Scraped Car Side on Concrete Wall - Should I Make an Insurance Claim?

Lkoreanfriedchicken on 15/06/2018 - 22:58
Last edited 16/06/2018 - 10:12 by 1 other user

So I popped out to get some KFC this evening and on the way back in, scraped the hell out of my car on a concrete wall.

Pictures here

I have comprehensive insurance with RACV. The car is a 2005 Audi A4 I just bought a couple weeks ago for $6300.

I'm looking for a bit of advice - would it be better to get quotes to fix this from a panel beater in Melbourne, pay the insurance excess (It's around $1000~, I am on my Ps so its $700+300) and increase my premiums or attempt to fix it myself? (This is not going to happen :P)

Appreciate any advice, feeling like a (profanity) right now after eating a tower burger.

Automotive Car Insurance

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 15/06/2018 - 22:59

    You need new panels. Insurance claim.

    • koreanfriedchicken on 15/06/2018 - 23:10

      Is looking like the go! This car is turning into a money pit!

      • follow on 15/06/2018 - 23:13

        your fault for buying that car. what did you expect?

        • koreanfriedchicken on 15/06/2018 - 23:19
          +11

          The car has been fine, I expected to not scrape it against a concrete wall. It's not the cars fault. I get it though, it's Ozbargain, people should only own Toyota Camrys

        • [Deactivated] on 16/06/2018 - 09:06
          +7

          Audis are well known to scratch against concrete.

        • Marcsie on 16/06/2018 - 11:18
          +1

          @koreanfriedchicken: I rather push a Camry than drive an Audi :)

  • daiwai on 15/06/2018 - 23:02
    +1

    If the rear door still works then maybe just let it be, at least I would.

  • [Deactivated] on 15/06/2018 - 23:04
    +7

    Find some grey permanent markers and fix it yourself.

    See if there are some Officworks coupons or something.

    • Nugs on 16/06/2018 - 08:23
      -1

      yep, for a $6000 car that now has $2000 damage…

      .

      • [Deactivated] on 16/06/2018 - 11:32

        $2000?

        Cmon, permanent markers aren't that expensive! I mean they're not cheap either, but.

  • chinezejew on 15/06/2018 - 23:07

    There are no excess/ 50% excess vehicle smash repairers.

    Audi choice may have future maintenance costs linked with your choice.

    Compare it to a Camry, your maintenance cost and depreciation will both be higher.

    It comes with the premium name prestige Audi

    • koreanfriedchicken on 15/06/2018 - 23:10
      +1

      My understanding of no excess repairers is that they only do no excess if it wasn't your fault. This was definitely my fault.

  • Zedsdeadbabyzedsdead on 15/06/2018 - 23:13
    +3

    Were you eating wicked wings and driving at the same time?

    • koreanfriedchicken on 15/06/2018 - 23:17
      +1

      Nope, I usually sneak a chip or two on the drive back but I actually was waiting so I could enjoy my wings on the couch. The parking garage in my apartment has really tight everything, I hit a bollard the third time I parked in my space, my girlfriends pranged her bumper trying to park and pretty much everyone that parks around me has had a run in somewhere that I've asked.

      All in all, just a costly accident. I cannot lay any blame on the Colonial.

      • [Deactivated] on 15/06/2018 - 23:20
        +1

        Colonial?

      • cheapisgood on 15/06/2018 - 23:25
        +7

        I do blame the colonial though. He is an impostor of the colonel.

  • whodidthat on 15/06/2018 - 23:34

    Ouch! Don't know any panelbeaters?
    Insurance'll make a meal of it, you'll end up paying $$ on top of future policies for a while.

    • koreanfriedchicken on 15/06/2018 - 23:50

      Sadly I don't :( I've sent pics for a quote to a couple, if it comes in under the cost of the excess I'll go that route.

  • altomic on 15/06/2018 - 23:50
    +2

    try buffing it out first.

    • NotCheap on 16/06/2018 - 13:15
      +1

      100% try this - get some polish and cut&polish from a place like supercheap auto and some rags, and give it a go - it wont make it worse and just might get rid of enough so you can live with it :)

      Looks like a lot of those marks are concrete. If its down to the metal you're (profanity) and just get insurance to fix it.

      My wife scraped her new car on the garage pillar shortly after getting it, including putting some minor dents in the wheel arch area - some polish, and cut&polish got rid of most of it and i didnt bother doing any more as it wasnt noticable enough afterwards.

      It'll cost you about 30$ for some polish, and some cut&polish and some rags, and a couple hours of your time (taking care).

      Wash the area first, dry, then try polish (it'll get out all the light stuff) and if needed then try some cut & polish (use sparingly). You just rub it in/off and i bet a lot of that will go away.

      You might be able to fix the door with the polish/cut&polish and then its just one panel to fix.

      • koreanfriedchicken on 16/06/2018 - 15:23

        Hey mate,

        Cheers for the advice. I've got some cut and polish already so I'll give it a shot this afternoon. At least the car will look a little less banged up that way :)

        End of the day, Insurance will cover the main damage. I'm going to get a few quotes and wear the excess - most people I've spoken to reckon its > $5k damage so there's not a whole lot of options.

  • eatwell365 on 16/06/2018 - 04:57

    don’t feel bad. you are not alone, feel your pain. scratch a little on a new merc $5500; a pea size paint chip $2500.
    my 5 cents from years of driving only no expert.
    1. get a proper full inspection and quote by a reputable repairer first, regardless. in case damage you can’t tell. eg. your tyre has some white mark _ check the side wall of the tyre and alloy wheel if damaged,
    2. to do the job properly, at least 3 panels, so will be over a grand easily. bumper $700 alone.
    3.insurance will go up. $1000 excess, 2 years comprehensive up roughly by $700 each year, CTP may go up as well. Hence if the work is greater than at least $2400, it is break even.
    depend if you are look conscious on your car. If yes, fix it soon. If not, wait a little while, you will be numb and care less with time. someone may hit yours and it can be repaired then.

    • PVA on 16/06/2018 - 11:24

      ..scratch a little on a new merc $5500; a pea size paint chip $2500…

      thats any car now days, not just mercs etc. friend had a small scratch on the roof of his week old Prodo - $5k fix.

  • garetz on 16/06/2018 - 05:43

    Does it affect the operation of the vehicle ? If not then dont worry about it.

  • Marcsie on 16/06/2018 - 09:58

    Your money, your decision :)

  • [Deactivated] on 16/06/2018 - 10:05
    -2

    Really though, serves you right for eating KFC

  • [Deactivated] on 16/06/2018 - 10:10

    Panel beaters are a kinda misleading name nowadays, they are are more panel replaces, and they charge a fortune for it.

    This is going to be big dollars ($5k - $10K ). So insurance claim would be your best bet.

  • fantombloo on 16/06/2018 - 10:35

    Get quotes, claim insurance, keep money. Keep car as is as your new bomb / runabout, 3rd party insurance only, drive and park carefree, drive it into the ground. When you're ready for a replacement car use proceeds from insurance payout.

  • bobbified on 16/06/2018 - 11:39
    +1

    Good to see you're taking responsibility for this accident and not blaming KFC (or whoever) for putting the concrete wall there!

  • chumlee on 16/06/2018 - 11:53
    +1

    Cover it up with racing stripes

    • PinzVidz on 17/06/2018 - 19:24

      Nah, cover it up with wheel flares and body cladding instead. While you're there, raise the suspension and put big 4WD wheels/tyres on it.

  • JimmyF on 16/06/2018 - 12:13

    Thats way more than $1000 in damages.

  • snellori on 16/06/2018 - 13:05

    try to use this product https://www.repco.com.au/en/brands/meguiars/meguiar-s-scratc…. even if doesnt remove the scratch completely, it will reduce it significantly

  • Illian on 16/06/2018 - 16:03

    I dunno man, seriously you're thinking of paying an excess worth 1/6th of the value of the car? What's the point? Why not leave it like that, it's only basically one panel too, what difference does it make to you? I never fixed a single scratch or dent on my first car. You can find a decent cut&polish kit for $20 and a spray can of touch up paint to match the car's colour code for $80, it won't be the prettiest fix but it would be the most logical.

    • koreanfriedchicken on 16/06/2018 - 16:23

      It's got rego until April next year and I don't really feel like driving it around when it looks so bad. If a cut and polish gets it looks a bit better that's definitely worth a shot.

      Realistically I would like to sell this with a few months rego and buy something better next year, if this isn't fixed the resale value is going to be a hell of a lot less.

  • Findo on 16/06/2018 - 18:21

    Turn right at the Bathurst st/Elizabeth st intersection in the city coming from from the 2nd lane near castlereagh st (2nd lane goes to lanes 2 and 3) and hope some (profanity) hits that panel. It’ll probably happen, idiots don’t look at road markings simply because the change is foreign and goes against what was previously known for over 5 yesrs.

    • CMH on 16/06/2018 - 18:46

      I second this. I was just involved in this exact same situation (car on 1st lane veered into 2nd lane).

      Happens at just about every intersection with 2 right-turn lanes.

      • Findo on 16/06/2018 - 19:02

        Seriously though the Elizabeth st/Bathurst st lane markings need to be backed up with signs. It’s a nightmare.

  • quog on 17/06/2018 - 16:45

    Take some more photos and send them to some paintless dent repairers. It'll give an idea of cost.

  • hotdog679 on 18/06/2018 - 01:40

    6300 for a 2005? Hopefully it was low kms cos I was looking at 2011 A4s with 100000kms for around 10 grand for my first car too.

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