Hi there,

Have been driving and loving my x for a year now. Have 35k miles on it, at least 5k off road, with no damage or dramas (though I think the shocks are getting toasted - but will leave that for a new thread).

Yesterday in the city I got rear ended by a half witted lady. (seriously, she was so unintelligent but really nice).

She took 10 minutes to explain to me in tears how her foot slipped off the brake onto clutch yadayadayada.

Anyway, am trying to asess if any damage has been done.

Basically her car slipped under mine with a moderate bump and put a few scratches at the base of the step bumper. Am not worried about this, but am a little concerned whether or not the step bumper has been pushed in.

I now have 5mm clearance to the spare wheel - coule some kind 05 X owner tell me what clearance they have? would be much appreciated.

Really sucks, not sure what to do, seems a shame to do the insurance thing for a few scratches on the step plate if it is not bent or damaged.

Thanks

Stan

Are you in British Columbia - assuming the lady will claim her car on insurance - and she is at fault - it should not cost you anything to go to the insurance company to assess the damage. You can then decide on whether to fix it or not.

You can still claim damage if she does not want to file a claim - all she has to do then would be to pay out your damage.

I would file a claim as soon as possible - but explain everything accurately. This kind of thing has bitten me before - but seeing how she hit you from the back you should have no problem.

I would just buy a Shrock bumper.

Sorry, I got a Shrock bumper, so I can't measure for you.

Also, it might not have bent, but moved. There are three bolts on each side that hold the bumper on. Loosen them and pull the bumper back and re-tighten them. It might have just moved.

Tell her that you went to the nissan dealership and they said you needed a new bumper because that one got knocked off the frame. A new rear factory bumper installed would probably cost the same as buying a shrock bumper and installing it yourself.
Most likely she wont want to go through her insurance company for under five hundred doallars (because thats usually the minimum deductable). so she might just write you a check for how much you need.

Got rear ended twice in my 2000 X, only claimed once tho, but claimed a new tow hitch - $400 from the guys insurance. He practically killed his Cavalier, never actually raplaced the tow hitch tho.

Rinky,

Sorry you got hit.

I was rear ended while stopped at a red light by some meth-whore last year. When I walked back to her car to determine if she was alright the first words from her was "Oh man, I haven't slept in 4 days".

Immediately, I knew what I was dealing with, so I copied her license number,address and called 911 to report the accidenet. Police said to move from the intersection and GEEZ, the meth-ho put it in "drive" and LEFT... as I expected her to.

I provided the police with her vehicle ID, license number and address and even a photo.... and not a goddamn thing ever came of it. I even called Mesa Police when I drove by her apartment and informed them that she was at her residence.... they never did sh*t...never arrested her for felony hit and run (passenger was knocked unconscious).

I work in Emergency Rooms and I routinely see Mesa Police "long form" even a felony suspect. The "long form" is a "promise to appear" in court... imagine that...a "promise to appear from a meth-head"? Why, so the lazy ass cop doesn't have to wait in the Emergency Room when the suspect says "Oh... I have a tooth ache"... or "the handcuffs hurt my wrist".

Phoenix and Mesa cops... gotta be the laziest, no hopers ever.

Hopefully you will receive some modicum of justice.

Thanks for the advice,

Have decided to bite the bullet and took it to the insurance place to have damage assessed.

They say it will cost $800 for new bumper and plastic cover. The guy there said the bumper was pushed in 1/2" and may be compromised.

Yes it is in BC and the insurance people said they will fight the claim for me, if all goes well, they will have is sorted out in a month and I can get it fixed.

I feel sorry for the woman though - she was not a meth head just desparately unintelligent.

But hey, as my girly says "if you want to keep your no claims bonus down, then dont crash into cars stopped at red lights"

Can't argue with that.

Still upsets me to see the first scratches/damage, especially after driving offroad so much without any.

Well... it sucks to bite an $800 bill... do that if you think best of course... but my insurance did not increase since my accident was 100% the other drivers fault (well... 95% because I was born, learned to drive and was the one hit).

96% - Driving such a large target