help! body damage

Sorry to hear that your car was damaged. BTW, it can be considered an act of fraud for you to provide inaccurate statements to your insurance agent.

It would be better for you to pay for the repairs out-of-pocket so that your insurance premiums would not be increased (or your coverage possibly revoked.)

 

I would get someone to do it. Paint is very difficult to DIY - professional paint shops have rooms that air fairly clean and low-dust. An ordinary garage is just begging to have dust fall on your paint, resulting in a crummy paint job.

I would do it myself if it was just a tiny ding or scratch, but anything that involves spraying a significant area should be left to a professional if you want it done right.

-->Adam

 

Lying to your Insurance Company was not a good idea.

Plus you WANTED to stress your mother out? She should hit the other side of your car so it matches.

I'd look at the 1500-1600 dollars as payback to Mom for the pain of childbirth.

 

Actually, if you wanted to, and you have it, you could file under UNINSURED/UNDERINSURED coverage, if the situation allows it.

You also don’t have to worry that your premium will go up if you make a unisured motorist claim; most states prohibit premium increases if the accident wasn’t your fault.

 

Guilt her into buying you a 2010, would work with me,

 

The picture doesn't shows dent. Try contacting your local auto airbrush touch up service. Most dealers use these guys and I also use them in the past with good results. Probably it will cost you about $300.

 

Many dent repair shops will fix you up for a few hundred dollars (especially if paying cash). Body shops are going to do a great job, but they will repaint much more that really needs to be done.

 

I recently had similar dents fixed on the two driver side doors plus the panel forward of the driver's door plus the panel aft of the driver's side rear door--dents knocked out and entire left side painted like new for $1500 at my local GM dealer. (no new parts needed)

 

A local bodyshop can bang out any dents and use filler to smooth it out.

A repaint is definitely necessary given that the paint is gone. Make sure that they "blend" the paint (paint more than just the damaged area). This makes sure that the damage will be harder to spot (as paint is impossible to match)!

I'd take the hit and pay a bodyshop out-of-pocket. If you report it to insurance (which is an option), there's a chance that the otherwise clean record on your car will vanish (i.e. car fax, etc.). On any carfax (carproof, etc.) report, it will show that a claim has been made on your car. This obviously hurts your resale value (because its no longer a clean record).

For damage like that, it'll probably run $3-400 at a reputable bodyshop (cash of course). I'd ask friends or even Toyota for a bodyshop that they recommend. Pay cash to avoid taxes .