Well it happened...first accident. Minor but need advice.

[bbhaag]

So our first minor fender bender happened today. While pulling out of a parking spot the front passenger side bumper side swiped the vehicle next to it......sigh......I know these things happen but at less than 200 miles it's frustrating....why oh why????

Anyway, just wanted to get everyones opinion on how to proceed. Unfortunately turning it over to insurance is not an option so we were thinking about just calling the dealer we bought it from and making an appointment with the body shop. Is that a solid plan?

Here's a pic of the damage. As you can see it's not bad but we want to get it fixed.

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[jtpc2021]

So our first minor fender bender happened today. While pulling out of a parking spot the front passenger side bumper side swiped the vehicle next to it......sigh......I know these things happen but at less than 200 miles it's frustrating....why oh why????

Anyway, just wanted to get everyones opinion on how to proceed. Unfortunately turning it over to insurance is not an option so we were thinking about just calling the dealer we bought it from and making an appointment with the body shop. Is that a solid plan?

Here's a pic of the damage. As you can see it's not bad but we want to get it fixed.

Why not go with insurance? You are having to file anyways assuming you damaged the other vehicle and gave them your info. ??

 

[bbhaag]

Why not go with insurance? You are having to file anyways assuming you damaged the other vehicle and gave them your info. ??

As I already mentioned in my OP we can't go through insurance. We are just wondering if using the dealership autobody shop is a good idea or should we shop around? Being such a new truck we aren't really sure....

 

[BILLNOROVILLE]

Won't you have to tell your insurance company anyway to fix the car you hit. Or are you going to be paying for that too? What did the people say who owned the car you hit? Did you take a picture of that damage. Could all be useful when settling up.

 

[clavicus]

As I already mentioned in my OP we can't go through insurance. We are just wondering if using the dealership autobody shop is a good idea or should we shop around? Being such a new truck we aren't really sure....

Why is it not an option? Isn’t it an option, but you are choosing not to? Just curious, honestly, I’m not familiar with the process (knock on wood).

In any case, I imagine getting a quote from the dealership can be a starting point, and then try a couple body shops to see their quotes and compare?

 

[notfast]

Unfortunately turning it over to insurance is not an option so we were thinking about just calling the dealer we bought it from and making an appointment with the body shop. Is that a solid plan?

Since you're opting not to go through insurance, I'm guessing you might have more time than money.

Body work, especially on polyolefin surfaces like plastic, isn't too difficult. But like any other paint job, it's 98% prep work and 2% laying color on. I'd watch a couple YouTube videos (ChrisFix is great) and see if you're interested in tackling it yourself.

You don't have to go to the dealer's body shop. Any reputable (and even shady) body shop aught to fix that no problem. I'd just find one with good reviews and take it there.

With damage that small on fresh Oxford White, I'd guesstimate that the damage would cost $300-$500 to get repaired at a reputable shop.

I bash my bumper cover so often that I take it to a less-than-reputable (good work, not great work) body shop that I found through a friend of mine. He'd probably do it for about $80. He repainted the tonneau cover on one of my F-150s for $150 and the driver side bedside (separate incident) for $100.

I currently have a scrape on my bumper cover that's probably 5x the size (just not any more damaged) than yours. I've kept that damage as a battle scar because it happened off road.

$1000 to $2000 is closer to what it would cost to replace the bumper cover, all the trim pieces, and paint it to match. The damage is easily repairable as opposed to needing total replacement, such as if there were several tears. Even then, it could be plastic-welded rather than replaced.

I was going to suggest the paint pen, but since there's bare plastic for a large area and the color is Oxford White, the paint pen won't be effective at concealing it. It'll look better, but it'll still be noticeable even at a passing glance to an untrained eye.

Paint pens are mostly designed and intended for rock chips or similar small damage. Not having any adhesion promoter on the bare plastic or primer is going to make the paint from the pen both translucent (can still see the black plastic) and easy for it to crack and peel off.

 

[93nighthawk]

Body shops give free quotes all the time. I would just stop by a couple of them tomorrow and ask for one, and be sure to tell them that you are paying cash, no insurance.

 

[bombast]

Hit and run, eh?

 

[bbhaag]

Shop around. Easy fix and repair...as long as nothing behind got damaged or bent.

That's what we are most worried about. Something damaged behind the bumper like a 360 sensor or something. That's what got us thinking the dealership body shop might be better...??

This is our first new vehicle ever and we just want to make sure it gets fixed right...does that make sense?

 

[Sykotyk]

If you cracked the bumper, the dealer will want it replaced. Third party might epoxy it and then paint it. Depends on what you want to pay.

 

[Naranjita]

Why not go with insurance? You are having to file anyways assuming you damaged the other vehicle and gave them your info. ??

I did this recently to Toyota Sienna minivan I rented. I was pulling into my hotel parking garage and misjudged how close the concrete column was to the front passenger corner. I paid Avis for the damage instead of doing an insurance claim. It was about $700 for their body shop to do the repair. Fortunately they did not have to replace the bumper.

 

[jtpc2021]

Won't you have to tell your insurance company anyway to fix the car you hit. Or are you going to be paying for that too? What did the people say who owned the car you hit? Did you take a picture of that damage. Could all be useful when settling up.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Sykotyk]

If you messed up a sensor, it would probably tell you on the dash. I rented a car with a bad sensor and it told you every time you started it that the collision avoidance system wasn't working.

 

[bbhaag]

Hit and run, eh?

No it was not a hit and run.

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