Parking sensor missing - crashed.

[Kiwibrit]

So, a neighbour decided to use my parked car for dodgems when they were parking. Fortunately my Nextbase dashcam parking mode captured the bump, as the neighbour got out like nothing had happened. I found the damage later last night…

Anyway, it seems, apart from a light bumper scratch, the main issue is the parking sensor has been knocked inside the bumper - it’s basically missing. I can make the insurance claim but was wondering about the likely level of difficulty for a garage to find and replace the sensor behind the bumper instead. If I take this direct route, am I better to take it to our specialist like SI, or can anybody do it? My excess is £1100, although this is a clearly no fault situation, it will no doubt be a major pain to report and then have to declare for another 5 years. The neighbour provided their insurance this morning, after I left them a note.

Any thoughts on the best route to take.

 

[will-w]

Which one? The parking sensors are designed to essentially pop off with minimal damage, do you have a picture of the surrounding area?

 

[Kiwibrit]

Which one? The parking sensors are designed to essentially pop off with minimal damage, do you have a picture of the surrounding area?

Rear middle offside. The surround looks ok, a bit of flecked paint. No dent from what I saw (was dark and I’ve not been back out yet)

 

[mowlas]

@Kiwibrit if you have video evidence then your insurance company should pursue the claim and you can advise them that you may withdraw it if it looks like the other insurance company isn’t going to accept the liability. If they do, then no excess should be required.

As soon as the other party realise there is video evidence, I’m sure they will accept liability quickly.

I’d get it to a Maserati specialist to do a proper check and estimate. If you are proceeding on the above basis.

 

[dickygrace]

Easy to pop back in, usually needs a technician who moonlights as a contortionist. Worst case rear bumper off. It’s really a bodyshop job just as much as that of a Maserati specialist.

 

[Kiwibrit]

Here's the daylight pics. I know it looks minor but after shelling out for the highest quality car, should I just accept it being popped back in and live with the scratch?

 

[CatmanV2]

Here's the daylight pics. I know it looks minor but after shelling out for the highest quality car, should I just accept it being popped back in and live with the scratch?

IMHO no

C

 

[dickygrace]

IMHO no

C

I’d be thinking that’ll buff and refit the sensor. If it won’t then it’ll need a rear bumper paint at around £350-500.

 

[CatmanV2]

I’d be thinking that’ll buff and refit the sensor. If it won’t then it’ll need a rear bumper paint at around £350-500.

Sure, but I'd still expect the neighbour to pay for the buff. Or even a decent chipsaway kind of piece. However relationships with neighbours are interesting so everyone's mileage may vary

C

 

[Kiwibrit]

Sure, but I'd still expect the neighbour to bay for the buff. Or even a decent chipsaway kind of piece. However relationships with neighbours are interesting so everyone's mileage may vary

C

We can’t stand the neighbour! Never spoken to them but the woman is always rude to delivery drivers - that was enough for us to take an instant dislike. Also, we are only here for another 6 months, until we move move up to the great city of Newcastle.

I think I will await my insurance response and take it from there - assuming the missing sensor does not create noisy warnings if I need to use the car meantime.

 

[mowlas]

We can’t stand the neighbour! Never spoken to them but the woman is always rude to delivery drivers - that was enough for us to take an instant dislike. Also, we are only here for another 6 months, until we move move up to the great city of Newcastle.

I think I will await my insurance response and take it from there - assuming the missing sensor does not create noisy warnings if I need to use the car meantime.

Yep that’s what I’d do. As I said above as soon as your neighbour’s insurers realise their insured is at fault (with the video evidence), I’m pretty sure it will be a quick settlement

With a proper paint job, if there are other imperfections/blemishes/deep scratched on the bumper, they should get sorted as well which would be a nice bonus. They’ll likely want to replace the sensor as well.

 

[will-w]

It’s worth considering the ongoing cost of having a claim - even telling your insurance will require declaration for the next X years.

 

[Kiwibrit]

It’s worth considering the ongoing cost of having a claim - even telling your insurance will require declaration for the next X years.

Yup 5 years. I literally just finished reporting the last no fault claim!

 

[Scaf]

Be careful that the paint does not have damage you can’t see. Someone bumped my wife’s bumper once, looked like a polish would sort it and the months later there paint started flaking.

I would get a quote for paint repair and sensor and see if the neighbour will pay, it will be cheaper for both of you if you can avoid an insurance claim. As you know, even a no fault claim can affect premiums.

I once had Direct Line refuse to renew my insurance because I had 3 no fault claims with I a year, all backed by dash cam and dealt with direct with third part insurance, but I had to declare them anyway.

 

[conaero]

I’ve looked at the picture and although you can get your hand up the back of the bumper, the bracket has come off so the rear bumper will have to come off and have it bonded back on again or we hold them new in stock.

3hrs labour

Then put the old sensor back in and test it still works which it should.

If not new sensor is £66 plus £25 painting which we can do on-site.

The scratches may deep polish or do you have fine stress lines on top of the bumper where the paint has cracked due to flexing?

Rear bumper paint £400

 

[Felonious Crud]

Be careful that the paint does not have damage you can’t see. Someone bumped my wife’s bumper once, looked like a polish would sort it and the months later there paint started flaking.

Agreed. Don’t assume the bumper hasn’t cracked. They’re bendy and pop back into shape ok, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t more damage under the paint.

As Matt says, the bumper needs coming off a) to know what you’re dealing with and b) to repair it.

 

[Kiwibrit]

Thanks guys. We have submitted an insurance claim and await next steps. Will be in touch @conaero

Out of interest, I have the Nextbase 522 dashcam (it might have paid for itself several times over this time). It has parking mode. The actual crash into me is a few seconds into the recording but it occurred to me that it is impossible for the camera to turn on in advance of a prang - therefore I must conclude that he actually hit my car twice, which if so, might actually be fortunate. Can anybody verify if this is how it works - can’t get the exact answer from Nextbase website…

 

[CatmanV2]

Thanks guys. We have submitted an insurance claim and await next steps. Will be in touch @conaero
Out of interest, I have the Nextbase 522 dashcam (it might have paid for itself several times over this time). It has parking mode. The actual crash into me is a few seconds into the recording but it occurred to me that it is impossible for the camera to turn on in advance of a prang - therefore I must conclude that he actually hit my car twice, which if so, might actually be fortunate. Can anybody verify if this is how it works - can’t get the exact answer from Nextbase website…

Normally there are different definitions of 'on' For parking mode the camera is still capturing data, probably writing it to a buffer in memory, which is continually over-written. Low power consumption, no screen etc etc.
When it detects a prang it wakes up and writes the content of the buffer to card (including the bit *before* the crash) and it's stored permanently.

It may be that it's constantly writing to the card (in any active mode) and there is no buffer, and that parking mode basically just switches the screen off and the motion sensors on.

C

 

[Felonious Crud]

Thanks guys. We have submitted an insurance claim and await next steps. Will be in touch @conaero

Out of interest, I have the Nextbase 522 dashcam (it might have paid for itself several times over this time). It has parking mode. The actual crash into me is a few seconds into the recording but it occurred to me that it is impossible for the camera to turn on in advance of a prang - therefore I must conclude that he actually hit my car twice, which if so, might actually be fortunate. Can anybody verify if this is how it works - can’t get the exact answer from Nextbase website…

Normally there are different definitions of 'on' For parking mode the camera is still capturing data, probably writing it to a buffer in memory, which is continually over-written. Low power consumption, no screen etc etc.
When it detects a prang it wakes up and writes the content of the buffer to card (including the bit *before* the crash) and it's stored permanently.

It may be that it's constantly writing to the card (in any active mode) and there is no buffer, and that parking mode basically just switches the screen off and the motion sensors on.

C

That's more or less my understanding. Constantly recording and over-writing itself and when it detects a bump it stops over-writing the xx seconds prior to the bump.

 

[Kiwibrit]

Just out of interest, I spoke to Nextbase. Parking mode is basically ‘off’ except for the g-sensor. So, it only turns on and records when it detects ‘movement’. As such, they have confirmed to me that the neighbour hit our car twice! There was never enough room for them to park their big Ford mpv in that space anyway, so it was at best, careless to say the least. Plenty of space on our road, it’s just that with their profoundly rotund frame, they insist on parking within 10 metres of their front door, even if it’s inches from another car. I am pretty certain they also scraped my Merc E350 cabrio a couple of months ago, but had no proof

Ok, now to post our insurance details through their letterbox and start the claim process! I also have to pay additional £200 to use my own garage, SI! Our insurer will not assist with that refund.