Be a post whore!

[JamesB]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

So anyway, I feel sorry for this woman. Her car was a heap of shit beforehand, and now it's worse. She lives in my neighbourhood, and I know which house she lives in. It's nothing flash. She was neat and tidy, but clearly not expensively dressed.

She has assured me that if I get quotes, she'll give me the money to get my car fixed, but I really feel like I need to give her a break. There's not all that much damage to my car (my beautiful good little car that I love). The boot has a bit of a wrinkle where the back has been a bit bent, and the bumper either needs replacing or respraying, so really, all in all, not too bad.

Would you 'pay it forward' so to speak? Put something good out into the universe?

As I said to Daryl this morning, I just feel sorry for the woman, and doubt she's got the money to give me. I imagine her life is a daily struggle and this would be just one more little thing to create havoc for her. With that in mind, I just want to let her off the hook for this one and tell her to buy some insurance instead.

I'm going to ask Dad if he can fix the boot and stuff for me, and I think the bumper will be fine as it is for now. I might find a replacement at a wrecking yard some time down the track. Who knows.

I just want to come out of this with a free conscience. You know. Feel that I've done something to make someone's life a little easier

Yes, the idea of "paying it forward" is a noble gesture, but do get your car looked at by a professional. The way cars are built these days, sometimes what looks like a minor bit of damage on the surface turns out to be major structural damage. It is possible that the underlying damage is sufficient render your car less structurally sound (and less safe) and it could even lead to your insurance company voiding your next claim. I have seen cars written off for what appeared to be nothing more than a few wrinkles in the bodywork. Underneath, the car's crumple zones were sufficiently damaged that the repair costs were more than the vehicle's value.

If you get a quote, tell them it's going to be a cash job and not an insurance job. The quote will reflect this as there will be less padding to make up for the runaround that insurance companies often give the repairers.

To be honest, someone that's driving around in a car without even "3rd party property" coverage is showing a complete lack of consideration for other people. Yes her life may be tough, but every time she goes out on the road, she's playing high stakes gambling using what may be someone else's most valuable possession as her bankroll.