Yea we noticed that too, only scraped off a little paint, metal isn't showing. Nope, the air bags did not deploy in the kia. I was surprised when I noticed they didn't.

The hitch gained a little extra color that's it. Didn't budge it, dent it, nothing.

 

eric, be sure and file a claim with the insurance company of the other car. just play dumb and say "i've got some bumper damage". the adjuster will look at it and likely pay for a new bumper. if not, show him the gap and insist - the bumper is bent !!!

you'll probably get a check for about $500. if you have a loan on the car, you'd probably have to get it fixed. if no loan, then the check will come to the title holder of the car, and you can just pocket it.

now - before everyone jumps on me. the other car is responsible for any damage they cause, no matter how major or minor. they have to cover your loss. if you sell that truck tomorrow, i promise you that the wreck will show up in a carfax report, and the prospective buy will ask - so how bad was that wreck. and WILL notice that the bumper is crooked, and WILL pay less for the truck. its up to you what you do with the money. you can laugh about it, but the value of the truck just went down due to the carfax report.

 

In states where no-fault insurance is required, this little process is known as a "mini-tort". Take a copy of the police report, an estimate for damage repair, and proof of your insurance deductible (if you have collision coverage), or, proof that you do not HAVE collision, and they will write you a check for a max of 500 bucks.

When my blazer got rear ended, this is exactly what I did. I had an estimate of repairs for about 2200 bucks. (replace tailgate, back glass, and bumper...... holy crap.... I didn't pay that much for the truck...) They mailed me a check. I went to the local pick-n-pull, got the glass, and tailgate for less that 100 bucks, and didn't worry about the bumper. Tailgate was even the right color.......

 

Doing that shows intent to cause damage, which means that if it ever went to court you'd probably be buying them a new car. Leaving the hitch in is (or can be called) just laziness.

 

How does it make you lazy to leave the hitch in?

 

That's not what I meant. What I meant was if you get rear ended with a hitch in and someone tries to say you left it in to cause more damage you can just say you left it in cause you where lazy and didn't take it out after you used it last.

ETA basically you have an excuse for having a hitch in, but none for making a spike to damage someone's car.

 

That's not you wearing that gay *** hat is it?

 

oh. I really doubt it would stand up in court if someone said that you left the hitch in to cause more damage.

And I would have an excuse for a spike, I would just say that when I park it in the woods I back into a tree to anchor it.

 

its not against the law to leave the hitch in, nor do you have to provide a reason. provided its a normal hitch (no spike LOL) its a normal part of the truck.

 

How about an downward facing hook? So you can hook onto their bumper when they hit and drag them around (or rip it off). Then you could just say that it's a tow hook.