I need to know if this is common practice? I was hit up the rear in my vRS this morning which has cracked the bumper (pics to follow). The accident was caused by someone in front of me swerving across a roundabout, I had to brake and some kid in a fiesta went into me. In fairness he shouldn't have been anywhere near as close as he was but it was this other guys fault.

Either way the guy in the front did a runner and plates couldn't be obtained, the lad behind accepts (or kind of accepts) the impact with me being his fault and has offered to get the repairs done outside of his insurance .... He's 20 so it would seriously cost him, and having been there once you know I kind of feel for him.

He works in a car dealership who refers work to a local auto refinishing specialist who I've just popped down to see. The specialist has agreed to guarantee the work he does but he's saying it's likely he'll do a plastic weld on the bumper - something I've not heard of nor am very happy about occurring having left my house this morning with a mint condition vRS! I figured bumpers only cost around 80 quid too don't they hence why I'm concerned. Either way he said if they find it needs a new bumper when they remove it they will replace it and apparently local insurance work goes through him but I'm dubious with the 'hitter' as he refers work to this guy all of the time.

He had a load of BMWs he'd been spraying and stuff but I couldn't see any evidence of this plastic weld stuff... so has anyone done it/had it done?

I need to give him an answer by the end of the day, I don't want to put him through the insurance because its harsh but I want a proper repair doing. Question is... would the insurance company do the same?

HELP!!!!

Edited 1 February, 201214 yr by Funkoid

I wouldn't plastic weld that damage, since it's a bit that holds the bumper into shape

Agree, not in the area that the damage has occurred. I had a small part of my rear bumper done on my previous Mk2 and when done properly it simply wasn't noticeable. I was amazed at the work, but they need to know what they're doing and it also needs to be in a non-structural area of the bumper really.

Plus with the place I'd been, I'd used them before and also seem examples of their plastic weld work.

Maybe check on eBay what you can get a complete rear bumper for, and then get the place to spray (if necessary) and fit?

Ive had it done on an old bumper and it cracked again quite easily. If its not your fault then he can pay for a new bumper and some respraying....not half as expensive as his insurance would be so your still doing him a favour.

Oh and your mint vrs needs a wash :p

This may sound harsh but it WAS 100% the guy's fault who ran into the back of you, it could easily of been a dog or person who made you brake, the person behind was either too close or not paying enough attention (we have all done t, so I am not making judgement, just stating the facts)

As you were not at fault I would be insisting on a replacement bumper, the area that has cracked is quite a structural part of the bumper, so you don't want it cracking later.

Ive got a vrs rear bumper for sale in the for sale section if your not too far away

Thanks guys, much appreciated. I basically put it down nice and clear that I'm happy to go through his supplier but I would be after the bumper doing due to having had a second opinion - he was priced £165+ paint etc which I didn't actually think was too bad.

I went another body shop this afternoon and the guy was like, "if you had reversed into a tree or something and YOU wanted to fix it... you could weld it... but you didn't so I'd probably say it was a bumper - put it this way if it was through insurance it'd be a bumper from us"

After I spoke to 'the hitter' I basically stated that I was after the bumper replacing he wasn't too happy because he knows the guy, its great work, its guaranteed etc etc but I'm still not convinced six months down the line when it cracks again.

Either way as a precaution I notified my insurance company with all of the details and they've put the claim on hold until I give them the nod - apparently this won't affect my premium which is good news. Either way I'm just fuming because I'm trying to do the lad a favour you know?

I've put together a handful of google map aerial shots to show what happened so if it goes through to a claim I'll be firing them over right away.

He said after hearing what I had to say this afternoon that he was going to speak to his guy again and call be back this evening.... it's now nearly half 8 and I've heard nothing. I'm not sure whether to call him back in 20 minutes, wait until the morning or just leave it for a day whilst he sees sense.

Either way if my insurance was anything to go by at his age, he'll be paying at least £250 young drivers excess, plus his vol excess and I wouldn't be surprised if he was 3rd party so the full lot being done should still be cheaper.... which is why I'm puzzled as to whether to call him now again or not.

edit - vickvRS - I know its bloody filthy at the moment!

Edited 1 February, 201214 yr by Funkoid

if you feel you are being messed about i would just go through the insurance. Forget favours etc...you want your car as it was when you set out on your journ (just a bit cleaner)

Not sure about the repair. But I had a similar accident a few years back, had to brake hard on a roundabout as woman shot out from left and sped off. Guy behind me ran into the back. Yes accident caused by the woman cutting across but guy behind at fault for not being able to stop in time. Went through insurance and no issues with it being against him.

As others have said it is the cars behind fault as he hit you because he was to close, it does not matter what the other driver did as no one hit that car.

Now you have told the insurance, carry on going through them and claim. A couple of years ago I informed mine of a minor bump which was another cars fault just in case claims were made. Neither of us made a claim, however my premium has increased as a result as I was deemed to be higher a higher risk having been involved in a bump. Added to that, for 18 months afterwards I got letters and emails from accident claim companies which became a nuisance.

Be warned. Someone running into the back of you ISN'T automatically their fault. A courier hit me in my old Golf while I was stationary in traffic, me thinking "hit from behind, this won't be a problem" decided not to take the personal risk of standing in three lanes of rush hour traffic to take photos and he verbally admitted fault at the time.

Next thing, I get a letter from my insurance company (who I also notified as you did, even though I wasn't going to use them) saying he's counterclaiming against me for repairs and loss of earnings (he was a freelance courier) because I cut him up. As there were no witnesses (we were both driving on our own and no one stopped other than to let us over to the side of the road) it went 50/50 even with my Google Maps and practically eidetic recall of the event, even down to which two numbered lampposts we were between at time of impact. My insurers in the end refused to fight it because his company weren't budging, and pretty much left me no option other than trying my luck in court with no witnesses, which would probably have had the same outcome.

I would be very careful with it, I know on the one hand you want to do the lad a favour but on the other, he may try and counterclaim against you if you get too arsey, thinking that he'll also get a contribution towards the damage to his own car out of "your" pocket.

Yeh but if he tried that it would probably be null and void as I doubt he has informed his insurance company about the incident unlike this responsible Skoda driver.

I recently had a run in with someone who pulled away from a parking space into the front wing of my car.

I again "did him a favor" and let him pay for it out of insurance. He started messing me about saying he didn't think he should pay to have a new wing fitted as it was an older car and when we come to sell it etc it won't make much difference. Errr not the point... the car was in good condition when I set off with a perfectly straight wing etc etc.

I threatedned just going through in surance and at that point he told me he wasn't insured on the car and it was his daughters. Luckily we are with direct line so would have been covered anyway but he paid up for a brand new wing fitting and painting.

Just maybe try and remind him how much of a favor you are doing him!

Phil