if i find the bugger who reversed into my car!...

nickyjellybaby

I've just discovered in the last 10 mins that my car (much adored mini) is half sideways and the bumper wrecked with the perpetrators cars' paint all over it... some mysterious blue car in my estate has gone to town on it
No note, neighbours know nothing and police won't help because it didn't happen on public property (i wonder what it is they would do if it was)

There's probably nothing I can do.. or is there?

Nothing p*sses me off more than selfish idiotic careless drivers without as much as decent common courtesy

I wouldn't mind, I was getting a job done on it anyway by a friend so I would've got it done cheap and split the cost if they had of been honest about it

Is there any point in even keeping the photos of the damaged bumper and persuing it? even in just my own vengeful thoughts?

POXY POX POX @*&^%$!

mikemac

Were you parked outside your house?
Maybe it was a visitor or one of your neighbours kids.
Are you sure your neighbours don't know anything?

You mention it was an estate and it's private. Does the mangement company have CCTV anywhere?

cantdecide

That's terrible

DonJose

Was it icy on the road, could have an out of control car, but they are still a b@stard for leaving the scene. I have a fair idea of what cars frequent my street, have you noticed any cars missing.

AckwelFoley

F**king lowlife.



I promise you, that **** will have his day..

There is not much you can do unless u susoect who it was..

nickyjellybaby

its a row of townhouses with parking outside everyones front door, communal-ish but everyone parks in the same spaces and the development is behind gates and there's no cameras anywhere... it looks like it was one of the neighbours or one of their guests or else would they get in... the guy accross the road from me has a blue car which could have been it but funny enough its nowhere to be seen and his missus is an absolute witch so I can only imagine they won't own up if it was them...

so I'm not to know if it was them and they repaired the damage to their own
(i'm over speculating here though!)

I've asked all but 3 of the neighbours, who are out, and no one knows anything

I don't know what time it was, sometime yesterday so my house mate tells me but it could have been at any time as I leave it here for work and bus it into town

I don't even know how much a new bumper is but i bet its costly

I wonder is there any point in writing a letter to everyone in the estate and trying to guilt trip the person into coming forward or at least dropping a note into my house about it

ChippingSodbury

You can contact the Motor Insurance Bureau http://www.mibi.ie. They deal specifically with both uninsured drivers and hit and run accidents. Couple of small points: you must report the incident to the Gardai and you have to pay the first ~€400 yourself.

So if there's a lot of damage, they're the people to contact.

L1011

MIBI cover personal injuries only in cases where the registration plate is unknown for a hit and run. Been there, done that, got nothing - as have others on this forum.

nickyjellybaby

couldn't have been icy conditions cos the cars are all parked outside everyones front doors, its a tiny row of townhouse so you couldn't drive fast and it looks a reverse job that went wrong but my car is now part SIDEWAYS so it was a hell of a bang... not like little scratches that you'd get if you nicked a car
And there's loads of FECKIN room to turn around in the place!!!

And what gets me is that I reversed into someones car before and knocked on their door to tell them (couldn't see any damage but i just wanted to be polite)

OH SO HELP ME GOD IF I FIND THE BSTART.............<fume>

DonJose

nickyjellybaby wrote: »

the guy accross the road from me has a blue car which could have been it but funny enough its nowhere to be seen and his missus is an absolute witch so I can only imagine they won't own up if it was them...

Is it a blue new car, if it is he'd probably leave it in the garage where he bought it, if it remains missing check the local garages for it.

nickyjellybaby wrote: »

I wonder is there any point in writing a letter to everyone in the estate and trying to guilt trip the person into coming forward or at least dropping a note into my house about it

I would write them, you've nothing to lose. Offer a reward for information.

nickyjellybaby

oh gawd don't tell me a bumper costs more than 400 euro

I reported it to the guards, on my way down there shortly, took a few photos of the car to bring with me. A guard I know works down there but I doubt there's anything any of them will do

I know this happens time and time again... (pity we can't use the paint to trace who it was)

Shamrogue

What insurance company are you? I know FBD cover acidental damage. You have to pay the first €150 if your over 25 at i think the first ~€400 if your <25. If your with FBD then maybe they can help. Or maybe your insurance company has some sort of similar policy.

nickyjellybaby

yeah thats prob not a bad idea about the car garage... surely a garage wouldn't give out that info though? I don't know the reg, only vaguely what it looks like..

maybe my insurance company will help me find a way of sorting it??

nickyjellybaby

i just joined Eaglestar/ladystar a week ago (was with rip-off Hibernian for 4 years before)

I'm fully comp but I don't think I did that 'protect your no claims bonus' malarky they try to upsell but have all the other bells n whistles

kona

is it a real mini, or a german one??
if it was a real one rest assured that his car will have come off alot worse:D:D
steel Vs polymers..steel wins lol:D
but yes a bumper for a bmc mini is around e60 for a stainless one, you will have to makes sure the fold of the valance and boot floor is okay.

DonJose

nickyjellybaby wrote: »

yeah thats prob not a bad idea about the car garage... surely a garage wouldn't give out that info though? I don't know the reg, only vaguely what it looks like..

Explain what happened, where you live, ask if a blue car with a similar address was left in for repair.

nickyjellybaby

DonJose wrote: »

Explain what happened, where you live, ask if a blue car with a similar address was left in for repair.

thats a good idea DonJose.... there's a few local garages so I'll start my investigation tomor morning and see what happens...


Nope, its a new mini... that modern fibre-glass stuff I think.. scratched and dented to feck so it's gonna have to be replaced

Eaglestar have logged a report but can't advise me of the best way yet til I talk to claims on Monday morning

nickyjellybaby

as a total car amateur and typical chick, is there any point in going to a scrap yard if i do need a new bumper? or is that only for old cars?

kona

nickyjellybaby wrote: »

thats a good idea DonJose.... there's a few local garages so I'll start my investigation tomor morning and see what happens...


Nope, its a new mini... that modern fibre-glass stuff I think.. scratched and dented to feck so it's gonna have to be replaced

Eaglestar have logged a report but can't advise me of the best way yet til I talk to claims on Monday morning

cheaper to go to halfords tomorrow to buy some fibreglass, or isopon , fill it, and get paint matched, it will only take a few hours to do, cost e30 max.
if you mess it up, it wont be any worse than it is now, and you can take it to a bodyshop then.

you can try a scrapper, there is one in duleek...bunch of Fuppers, quite expensive too.
it couldnt be too bad, is it cracked???

nickyjellybaby

kona wrote: »

cheaper to go to halfords tomorrow to buy some fibreglass, or isopon , fill it, and get paint matched, it will only take a few hours to do, cost e30 max.
if you mess it up, it wont be any worse than it is now, and you can take it to a bodyshop then.

thats a great idea!
I was watching 'wheeler dealers' the other night and he was angle grinding the rust off a car and then patched it up, it was time consuming but didn't look all that difficult
(says me, the pro haha)

So do I just need to make sure it is Fibreglass and not some funky other mixture??

cantdecide

Can't you get plastic bumpers welded nowadays??

Stephen

Definately take a stroll around the estate and keep an eye out for cars with corresponding damage. I wouldn't go trying to self-repair unless you know what you're doing.

DonJose

nickyjellybaby wrote: »

the guy accross the road from me has a blue car which could have been it but funny enough its nowhere to be seen and his missus is an absolute witch so I can only imagine they won't own up if it was them...

I would also confront your neighbour, first ask him if he saw anybody driving a blue car crash into your car, if he says no ask him who owns the blue car which was parked outside his house, if he says its his then ask him where it is.

nickyjellybaby

oh oh i think its plain old red plastic

what is the world coming to, I am driving a plastic car!:o:eek:

i presume melting a red crate with a firelighter and letting it drip onto the bumper won't help matters?

L1011

nickyjellybaby wrote: »

as a total car amateur and typical chick, is there any point in going to a scrap yard if i do need a new bumper? or is that only for old cars?

Possibly. New cars get written off at times, sometimes by being totalled at one end (or one side) and intact at the other so you can *at times* get intact parts for recent cars at the scrappy.

nickyjellybaby

cantdecide wrote: »

Can't you get plastic bumpers welded nowadays??

welding is for metal.... this i do know... ( i hope):o

kona

nickyjellybaby wrote: »

thats a great idea!
I was watching 'wheeler dealers' the other night and he was angle grinding the rust off a car and then patched it up, it was time consuming but didn't look all that difficult
(says me, the pro haha)

So do I just need to make sure it is Fibreglass and not some funky other mixture??

you just have to take your time, sand, sand and sand until it is perfect, as when you paint it, any imperfection will show.
it depends, isopon you can use to fill in dents, it may be easier to work than fibreglass. a you just mix a hardner into the isopon.
where as fibre glass you need to use layers etc....
for a novice id go with isopon.
youl need.
1.Isopon, (there is two different kinds, just ask in the shop which one is best i think its either p38 or p54)

2.primer and paint, again ask in shop to match the colour, you should have a paint code on the vin plate.

3.sand paper, (wet and dry)

4.cutting compound.

5.gloves and mask.

isopon hardens quick, so always heap it on above the level of the bumper, then sand it down to even it out.
make 100% sure that it is smooth and level in all parts before you paint.
if its not add more isopon and repeat, it just takes time.
dont rush it!

when painting put a couple layers of primer(again read instructions for use)
the use the top coat, THIN layers, i mean just dusting it.

then leave it for 2weeks and use the cutting compound on the paint to blend it in.

people will say dont do it yourself if youve no experience,....where did people with experience start???
if you mess it up, you tried, learned somthing, and will only cost €30 as you are going to get a new one anyways, you could save yourself a fortune.
a modern bumper i guess will come in at €200, then paint then labour, could cost a fair whack, professional body repair aint cheap!!

nickyjellybaby

DonJose wrote: »

I would also confront your neighbour, first ask him if he saw anybody driving a blue car crash into your car, if he says no ask him who owns the blue car which was parked outside his house, if he says its his then ask him where it is.

yeah you're right... i will confront him and her over there... they are the neighbourhood ashholes as well, they leave notes on everyones cars all the time about parking, noise, rubbish, guests etc... there's no one in now though

Would someone not be embarrassed to be confronted head on? could people lie barefaced about it? this is all speculating that it was them and not some stupid drunk driver that was a guest here...

nickyjellybaby

kona wrote: »

you just have to take your time, sand, sand and sand until it is perfect, as when you paint it, any imperfection will show.
it depends, isopon you can use to fill in dents, it may be easier to work than fibreglass. a you just mix a hardner into the isopon.
where as fibre glass you need to use layers etc....
for a novice id go with isopon.
youl need.
1.Isopon, (there is two different kinds, just ask in the shop which one is best i think its either p38 or p54)

2.primer and paint, again ask in shop to match the colour, you should have a paint code on the vin plate.

3.sand paper, (wet and dry)

4.cutting compound.

5.gloves and mask.

isopon hardens quick, so always heap it on above the level of the bumper, then sand it down to even it out.
make 100% sure that it is smooth and level in all parts before you paint.
if its not add more isopon and repeat, it just takes time.
dont rush it!

when painting put a couple layers of primer(again read instructions for use)
the use the top coat, THIN layers, i mean just dusting it.

then leave it for 2weeks and use the cutting compound on the paint to blend it in.

wow, thats a great help, thanks so much. I have some of the stuff here already apart from isopon but I'll get that. Mini's only come in one shade of red so that should be easy to find an exact match

Cutting compound? Whats that?

I presume I should paint the whole bumper not just the bits that have been filled in?

cantdecide

nickyjellybaby wrote: »

welding is for metal.... this i do know... ( i hope):o

OK,

can't you get plastic bumpers PLASTIC welded these days

quickly googled http://www.hotairtools.com/how_to_weld___.htm

Kona, doesn't it still seems pretty involved for DIY?? Will you get a good result after the expense and effort?

MCMLXXXIII

nickyjellybaby wrote: »

...the guy accross the road from me has a blue car which could have been it but funny enough its nowhere to be seen and his missus is an absolute witch so I can only imagine they won't own up if it was them...

Once your neighbor comes home check to see if their car is scratched. If it is, well then we have our man. If the car is okay, then probably not. However, if it doesn't return for a couple of days, it could have been repaired in the shop already.

nickyjellybaby wrote: »

oh gawd don't tell me a bumper costs more than 400 euro

My mother had a cracked, plastic bumper once, and it was around 300 Euro to get a new one installed and painted. If it isn't cracked it should be very inexpensive to fix.

If push comes to shove and you don't get help form anyone...what's to say you don't just park it on a public road for an hour and then call the Gaurds and report the mysterious accident. It might help you find the person or get an insurance claim, but it might not be worth the risk. It's up to you.