A frugal life is an easy life!

As posted back in February 2011, see link above, I have been investigating why a scratch on a 10 year old car bumper, no bigger than my thumbnail, first cost an estimated £152 to repair, then finally cost £554 when the bill for the work was received by my car insurance.

Finally, after months of phone calls, I have this morning received the paperwork, invoices and estimate. A quick call to the business who did the repair and all is revealed!

The owner of the car rang me the day after the scratch to inform me that his local garage had quoted him £152 to repair it - this involved, "Painting a quarter of the bumper"
I trusted him, was not prepared to pay it in cash, so instructed my insurance to pay it.
Lie number one:
This quote hasn't been seen or heard of since, if it exists at all?
I questioned the amount at the time as when the scratch happened, the bloke instantly estimated that it would cost "around £150 to put right!"
I told him at the time it was amazing he was only £2 out on his initial guess!

The bloke didn't take it to his local garage to be repaired, instead, he took it 20 miles away, across three towns, to another repair centre, obtaining an estimate.
The estimate came in at £550 according to the repair centre manager today, when I called him. (This matches the written estimate I now have infront of me)

Luckily for me, the accident repair centre keep records of dealings with customers. They informed me today that they advised the bloke, not to put it through the insurance as it would raise costs significantly.
With the damage so minor, the bloke was advised to have a quick repair done locally!
The bloke responded, saying, "Just put it through on insurance I cannot be bothered messing about with third party insurance!"

The repair centre's estimate and work, involved removing the full bumper, removing the spoiler piece at the bottom of the bumper, all the fog lights, etc.
The entire bumper was then resprayed (which they tell me is why paint alone cost £119) and a new spoiler had to be fitted, as it's not possible to refit it after it has been taken off.
This cost another £80, along with another £20 for all new rivets for the spoiler and refitting the bumper back onto the car.
The labour charges for all this work, came in at a staggering £270!

So to summarise, quoted £152 - billed my insurance for £554 - I lose no claims bonus, insurance has to pay out over the odds.
Nobody wins except the bloke who is now swanning around with a shiney new sprayed bumper and spoiler on his 10 year old car!

This, believe it or not, is not what gets on my nerves.
The fact that I was lied to is what is sickening, all for the sake of greed.
On the phone, when the bloke rang up with his imaginary £152 quote for repair, I told him I'd put it through my insurance, to save time for him to have his scratch repaired.
He had the gall to thank me, as "Most people would kick up a fuss and drag the whole thing out. You have been very good about this!"

Taking my goodwill and cooperation and using it to satisfy his own greedy ends is disgusting. If a legal case can be brought against him, it will be done, with or without my insurer's help!