Someone hit my LJ today

04 LJ

🇺🇸 JEEP 🇺🇸
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2019
Messages
442
Location
Winterville, NC
Got up bright an early this morning to get the LJ cleaned up for a Jeep event today. It was my little boys first Jeep event and everything was going great until it was time to leave. As we approached the Jeep I saw someone taking a pic of my license plate and I instantly knew something was wrong. As I got closer I saw it. An elderly gentleman in a Cadillac had hit my right rear quarter panel. It may seem minor to some but I felt like I was going to throw up. I looked at the man and I saw he was shaking and crying so I kept my cool. He was def in his 80’s, maybe 90’s. I know he didn’t mean to and his family (fellow Jeepers) were one of the event sponsors and were very polite and apologetic. I was taught to always respect my elders so I shook his hand and told him it was ok and that I wasn’t mad (even though I wasn’t ok and was mad). Anyways, now to fixing my Jeep. How can this be fixed without going on Carfax, armor to just cover it up, bondo and without mismatched paint? The man is going to pay so that is no issue but I am anal over my Jeep and don’t want a half ass job done repairing it. The bumper paint is scratched off and the metal is gouged as well. Point me in the right direction please. I am in Greenville NC but am willing to travel for it to be fixed right. Thanks in advance!
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I have no suggestions on how to fix this, but good on you for handling it appropriately, especially since he stuck around to do the right thing. I know how I would feel if someone hit my Jeep, and I would probably cry.
I wanted to. Right there in front of everyone.
 
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Reactions: MikeE024
I'd take it to a body shop and see if they could pull and massage it back out. I don't see any major creasing which is a plus.
The Cadillac took virtually no damage outside of the headlight lens. The poor guy has his walker in the front seat and will probably be the only thing he can drive after this.
That looks like Biden driving. :D
 
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Every time I've paid for body repair out-of-pocket, it hasn't shown up on carfax or the like. Not going to pretend I know why but assume it has to do with not going through insurance. Some states may require reporting regardless of who pays for it?

A good body shop is all you need for spot on paint match and repair. Out of 15 in my area, only 1 is good so plan to do some research.
 
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Sorry for your misfortune. If you ever plan to use the Jeep for more aggressive off-roading then now would be. great time to get some full corners. Pound out the metal and install. If not and you prefer to keep it stock then just have it repaired. Any good body shop will be able to deal with that. Most shops don't report anything to Car-fax so I'd just ask when getting estimates.
I had a bus back into an 03 TJR I had several years back that had worse damage. I had a couple of shops give me estimates and there were no concerns with fixing it. In the end I just put full corners on it and never worried about denting the corners again.
 
I think you’re going to be surprised at how well that can be worked out if you get the right guy-

Regardless of what happens- Really how we handle things that happen is what matters most-

I don’t think you could have handled that any better, And I know your parents that raised you that way would be proud of you- I know I am.

It is my personal philosophy that people should not be allowed to drive that are old enough to remember when there were no cars.
 
A good body guy can easily fix that..they will blend the paint from the door and around to the tailgate most likely..not that big of a repair
 
Why are you not involving insurance companies? Situations like this is what you are paying them paid for…

You want your Jeep to be whole again. A blip on your Carfax and an accident being added to it, isnt gonna take away from it if it’s repaired right.
 
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If you can settle around insurance (ie him paying cash) then it will not show up on carfax. A body shop will also almost always give you a better deal with cash. If it is an insurance claim they will max it out to their benefit.

BTW I have been in Greenville for the past 2 days moving my daughter home from ECU back to NY.

That looks very fixable, good luck. At least he stopped, my daughter had an a-hole rear end her Outback at a light in December, backed up, pulled next to her, gave the finger and took off ( I am sure stolen/on crack/no insurance or all of the afore) So far I had the exhaust replaced up to the manifold. Will have to replace the rear bumper later this summer.
 
If you can settle around insurance (ie him paying cash) then it will not show up on carfax. A body shop will also almost always give you a better deal with cash. If it is an insurance claim they will max it out to their benefit.

BTW I have been in Greenville for the past 2 days moving my daughter home from ECU back to NY.

That looks very fixable, good luck. At least he stopped, my daughter had an a-hole rear end her Outback at a light in December, backed up, pulled next to her, gave the finger and took off ( I am sure stolen/on crack/no insurance or all of the afore) So far I had the exhaust replaced up to the manifold. Will have to replace the rear bumper later this summer.
Unreal-just unreal. Hate that kind of behavior.
 
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Unreal-just unreal. Hate that kind of behavior.
Me too, everyone keeps talking about good Karma, When she was in HS 2 years ago she glanced a bumper in the school parking lot. She left a note and we paid the teacher (ended up being one of her former ones) to fix it right. Not a week later someone swiped her bumper and took off....on me once again
 
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Looks like an easy fix for any competent body man.
They will have to pry the steering wheel from my hands to make me stop driving when, hopefully, I get that old. The loss of independence is the worst thing about getting old. No matter how you feel I bet that man feels worse. We just had to have my 85yo MIL stop driving, which she did with out much trouble. Luckily between her kids, their spouses and grandkids we have her covered.
 
He was def in his 80’s, maybe 90’s. I know he didn’t mean to and his family (fellow Jeepers) were one of the event sponsors and were very polite and apologetic.
Forget the apology. It's time to take the keys away before he hurts or, God forbid, kills someone. He has the "wha?" expression on his face.
 
Got up bright an early this morning to get the LJ cleaned up for a Jeep event today. It was my little boys first Jeep event and everything was going great until it was time to leave. As we approached the Jeep I saw someone taking a pic of my license plate and I instantly knew something was wrong. As I got closer I saw it. An elderly gentleman in a Cadillac had hit my right rear quarter panel. It may seem minor to some but I felt like I was going to throw up. I looked at the man and I saw he was shaking and crying so I kept my cool. He was def in his 80’s, maybe 90’s. I know he didn’t mean to and his family (fellow Jeepers) were one of the event sponsors and were very polite and apologetic. I was taught to always respect my elders so I shook his hand and told him it was ok and that I wasn’t mad (even though I wasn’t ok and was mad). Anyways, now to fixing my Jeep. How can this be fixed without going on Carfax, armor to just cover it up, bondo and without mismatched paint? The man is going to pay so that is no issue but I am anal over my Jeep and don’t want a half ass job done repairing it. The bumper paint is scratched off and the metal is gouged as well. Point me in the right direction please. I am in Greenville NC but am willing to travel for it to be fixed right. Thanks in advance!
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A body shop will either repair or replace those two panels
 
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I think you’re going to be surprised at how well that can be worked out if you get the right guy-

Regardless of what happens- Really how we handle things that happen is what matters most-

I don’t think you could have handled that any better, And I know your parents that raised you that way would be proud of you- I know I am.

It is my personal philosophy that people should not be allowed to drive that are old enough to remember when there were no cars.
Thanks, I just hope I can find THAT guy. Sooo many of them aren’t that guy.
 
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Reactions: AndyG
If you can settle around insurance (ie him paying cash) then it will not show up on carfax. A body shop will also almost always give you a better deal with cash. If it is an insurance claim they will max it out to their benefit.

BTW I have been in Greenville for the past 2 days moving my daughter home from ECU back to NY.

That looks very fixable, good luck. At least he stopped, my daughter had an a-hole rear end her Outback at a light in December, backed up, pulled next to her, gave the finger and took off ( I am sure stolen/on crack/no insurance or all of the afore) So far I had the exhaust replaced up to the manifold. Will have to replace the rear bumper later this summer.
That sucks and being in Greenville, you are likely spot on with your guesses as far as the a hole that hit her is concerned. Especially over there on the boulevard.
 
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Reactions: cliffish
Why are you not involving insurance companies? Situations like this is what you are paying them paid for…

You want your Jeep to be whole again. A blip on your Carfax and an accident being added to it, isnt gonna take away from it if it’s repaired right.
Because I don’t want it on Carfax. Just my personal preference. Hes willing to pay cash for the repair so I really have no reason to involve insurance.