Is It Dent Reveal Time? Sigh. It Is Dent Reveal Time.

"Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available" (whoistheleader2)
08/04/2020 at 21:57 • Filed to: Body Shop, Car Accidents, trees

Last week, a family member of mine who shall go unnamed scraped my car on the TREE OF DOOOOM in our driveway. It is an understandable mistake, but curious given she is used to driving a much wider car and managed to stray too far right at a pinch point caused by an intrusive overgrown pecan tree.

This tree has claimed many many victims, especially in the days before backup cameras. If you are unfamiliar with the house, you could easily follow the line of the pavement in your mirror while backing. The driveway gets oddly wider after this point, further confusing the situation.

But this was pulling into the drive, not out.

Anyways, she rubbed up against the protruding root and dented the rocker and door as well as deeply gouging the paint down to the primer.

Naturally, I got three quotes from different sizes of repair shops. The large one was very expensive. $1,800 for this one area.

The medium sized repair shop quoted me $1,200. Less, but still a lot considering she hasn’t had a job very long.

The just-the-right-size smallish indie shop that isn’t a fly-by-night operation quotes me $930. They have been in business nearly 40 years but run a pretty lean operation, so I trust them. And their employees were friendly.

So here’s the rub; do I get a younger sibling to cough up the first $900 of her paychecks (she really makes bank though for what she does) for repairing relatively unnoticeable collision damage? Yes.

But here’s where it gets complicated. I didn’t want to reveal this quite yet, but my faithful Chevy Cruze is not going to be mine any longer by the end of the year. My parents are going to buy it off me this winter when the funds are available for a very generous sum as a graduation present and give it to her.

Edit: I pretty much feel like a jerk for even bringing this up. I should just let bygon es be bygones for such minor cosmetic flaws in a car that is about to be hers.

DISCUSSION (21)

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
08/04/2020 at 22:28

Why is insurance not an option

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
08/04/2020 at 22:53

I’d buff it out as best as you can, and let her/your parents worry about the costs of repair. If it won’t be yours for much longer, then it comes off as a bit vindictive to force them to pay for the repair right this moment, given how your ownership of the car is coming to a well compensated end.

Kinda sucks, but it might cause more grief than its worth in the family if you insist on someone paying for cosmetic repair for a car that is being bought off of you. Also if the car is on your parents insurance and if they are “buying” it, I’d run it by them if insurance is an option. “Vanishing deductibles” are a thing so assuming your family doesn’t regularly wreck cars, it might be a much cheaper option, especially if they’re going to buy it anyways and keep it in the family.

CompactLuxuryFan > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
08/04/2020 at 23:03

Definitely don’t get it repaired. It’s practically hers at this point already. Get used to her doing what she will with it. Only exception would be if damage she causes will make your parents give you less for it when the time comes. In that case repair and discontinue allowing her to drive it.

This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja: > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
08/04/2020 at 23:05

Just buff it out and forget about it. It’s a Chevy Cruz e, you’re getting rid of it anyway, and it’s so low it will probably be nearly unnoticeable unless you’re looking for it. Maybe tell her not to worry too much about it, but she can do something nice for you to make up for it.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
08/04/2020 at 23:09

One of the most valuable lessons I learned in high school was to take responsibility for my actions and pay for my mistakes. I wrecked a friend’s motorcycle and had to get a job to pay for the repairs. After paying for the repairs, I kept the job for gas, spending money, and to help cover my insurance.

Speaking of insurance, your family needs to check on the policies and make sure your sister is covered driving your car daily. It would be bad if she wasn’t covered and decided to rub the tree again

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > TheRealBicycleBuck
08/04/2020 at 23:21

Yes, we need to figure out the insurance bit. This was just her getting the hang of the car one afternoon but the insurance will be dealt with.

But it is liability only. Since I'm not paying for it, I can't complain. It is not a particularly valuable car. And since it is a weird transition ownership period, I think I may not have her pay for it but have a word about being careful with other people's belongings.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/04/2020 at 23:21

Liability coverage only, which I can't complain about since I haven't been paying for it.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
08/04/2020 at 23:24

Liability coverage only, which I can’t complain about since I haven’t been paying for it. It is a cheap car, so I think you are right. Let it be. It is tough though.

Too bad, since this is the only auto insurance claim I can think of in 20+ years and it would probably not raise rates.

pip bip - choose Corrour > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
08/04/2020 at 23:24

Buff it out and remove the tree

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > CompactLuxuryFan
08/04/2020 at 23:25

No, we agreed to a ballpark sum, so you are right. She won't get it repaired on her own, but it is a cheap car and on its way to her, so I really should just let it be.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > This is what we'll show whenever you publish anything on Kinja:
08/04/2020 at 23:26

I think you are right. It is just so much money that it doesn't really make sense. It is tough, but I think I should let it be.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > pip bip - choose Corrour
08/04/2020 at 23:27

Tree is pleasant , just not very convenient there. I've pretty much decided to let it be, since it will be here in a few months.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
08/04/2020 at 23:31

Current damage aside, there are rules in policies about who can drive and what is covered when your car is lent to someone else. It all starts with the name on the title. If it really is titled in your name and your sister wrecks it, your insurance may not cover the liability, depending on how the policy is written. If it’s titled to your parents, then there’s less risk of it not being covered.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > TheRealBicycleBuck
08/04/2020 at 23:48

It is titled in my parents name and insured for use by me, so that makes it more straightforward.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
08/05/2020 at 00:37

That is unfortunate, and I once had a somewhat similar situation with a member of the household backing into my first car in the driveway. Not just because the car the is becoming her’s anyway and you’ll be well compensated for it, but this is something that being painfully generous now could very well say more about your character and pay much bigger dividends the rest of your life.

I’m going to guess she may already feel worse about denting her car guy brother’s than any punishment could inflict, and adding resentment by compelling payment for denting her own future car may not engender warm sibling relationships. I’d leave any financial making it right up to your parents, and thusly any recovery of that a matter solely between them and her.

Mistakes happen. For better or worse, you siblings will know you better and longer than anyone else on earth will. As someone very close with my sister well into adulthood, I’d encourage a lot forgiveness over inflicting more minor cosmetic flaw on her future car. This may well be a time for a little forgiveness.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
08/05/2020 at 00:42

I agree. This is a very reasoned take. I don't see too much sense in having it repaired at that price and given the situation. A little forgiveness is in order.

This isn’t the first time this has happened either. My brother backed into my car a few weeks after I got it. I fully intended to have it repaired but school and life and being generally inexperienced with how cars and car repair works for the better of me. The statute of limitations has expired there l ong ago. But it did make me worry about making wrong decision in this instance and letting something go I shouldn't have, so I almost overdid it.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
08/05/2020 at 00:47

Might be a good opportunity to learn about compounding those marks out as best you can, and make her help.

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
08/05/2020 at 00:59

The top coat is entirely scraped away pretty much. Maybe some light reconditioning could improve its looks.

SilentButNotReallyDeadly...killed by G/O Media > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
08/05/2020 at 02:28

Both of our utes have similar character marks that they’ve earned over the years.

The VW has had a crushed rocker since a jacking incident during vehicle recovery back in 2002...

Let it lie...it won't be the last mark so wait and get them all buffed out at the same time.

Just Jeepin' > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available
08/06/2020 at 21:48

Just to make sure you see this call for help...

https://oppositelock.kinja.com/recommendations-in-atlanta-1844642242

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Just Jeepin'
08/06/2020 at 21:54

I might have missed that. Thank you.