Bumped into car backing up. Need advice.
04-12-18, 10:51 AM
#1
Rookie
Thread Starter
Bumped into car backing up. Need advice.
I was on a hill and put car into reverse instead of drive. Slammed brakes but still bumped into car behind me. Lucky for me I was driving my piece of crap van that I don't care much about and not my Lexus but I roughed up the other car a little bit. If the people contact me (left a note & took pics) and want compensation I would like to pay out of pocket and not insurance if possible as I have a perfect record and would like to keep it that way. The damage was two scuffs to the front bumper and seems pretty minor but I have never been in any accidents and don't have much experience with this sort of thing. Can this simply be touched up or will the car need a whole new front bumper (it seems sometimes body shops will say this even though it is not necessary)? I'm willing to pay but I don't want to pay for more than I reasonably have to. If people with experience with this could give me some advice I would be very appreciative! The car is an Acura TSX 2011 or similar (I think).
I will post pics below.
I will post pics below.
Last edited by AndaleFish; 04-12-18 at 11:02 AM.
04-12-18, 10:55 AM
#3
Lexus Fanatic
How the repair is done will be up to the owner of the car you hit. If you don't agree with how they want it done then they will simply get insurance involved. You are at their mercy.
04-12-18, 11:13 AM
#5
Rookie
Thread Starter
Thanks.
04-12-18, 11:15 AM
#6
Rookie
Thread Starter
Yeah, unfortunately, if you wish to keep it away from insurance, you'll just need to ask the other party if they will accept you paying for the damage. If yes, then they will go to their chosen repair shop to get an estimate and if the amount is agreeable, you move forward from there. It gets complicated by the fact that you don't know yet how reasonable the other party will be. Just be friendly and honest (sounds like you already have been) and tell them what happened and that you're willing to pay a reasonable amount to have it fixed without them going though insurance. Depending on their reply, take it from there. Good luck.
04-12-18, 11:32 AM
#7
Rookie
Thread Starter
Hopefully - the paint damage in the first pic looks like it might be touch-up-able (although, upon further review it looks like it might be slightly gouged), but the deformation shown in your second pic could prove more complicated - just depends on how picky the other party chooses to be.
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04-12-18, 11:45 AM
#8
Rookie
Thread Starter
Also, I am reading on other forums and people say to contact insurance immediately to inform them what has happened and that it will not affect my driving record at this point. Is this true?
04-12-18, 12:12 PM
#9
Lexus Fanatic
You're a pretty admirable and old-fashioned person, to leave a note. Hats off to you and I wish we had more folks like you around.
My wife got a 18" black scrape down her 1/4 panel and this was at a pre-school, to put things in perspective.
The damage is so minor, if it were me, I'd call you up and say exactly what I said on the first line, and call it a day. I was at a warehouse club and this woman reverses right into me at maybe 7 mph. She gets out and looks at her Honda, then tells me everything is ok, no damages (she didn't look at my car). I just controlled my temper and said wth am I going to do. And lucky it was my 1998 Maxima.
My wife got a 18" black scrape down her 1/4 panel and this was at a pre-school, to put things in perspective.
The damage is so minor, if it were me, I'd call you up and say exactly what I said on the first line, and call it a day. I was at a warehouse club and this woman reverses right into me at maybe 7 mph. She gets out and looks at her Honda, then tells me everything is ok, no damages (she didn't look at my car). I just controlled my temper and said wth am I going to do. And lucky it was my 1998 Maxima.
04-12-18, 12:16 PM
#10
Lexus Fanatic
In CA, your driving record is affected (points assigned) when you are convicted of a traffic infraction (see here). So your driving record will most likely be fine, but when you inform insurance (file a claim), they will record the claim and that could impact your rates and any discounts you may currently be receiving.
04-12-18, 12:28 PM
#11
Lexus Champion
I bumped into someone before and told them to get a few estimates and I'd pay them directly - they took a picture of my drivers lic for my address and I later sent them a check.
I bumped into someone in a parking lot going <1mph and tried to do the same thing until they started claiming their neck was sore - I told them to contact my insurance co.
I bumped into someone in a parking lot going <1mph and tried to do the same thing until they started claiming their neck was sore - I told them to contact my insurance co.
04-12-18, 12:38 PM
#12
Lexus Champion
I do not have advice but would caution you. This has happened to both my wife and my niece.
If you are not lucky, the other driver may take advantage to get major (read expensive) work done, like getting the whole bumper replaced, all on your dime.
If you are not lucky, the other driver may take advantage to get major (read expensive) work done, like getting the whole bumper replaced, all on your dime.
04-12-18, 01:22 PM
#14
Rookie
Thread Starter
04-12-18, 02:44 PM
#15
Lexus Fanatic
A good scratch-remover (I personally like Scratch-Out, and it is only a few dollars per bottle) will take out any discoloration, scuffs, and surface paint problems and maybe, depending on the amount of paint-damage and how deep it is, make it look at least a little better. But if the damage is too deep into the paint, or all the way through the paint, the only effective way to get it all out is at a body-shop.