$1900 To Fix?

[Maroliver]

So my buddy was driving us home from the bar the other weekend in his 2007 (maybe 2006) Lexus LS460 and I decided I would yell out the window at this guy who cut us off. The guy stops in the middle of the street right in front of us, comes up to us yelling, threatening us, etc., and then as he's walking away he decides to throw a beer bottle at my buddy's LS 460. The beer bottle hits the hood of the car and shatters, leaving two small (approx. inch long or less) dents with small scratches in them and a small scratch along the left side of his window. Unfortunately I do not know the first thing about cars, but one thing I have gathered is that Lexus vehicles are very expensive and nice.

What else is unfortunate about this is that my buddy is telling me he took the car to the Lexus dealer and that they said it's going to cost $1900 to fix. I couldn't believe how outrageous that price is to fix two VERY small scratches/dents in the hood and a small scratch in the windshield. He tried to tell me that the Lexus has a special paint (it's black) and a special paint protectant thing that makes it really expensive. I was really drunk the night this all happened and I told him I would help pay for it. I do not know much about cars but I have never been in an accident/never damaged my vehicle and I cannot see how this would cost $1900 to fix.

I spoke to my father who has been driving for almost 40 years and he told me that his insurance should cover this - his car was straight up vandalized. I have also spoke to a few other students at my college and they said that I shouldn't pay my friend anything because his insurance should cover this. However my friend tried to tell me that the insurance won't cover it because his father's name is the name on the car. I don't really believe that the insurance won't cover it.

So, in summary - is my friend trying to rip me off or would it REALLY cost $1900 to fix two small dents with scratches in the hood and a small scratch in the windshield of a Lexus LS460 from 2006 or 2007? I told him that with that kind of figure, I won't be able to help him pay for it for at least a year, seeing as I'm a broke college student who doesn't have time to work during college, and who works back home during the summer for minimum wage. I don't want to get ripped off and I don't want to pay for something insurance could fix. I also don't see why this would cost so much to fix.

[1990LS400]

Consult an attorney.

I assume an attorney would tell you that you have no responsibility for paying. Assuming one of you weren't too drunk to get the plate number, file a police report. File a police report even if you don't have the plate number. This wasn't vandalism. This was assault.

[Maroliver]

Consult an attorney.

I assume an attorney would tell you that you have no responsibility for paying. Assuming one of you weren't too drunk to get the plate number, file a police report. File a police report even if you don't have the plate number. This wasn't vandalism. This was assault.

We called the police (Baltimore's finest <_< ), waited 30 minutes alongside of the road, and the only person who attended to us was some JHU special police who told us just to wait there for the cops. So we waited a little bit more, no one showed up, and my buddy who owns the Lexus got all *BLEEP*ed off and decided he wanted to leave. He did report the license plate number, description of the car of the guy who did it (who by the way was also driving around drinking obviously if he could get out and throw an open bottle of beer at my friend's car), etc. However, no one ever contacted him after that, which I find fishy as well.

The whole situation is fishy. I mean, I know it kind of IS my fault that the whole thing happened, but like you said, I shouldn't have any responsibility to pay for the car. I was drunk and offered to help pay for it in a drunken state and for the fact that I know nothing about cars. I just know that $1900 to fix this sounds COMPLETELY ridiculous and it's totally out of my price range for a long time. Do you know anything about how insurance covers vandalisms/assaults?

[GDixon]

Consult an attorney.

I assume an attorney would tell you that you have no responsibility for paying. Assuming one of you weren't too drunk to get the plate number, file a police report. File a police report even if you don't have the plate number. This wasn't vandalism. This was assault.

We called the police (Baltimore's finest <_< ), waited 30 minutes alongside of the road, and the only person who attended to us was some JHU special police who told us just to wait there for the cops. So we waited a little bit more, no one showed up, and my buddy who owns the Lexus got all *BLEEP*ed off and decided he wanted to leave. He did report the license plate number, description of the car of the guy who did it (who by the way was also driving around drinking obviously if he could get out and throw an open bottle of beer at my friend's car), etc. However, no one ever contacted him after that, which I find fishy as well.

The whole situation is fishy. I mean, I know it kind of IS my fault that the whole thing happened, but like you said, I shouldn't have any responsibility to pay for the car. I was drunk and offered to help pay for it in a drunken state and for the fact that I know nothing about cars. I just know that $1900 to fix this sounds COMPLETELY ridiculous and it's totally out of my price range for a long time. Do you know anything about how insurance covers vandalisms/assaults?

The car has to have "comprehensive" coverage to be reimbursed for vandalism. There is usually a deductible applied so the insured has to pay that amount and the insurance company pays the rest. If the party who damaged the car can be tracked down you might be able to get him to pay the deductible amount (or his insurance company).

[TA in KC]

I just know that $1900 to fix this sounds COMPLETELY ridiculous and it's totally out of my price range for a long time.

I don't think your friend is trying to rip you off. $1900 sounds about right to me. Just getting a hood repainted will cost at least $800-900.

A good body shop will likely not even attempt to remove dents from the hood...they will just replace it. That would explain the other $1000.

[Maroliver]

Consult an attorney.

I assume an attorney would tell you that you have no responsibility for paying. Assuming one of you weren't too drunk to get the plate number, file a police report. File a police report even if you don't have the plate number. This wasn't vandalism. This was assault.

We called the police (Baltimore's finest <_< ), waited 30 minutes alongside of the road, and the only person who attended to us was some JHU special police who told us just to wait there for the cops. So we waited a little bit more, no one showed up, and my buddy who owns the Lexus got all *BLEEP*ed off and decided he wanted to leave. He did report the license plate number, description of the car of the guy who did it (who by the way was also driving around drinking obviously if he could get out and throw an open bottle of beer at my friend's car), etc. However, no one ever contacted him after that, which I find fishy as well.

The whole situation is fishy. I mean, I know it kind of IS my fault that the whole thing happened, but like you said, I shouldn't have any responsibility to pay for the car. I was drunk and offered to help pay for it in a drunken state and for the fact that I know nothing about cars. I just know that $1900 to fix this sounds COMPLETELY ridiculous and it's totally out of my price range for a long time. Do you know anything about how insurance covers vandalisms/assaults?

The car has to have "comprehensive" coverage to be reimbursed for vandalism. There is usually a deductible applied so the insured has to pay that amount and the insurance company pays the rest. If the party who damaged the car can be tracked down you might be able to get him to pay the deductible amount (or his insurance company).

This happened nearly a month ago. Do you think it would still be possible to track the guy down even though the police never responded to us at the time of the vandalism nor did they ever contact us back afterwards? I don't think any of us still have the license plate number but I know that it was reported to the police, along with a description of the car and the suspect, which I know at least I remember very well what both of those looked like.

I just know that $1900 to fix this sounds COMPLETELY ridiculous and it's totally out of my price range for a long time.

I don't think your friend is trying to rip you off. $1900 sounds about right to me. Just getting a hood repainted will cost at least $800-900.

A good body shop will likely not even attempt to remove dents from the hood...they will just replace it. That would explain the other $1000.

So wouldn't it be more reasonable if around $1000 to just buy a new hood? Why re-paint a messed up one while you can just put another one on for $1000? Maybe I missed something. Sorry I'm a car newbie.

And thank you both for the advice. The guy called me tonight wanting to "settle the hood deal" and I figured I should ask some people who may know more about it than both of us before I agree to do anything. It's nice to hear that one person doesn't think my friend is trying to rip me off. If you can direct any friends or knowledgeable people to this thread, I would GREATLY appreciate it. I guess I should probably call him back and deal with this tomorrow as its getting kind of late on the east coast now. :(

[ArmyofOne]

Consult an attorney.

I assume an attorney would tell you that you have no responsibility for paying. Assuming one of you weren't too drunk to get the plate number, file a police report. File a police report even if you don't have the plate number. This wasn't vandalism. This was assault.

We called the police (Baltimore's finest <_< ), waited 30 minutes alongside of the road, and the only person who attended to us was some JHU special police who told us just to wait there for the cops. So we waited a little bit more, no one showed up, and my buddy who owns the Lexus got all *BLEEP*ed off and decided he wanted to leave. He did report the license plate number, description of the car of the guy who did it (who by the way was also driving around drinking obviously if he could get out and throw an open bottle of beer at my friend's car), etc. However, no one ever contacted him after that, which I find fishy as well.

The whole situation is fishy. I mean, I know it kind of IS my fault that the whole thing happened, but like you said, I shouldn't have any responsibility to pay for the car. I was drunk and offered to help pay for it in a drunken state and for the fact that I know nothing about cars. I just know that $1900 to fix this sounds COMPLETELY ridiculous and it's totally out of my price range for a long time. Do you know anything about how insurance covers vandalisms/assaults?

The car has to have "comprehensive" coverage to be reimbursed for vandalism. There is usually a deductible applied so the insured has to pay that amount and the insurance company pays the rest. If the party who damaged the car can be tracked down you might be able to get him to pay the deductible amount (or his insurance company).

This happened nearly a month ago. Do you think it would still be possible to track the guy down even though the police never responded to us at the time of the vandalism nor did they ever contact us back afterwards? I don't think any of us still have the license plate number but I know that it was reported to the police, along with a description of the car and the suspect, which I know at least I remember very well what both of those looked like.

I just know that $1900 to fix this sounds COMPLETELY ridiculous and it's totally out of my price range for a long time.

I don't think your friend is trying to rip you off. $1900 sounds about right to me. Just getting a hood repainted will cost at least $800-900.

A good body shop will likely not even attempt to remove dents from the hood...they will just replace it. That would explain the other $1000.

So wouldn't it be more reasonable if around $1000 to just buy a new hood? Why re-paint a messed up one while you can just put another one on for $1000? Maybe I missed something. Sorry I'm a car newbie.

And thank you both for the advice. The guy called me tonight wanting to "settle the hood deal" and I figured I should ask some people who may know more about it than both of us before I agree to do anything. It's nice to hear that one person doesn't think my friend is trying to rip me off. If you can direct any friends or knowledgeable people to this thread, I would GREATLY appreciate it. I guess I should probably call him back and deal with this tomorrow as its getting kind of late on the east coast now. :(

That quote is spot on for an LS460...

Your friend is exactly that, he isnt ripping you off. The new hood from the bodyshop is around $1,000, then an additional $900 for paint (they come primed in flat black most likely).

[1990LS400]

Maroliver,

This simply isn't your problem. If your LS owner friend didn't follow up with the police, that's his problem. It's his car -- not yours. The damage was to his property -- not yours. Who knows ... maybe the police did get back to your "friend" and he didn't tell you -- he doesn't sound like much of a friend to me. For all you know, the LS driver's insurance company is paying for the repairs and your "friend" wants to get some spending money out of you. Plus, the LS driver's insurance company has an interest in having the other driver prosecuted -- but you probably wouldn't know since the insurance company is not going to communicate with you since the LS isn't yours.

Yelling at the other driver was a bad idea but that doesn't give the guy an excuse to commit assault. Look at it as a learning experience. Learn to "smile" at people who p1ss you off -- you are the one who has the real power when you are able to control your emotions.

I had a drunk driver hit-and-run my new Volvo 242 in 1978. A bystander got the license plate number and I got a glimpse of the driver. The Kansas City police was extremely interested in tracking the driver down and I was able to identify him from sort of a "police line-up" -- they spread about ten photos on a table and asked me to pick out the culprit. The police prosecuted the case and I was a witness in court -- I even brought a piece of his car that had fallen off to the courtroom.

But this is not your problem. You bear no responsibility for paying. One could even argue that it was the LS driver's responsibility for your behavior -- after all, he could have rolled your passenger window up. I regard a driver as sort of "the captain of the ship". The driver sets the rules.

Just move on.

[djspawn00]

$1900 is steep....

The hood isn't being replaced right, its just being "refinished"?

and lexus paint is special??? if anything its less durable due it its green friendly low VOC content.

... but I guess thats what you got to pay for dealer service....

to repaint my entire car including fixing a few dings here and there to match lexus code 202 but using PPG paint cost me about $1200...

but then again, i don't have an LS460...

p.s. your friend doesn't really sound like much of a friend... he probably has full insurance anyway.....

if anything call up a few insurance companies... geico ect. and see what shops they certify... ask them for a ballpark figure... keep in mind that their prices are often higher because they bill the insurance company....