Today I parked in an empty section of a restaurant parking lot. I knew deep down that I should have parked farther away. Parking lots only seem to fill up more and more. I even checked once during the meal, and no one was near me.

After the meal, I go to my Mini, and there's a huge white Dodge truck next to me. Not only that, he was parked on the left side of the parking place, fairly close to my Mini.

Sure enough, right at the truck's door height, there's a white scratch and scuff about 1.25 inches long.

I copied the truck's license plate down and was about to leave a note, but they came out. I was extremely polite but firm, too.

I told him that he did it and that I would have to take the car to a body shop for repair. I got his name and number. I stupidly didn't think the repair would cost too much, so I didn't get insurance information.

All the body shops are closed today, but I'll get recommendations and start calling Monday. Any suggestions for a great body shop in Billings, Montana?

I expected the driver to blow me off or be aggressive, but he actually seemed to take responsibility.

So, any guestimates on how much this will cost to fix?

 

did you get his name and address from his license? Or did he dictate it to you? I hope he gave you correct info.

good luck. :???:

 

Me too!!! I got a damn ding on my driver side rear panel today. I'm so pissed. I don't know where it happened coz I was out and about today.

Dammit, the MINIs steel is so soft... dings so easily

 

> did you get his name and address from his license?
> Or did he dictate it to you? I hope he gave you correct info.

He dictated to me. Gave me two phone numbers. He's an older gentleman, and he was with his wife, and my antennae didn't tell me that he was lying or anything.

On the bright side, I get to check out the good body shops in my city, in case I ever need one for more serious work.

I got up my nerve to confront the person after reading posts here on NAM. I was concerned that some drivers would think that slamming doors into other cars in a parking lot is "no fault" and that some drivers would think they're not liable for damage caused by opening doors.

 

>>Me too!!! I got a damn ding on my driver side rear panel today.

Really sorry to hear that, Sam. In my book, it's hit-and-run, but I know so many don't even know they do it. The gentleman who opened his door into mine today said he didn't even know he did.

Of course, the doors on a big late model Dodge truck are probably so heavy and firm that he wouldn't have noticed.

But still, people need to be considerate of others' property. And I need to listen to my inner voice and keep parking in a galaxy far, far away.

 

So, does anyone have experience with scratches and scuffs being able to be repaired like new, short of replacing the whole door?

But at any rate, if it takes replacing the whole door, I'll ask his insurance to pay, if that is what it has to come to.

 

Anything other than the most minor scuff is going to equal a repaint on the door. I think you'd be looking at $300-500. I had a thread on this a few weeks ago. Don't let the insurance people try to push you around.

 

Thanks, Apex. I got a bead tonight on an excellent body shop here in town. I'll take the Mini in on Monday for an estimate.

At least $500 is reasonable. I should have got his insurance, but I can still reach him, and he seems like a responsible person.

 

Danstoren,

Sorry to hear about your MINI and door damage.
The same thing happened to me on my first day out in public parking.
Got a 3/4" scratch and scuff from the car that parked next to me and he left without a trace. I was there for only a few minutes but the damage was done.
Since then now a year later I have another 1" dent from a door on the passengers side in about the same area.
These other people are very careless and sloppy about opening doors into other cars.

Hope you get yours fixed. Good luck.

 

I've found there's only one way to deal with people like this...you put a 6 inch nail behind each tire and take your key all the way round their paint job. Then just in case they thought it was just really bad luck, you leave them a nice little note on their windshield telling them they should learn how to park. The best time to do this is at night because it's a double whammy. They get the flats and the note at night and then see they the key job the next morning. It sort of takes all of the agony out of your little 1.25 inch scratch and scuff.

As others will no doubt tell you, what you did by confronting this individual was extremely dangerous. There have been case studies that have shown that people who scratch and scuff other people's car in parking lots have a greater tendency to be mass murderers, serial killers, pedophiles, terrorists, and bad check writers. My methods are far safer AND more rewarding.

Ken

 

Dan,
Before you go too far, consider having the dent "spooned out" by a dent removal company like Dent Pro or Dent King, or some other professional company in your area. Check the yellow pages or the internet.

If the paint isn't broken, then they can remove a crease or dent, and you'll never know it was there. Your post said a white scratch and dent. Assuming the white is from the Dodge's paint, you may be in luck.

It's not only cheaper, but a lot easier as well.

Charlie

 

> If the paint isn't broken, then they can remove a crease or dent

Thanks, Chief Charlie. For better or worse, it's not dented. There's a scratch and scuff in the paint.

I just took a picture, but you can't see the scratch in the picture.

I'll take it to Hank's Body Shop, which my brother-in-law and 2004 MCS owner suggested. I'll also look for an exotic or foreign body shop, too.

 

I've had several dings removed. One was a door ding which punched into the panel pretty well and dug into the paint, too. The dent was fixed and repainted for $200. I got two estimates and both were practically identical in price.

I also was at my favorite paintless dent repair (PDR) place yesterday...Dent Works in Ft. Worth. I got two dings in my bonnet (...spring break vandals :smile:

 

If possible, it would be best to have the dent removed with PDR and have a professional detailer/shop take a shot at buffing the scratches out. You always want to keep the factory paint if possible. Good luck!

 

First estimate came in this morning at $502.80. He said most of that was from having to remove all the trim pieces.

Then I went to a long-time friend of my brother-in-law who does body work. Turns out that this fellow works on a BMW Z8 here in town. I called the Z8 owner for a reference, and he said this fellow does as good work as anybody else in town and that I won't ever know it was there.

Whew!

So as soon as that estimate comes in, I'll go with the fellow who works on the Z8. Should be as good as new.

I'm actually kind of glad this whole thing happened, since I now have a relationship with a good guy who does great body work. :smile:

 

I've found it is much easier and faster to just carry wooden toothpicks which can be pushed into the lock and broken off.