On Friday I went out with a couple buddies, they all wanted to drink so I became the DD for the night.
They all suggested that I take my one friends car since it has more room for the 4 of us. Car owner was fine and said I could drive it.
So I figured why not and took his car.
On the way home, I was going around a corner at around 70-60, it was wet and turns out that corner was pretty slick.
Felt the car start to slide so I go to correct it and have no steering - front wheels just kept sliding.
Eventually into the shoulder and the car hit the shoulder, grabbed, and flipped over into the ditch.
My buddy was really pissed off at me which I can see to a certain point. Although it wasn’t my entire fault and could have happened to anyone of them + an impaired in their case!
Cops came, I got a careless and I paid the $300 tow to his house.
Buddy calls me in the morning to talk about it. Turns out the car is repairable and he runs a body shop so it makes it cheaper and convenient to fix it.
Car is a 2003 impala and has no collision insurance on it.
Anyways he comes up with a redic. Price of $1500 for me to pay him for parts.
Car needed a hood, both fenders, windshield and a door.
I priced all this out at a wrecker for $500 and also found a parts car with everything he needed plus more for $500 as well.
I told him I’d give him $800 which should cover all expenses.
He bitched about it and what not, wasn’t happy with that saying he needs $1500 and he would still be out money.
I said I’m firm with the $800 and explained that the parts don’t even cost that much and that it wasn’t entirely my fault and shouldn’t be put at blame for all expenses and that $800 plus $300 tow is more than enough on my end and that he should be happy that I’m there to help him out.
He still is mad about it and will probably never get over it.
So what do you think? Am I in the wrong? What would you do?
I consider myself to be a pretty good person that never really screws anyone around and would actually feel bad if I did and didn’t realize it.
I just feel bad now throwing out 800 as an act of good will and a buddy is still unhappy with me and will probably never live that down!
Wow it flipped over and no reports of injuries? That’s a miracle. Anyway $800 is better then nothing. It seems if you don’t pay all, your friend will remain bitter for a long time.
sounds like understeer shit fwd
1st of all YOU crashed his car and are 100% at fault…
he is the owner of the car and can choose where it gets fixed but get 3-4 quotes and if its alot more he is prob fucking u over but 1500 for a car that flipped doesnt seem too bad
dont forget your quote for the parts at the junker dont include prep paint and labour if he is ur friend im sure hes not trying to fuck u over think about it if it was u
ur lucky u never killed anyone
Legally you are responsible you took responsibility of the vehicle. If he decided to take you to court… he would win, but a good buddy wouldn’t unless you were driving like a complete ass.
Morally its a shitty situation and your friend should probably meet you halfway on this unless it was all driver error. You said you can get all the parts for $800? so why don’t you just drop off the parts to him? Wouldn’t that negate all the back and forth of “Oh but you can get the parts for $x00” it’s a much better gesture than “heres $800, you take care of it”.
Be a buddy and get him all the parts. Lucky he runs a body shop because the bill would be much much more.
$500 quote from wreckers
Which all parts are the same colour as the car
He did not want anything to do with either and that’s why I said I was firm on 800 because I gave two options and proof that 800 would be enough to get the car fixed
He agreed that labour would be nothing as he could do it all himself
About the legal stuff , I don’t think if he took me to court he would win because when you let someone use your car you also lend your insurance too , if he had collision it would have been taken care of by his insurance so wouldn’t essentially if you gave consent for someone to use your car you take responsibility for whatever happens since the consent is there… That’s how insurance looks at it at least
If he gave me the chance to get all the parts for him I would of for sure!
was there an offer of a little labour in the $800 and/or parts delivery…? if so I would say you went way beyond average response and into good friend territory…
what is a 10 year old impala worth? $2000? $3000? the owner must accept some fault,
and your careless, is going to fck you, with a huge insurance sur-charge, and possibly a second if you receive a suspension, i’d fight this… could be a max $2000 fine + max 2 year license suspension/or 6 months…
mention the potential fine and insurance rate costs next time he bitches…
thats shitty. maybe you guys can meet halfway through between 800-1500, althought if you say you can get all the parts for $800 and they are in good condition i dont see why he’d be so difficult,
You went around a corner in an impala at 60-70 sorry dude this is not his fault at all. its your fault completely. you were in control of the car you were at the wheel you are responsible for everyone in that car at all times. if you killed one of them it would still be fully your fault. don’t put this blame on anyone else saying it could have happened to them or that he should take responsibility. you said yes I will drive your car that in its self removed them from any fault. To put this in perspective. if you drove your friends car and he didnt put the wheel on correctly and it falls off and hits an on coming car your at fault. not your friend.
after flipping a car if all you needs is 1500 for repairs that’s really good. damn near impossible. but keep in mind one thing about wrecked cars. you could end up putting on worse parts then were on the car before hand. Some of that price might be for him for labor and some might be for repairs he might have to do to the parts from the wrecked car and some might be for small dents and repairs.
You could always ask him what his plan is for him to show you what exactly he plans on doing that brings him to that price. if all it is is transplanting parts from another car with no work done to the parts then i agree with you. but you better spend a day helping him to fix his car.
The car was flipped but no roof damage? I think 1500 is reasonable and your lucky no one got hurt or killed. Why not buy the parts and install them yourself?
By the sounds of it you are damned if you do, damned if you dont. Glad you are okay, I would just buuy the partscar, take the stuff off it, scrap it for 300, take photos of the parts car, parts, bill of sale for 500, and you dropping them off at his shop. A little fall back if he decides to play games with you in court. Also, what are your friends saying about this? You best get some swarn statements saying they were un injured and not going to sue you. Your friend could turn them on you, and fuck you even more. Though this swarn statement wont stand in court, its to hope your friends believe it as it will and they wont sue you.
Dylan you are 100% right, this guy is the type to complain and not get over anything that happens to him, even if i gave him the full $1500 he would have not been happy. I offered to buy and pick up the parts car, i offered to buy and pick up the parts and help him with all work and he refused.
I dont think I have to worry about him taking it to court as he knows that the $800 will cover all expenses minus the labour which we had agreed i pay for parts and he does labor.
I know 800 sounds cheap for a roll over and is suprising but thats all it was as me and him went over the car to determine what parts are needed.
I dont think i have to worry about my friends sueing because none of them were even scratched and i know them all pretty well to not do that. We were all just happy noone was hurt.
Also if my friends were to sue for injuries it would be on the car owners insurance anyways as I have already looked into that.
---------- Post added at 01:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:27 PM ----------
I really think that he was taking advantage of my good nature by me saying i would help him out and wanted more money than it would cost him
Keep in mind that this is a 2K impala at most, $1500 for repairs would be stupid and if he really thought his car would have been worth that to repair it than he should of put collision insurance on it.
Part of the statement is true… IF he had full coverage and decided to claim yes insurance will cover it, however if he does not have full coverage the repairs are paid by the owner and that he can take you to court for… and would win.
Any medical claims by anyone in the car you are safe against as insurance will cover that. The damage to his car depending on his insurance coverage you are in a legal sense responsible for.
If he is a good friend though he really should meet you halfway, but on the other hand you should be helping him out which you already seem to be. Hopefully you can work things out with him if it is a good friendship. Shitty situation, you meant well, being the designated driver and all.
Your ticket is easily fightable or almost guaranteed to be downgraded to a way lesser charge though so fight it no matter what.
thanks man^
Ya basically I paid the full cost that it will cost to repair not including the cost of labor which was agreed that he would do since he runs a bodyshop
he wanted more than what i found the parts for myself so I gave him $800 based on the parts price of $500 and $300 for the windshield
He isnt happy with the $800 that I gave him but i proved to him with 2 options that it would cover all expenses which is more than what id expect if the situation was reversed
when the cop gave me the ticket he basically said he had to give it out in this situation and circles the early plea option to go see a Crown to talk about dropping the charges which he said charges will most likely be dropped
