Repairing hit and run damage

zoom · September 25, 2019

So I came out to the parking lot the other day to find some A hole had backed into my truck and drove off or parked and just didn’t tell me. I’m going to repair it as much as possible by hand because I don’t want to file a claim or pay out the ass to a body shop. How do you think I should start and what tools and materials should I need to get?

Kincer · September 25, 2019

I can't tell in the pics but are there any dents in the metal part of the bumper? The rest should be able to rubbed out with different grades of compounds and polishes. I'm on my phone at the moment so I can't see too much.

Ozer · September 25, 2019

Thats his taillight pieces on the ground? Start looking around for someone that parks around there (work? school?)

The gray piece comes out so a light sand and spray can of same or similar satin gray should be fine.

It will be hard to match the white pearl so that whole piece needs to be painted.

If you never painted anything with spray paint, youtube a tutorial. Its easy but need to know couple simple things about it. Practice on something else first then paint your parts.

Edited September 25, 2019 by Ozer

1SLOW1500 · September 25, 2019

Sure easy fix. I would add up price of parts and if low buy them and just bolt on. If too much and you have coverage get it covered.

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16LT4 · September 25, 2019

Always file a police report for bit and run. You don’t have to file with insurance, but you need to have a record. I got one for a door ding someone left that would have been $1500 (on a body line). Turned out to be a coworker, who I then filed a report of “leaving the scene of an accident” and went through insurance.

Edited September 25, 2019 by dukedkt442

Joe98 · September 25, 2019

1 hour ago, Ozer said:

Thats his taillight pieces on the ground? Start looking around for someone that parks around there (work? school?)

The gray piece comes out so a light sand and spray can of same or similar satin gray should be fine.

It will be hard to match the white pearl so that whole piece needs to be painted.

If you never painted anything with spray paint, youtube a tutorial. Its easy but need to know couple simple things about it. Practice on something else first then paint your parts.

As this person stated; start looking for a vehicle with a broken or smashed taillight still in the parking lot, you could get lucky and find them. Maybe changed spots when they realized what they did? Could have been an honest accident and person never realized it. But unfortunately nowadays people can be real dbags and not give a crap.....

my mother had some guy take the drivers mirror right off her suv while stuck in traffic, but he was decent enough to wait for her up the road and gave her all his information. Ended up paying for a brand new power electric mirror. You never know....

anbrumm · September 25, 2019

possibility of the place that it happened at having cameras on the parking lot?

Ozer · September 26, 2019

Get a decent dash cam with Gshock feature that you can hardwire. That way it will catch everything that happens when youre not there.

Some even has motion sensor that can trigger the camera when parked.

diyer2 · September 26, 2019

Parking in the boonies and walking is my answer.

Donstar · September 26, 2019

On 9/25/2019 at 6:10 AM, zoom said:

I’m going to repair it as much as possible by hand because I don’t want to file a claim or pay out the ass to a body shop.

When I sell/trade-in my vehicles they have no visible signs of damage or repair. Properly fixing dings and dents as they occur is the best way to preserve value, imo. You do not have to make a claim but can still have this damage professionally repaired. Shop around as a cash customer and you will discover a wide range of pricing. If a body shop is unable to give you a break, ask them to recommend someone who might. Recently, I shopped around for some fiberglass repair and paint on my motorcycle. I received four quotes ranging from $1200 to $1600. I asked the estimator at the most expensive shop if he knew of any shop that may not be so formal in their pricing formula. He directed me to a shop off the beaten path and obviously a word of mouth type operation. I was charged $400 (tax included). I recently needed work done on my house and I got three estimates. The work was not complicated but beyond my current physical ability. I asked the final company that obviously did not want the job if they can recommend a person that will give me a more affordable price. He recommended a person who was trying to build a business . It cost me half of my lowest bid and did a 5 star job. I have no special negotiating skills but urge you to shop around. Unless you have exemplary DIY skills, your truck will permanently reflect backyard body work. Having it done professionally will cost more, but the expense and damage will soon be forgotten.

zoom · September 26, 2019

Thank you for the reply’s guys.I just installed a 24/7 dash cam for the rear and front today because I’m sick of people ruining my truck piece by piece. Another reason why I’m deciding to do this on my own is because my truck is already not in perfect condition due to some dick head keying half of it. I’m going to try some wax and maybe some rubbing compound to get the red paint off, tape it off, and use some factory paint I have to fill in the areas needed. There is still some scuffing on the chrome bumper, is there some kind of chrome rubbing compound I could put on it? Some scuffing on “skid plate” as well but not too bad so I’ll try and color match the best I can. I’ve done a good amount of research and parts are still pretty expensive overall, 300ish $ used white upper bumper, 700ish $ new chrome bumper, 200ish new skid plate.

Those pieces of taillight have been in the parking lot for months, this is at my apartment complex btw. This place is by no means the ‘ghetto’, but definitely not in the best part of town either, I’ve already found another place moving to when my lease is up in March if I don’t buy a house by then. Thanks again guys

Edited September 26, 2019 by zoom

wforrest08 · September 26, 2019

I’d definitely talk to/try a good auto detailer first. Key being a good one. Took moms CRV that she had ran the rear bumper side on the garage years ago leaving white paint on it and had several other parking lot scrapes to our local guy and they got it all minus one small spot where it rubbed though the paint. Complete detail inside/out with ozone (she smoked) was less that 300 & 50 of that was ozone. If you told me before it would have came out as good as it did I wouldn’t have believed it.