Brother backed into car - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

okyoureabeast · #1 11-29-2010, 09:14 AM

A few days ago I got a call from my brother telling me he backed into my car. I went out hoping to find a small bump but instead found this.

Not good. He said to me, "oh it looks like a simple 500$ bump out and why did you park so close to the garage door?"

Needless to say he got a good punch to the stomach for that.

He's on the hook for the entire repair, but the momster begged me to go easy on him. Body work is an art that I do very poorly and to top it off I am at school right now limiting my options.

I reviewed the FSM on removing the panel and i'm not too afraid of doing it myself. However I am worried there is damage to the unibody frame underneath.

With winter setting in, I want to get this fixed quickly either in Ithaca or back home.

I'm thinking of finding a passenger front fender, getting it repainted to match the silver of my car, and swapping the fenders on myself.

Suggestions? Comments? Ways to get the younger brother back for this (just kidding

) ?

vstech · #2 11-29-2010, 09:22 AM

I have a customer coming down from PA (altoona) to pick up his car in a few days, I can have him bring you a fender if you like, PM for info.
that does look like a nothing dent. I'd not worry too much. the fender is easy to remove, DG has a writeup on body work, and fender removal. www.dieselgiant.com but basically, you remove all the bolts and pull.

okyoureabeast · #3 11-29-2010, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

I have a customer coming down from PA (altoona) to pick up his car in a few days, I can have him bring you a fender if you like, PM for info.
that does look like a nothing dent. I'd not worry too much. the fender is easy to remove, DG has a writeup on body work, and fender removal. www.dieselgiant.com but basically, you remove all the bolts and pull.

Thanks, unfortunately Altoona is a bit of a trek away from North East. It would probably be cheaper shipping it in a big box.

But check your PM.

strelnik · #4 11-29-2010, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by okyoureabeast

Thanks, unfortunately Altoona is a bit of a trek away from North East. It would probably be cheaper shipping it in a big box.

But check your PM.

My brother did worse than that to me.

He stole $ 90,000 from my dad's estate which was to go to me. He did it legally by emptying the account with my father signing the withdrawal slip not long before he died.

Wanna trade brothers?

The good thing about him is that he is so dumb, that when he gave me the box of coins and do-dads that my dad had collected, he didn't look in the bottom.

The bottom of the box was layered with Krugerrands. They will go to my son, or be put in trust for grandkids.

Fulcrum525 · #5 11-29-2010, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by strelnik

The bottom of the box was layered with Krugerrands. They will go to my son, or be put in trust for grandkids.

Had to look up what those are. Interesting.

Your strength in character really shows through as you plan to give them to your son or grandchildren. There are too many greedy pricks out there. (like your brother, if you don't mind me saying)

vstech · #6 11-29-2010, 09:57 AM

nice. my brothers just siphon off me... (can I drive your car (until it's out of fuel), can I stay at your house (until I get a job and can afford to pay someone else rent), hey, I can haul scrap cars for you (and keep the money)... yeah it's a good thing they are family...

okyoureabeast · #7 11-29-2010, 10:00 AM

Judging by his performance for his first semester at college, I'm pretty sure he will be in the same boat as all of your brothers.

New post in the parts section :p

Chad300tdt · #8 11-29-2010, 10:38 AM

It doesn't look too bad from the pic. In addition to the fender, you may need a new bumper end bracket ... unless you can bend yours back to shape.

barry123400 · #9 11-29-2010, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

nice. my brothers just siphon off me... (can I drive your car (until it's out of fuel), can I stay at your house (until I get a job and can afford to pay someone else rent), hey, I can haul scrap cars for you (and keep the money)... yeah it's a good thing they are family...

One way or another all kinds of behaviours seem to be common to at least some our extended or otherwise families. We have a few in ours of course as well.
Try also to look on the bright side it usually can be a lot worse. What for instance if he had drug a bumper up the length of the car?

Junkman · #10 11-29-2010, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

nice. my brothers just siphon off me... (can I drive your car (until it's out of fuel), can I stay at your house (until I get a job and can afford to pay someone else rent), hey, I can haul scrap cars for you (and keep the money)... yeah it's a good thing they are family...

Only loan what you are willing to give which means no loaning only giving IF you want. I had a relative that was going to take off work and drive to my wedding expecting me to reimburse for travel expenses. The intent was to hit me up for a loan because he was behind on house payments. I asked what he would do if I didn't have the money. Then told him to do that because it was more than I was willing to give and I don't make loans - especially to family. He got a 2nd job & got caught up on the mortgage.

vstech · #11 11-29-2010, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by barry123400

One way or another all kinds of behaviours seem to be common to at least some our extended or otherwise families. We have a few in ours of course as well.

is it possible that the good natured personalities we have is causing our siblings to have these tendencies? for instance, we willingly give of ourselves, so the siblings acclimate themselves to our behavior, and end up dependent or learn to acquire from us as a way of life?

barry123400 · #12 11-29-2010, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

is it possible that the good natured personalities we have is causing our siblings to have these tendencies? for instance, we willingly give of ourselves, so the siblings acclimate themselves to our behavior, and end up dependent or learn to acquire from us as a way of life?

Welcome to the age of entitlement. Like I told my youngest daughter years ago. To get a portion of the family assets such as they are. I have to kick off first. Then you have to wait for your mother to do so

. Now your mother can go through it before she goes as well. More importantly though women can live a very long time. So either color it gone or get out there and make your own.

At the same time I am expressing this I am well aware my wife is handing out money on a sporatic basis as she sees the need with the youngest daughter. That is fine by me as the wife owns half the assets and has half the say. We do not discuss this generally. She knows I would approve or not object really anyways.

I am also blessed with one son in law that borrows tools and never returns them. Unless I chase him and them down. Usually before I need it again. I may have forgotten he has them and search for awhile first till a light bulb glows in my mind.

It is hard to give a lecture like doing so with a five year old and it must make me appear possesed to him I suppose. He means well is a somewhat mitigating circumstance and treats my daugter well. so I feel I almost have to take the beating.

He has managed to impact my loaning tools to others though. Unless I really understand previous to the loaning they will positivly come back from the individual the moment he is finished with them. There are so few that qualify now unfortunatly. Few tools are loaned.

When I did not have adaquate financial resources I always appreciated tools I could borrow and returned them instantly when finished.

This is all nothing though compared to what I see happening in families where one or some members of them have a serious drug or drinking problem. Since that is getting all too common I feel lucky that we have at least missed that bullet so far.

The time one of our four daughters hit the drivers door of the car I was driving and did not mention it. I just told her that since she did not bother to inform me just arrange to get it fixed yourself. Plus any repetition or any simular behaviour and you will not be driving any family wheels.

I would not help because of the ommision of telling me in any way until confronted. Accidents happen but she had an obligation to deal with them. Not doing so in her fashion is simular to hit and run. . The lack of using the moral fibre to do the right thing when I knew she was a better person than that is what got to me.

There are just so many things that are more important than money.

What are families for is about all I can rationalise one way or another. .Plus there are far worse senarios as generally we have had few problems when the girls where growing up. What if anything comes next? No I have to rephrase that to what comes next.

The only thing I still intuitly understand is there are very serious issues than can errupt in any family that make more minor irritants seem meaningless as they occur. Keeping it all in perspective is easier said than done sometimes.

Perhaps this is just all poetic justice for letting the women rip my clothes off when younger. Cannot one try at least to share the blame? If only in their dreams?

ah-kay · #13 11-29-2010, 01:13 PM

This is not a forum to demonize one's brother for inheritance. Family inheritance is always messy/unfair. We only read one side of the story. I do not see any strength of characters here as the brother is not here to defend himself. I only read 'entitlement'.

Back to the OP question. It is easy to pull the fender and replace it. The bumper seems to be OK. If you are in no hurry then I would note the paint code and hopefully pull a fender from the JY with the same color and save the repainting.

Good luck. Brother's friendship is more important than a fender.

vwbuge · #14 11-29-2010, 01:20 PM

Too bad our timing wasn't a little better on this one.

I live about 40 minutes from Altoona, in Johnstown. My nephew is in town with his baby until mid week, then he goes back to East Stroudsburg.

layback40 · #15 11-29-2010, 09:46 PM

Adam.
Best you get him a white cane for Christmas & super glue it to his hand! It might encourage him to look where he is going.
Was he looking through the bottom of a couple of empty beer bottles when he did it?