I need some advice

[Comando489]

So a friend and I get done working out at the gym and it is about 11pm. I pull into his driveway and he gets out and i start to back out. As im looking over my shoulder i turn and go to put it in drive and as soon as i shift the gears i feel a clunk. I thought at first i did something to my gears and thought i was still moving backwards when i put it in drive but that was not the case.

it turns out my friends neighbor likes to park right outside his drive way. It was pitch black and his car is a 1994 geo prism (dark green) and was impossible to see unless you knew it was there. His drivers side rear door gets dented in by my rear bumper (my bumper only has a scratch on it). It turns out that my friends sister has actually hit this car two time before(same situation) and the front fender is all knocked in.

So i go there the next morning and give the guy all my information thinking it will be a $300 or so fix. Well he calls me today and said he got two estimates one for $1000 and one for $800. I CAN NOT AFFORD THIS. Im broke enough as it is and $300 is out of my price range. I can't tell my parents because they will flip out. I just got another job interview on thursday but i probably will not be making any money from that for at least another week or so. I have had to sell so many of my own personal belongings just to start to get some money togeather, like the only things i own.

I don't know what to do. should i try to find a junk yard car and take a door off of that or what! the KBB of the car is only like $1200 in good condition. The guy said he is willing to work with me but i don't know what to say to him. My friend is giving me a name of a really dirt cheap bodyshop that im going to tell the guy to go to.

please helpppppppppp

:mad::mad:ahhhh why does this **** always happen to me? :banghead:

(sorry for the spelling and what not im just not in the mood.)

[deliveryguy]

If he said he would work with you, then work with him. Explain to him how you're a broke student, and offer him a payment plan. If you're local, offer him your time or service. Mowing his lawn once a week might be better than selling all of your assets.

I don't know anything about your parents, but I'm sure they would be much happier to see you dent a geo than get hit by a truck or something. If this guy doesn't cooperate as "completely" as you hope, offer your parents a payment plan or your time/service. The owner of the vehicle may very well contact your parents regardless. Just be level-headed and try to maintain a professional attitude. Is insurance getting involved?

[BlackBetty]

try to find something in the junkyard man and take it to that bodyshop to get it painted/hung. do some price shopping, find a cheap door hopefully one in the same color so you don't have to paint. and get a quote from the cheap bodyshop..go for what ever is cheaper

talk to the body guy they usually know the best way to do things

[BlackBetty]

also what deliveryguy said :thumbsup:

[Comando489]

no insurance is not going to be involved. i don't want to tell my parents because i just got my car fixed from another car crash(not my fault) and they (my mom) like to flip out over everything, and im 19 now and am starting to take responsibility for myself and don't really want to run to my parents for help.

im just going to be so busy with all my exams at the end of the year, two jobs now and having to worry about this.

i just have no clue what to do. im thinking i might as well just offer to buy the car for $800 (because it really is a POS) and then try to sell it for as much as i can.

[BlackBetty]

That might work, but at the same time, you might be able to fix it for less then $800, and how are you going to explain to your parents about why you bought a POS with a dented door for $800.. Make some phone calls to local junk yard's and see if you can get a green geo door.. and you can always put it on the car yourself, if it doesn't allign properly take it to a shop.

[Charcoal]

So, did your friends sister ever pay him or anything when she hit his car? I would find out how they dealt with it first before I would give him any money. You may even be able to get someone to talk to the guy for you and kinda "scare" him into thinking it was actually his fault his car got hit. Just get an older person he doesn't know to talk to him and say something like "hey from my understanding it has been a problem you parking here at the end of so and so's driveway and your car has already been hit several times, so I think we should take this a little farther, it is obvious you are looking to gain from your constant neglect of correctly parking your car. I don't believe that so and so owes you any money, if anything it appears to me that maybe you are trying to profit or scam (insurance) people. So now should we contact the authorities or is there no longer a problem and so and so doesn't owe you anything and you start parking correctly?

The right words can go a long way as long as there is a continuous strong voice. Also with all actuality he may be just trying to get some money for nothing. Just a thought for ya :biggrin:

[deliveryguy]

Sometimes being aggressive can help in these situations, but always have some substance to back up your claims. In a lot of places, it's actually illegal to park on the side of the road. Give a call to your local PD and ask them about the logistics behind the situation. Who knows...with a little bit of research you could walk out with a wee scratch.

[BlackBetty]

Very ture, and very good advice, it doesn't make much sence if you have a scratch and he has a bent up door, you don't drive a big boat with steel bumpers, its a cougar.. something doesn't quite add up. If he was illigally parked maybe you should be asking him for money to fix your scratch..

[MattyD879]

The real question.. Is a 1994 Geo Prizm worth $800 to $1000 to fix?
This kid obviously must not care about his car if he parks it in the street and the fender is caved in and he hasn't had it fixed.

Look around and see if the local streets in the neighborhood have signs saying you can't park after a certain hour or ask the Po-Pos.

However if he is really insistant on getting it fixed..go to a junkyard.
Then don't even get it painted, it'll be like every other Prizm driving around..

But dude you gotta be careful your car is cursed or something..

Good luck mang!

[Comando489]

Very ture, and very good advice, it doesn't make much sence if you have a scratch and he has a bent up door, you don't drive a big boat with steel bumpers, its a cougar.. something doesn't quite add up. If he was illigally parked maybe you should be asking him for money to fix your scratch..


his car took the impact, the round side part of my bumper just went right into the middle of the door, pushing it in.

im going to check around the street for any signs, it is a narrow street and he was parked like a foot away from the curb right on the opposite side of the street where his driveway ended.

I mean if it has happend TWICE before it kind of looks like he was trying to do it again. i think the girl just gave him a check and he said it turned out to be more expensive to fix then she gave him so he did not fix it. He also had a perfectly good empty driveway to park on.

I just really hope he is not trying to get some money out of me. i have NOTHING and $800 goes a long way for me and probably does nothing for him, i mean after all he has a porche in the garage :facepalm: i need money to pay for my own gas, school, cloths and other bills, the only thing i don't pay on my own is rent(still live at home)

i will try to talk to him and i will not just give him some money. i would rather show up on to his front door with a car door lol.

[Comando489]

thank you all for the help btw...

[deliveryguy]

Someone once told me that a guy was sued by a robber who fell through one of those ceiling windows and cut himself on the homeowner's broken glass. Apparently he won. Just an idea :shrug:.


edit:

Property_Rights (http://www.onemansperspective.com/Property_Rights.html)

First, if a burglar breaks into your house, don't injure the burglar, you must kill the burglar.

nevermind.

[freednighthawk]

I'm trying to understand this correctly... Lemme see if I can recap and make sure I understand it...

You were parked on the curb, he was parked partial on the street, but still "in" his driveway, you backed up, and caved in his bumper?

The way you make it sound is that you parked, and then he parked more than half way into the street right behind your car. If thats the case, than it is his fault. However, the other problem is, most cities/suburbs have laws stating how close to the openings of driveways you can park. Which means that if you were too close to the opening of his driveway, you're pretty much screwed.

Also, to pull the size of dent it sounds like you made, and respray the door, should be any more than about $250. We had a guy in a lifted pickup put a foot long, 4 inch deep crease in our driver side door in our BMW, which we got fixed for $230ish.

[Comando489]

this sucks so much. i am so stressed out about this. i have not been to sleep in two days and i can't get to bed tonight. I have 3 huge tests this week and a job interview.



i pulled into my firends drive way, when i was pulling out he was parked on the opposite side of the street and i backed into him.

[Comando489]

here


1) he was parked in the wrong direction

2) he was parked a foot away from a curb

3) he was parked opposite from a driveway, where this has happened b4

4) he has a perfectly good driveway

5) its a ****ing geo prisim and he drives a porsche???????????//

[freednighthawk]

1 lane or 2? Or if no actual lane markings, would it be a street that normally can support a car in each direction?

[Comando489]

1 lane or 2? Or if no actual lane markings, would it be a street that normally can support a car in each direction?

no lanes it is in a neighborhood, yeah it is meant for a car in each direction but when a car is parked only one car can get by at a time.

[freednighthawk]

Then I would say it's really his fault and you dont owe him any money.

[deliveryguy]

Hey man - relax. Easier said than done, but trust me. A year from now you'll look back on this with a "whoopsie". I think the first thing that you should do is call the local PD and ask them if it is legal to park on the side of that specific road. If it isn't, then you're pretty much set. You could actually claim the damage done to your car.

If it is legal to park on the side of an already narrow road, then you should definitely consider getting your parents involved. The best thing you have going for you at this point is conversation - tell him you won't discuss this any further until you sit down with him and your parents. Their presence might just do the trick.

Keep in mind the damage was already there, and he was already paid for this previous damage. He chose not to repair it. Bring this up - mention the fact that you may have hit the car, but the damage was already there. Offer to pay for the installation of a new door, or for a portion of the price. If you can prove the damage was already there, or if he seems reasonably cooperative, some negotiation could save you.

If he still claims you did all the damage, then you'll have to figure out some way to repay him. This is where an offer for your service/time could come into play. Offer a combination of partial payment/service. Explain to him that you will do anything in your power to get this fixed. Maintain the professional attitude. If he wants, he can get insurance involved and you could very well be at fault. Who knows...they might total the car. it is a geo, after all. He's in command for now, so just remember to NOT argue, accuse, or complain. I wouldn't even mention that he was wrong to park in the street, unless it was illegal of course.

Just chillax dude. Eat some food, try to catch some zzzs, and set your priorities. Studying for your exams are more important than a friggin geo door. Christ, studying for a quiz is more important than the whole damn thing. He should definitely understand if you can't take care of it immediately. Good luck.

[Comando489]

Just chillax dude. Eat some food, try to catch some zzzs, and set your priorities. Studying for your exams are more important than a friggin geo door. Christ, studying for a quiz is more important than the whole damn thing. He should definitely understand if you can't take care of it immediately. Good luck.

i just told my dad about it and he said he would call the guy and yell at him for how he is treating me :tongue: he wasn't pissed at all but im sure my mom will be.

i just get really nervious when it comes to important stuff like school and money so that is part of the reason why i am up. at least i have nothing better to do than study and go on newcougar.

who needs sleep when you can have redbulls in the morning anyways?

[deliveryguy]

I hear ya - that's exactly what I'm doing up. I'm spending more time studying cougars than I am for the two exams :rofl:.

[azbobbybooshay10]

who needs sleep when you can have redbulls in the morning anyways?

I suggest the new Amp Energy Drink that I found the other day. Its really damn good. :tongue:
http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b15/azbobbybooshay10/ampelevate.jpg

[freednighthawk]

I tried that Amp, and it was very good. But I still like my NoFear. The peachy goodness is, well, good!

[Kaioshin]

at least i have nothing better to do than study and go on newcougar.

Sounds like me 6 years ago.

You have better things to worry about than some chode's Geo.

Go find a door and help him install it. There is no way the car is worth $800. If he gives you flack sing the "freecreditreport.com" song and laugh.

[freednighthawk]

But instead of looking fly and rolling phat. His legs are sticking to the vinyl and his posse (yeah right) is getting laughed at!

[Comando489]

But instead of looking fly and rolling phat. His legs are sticking to the vinyl and his posse (yeah right) is getting laughed at!

f r e e that spells free, credit report baby!

[MaverickFlyer]

Then I would say it's really his fault and you dont owe him any money.

He backed into a parked car, how is that not his Fault. I bet if that was your car he backed into you would be screaming blue murder. :crazy:

You made a mistake we've all done it. Don't try and scam this poor guy. Stand up, be a man and fix the guys car. If it was your car you would want the same treatment.

[Comando489]

He backed into a parked car, how is that not his Fault. I bet if that was your car he backed into you would be screaming blue murder. :crazy:

You made a mistake we've all done it. Don't try and scam this poor guy. Stand up, be a man and fix the guys car. If it was your car you would want the same treatment.

trust me im not trying to scam the guy, im just looking out for myself as well.
if i was trying to pull that bs do you think i would have given my information to him?

i think i will just turn this one into insurance. i guess thats what it is there for.

[BlackBetty]

Yeah but thats how insurance goes up too, if you can do it with no insurance the better.

Good idea telling your parents tho, they have been there and know what to do. Be remember too that there is no proof where he parked, or how far he was away from the curb.

But like the others said, don't worry about it, school comes first, how pissed would you be if you failed your tests and had to re-take the course because you were stressed about this geo. Eat some food, do something physical to get rid of your stress, pissed off? push-up's work wonders and you don't need anything to do them. Its hard to be pissed after your exhausted.

[Comando489]

But like the others said, don't worry about it, school comes first, how pissed would you be if you failed your tests and had to re-take the course because you were stressed about this geo. Eat some food, do something physical to get rid of your stress, pissed off? push-up's work wonders and you don't need anything to do them. Its hard to be pissed after your exhausted.


i was just having a bad few nights i guess, now that i told my parents it doesn't seem as bad. i work out constantly (i do free weights while i bush my teeth im so addicted:goofy:)and run to get rid of stress.
and the ocasional :beer:or :smoke-g:

ohh and i got a 98% on the one exam i had today, i stayed after and my professor graded it for me :)

[BlackBetty]

Sweet good job dude! I know there is no way I got a 98 on the exam i wrote today... althought there were lots of gimmies..

[deliveryguy]

If I got a 98 on the exam I just took, I'll give you all a million dollars. Yay for multi-variable object array lists. :smoke-t: