Auto Forensic Assistance Please

[EricssonB]

Any folks with autobody experience around here?

Ya see, my wife says that she came out to her car in the parking lot at work (public/shopper parking lot and her car was scraped up with a bit of deformation in the metal.

Ya, see, I trust my wife and all that, but she's been a little sketchy about taking responsibility for car damage in the past... :scowl:

So, was it somebody else at fault, or her? What you thinks?

 

[grinx]

she hit a pole
she lies
call a divorce attorney immediately

 

[SolarMan]

I think it's a tough call, but I would just take her word

Not worth upsetting domestic tranquility over something like this

Also, if she hit a pole I would expect more lower bumper damage - looks like someone bumped into her backing out of a spot

Another thing - most hitting a pole accidents happen on the rear of the vehicle

I vote Not Wife

 

[EricssonB]

Not worth upsetting domestic tranquility over something like this

Deductible is only $50, so this conversation won't leave the forums -- not really a big deal, just looking into it.

 

[JMac- Wiskerface Designs]

Ouch, that sucks, and I'm hoping that this doesn't cause too much strife on the home front. However, IMO- it looks like a close encounter with an island guard pole at a gas station, or some other vertical surface/ fixed object. Had that been caused by another vehicle, I'd think that there would be some witness marks from the body shape, side moldings, fixtures from the other car.

 

[Dave W]

it looks like a close encounter with an island guard pole at a gas station, or some other vertical surface/ fixed object.

That's what it looks like to me as well.

I don't think another vehicle would be able to make contact that low on the car, and extend all the way up the fender like that.

 

[Sixpack324]

The car in the picture was moving when the damage occurred.

At the moment....I don't feel like typing the details, but I will if asked.

 

[JazzMarius]

Just take her word and love her the same without lurking much further.if it was her fault, she'll tell her at the right moment if she feel that's not much of a deal. If she lied, means that she loves you and cares about you and didn't want you to get mad....

 

[Texan]

The car in the picture was moving when the damage occurred.

At the moment....I don't feel like typing the details, but I will if asked.

+1

 

[Auzzie-Phoenix]

I don't see another car's paint on it (paint transfer). Going to have to say she probably scraped something.

 

[MJ5150]

Would you rather be happy or right?

-Mike

 

[Lee H]

Deductible is only $50,.

$50 is not worth the hassle of questioning your wife over. Drop it.

 

[hover]

Would you rather be happy or right?

-Mike

The correct answer in this question lies somewhere between the above and 6pack324's answer...and should be countered by how comfortable your couch is to sleep on if you err to the latter. My couch is comfy, but not 50 bucks and happy home comfy.

 

[deeptubes]

My first thought is an unpainted, rusty, guard pole - like the kind that surround parking lot lights. Looks like it happened while the car was moving forward. Definitely doesn't look like it was caused by another vehicle.

 

[Sonic_Death]

For what it's worth, my car has similar damage in a similar place from someone who must have hit me, because I certainly didn't cause it myself. To this day I have no way of finding out what happened, nor did I bother reporting it because it's a 16 year old car.

Whatever happened left a nice dent near my left front headlight, accompanied by a bunch of white paint that transferred over. Very similar, albeit my car is much lower to the ground making it a little more plausible. My damage/paint transfer does not extend as far as down as yours. I suspected someone hit me while trying to make a 3 point turn on my block since I leave my car in the street.

 

[MatticusMania]

Thats only going to cost $50 to repair? I wouldnt press the issue.

 

[fourstringdrums]

Thats only going to cost $50 to repair? I wouldnt press the issue.

I was going to say the same thing. Who do you have insurance with? I've never had a deductible below $300.

 

[Mike N]

Deductible is $50, but will your rates go up because of this? If so I wouldn't fix it.

 

[EricssonB]

The 'drop it' idea has been working over the last few weeks.

If it wasn't her then she would have called me immediately and freaked out about it over the phone. These less significant incidents are starting to go unannounced. It's the larger ordeals that I hear about.

...like the time she hit the sheriff's truck.

...like when she hit a curb after hydroplaning.

...like the time she bumped a concrete divider after hydroplaning.

...like the time she rear-ended a car while driving around Denver. (On her phone? Yes.)

Not entirely sure why the bumper is cracked though.

 

[fourstringdrums]

Is she generally dishonest or just a bad driver?