18:15

I don't see the issue with the quote. The victim is well within their rights to get it sorted wherever they want to the standard they want. There's no reason they should have to hunt down a "cheap" fix just to save someone else money.

Don't want to pay out then put it through insurance, simple.

Finglonga · 21 Jan 2017 at 18:19

Why are people saying it is too much to repair a dent? They have not seen the extent of the damage, it could need a new door skin if it has hit a place where the dent will be impossible to get back as new. With BMW extortionate labour it sounds like a basic job at just £1200 if they went for a quote from a dealer.

OP they need to go through the insurance as it was the owners car that caused the damage and your friend should arrange a way to get the money reimbursed. It will teach them to be more careful when opening a door next to a parked car.

Burned_Alive · 21 Jan 2017 at 18:22

Not to mention, if the car is relatively new then any paint work needs to be done by BMW to maintain the paintwork warranty.

Arthur Hucksake · 21 Jan 2017 at 18:33

Never give people a lift. If anything ever goes wrong, you get lumbered with it.

What I keep trying to tell the non-driving morons at work who are too lazy to learn and rather spend the money down the pub.

Rroff · 21 Jan 2017 at 18:36

tom_e said:
I don't see the issue with the quote. The victim is well within their rights to get it sorted wherever they want to the standard they want. There's no reason they should have to hunt down a "cheap" fix just to save someone else money.

Don't want to pay out then put it through insurance, simple.

Think of the bigger picture though - if people know they are likely to be expected to pay a reasonable cost they are more likely to own up and pay for damage - I'm not saying do it cheap but people just loading on the cost "they did it they can pay for it", etc. is just scummy taking advantage of someone else's misfortune and makes people less likely to own upto damage in the first place.