Need some advise people.

Last week/Early this week I noticed some paint had be removed from my front bumper. Two parallel line around 6-8 inches on the near side (passenger).

Tonight when I'm parking my car outside my house I notice, in the light from my headlights, the car in front of me had 2 identical lines. The car in question belongs to the woman who live opposite us. Her car is also blue, albeit a lot darker than mine.

I got out, leaving my headlights on, and scratched her lines. Of course blue paint came off. The lines on her bumper are also on the near side (passenger) which indicates she has hit my car when pulling out of her space.

What do I do?

At a guess the woman is approx 65 years old and in the time we have lived here we have gotten along well.

I have had a body shop quote of £80 to spray the affected area (not full bumper)

Any ideas on how I should proceed?

Is she approachable? If so have a friendly word and test

the water. If she's a douche about it then what you do next is up

to you. Perhaps ask her if she'll go halves at least, she may be unaware

she's hit it. It's fairly likely to have been a rub rather than a whack

and isn't outside the realms of possibility that she didn't notice.

Oh yea I fully understand that he may not have noticed and that it maybe a rub. It certainly looks like a rub and not an impact.

She is approachable, we take her parcels in when she is out and she does the same. Her son is an amature mechanic and is a nice guy.

Wonder if it might be worth mentioning to him first? Just because I don't want her worry herself about it.

Obviously I'd like her to pay the full amount (I think it would be the decent thing) but if I can even split it half and half with her ill be happy.

I have taken some photos on my phone should anybody want to see.

Thank you for your input btw

I suppose this is a good time to see if anyone in Manchester knows a good body shop. The one I was quote from was just one next to my work building, I just popped in on my lunch break for an idea of cost.

I'd say talk to the son but obviously be civil because with him been a techie theres a good chance where he works has some sort of partnership with a bodyshop or even has a bodyshop where he works and might be able to get it done even cheaper than 80quid. Thats what id do anyway.

Donkey punch her in the heed, sit on her and type writer the **** out of her until she gives in!

Just what id do mind...

Evening all, thanks for the replies.

I have spoken to her today and she was very apologetic. She hasn't even noticed rubbing it. While I was talking to her, her son came home from work and also saw it, which is good.

She has agreed that she must have done it and told me to get the work done and send her the bill. I told her they will just paint the damaged corner and he said just see what they say and that if they decide its better to paint the full bumper that wasn't a problem for her.

It's never a nice/easy situation to do it, but when you have to approach an older person it makes it that much more difficult.

I'm so glad she was understanding.

Glad you got it sorted. Never easy knowing how to deal with these situations.

I had someone reverse into my car, the woman who's flat we were renting for a holiday, and she owned up straight away and was only too willing to pay, even when the bill came to a stupidly high amount - £607.87 for front bumper, car care kit and "sundry parts". Labour was £262.50 alone. So glad i didn't have to pay it myself.

Glad you got it sorted out, at least she owned up straight away, could have denied it and said you hit her car and didnt notice!

Good outcome! Well done.

No need to involve insurance pirates and

everybody is still friends.

Perhaps a 'no hard feelings' christmas card just to show her you're

not still cross about it or harbouring a grudge

this happened to my stepson our opposite neighbour denied she had brushed against his car, until he pointed out the fragments of his paint but she said that the mark had been there for ages until he rubbed it off in his hand, but the car was her mam's and my mr's said she doesn't want her mam blaming my stepson for scraping the car, yes she might have not noticed or felt it scrape but honesty would be acknowledged, later she did facebook and said whatever it costs let her know.

Thats a happy ending.