My car was hit & run in the driveway - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

steeleygreg · #1 03-26-2015, 07:55 AM

Woke up this morning to find my car moved in the driveway. I didn't park it that way ! Inspection shows that the bumper was knocked off the car and laying in the driveway. Who ever hit it left some evidence of a plastic electrical fitting impaled into the rubber bumper guard. Damage appears to be isolated to the crumple zone in the rear quarter panel but like opinions on repair from other members.

steeleygreg · #2 03-26-2015, 07:58 AM

Other pictures

Maxbumpo · #3 03-26-2015, 08:22 AM

Ouch!

Damage looks pretty severe to my eye. I think you'll need to have the body checked for straight at a body shop. It looks like your car was pushed about five feet, so it was a hard hit.

vstech · #4 03-26-2015, 08:36 AM

ask your neighbors if any electrical repairs were performed... odds are good a company truck used your driveway to turn around, and didn't care about what was in their way...

BayouFlyFisher · #5 03-26-2015, 09:21 AM

Be sure to get a police report!

steeleygreg · #6 03-26-2015, 10:09 AM

Thanks guys. The accident occurred at approx 1:00 am this morning. There is evidence and track marks where one of the vehicle wheel came up over the curve where it impacted my car. I was asleep at the time and wasn't discovered until about 5:00 am. A police report was filled and is listed as a hit & run. The insurance company is treating this as the same for this state apparently allows for this type of coverage.

I agree the car was hit hard and moved about 5 feet. Plastic and glass from the collision went on both sides of the driveway which is about 35 feet wide. The plastic damage to my car is limited, but not to the other car from what I've cleaned up.

I plan to take this to a local shop to be put on a frame machine, but what other damage are common for this area ?

Golden80s · #7 03-26-2015, 10:11 AM

Can you open the trunk?

If so, that is the first good sign.

Lift up the carpet and take out the spare and spare cover and examine the frame-rails. If there is no damage/distortion there and they look good and true that is your second good sign.

Should be just fine with a fresh center panel and quarter panel sheet-metal plus bumper, etc then.

Otherwise...

Police report? Maryland?

Hell, I lived in DC/Bethesda/Nova 20 plus years ago and they could have given a f**k less about this sort of thing even back then. Oh for the insurance people? For those fine folks it is totaled no matter what - even if it was just the bumper - a dented bumper.

So if you plan to fix it, I'd personally suggest just going ahead and fixing it if you can and feel that it is worth doing.

Pity you aren't out here in the sticks where decent body work is still fairly priced.

As always, the above is worth what you paid for it...

Walkenvol · #8 03-26-2015, 10:16 AM

In a way I envy you...obviously a heavy sleeper! Good luck with the repairs.

Zacharias · #9 03-26-2015, 10:18 AM

As it occurred at night, my guesses: fast food delivery driver, impaired driver limping home, or just garden variety kids arsing around.

Assuming it's an impaired, it's likely someone close by. If you are somewhat familiar with the cars in your immediate neighbourhood, have a look around for any that are MIA (not likely the culprit will leave it in the driveway unless they were so gone they didn't even register they hit something... it happens).

When I bought my house, the aluminum chain link fence was messed up from where a Plymouth Horizon full of kids joyriding lost control, traversed a ditch then the front yard next door and plowed through the fence. Woke people up but the kids were able to extricate the car and get gone before anyone got outside to nail them.

x2 on the police report, just in case a stolen car is recovered with matching damage.

bricktron · #10 03-26-2015, 11:09 AM

how lame is that! see if any of your neighbors have security cameras on your block....

Drago · #11 03-26-2015, 11:29 AM

That's right up there with hitting a deer or having a new model struck by lightning. you're out of pocket for everything. Home owners insurance maybe?

Phillytwotank · #12 03-26-2015, 11:32 AM

Scoundrels!

Junkman · #13 03-26-2015, 12:50 PM

Here the insurance company totals at 50% of the value. My SD was hit and the back panel was pushed in a little. I bought it back for a~$300. Scrap prices have declined since then and the carrier has no use for old cars.

The repair will require cutting the old out and putting in new. Buying a parts car with a good back end was the easiest way to get all I need for the repair. I may or may not fix because of the number of projects I have. The repair isn't difficult but requires good metal working skills.

tjts1 · #14 03-26-2015, 03:54 PM

Front and rear dash cams with motion detection are your friend.

mytmousemalibu · #15 03-26-2015, 04:16 PM

Further evidence for sticking cameras on my house. You hit someones car, have the balls to go fess up to it or at least leave your info. I hate that chicken s**t crap. Just as bad as vandalisim...