Short story, minimal damage, but please read and bare with me:

I stayed with my girl last night and I came out this morning to see a dime-sized dent and green paint mark on my white 964. The scrape/dent is right in the middle of the rear fender, about 8" back from the door latch.

I look next to my car, and of course there's a green Dodge Dakota truck right there... WITH white paint on the edge of the green door, AND it's at the same height as the green scrape/dent on my rear fender.

I went back inside my girl's place steaming mad, of course. When I came back out about 10 minutes later, the truck was gone. This guy definitely lives there though so it's not like he's a visitor.

Unfortunately, kicking this guy's *** is not an option even though I think it would be fun and I'd definitely feel better afterwards. So at this point (right now), I'm obviously mad as hell but I still want to make the "right choice" as to how to handle this.

I want to go back there, knock on his damn door, take him out to the car, rub his nose in the dent and make his sorry *** pay for it, but obviously that may not work out exactly as planned. Of course he'll deny that he did it. EVEN THOUGH HE KNOWS HE DID IT, AND HE KNOWS I KNOW HE DID IT.

What are my options Rennlisters? How do I handle this??? I don't want to pay for this because I don't feel that I should have to. He OBVIOUSLY hit my 964 with his door.

Also, I know it's "just a dent" (not the end of the world), but that dent and scrape is four hundred dollars to fix at least. This guy might as well just pickpocketed me for $400 the way i look at it!!!

-Harry

 

Life is too short to spend time on a confrontation with a jerk. You also risk finding a crazy person that pulls a knife or a gun. Sure you get to call the law, but what do you want to do with your time?

Calm down, touch up the paint, and park somewhere else next time.

 

Do you reckon he will deny when confronted with the damage? Even if he manages to remove the white paint it will be obvious that he caused the damage. Perhaps he didn't even notice. In any case you have to give him the advantage of doubt when you approach him, stay calm and explain what happened, there's a (remote) chance that he will recognise the facts straightaway. It's a good thing that you will have the opportunity to calm down before facing the Dakota guy, although very tempting it's never a good thing to walk up to somebody with steam coming out of your ears.
Good luck Harry and keep us posted.

 

I agree with not being confrontational..that will never help. But I dont see why you wouldn't go knock on the door and politely ask the guy for his insurance details.

Not to bother even asking does not make any sense to me. I would go, knock on the door witrh a friendly smile and ask the guy to come look.

Also, try to get pictures of the truck door with paint on prior.
Good luck and keep us posted.

 

If it really is on your rear bumper pieces, then it will be costly, ~$2K, because the bumpers can not be repaired at all. They must be replaced. I would take pictures of his car , your car, etc., file a police report with the information, have them come out to look at it to confirm your details, then politely show him that he nicked your car or maybe a passenger of his did it and you want to get it fixed and so you need his insurance information.

 

Had that happen once at a restraurant. Guy in a chevy truck parks next to my car and swings the door open hard, so hard it bounces off my car door. I see him get out look at his truck and my car. close the door and walk away. I came out and called him back. He said he didn't do it. So I called the rentacop who also saw it and my wife. Rentacop called for the real cops when this guy tries to bolt. Rentacop had parked his cart behind his truck. So a tussle ensues and guy is arrested by real cops. My car ended up with a major dent that was paid for by my insurance.
Still fighting over a dent is just not worth it. Esp when your gf lives next door. Too much to lose.

 

At least bring it to his attention and let him know that this wil cost about $1000 to fix. His insurance will cover it although he will probably be relunctant to use them. If he is a yahoo then he will key the car down the road if you push him, if he has any integrity, he will work it out with you. You could always tell him you just got out of prison for involuntary manslaughter and really don't want to go back again. In any case, side door dents from idiots who don't give a damn really suck.

 

File a police report so that you can go after his insurance AND YOU are not stuck paying for somebody elses negligence.

 

i am childish, really.
i take a bat and go dent something..... you know, it' might be green...

 

I say take a picture first, then go ask him nicely. If he doesn't want to play ball, you have the proof and you can go to your insurance company with it. No big deal, if he won't work with you your insurance company, his insurance company, and the police will make him.
Brian

 

Mooty....I'm with you! But I think I'd probably be inclined to go back late at night and let the air out of all 4 of his tires and take the plugs out so he can't refill them!! That'll teach the SOB! I swear some people purposely ding the car beside them...especially if it's a nice car.

 

Attempt to get him to pay. If that fails, spend the money to fix it and put it behind you. He hurt you. Every time you look at that ding and every time you think about it he hurts you again. Nip that in the bud.

We all get somewhere around 30,000 days; if we're lucky. How many are you going to concede to that Neanderthal?

 

Really??

 

Either way, If I were you, I'd get it fixed ASAP whether the jerk pays for it or not. It'll eat away at you every time you see it. I received one on my passenger side door 2 weeks after I bought my p-car early last Fall....and it really bugs the hell outta me every time I look at it. As soon as I get my 964 back on the road in a month or so, I'm going to take it in to see if they can roll the dent out.

 

Take pictures of your car ... with dent and green paint .. take pictures of his door with white paint .. call cops ... exchange insurance info ... and be done with it. Get money ... call paintless dent repair and be done with it. Simple as that.