# Door opened on me as i was driving past, dented wing



## pantypoos (Aug 7, 2014)

Hi all,

I had the misfortune to have somebody open their door on me as i was driving past leaving a nasty dent in my wing. I was pretty gutted at the time and even more so when the insurance company said it would most likely go for a 50:50 claim, but with the footage from my dash cam and some excellent advice from Lloyd (shiny) at Coversure the third party has accepted liability and the repair will be covered by their insurance.

The insurance co would like me to use their 'stack em high ship em out cheap' repairer but having had a bad experience with one of these type companies before i have opted to find my own body shop to carry out the repair.

I have already spoken to one company local to me who i have used before and did a great job, but this was around 7 years ago and i wasn't hugely impressed with their dirty workshop when i visited today, so does anyone have any recommendations for really good bodyshops within about 40 miles of Rugby?

Here is a pic of the damage  i'm pretty certain it will need a new wing as the leading edge is creased.










And here is it happening










Thanks


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

I would have always said a driver opening their door into traffic would be at fault. Why would there be any argument? Were you slow to react as the guy does look half out the car and a look of horror seeing you coming? 

Personally I wouldn't drive so close to parked cars. There was space to the right.


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## Sicskate (Oct 3, 2012)

Is the car electric?

I wonder if he didn't hear you coming?


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## Kimo (Jun 7, 2013)

Danger of an electric car

Not only are they crap they're too quiet


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## pantypoos (Aug 7, 2014)

I had just passed a car on the other side which is why i was so far over, although i was outside of the parking lines.

I was surprised when the insurance co suggested it could be 50:50 so i was glad i had the dash cam.

Yes the car is electric, and I did also wonder if the chap had relied on hearing me coming rather than using his eyes, at the road side he said he had only opened his door an inch and i was too close, but when the footage was shown to him he back tracked and admitted it was his fault.


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## DrEskimo (Jan 7, 2016)

pantypoos said:


> I had just passed a car on the other side which is why i was so far over, although i was outside of the parking lines.
> 
> I was surprised when the insurance co suggested it could be 50:50 so i was glad i had the dash cam.
> 
> I did also wonder if the chap had relied on hearing me coming rather than using his eyes, at the road side he said he had only opened his door an inch and i was too close, but when the footage was shown to him he back tracked and admitted it was his fault.


I get the argument that he might not of heard you if he was outside the car, but I don't rely on sound when inside my car before getting out. Most cabins are so sound proof you wouldn't hear things coming even if they weren't electric...

Glad it went in your favour as it seems clear he just didn't look before opening the door. Hope you find a decent garage for the repair.


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## pantypoos (Aug 7, 2014)

DrEskimo said:


> I get the argument that he might not of heard you if he was outside the car, but I don't rely on sound when inside my car before getting out. Most cabins are so sound proof you wouldn't hear things coming even if they weren't electric...
> 
> Glad it went in your favour as it seems clear he just didn't look before opening the door. Hope you find a decent garage for the repair.


Thanks, I agree - if i was a cyclist i wouldn't be making any noise.


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## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

No common sense, the guy should have checked his door mirror before opening the door, what about if he had pulled away with out looking? glad it's been sorted.


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## pantypoos (Aug 7, 2014)

Just for interest purposes here is the damage to his car, i reckon the door only just clipped me.

I would still like any body shop recommendations if anyone has any.


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## sshooie (May 15, 2007)

This is why I love dash cams, worth every penny imo.


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## Guest (Jun 13, 2016)

Kimo said:


> Danger of an electric car
> 
> Not only are they crap they're too quiet


Indeed. What they require is someone to walk in front of them waving a flag.


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

BareFacedGeek said:


> Indeed. What they require is someone to walk in front of them waving a flag.


Surely you wouldn't hear the flag either lol.

Personally I think electric cars are fine. The guy in the little silver car should have checked to make sure nothing was coming before flinging his door open. I'm really surprised that the insurance were even considering a 50:50.

Cooks

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk


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## JCoxy (Dec 21, 2011)

Insurers may be picky if a garage can work on electric cars, its a new form of red tape businesses may encounter with more about


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## DrEskimo (Jan 7, 2016)

JCoxy said:


> Insurers may be picky if a garage can work on electric cars, its a new form of red tape businesses may encounter with more about


Ah now this is interesting. I would of presumed it would of been no problem as long as it didn't involve mechanical parts...? Surely the body work is no different to any other Nissan?


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## ffrs1444 (Jun 7, 2008)

50/50 they having a laugh it's Basic Highway Code stuff there crap , still fighting my insurance idiots after a guy smashed me on a road about which was basic Highway Code


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## JCoxy (Dec 21, 2011)

DrEskimo said:


> Ah now this is interesting. I would of presumed it would of been no problem as long as it didn't involve mechanical parts...? Surely the body work is no different to any other Nissan?


I work in a Nissan main dealer bodyshop, we've had Leafs in but not in the booth so I'm not sure what the procedure is

It's to do with the baking of the paint, the car will be subjected up to 70 degrees for 30 minutes. It should be fine but don't quote me on it

Same for LPG cars we have to be careful baking them, or sometimes not bake at all and let them air dry


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## DrEskimo (Jan 7, 2016)

JCoxy said:


> I work in a Nissan main dealer bodyshop, we've had Leafs in but not in the booth so I'm not sure what the procedure is
> 
> It's to do with the baking of the paint, the car will be subjected up to 70 degrees for 30 minutes. It should be fine but don't quote me on it
> 
> Same for LPG cars we have to be careful baking them, or sometimes not bake at all and let them air dry


Of course. Never thought about it before...

Cheers for the info


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## Sicskate (Oct 3, 2012)

We paint the new mondeo hybrids, the batteries need to be emptyied and they are painted with the booth on spray but then left overnight to dry.


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## pantypoos (Aug 7, 2014)

JCoxy said:


> I work in a Nissan main dealer bodyshop, we've had Leafs in but not in the booth so I'm not sure what the procedure is
> 
> It's to do with the baking of the paint, the car will be subjected up to 70 degrees for 30 minutes. It should be fine but don't quote me on it
> 
> Same for LPG cars we have to be careful baking them, or sometimes not bake at all and let them air dry


Where abouts are you? I did consider taking it to Nissan for the repair but i thought all they'd do is get in an outside body shop guy to do the repair.

Do many of the Nissan dealers have their own body shops?


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## JCoxy (Dec 21, 2011)

I'm at a independent small dealer, so basically an independant garage but partnered with Nissan in Wisbech St Mary 

google JS Holmes

It's just your average bodyshop we work on any makes.


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## squiggs (Oct 19, 2009)

When I was about 5 (50 ish years ago) I can remember my old Gran, who would have been about 70 and was a regular driver of a old Rover 90, telling me to look over my shoulder before opening any door when leaving the car ..... her reason being a car, bicycle or pedestrian may be coming along. 
It's something she taught me that I'll never forget!

How an insurance company can ever suggest that the opening of a car door into the path of an oncoming vehicle (or bicycle or pedestrian) can be anything but 100% the door openers fault absolutely baffles me beyond belief!

Hope the OP gets a satisfactory repair :thumb:


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## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

How on earth could they go for 50/50? I'd have taken that all the way even without a dash cam. Him to say he'd only opened his door an inch is rubbish because he should have looked before opening his door. Also if you were an inch from him your wing mirror would have scraped right along the side of his car.


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## TonyHill (Jul 28, 2015)

Kimo said:


> Danger of an electric car
> 
> Not only are they crap they're too quiet


How does that answer his question exactly....???


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## Kimo (Jun 7, 2013)

TonyHill said:


> How does that answer his question exactly....???


You can't hear them

Another thing, he didn't open his door on to the car, his door was already open when the leaf drove into it.

Can quite clearly see why it'd be 50/50 as the op should have been aware


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## M8ttB (May 22, 2016)

A couple of years at I got rear ended at a junction, the back ,although no damage appeared at first, had actually buckled. The insurers said that you're welcome to choose your own but it's your fault if there is a problem.

Also it might be tricky to blame the drive of the Nissan since you haven't seen the whole footage, obstacles could've been in the way before etc ;-)


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## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

For those wondering about 50/50 settlements, to save typing lots, this is worth a read - http://www.trafficaccidentadvice.co.uk/collision-with-open-car-door-who-responsible.html

Basically it is about the driver of the car showing due care & attention and there will be circumstances where the driver is at fault.


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## squiggs (Oct 19, 2009)

Kimo said:


> Another thing, he didn't open his door on to the car, his door was already open when the leaf drove into it.
> 
> Can quite clearly see why it'd be 50/50 as the op should have been aware


It would have taken the door opener less than a second to get it open and even at 20mph the driver would have been way less than second from impact as it opened.
So the driver might have had just over 1 second to become 'aware'.
There's being aware - but you can't always react quickly enough to avoid the idiotic actions of others


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## pantypoos (Aug 7, 2014)

Kimo said:


> You can't hear them
> 
> Another thing, he didn't open his door on to the car, his door was already open when the leaf drove into it.
> 
> Can quite clearly see why it'd be 50/50 as the op should have been aware


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## cleancar (Sep 21, 2006)

thats really unfortunate , with regards to it going 50 : 50 or proving it was their fault , does it really matter these days apart from the NCB etc regardless of who's fault it is both your insurance premiums will go up next year ?


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## Shiny (Apr 23, 2007)

cleancar said:


> thats really unfortunate , with regards to it going 50 : 50 or proving it was their fault , does it really matter these days apart from the NCB etc regardless of who's fault it is both your insurance premiums will go up next year ?


Fault = loss of NCB + fault accident loading

Non-fault = no loss of NCB + "some" (not all) Insurers may make a small load for a non-fault accident

Next year, and the following 2 or 4 years, depending on the Insurer. :thumb:


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## mechrepairs (Aug 11, 2008)

Company next door to me in Leicester city centre are very good and do all my cars and my business cars.

Carl


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## Guest (Jun 16, 2016)

Cookies said:


> Surely you wouldn't hear the flag either lol.


Lol, yes indeed! Sorry, a bit a satire aimed at a daft post. It was a requirement, back in the late 1800's, for all new automobiles to have someone walking in front of them waving a red flag. Electric cars are our future and I, for one, can't wait until the battery tech matures enough for it to be a completely viable alternative.


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

BareFacedGeek said:


> Lol, yes indeed! Sorry, a bit a satire aimed at a daft post. It was a requirement, back in the late 1800's, for all new automobiles to have someone walking in front of them waving a red flag. Electric cars are our future and I, for one, can't wait until the battery tech matures enough for it to be a completely viable alternative.


Absolutely agree. Actually had a guy at my door last night trying to sell solar panels with the Tesla home battery! I remember reading somewhere that your electric car could be used as a generator in times of power cuts.

If the range improved to say 300 miles, I'd have one in a heartbeat.

I was going to say that I remember the red flag well. I'm not actually 120 years old lol, I'm just a petrol (eV?) head.

Cooks

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