[CaliforniaCharger]

Yesterday morning, I parked my car in the school parking lot (in an area reserved for the senior class.)

School's over, and I go to my car and see there's a BIG scuff mark on the side of it- running from the end of the driver's door to the rear left wheel well. It just looked like a scuff, and I was upset. I thought it'll need serious buffing and some PDR. The other person didn't leave a note or anything! Just left before I had a chance to see the damage. It was obvious that they hit my car, so it's a very disrespectful hit-and-run. I saw a little nickel-sized dent on the car, and drove home.

Once I got home, I tried to clean some of the scuffing to see what really happened. I managed to get some of it off, and there's a crease over a foot long in my left rear door! I don't even know how damage/a scuff like that could even happen!

Does anyone have a suggestion as to what I should do? I don't think the cameras caught anything, and I'm not sure if PDR and a buff can fix it. Should I notify my insurance? It pissed me off so badly that someone hit and ran, damaging my first car. Feels like someone punched my kid and ran away. Some people told me who they think it is, but I'm not sure.

Thank you!

 

[Playhard]

Could always file a police report. Not sure what recourse you have if there are not witness to verify who hit you. Also, If you don't want to pay for it yourself you can always file a claim if it's not something that will buff out. Up to you.

 

[CaliforniaCharger]

Could always file a police report. Not sure what recourse you have if there are not witness to verify who hit you. Also, If you don't want to pay for it yourself you can always file a claim if it's not something that will buff out. Up to you.

I've got a hunch as to who hit me, and other people think it's that person too, since he was parked next to me. When I was removing the scuffs, they looked black but had silver/grey residue. On Monday, I'm going to take a look at his car to see if it traded any of my white paint. I'll also ask about the security camera footage. If I can't find out who did it, I'll file a police report. I think my insurance deductible is more expensive than paying out of pocket.

 

[baller1015]

I had a similar thing happen to me a few years ago. I had a basketball game one night and came out to my 08 charger to find the front bumper demolished, the person ran. I filed a report with the campus police and the county police. I asked around continuously for the next week, and eventually I got closer to finding out who it was and the person turned themselves in. Insurance got involved and I got my car repaired.

 

[batmobile13]

I think my insurance deductible is more expensive than paying out of pocket.

You will be surprised how much a long continuous scratch can cost to fix.

 

[Shots]

Well the good news is that there will be paint transfer. If their paint is on your car, yours IS on theirs. That's just how it works. The bad news is that, if they're smart they'll buff out any sign of it so there's no evidence of it, and they've got all weekend to do it.
I'd certainly check to see if the cameras caught anything. If the school's didn't is there a business (gas station, store, etc) who's camera's may face the school's lot? You don't necessarily have to get a good enough view to get a plate. Sometimes just knowing the make/model will be enough to figure out who it was.
As for filing a police report it doesn't hurt even if you think you know who it was. If you can't figure it out, maybe the police can. If you can figure it out, the police can make it much easier to get it resolved/repaired. If this person took off after doing it, they're not likely to be very honest to you if you ask them about it.
Regarding the insurance. No need to file a claim unless you intend to have them pay for the repairs. No sense in having them involved if they're not actually going to do anything. That said though, some insurance companies cover parking lot damage at zero deductible. It's worth asking them about it. You can ask them about your options, without actually filing a claim. Just tell them in advance that you're no sure if you want to file a claim yet, so you're exploring your option.

 

[CaliforniaCharger]

I'm going to see if the accused's car has paint on it, and if the cameras would have captured any footage.

Feels like someone punched my child.

 

[29840]

Definitely file a police report asap. Take pictures of your car and keep any before you buffed it if you have them. Take pics of the suspected guys car too if it looks like it was indeed him.

It's unfortunate to have to handle situations like that but the thing I've learned quickest in life is to save/document everything as if you're about to attend a court case in regards to it. Doing so has saved my butt AND wallet more than it has wasted my time.

 

[Shots]

Oh yeah, and the "how". From the description of the damage, it sounds like they were backing out of the space next to you. The turned to sharply (or too soon), and the front bumper drug along the side of your car as it swung out. I'm guessing the dent/crease you found is about 3/4 of the way through the scuff? The scuff will get heavier as the pressure increases, you'll have then dent, and then the scuff will be much shorter beyond that as it quickly fades due to the other car pulling away as it continues it's arc.

 

[CaliforniaCharger]

I've tried to clean the area off to be able to see any damage, so it's not as scuffed. The dents are more visible now, so yeah I'll definitely take photos too. I'd hate to see a kid get into legal trouble since it's the student parking lot, but on the other hand, it's an awful thing to do. Especially since I have to pay for everything, as a high school student.

 

[702RN]

Well the good news is that there will be paint transfer. If their paint is on your car, yours IS on theirs. That's just how it works. The bad news is that, if they're smart they'll buff out any sign of it so there's no evidence of it, and they've got all weekend to do it.

I'd certainly check to see if the cameras caught anything. If the school's didn't is there a business (gas station, store, etc) who's camera's may face the school's lot? You don't necessarily have to get a good enough view to get a plate. Sometimes just knowing the make/model will be enough to figure out who it was.

As for filing a police report it doesn't hurt even if you think you know who it was. If you can't figure it out, maybe the police can. If you can figure it out, the police can make it much easier to get it resolved/repaired. If this person took off after doing it, they're not likely to be very honest to you if you ask them about it.

Regarding the insurance. No need to file a claim unless you intend to have them pay for the repairs. No sense in having them involved if they're not actually going to do anything. That said though, some insurance companies cover parking lot damage at zero deductible. It's worth asking them about it. You can ask them about your options, without actually filing a claim. Just tell them in advance that you're no sure if you want to file a claim yet, so you're exploring your option.

This!


Go to your school police and notify them about what happened. You'll be surprised at how high the resolution is on the school surveillance cameras.

My younger brother had a similar incident happen when he first got his challenger. Someone keyed it down to the bare metal the second day he brought it to school. We had the school police check the cameras, each one oscillates and had a great view of his car. Crazy enough the kid that did it somehow got lucky enough to key the car and walk away by the time the camera cycled back around. My brother had tips on who did it as well but it wasn't enough to charge the kid with damages.

Check the kid's car and see if you note any paint transfer. Take pictures! And again, have the school police check the cameras. Let them know where you were parked, they'll review video with you initially.

I hate when I hear about incidents like this. Normally they're accidents but more often than not it's due to poorly founded jealousy. Someone is angry that you have a nice vehicle, or anything nice in general. So their response is to damage your nice item and run away.

Somebody keyed my first charger at a football game my freshman year of college. I was pissed. I walked around the whole parking lot with a massive rock in my hand hoping to somehow find who keyed my car (as if they would have stuck around). I was blinded with rage!

 

[Ddaddy]

It would also be helpful to post pics of the damage to your car if you would like us to give you repair advice.

 

[Shots]

Definitely file a police report asap. Take pictures of your car and keep any before you buffed it if you have them. Take pics of the suspected guys car too if it looks like it was indeed him.

It's unfortunate to have to handle situations like that but the thing I've learned quickest in life is to save/document everything as if you're about to attend a court case in regards to it. Doing so has saved my butt AND wallet more than it has wasted my time.

Very good advice here. ↑↑↑

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Sometimes it's worth a thousand dollars.
And yes, document everything. It will certainly save you more time/money than it will ever waste. It doesn't matter how small a detail may seem to be, document it just in case. If you don't need it you can always discard it latter but if you never had it you may not be able to get it if you need it later.

 

[Shots]

It would also be helpful to post pics of the damage to your car if you would like us to give you repair advice.

:werd:



Seriously, that's not a bad idea. We've got some crazy good body people around here. Junkman2008, where you at?

 

[29840]

I'd hate to see a kid get into legal trouble since it's the student parking lot, but on the other hand, it's an awful thing to do. Especially since I have to pay for everything, as a high school student.

You've got more heart than me. I'd want the kid reprimanded to the highest possible degree while also paying for returning my car to the way it was. People that do crappy things like that tend to just be crappy people their entire lives, especially when they get away with petty things.

 

[CaliforniaCharger]

Something's gotta be up with my phone, because I couldn't see half of the responses you guys made until now. I'll take a photo tomorrow, in the daylight..

I go to a private school where everyone's relatively well-off. I think a kid who drives a grey new Mustang hit it, since there was some flecks of grey when I rubbed the scuff. I think he was parked next to me, and some other people told me it was him parked to my left. It pisses me off that this isn't some random store parking lot, it's a student parking lot at a relatively affluent school, and GBE lot is locked during school hours. Half these people have cars as nice or much nicer than mine (they don't work to pay for), they should have been raised better than hitting and running!

There's one quarter-sized circular dent, then like 6 inches of no damage, then another streak of denting. Paint traveled REALLY far!

Edit: we don't have campus police

 

[702RN]

Something's gotta be up with my phone, because I couldn't see half of the responses you guys made until now. I'll take a photo tomorrow, in the daylight..

I go to a private school where everyone's relatively well-off. I think a kid who drives a grey new Mustang hit it, since there was some flecks of grey when I rubbed the scuff. I think he was parked next to me, and some other people told me it was him parked to my left. It pisses me off that this isn't some random store parking lot, it's a student parking lot at a relatively affluent school, and GBE lot is locked during school hours. Half these people have cars as nice or much nicer than mine (they don't work to pay for), they should have been raised better than hitting and running!

There's one quarter-sized circular dent, then like 6 inches of no damage, then another streak of denting. Paint traveled REALLY far!

Edit: we don't have campus police

That's even crappier, sorry to hear man.

I went to an affluent high school as well, but it was a public school. We really didn't have any scummy kids like that. Everyone really took pride in their nice things.

Now our rival school was a private school, Bishop Gorman. Many here may have heard of them. Anyway, this school is home to some of the wealthiest people's kids in the world. Snoop Dogg's kid has recently started there playing football (Gorman football is number 1 in the nation), he has a new reality show coming out about the experience soon. I digress, my point is my experience with kids at those schools has never been good. The drugs, disobedience, and general ignorance is highest at these schools. So your incident doesn't surprise me. The kid wrecks your car with his nice car, knowing his parents will replace it with something immediately.

I'm honestly shocked you guys don't have security or police, especially with a gated school. Gorman is the same way and they're very secure with guards and all that. Regardless, your school must have cameras.

 

[Black-N-Tan]

Sad to hear. My young stepson opened the car door after we repeatedly tell him not to do so, and caused a small ding in the next car. We left a note and received a call later that evening. They said it was ok. I saw a truck destroy a side view mirror While flying through the area. I got his plate at the next light and put it under the windshield wiper of the offended vehicle. I saw a truck pull out of a spot a few weeks back just wound Christmas and hit a car facing the opposite direction in a parking lot, then pull off. my fiancé and I went after the truck, got the plate number and vehicle info. The lady that owned the car was quite upset, but her son was a detective...let's just say that idiot that hit the lady's nice car chose the wrong day.


I could never do that to another person's vehicle. I park away from other cars when I'm not in my garage. Far far away. The extra walk is good for me anyway. That said, it takes a certain level of scum to do that. Hood luck, and can't wait for the update.

 

[Shots]

I'd hate to see a kid get into legal trouble since it's the student parking lot, but on the other hand, it's an awful thing to do.

You've got more heart than me. I'd want the kid reprimanded to the highest possible degree while also paying for returning my car to the way it was....

I'm with you InvictuSRT8.
Okay fine you accidently hit my car in a lot. Man up, admit you were wrong, and leave your info. Fix my car, problem solved, we're good.
Accidentally hit my car in a lot then run like a coward. Leaving me to incur the expense, and hassle, of making repairs caused by your poor driving skill and/or lack of attention. We're not good, and I see no problem at all hanging you out to dry. He/she should be charged with the crash, and for hit/skip too.
I'm all for turning the other cheek, and if they stepped up from the start that's all the further it would need to go. But it's apparently not even an issue of being able to afford to fix the damage (as you noted it's an affluent school). It's a straight up lack of respect for other people's property, and a lack of accountability. Sounds like a good time to learn a life lesson. If you're going to act like a criminal, expect to get treated like one.

 

[CaliforniaCharger]

HONESTLY **** MY LIFE.
This morning, I hit someone's car and caused a similar accident to the one that happened to me. I was trying to back into a parking spot and my shitty parking job ended up scraping his car. No paint transfer to mine, somehow, but his right rear wheel-well is scuffed/dented down to the metal. The damage is a bit longer than a pen. I have no clue how much it'll cost to paint, but it's only sheetmetal/paint work. Nobody was inside.

NOW DO YOU know WHAT DAMN CAR I HIT?
A BRAND-NEW RED TESLA P85D.

I haven't even had a chance to file my own claim, now I've got to file another one. This is my first at-fault accident ever, and I've been licensed for over a year now.

On the bright side, I took out some of the Charger Hellcat's competition xD

E: Shots, I need your insight-
I didn't realize I hit his car, since there wasn't a feeling of impact or anything. I parked, then got out and began to just walk away. Some jerk started screaming "He hit and run!" and I turned around, confronting him. I guess he thought I knew I hit the guy's car, and didn't want me to walk away and act like nothing happened. I ended up talking to the Tesla's owner, one of the car show's sponsors and the organizer. There's no way that he could claim hit and run, right? Also, nobody was in the car- is there a way he can say that there was people in his car and mess with the story so he can sue?