We’ve all experienced that sinking feeling when we notice a scratch, chip, or dent on the car. It’s frustrating, especially when you don’t know how it happened. The positive news is that the degree of damage varies. Some damage will need a full panel replacement but some will be ok to leave or just give a quick touch up. So, how to you tell the difference?
The difference between a ‘ding’ and ‘damage’
Generally speaking, it’s the size that counts. As a rule of thumb, anything less than 4cms, that hasn’t damaged the paint or left metal exposed to rust, is considered a ‘ding’. Think doors opening too far and fast in car parks (hitting yours in the process) or random loose gravel flying up from road works.
A dent, or ‘damage’ is something a little bigger involving paint damage. This often requires more work to fix it including metal work, sometimes even replacing the panel. Basically, anything classed as ‘damage’ requires more effort to fix.
Now, depending on whether you own or lease the car will drive your reaction to the little ‘dings’. If the car is yours, you might not have an issue with a couple of minor marks. However, if you lease the car it’s a different story. Most lease vehicles will have strict guidelines which differentiate between normal wear and tear and excessive damage. It’s here that they’ll base their decision on whether it’s a ‘ding’ or ‘damage’. If they decide it’s damage then it could cost you as they organize the repairs to bring the vehicle back to acceptable condition.
When does it become expensive?
Depending on how precious you are about your car sometimes it’s ok to leave a few dings. If there’s no damage to the paint, all they’ll do is make the car look blemished. The performance or safety grading won’t be affected. They will however lower the value if you’re trying to sell, so if that’s on the cards, it’s a good idea to see if it would be worth getting it fixed. This is a big reason why leasing companies are so strict on their guidelines around ‘damages’ and ‘dings’.
In the cases where the ‘ding’ hasn’t affected the paint, the cost would be reasonable and definitely wouldn’t break the bank. Where it starts to get expensive, is when the paintwork has been damaged or the metal has been creased. This can mean extensive paint and metal work or sometimes even having to replace the entire panel again. When you’re starting to move into this territory, it’s probably best to contact your insurer to see if your policy will cover the cost.
If you lease your vehicle and you’re worried about some damage, it’s best to talk to your dealer. They’ll be able to tell you if there’s chargeable damage or not. If there is, you probably have a lot more bargaining power if you’re planning to lease another car from them. If not, it might be worth getting your own quotes to make sure you’re getting the best price for the repairs.
Article provided by Sheen Group
