Personal Contract Purchase / Finance + Bodywork Repair

[Taine]

Hi everyone!

I'm about two thirds of the way through my PCP.

Some uncivilised individual has opened their car door into mine with some force, and then not had the courtesy to 'fess up. Consequently there's a dent in my lovely white door, with some of the offender's car's red paint lodged in it.

Now my question is this: what sort of financial damage / effect will this have when I go to hand the car in at the end of the PCP period? Should I get it fixed? I guess if I am to get it fixed, I should do it right at the end just in case some more mishaps occur.

Any words of wisdom?

[B19PPh]

Dont want to jinx myself but I had my previous car damaged (C1 on citroen Finance) and it was repaired through insurance. This was traded in to the dealer, when I got my DS3. I didn't declare the damage as the did not ask Anyway nothing has ever come back from the dealer about the damage and as far as I'm aware did not affect my trade in price

So get it fixed I'd say

[Heaton]

Get it fixed yourself. They will most likely deduct the cost from the trade in price and that cost will also be at the higher end so you will loose out. Shop around, get a good deal and get it fixed would be my recommendation.

[cyclone]

Think you will spend less getting it fixed than if you give it back with damage.

[Bigfeet]

If the damage is excessive then you will be charged by Citroen for repair if you hand back the car at the end of the term, otherwise your PX value with also be adjusted to reflect repair.

Best thing to do is just get the damage fixed through the insurance company unless the cost is low enough to just bite the bullet.

Note for B19 PPH is that your are not obliged to report any repair, all cars are put through the HPI register anyway which will highlight anything bad - besides in my experience Customers are the biggest liars of all. I remember one guy trying to convince me that the side of his car was 'normal' when it had an orange peel that a TOWIE star would have been jealous of.

[Taine]

Thanks for the advice! Its not terrible damage, just noticeable. I'm so careful to not open my car door in to anyone else's car, so sad other people aren't so careful. I'll shop around for some repair quotes. Might leave it until it's closer to handing it in to avoid the inevitable repeat performance!

[B19PPh]

When your getting quotes, it might be a good idea to ask if anyone is interested in doing a foreigner.

Bigfeet cheers for that, damage was few scratches so must have had only a slight effect on my trade in price and therefore didn't notice

[CliveP]

Hi,

Personally I'd just get it done (I couldn't live with it to just before I intended changing it as I'd see it everytime I looked at that side of the car!) - you'd be surprised what some chips away guys can do - they often have worked in the bodyshop industry before taking a Chips Away franchise and if you talk cash it might be cheaper than you think - and this way no insurance excess to pay, and, in my opinion, worth much more, no insurance record, you'll still hopefully fully claim free.....

Big Feet is right on what people think is acceptable on a car - I think that's why I get as good a trade-in as I can get - because of my OCD detailing obession I take them in literally in a condition ready for the showroom (I'm right in thinking a lot of dealers allow about £250 within their trade-in price Big Feet?), and I get all that £250 plus in the price they offer me....

Fix it and enjoy it, if it happens again, c'est la vie, etc!!!!

Regards,
Clive.