Yeah, I'm pleased I wasn't standing there at the time!
I also believe that what goes around comes around which helps me out at times like this! ;-)
Blue
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Like the other Blue this can be done properly expensively or cheap and nasty
The proper way appears to be a new door skin, plus lower three quarter rear wheel arch repair section welded in. complete respray down the whole side of the car to convenient shut lines.
800 quid plus
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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Blue: someone, somewhere (maybe local to you) will be presenting their car to a repairer with the corresponding damage to (presumably) the offside of their car. What a shame if the word went round the trade ...
Oz (as was)
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Blue, go back to your mate's house where your car was parked and look for any bits that may have come off the other vehicle. Ask around to see if anyone saw or heard anything that might help you identify the culprit.
Many years ago, I was visiting a school in Rufford, it was winter and dark outside. My car was parked on the "wrong" side of the road, and when I returned to it the indicator light was flashing very fast. Never thought anything about it and I was going straight home after this visit. Put the car in garage and next morning when I got it out and got to the other side of the car I nearly died. My six month old car had been clobbered on the front wing and the head light glass and indicator were broken.
I returned to the scene and found pieces of glass from a rear light. It was Saturday and the school was shut, but I saw a local woman whom I knew, and she gave me some info which identified the woman who had done a three point turn and reversed into my car.
I got a result just by chance.
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Find yourself a well-regarded local independent bodyshop and get a quote, make sure they know it is NOT an insurance job - you'll be paying for it yourself. That's likely to be the cheapest you'll get a proper job done for, and you never know, it might not be as bad as we've guessed on here.
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Quite right, a decent body shop can surprise with the modesty of its demands... only because you're expecting Armageddon though.
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Bad luck Blue - hope it´s not too expensive.
My Barchetta is off to the bodyshop too next month after some toerag reversed into the boot in the supermarket carpark. Grrr.
With a bit of luck the dent doctor will be able to ping it out cheaply...
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I don't think you will get much change out of £1000 if the job's done properly.
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I'd have a chat with local established gareges, selling GOOD used cars & ask who they use for their repaints & body repairs.
You'll find there are plenty of bodyshops, which NEVER advertise, or look for work, but are kept busy with 'trade' work.
They'd be able to sort this without doorskins, I'd think. Plus payibg £$£$£ rather than a checque might make a difference, if you see what I mean!!
Certainly avoid main dealers (they'd more than likely send the work to someone else, anyway) & not consider the insurance type repairers - you'd be paying for the pretty receptionist, workshop manager & free coffe machine, within the neatly typed quote!!
& no, not insurance, with such a hefty excess & increase on next years premium!!
Also, not being 'funny' the tyre looks a bit low on tread, so worth looking at swapping with the spare - just in case!!
Guess you'r still 'up North, from looking at your profile, but if you ever spent any time around Luton, I'd put you in touch with a repairer that you'd be more than happy with the results!!
VB
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They'd be able to sort this without doorskins, I'd think.
>>
I recently went the rounds due Focus having similar damage having been swiped by a bus. Driver left a card. There were quite a few witnesses seated and viewing at the time.
Advice from a trusted site was do not go for re-skins if at all avoidable or you will get rust problems.
It is not a problem if you intend to sell it soon.
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Sorry to hear the news Blue, IIRC the car is quite new and quite new to you. Presumably in addition to the £400 excess you have got an NCD to protect. Perhaps look at it this way, write off the £400 excess then if it costs you another £400 to get it fixed mentally set this against the cost of the car, I guess you would have bought it if it had cost you another 400 quid? Take it to a good, ideally Ford approved, body shop, negotiate - it is your money not the insurers, get it back to as good as new and put it down to experience. You will have avoided increased premiums for a few years.
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Ref door skins:
Advice from an old school bodyshop guy who used to live opposite me. Poor quality repairers will replace door skins at the drop of a hat. Good quality ones will do everything they can to avoid it, because they never look right (in his opinion).
V
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My Focus was damaged in the rear. Rear bumper, new quarter panel, new hatchback door and glass - £2,300.
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I had a look down the street where it happened twice yesterday and there's no sign of the offending car, unfortunately it's not the type of area that I feel comfortable knocking on doors, if my friend hadn't lived there I wouldn't have dreamt of leaving my car there (and won't be again in the future!)
I've just had my first repair estimate and it's come in at a straight £1,000 cash from a large(ish) accident repair centre who will repair and not replace the original door skin, rear 1/4, and front wing, as well as machine polishing the entire car whilst it's in and providing me with a courtesy car (provided I arrange my own insurance cover)
They quoted labour times as follows:-
Front wing - 1 hour
Dorr - 4 hours
Rear 1/4 - 6 hours.
Which don't seem like unreasonable times to me, I felt quite comfortable with them as it happens, and the estimator assured me that the job would be perfect once finished (I think he could tell that I'm a bit of a perfectionist where bodywork is concerned, which is why I never touch it myself!)
Blue
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Sounds reasonable, how long would they need to have your car, perhaps a week - Mon to Fri, do you need the courtesy car? If not you could ask if they would do it for £900 without the car.
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I would struggle to survive for a week without a car to be honest mate, it's pretty much an integral part of my lifestyle, plus he came out with the quote of a grand before I asked for a courtesy car so I doubt he'd do it for much less.
Having said that it's an interesting idea, I suppose I could ask my gran if she doesn't mind lending me her Focus for the week, doesn't hurt to ask maybe, I've still got to wait for another quote or two though...
Blue
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The actual 'cost' of a courtesy car, is tiny, as little as £20/week, or less, if you run enough of them.
Vauxhall offer Corsas on a scheme, that would allow the smallest, independent repairer, offer them, for little outlay.
So guess you'll not save much.
Good to see that they'll repair as much as they can, rather than new panels. The polish of the rest of the car, is more a matter of corse, to make sure everything blends in & you''ve no tell tale signs of new paint.
Sounds like they're intending a 'proper' job.
VB
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