A kindly old gentleman scuffed my parked car today but held his hand up and gave me all his insurance details etc. which proved to be true!!

Dent in front section of rear nearside wheelarch, minor scrapes around the area, and on the wheel.

How do I find a really good quality body shop (Brighton to Worthing area)

Going to need one alloy refurbed and a new wheel nut covering disc too.

Sorry to hear about damage but at least you have the guys details. Did you see it happen or did they just leave their details?

Sorry to hear about damage but at least you have the guys details. Did you see it happen or did they just leave their details?

I was parked in a cemetery this afternoon while attending a funeral!!! This guy tried a 3 point turn or something and misjudged it but he waited at my car till I came back to it. Can you believe that???

He gave me his name, insurance details etc etc which all proved to be true. Can you believe that as well???

Anyway, I've spoken to his insurers and mine, and have already had a call from Enterprise about providing me with wheels while it gets fixed.

Damage is largely cosmetic but annoying - small dent in front edge of rear wheel arch, other scratches and scuffs around it, alloy wheel scratched (good refurb should be enough there) and the wheel nut cover [centre disc] damaged. Also going to need replacement of that clear plastic covering just in front of the wkeel arch.

I want it done by a really good repairer though as I've had cr*p work done in the past by third party insurer's people.

Edited 3 April, 201115 yr by ednmra

The loan car will be probably provided by the insurance co as part of the repairers deal so check before you accept it that you can still choose your repairer, you may find you are already locked into a repairer. You are entitled to get your car repaired anywhere you want as all companies work to the same agreed rates known as the thatcham rates. Most repairers independant of Insurance cos will supply a loan car anyway to get the work. If you have no one recomended it may pay you to ask the ocal Skoda dealers who they use or it sounds silly if you have a top end marque garage, Merc etc ask them who they use. Its no guarantee but I would agree that the bodyshops owned by the insurance con are usually doing the bare minimum. When you drop the car off tell the repair shop managerv that you are the fussiest most pedantic client they are ever likely to meet & they have been warned.

Lastly drop the old fella in a box of chocolates or something to say thanks for owning up, OK he hit your car but ive had a few who have never owned up, at least he did the decent & proper thing.

The loan car will be probably provided by the insurance co as part of the repairers deal so check before you accept it that you can still choose your repairer, you may find you are already locked into a repairer. You are entitled to get your car repaired anywhere you want as all companies work to the same agreed rates known as the thatcham rates. Most repairers independant of Insurance cos will supply a loan car anyway to get the work. If you have no one recomended it may pay you to ask the ocal Skoda dealers who they use or it sounds silly if you have a top end marque garage, Merc etc ask them who they use. Its no guarantee but I would agree that the bodyshops owned by the insurance con are usually doing the bare minimum. When you drop the car off tell the repair shop managerv that you are the fussiest most pedantic client they are ever likely to meet & they have been warned.

Lastly drop the old fella in a box of chocolates or something to say thanks for owning up, OK he hit your car but ive had a few who have never owned up, at least he did the decent & proper thing.

You read my mind on a lot of these things - i was going to check with my main dealer, who seem pretty good (West Sussex Mtrs. at Palatine Rd, Goring) as to who they'd recommend as repairers. I was also going to tell the repairer I'm a fusspot petrol head, and won't accept anything short of perfect.

Couldn't car less what the loan car is so long as it goes - and stops!

And I think you are right about the third party, if I can find out where he lives.

Edited 3 April, 201115 yr by ednmra

Good to see there is still some decency in the world. So many would have just driven off. Annoying to have your car damaged but even worse if not known who did it. Hope it all gets sorted to your satisfaction.

Just been over to Washington Coachworks near Pulborough, as recommended by West Sussex Skoda. First thing I saw were two racing Porsche GT3's on the stocks!! Told the boss I want my Octy to come back looking like one of those.

Seems like a good outfit so hopefully all will be back to normal soon.

Its never good when anything like this happens, but atleast out of all this, your getting it fixed and the guy was honest and genuine enough to wait and tell you...thats a big bonus, imagine how much worse it would have been if someone did it and just drove off??? Im not making out this is a good scenario btw, just trying to point out, it could have been worse and expensive for yourself. Anyway good luck with getting this sorted and I hope it gets done properly

Its never good when anything like this happens, but atleast out of all this, your getting it fixed and the guy was honest and genuine enough to wait and tell you...thats a big bonus, imagine how much worse it would have been if someone did it and just drove off??? Im not making out this is a good scenario btw, just trying to point out, it could have been worse and expensive for yourself. Anyway good luck with getting this sorted and I hope it gets done properly

Absolutely right. I think the other guy was working for the undetakers, judging by his very sombre outfit (not joking) and maybe such a job does encourage moral decency. Anyway, just as you say, I am grateful to that extent, so far.

Just been over to Washington Coachworks near Pulborough, as recommended by West Sussex Skoda. First thing I saw were two racing Porsche GT3's on the stocks!! Told the boss I want my Octy to come back looking like one of those.

Seems like a good outfit so hopefully all will be back to normal soon.

Ah race cars, bash out dents as best you can, whack a bit of filler in, paint, put sticker over the bad bits & wait for its next visit

only joking

Quick update - car went into Washington Coachworks today. Had to kill a few minutes while rental car arrived (a low powered Corsa - oh well, at least it's got wheels) and was impressed by the cars being dealt with there. Big newish Ferrari, old classic Alpha Romeo Guilietta, high end Porsche Carrera etc etc.

Also, was able to check over a few recently finished jobs and they did look immaculate, so fingers crossed for mine!! Should take 8 or 9 days due to holiday period.

Same thing happened to me 6 months ago (student couldn't be bothered doing a parallel reverse into a car and a half length in front of me, drove straight in and scrapped/dented front wing and bumper also well scratched). Took it to a specialist body shop, he had the car for 2 days (got a courtesy car), panel beat the panel and sprayed that and the bumper, dod a fantastic job (you would never ever know it had happened) and all for £250 (student paid by credit card upfront, as either didn't have insurance or didn't want to claim if he did). The guy at the bodyshop said that if it had gone through on the insurance he would have charged at least twice that amount!

End of story (I hope!) Picked up car today and was very pleased - would recommend Washington Coachworks to anyone in the area.

By the way, never buy a 1.2 Corsa

Edited 6 May, 201115 yr by ednmra

End of story (I hope!) Picked up car today and was very pleased - would recommend Washington Coachworks to anyone in the area.

By the way, never buy a 1.2 Corsa

Good result & I agree on the corsa

I both put a dent and scuff in my front wing and then someone scraped the corner of the rear bumper - got the dent taken out by the Dent Clinic for £120 then the painting done by the local Chipsaway for £140, both done at work so I didn't lose use of the car. Would have cost a small fortune if done by insurance and a premium hike.

I both put a dent and scuff in my front wing and then someone scraped the corner of the rear bumper - got the dent taken out by the Dent Clinic for £120 then the painting done by the local Chipsaway for £140, both done at work so I didn't lose use of the car. Would have cost a small fortune if done by insurance and a premium hike.

I've no idea what the actual cost of my job would have come to, but judging by your remarks it must have been several hundred pounds. He did tell me that the two wheel refurbs alone were normally charged at about £70 each.