Car owners dislike unexpected scrapes and dents
36 posts across 3 communities in the last 30 days; 83% from r/Autobody.
“Do you park directly next to someone at home? Wife or kid possibly? I can't see a stranger taking the time to attempt to touch it up.”
“I have a 2025 Camry LE Hybrid and noticed my bumper started sagging/coming loose months after I lightly scratched the side of the car. There was no accident or real impact. I started noticing it after I began getting car washes pretty frequently, and I've seen other people with…”
“This is my first ever accident with over 10 years of driving experience. It was overall incredibly minor, literally just faint scratches to the paint job and a crack in the reflective bit on the front of the car. I payed for the safe trip coverage. We exchanged info and I called…”
Vehicle owners are upset about damage to their cars, including scrapes and dents caused by other drivers or unknown incidents. They seek advice on repair options and express concern about the cost and potential for recurrence.
SOURCES (60)
“Hi all, I accidentally opened my door onto a new BMW yesterday. I owned up and exchanged licence details with the owner. The mark is tiny (about the size of a grain of rice), with no visible dent. It might even be paint transfer. Photos…”
“Hello! I don’t know much about cars so please pardon my inexperience with proper terms/processes, but I was hoping to get perspectives on whether or not to proceed with a repair. I recently scraped my car against one of those yellow pillars in a parking lot. Originally thought it would just be a cosmetic fix but after getting a few quotes, nearly everyone I’ve spoken to says the back door needs to be replaced. They are saying that the safety bar(?) inside the door has been compromised (see circl”
“My girlfriend side swiped a concrete pole with her newish Mazda CX-5 and I’m looking for advice on the repair. I’m relatively mechanically inclined but haven’t done auto body work (have done brake jobs/struts etc). I fully realize this may be beyond my capabilities, but we’re not necessarily looking to get it perfect. I’m wondering how others might proceed with this considering the tricky location. submitted by /u/freeskier10000 [link] [comments]”
“Had a small scrape with some concrete in my '25 Model Y on my passenger side front bumper which left several gouges/scratches. Worth the risk of fixing this DIY or should I just take it to the shop? All I have is the touch up paint kit from Tesla which is definitely not enough to fill in the gouges. First pic is the initial damage, second is after cleaning with IPA and performing the water test. submitted by /u/Eriadnus [link] [comments]”
“My door was being replaced because it was dented/scraped (vs. repairing it) so I hope they didn’t just put a new door they had to repair 😂 sort of defeats the purpose. I understand if it was scratched but if they repaired dents and stuff that makes no sense [re: Will lower molding absent cause rust Audi SQ5 and Handle Light Question]”
“My car was parked just opposite my home when I went to drive and found a really bad scratch on the side of my car, I have no cctvs to find whoever did it other than the fact it was probably an orange car cus of the orange smudges, should I be making a police report? Should I go around looking for people with orange cars and a white scratch on their car if they were the one that hit my car? And is this something I can claim from my car insurance ? If I can even find whoever hit my car am I able t”
“New to me car, scratched it in a post when parking resulting in scratches. Looking to cover up the scratches with a touch up pen from mazda store. Will that be enough? I don’t need an extremely perfect fix, something that will look decent and protect the car from corrosion. Thanks in advance! submitted by /u/namigi [link] [comments]”
“Hi everyone! I recently discovered a long horizontal scrape and a small dent across the front-right fender and door of my Audi A4. I suspect my neighbour’s Citroën Berlingo might have caused it while parking. I always reverse into my space, while they park front-first. Their front-right bumper has scratches at a very similar height (roughly 2 cm difference), and my Audi has several parallel scratches and small black marks that might be plastic transfer. On pictures it doesn't look that bad b”
“Someone keyed my car too Mazda CX-30 2024 pretty badly, about five long scratches. It looks like they stood there and deliberately did it for a while. I was honestly really upset when I saw it. I don't want to spend money on a complete repaint right now, especially since something like this could happen again. For the time being, I bought a Mazda touch-up paint pen and plan to cover the scratches myself. I'll look into a more permanent repair once I move to a new place in a safer part of”
“Do you park directly next to someone at home? Wife or kid possibly? I can't see a stranger taking the time to attempt to touch it up.”
“A few days ago I noticed this damage directly under my side mirror. But I’m wondering… did someone ding me and then attempt to paint over it to hide the damage?? What could have even caused this? I’m not terribly upset but if they tried “fixing” their damage what a scumbag submitted by /u/FernTheLion [link] [comments]”
“I scraped the side of my car against a concrete garage wall. The fender garnish got damaged on the inside, I snapped what I could back in place but it will probably start falling off eventually. 2026 Rav 4 hybrid. The dents around the handle are probably the worst. The door opens and closes fine and the handle somehow is not damaged, just the section underneath it. I know I need to get it fixed, I just wonder if it can wait until I get my tax return… bc I know this won’t be cheap and I don’t rea”
“This is my first car every and a ding on the tailgate and some damage/superficial crack on the gloss black bumper section. Not to sound whiny but can this be fixed (no paint chipped)? I have the guy’s details but not sure if I should get his insurance to pay since I don’t want my rates to go up. I’ve heard of people complaining that their rates went up despite a no fault accident but I’m not sure since it’s the first time this has happened to me. I would really appreciate some help with costs/in”
“Hi guys I’m shattered just caused some severe dent to my car. What do you think about this? Would the car door need to be changed and how long will the repair take. I don’t have much time off work so this period will be very difficult for me. Also what would you advise with insurance. Do I tell them or do this out of pocket. I was initially worried about whether I could even drive it but I was told by a friend that I can as long as it got to sharp edges out submitted by /u/Discussant”
“Ok the scratches are ambitious but I’m convinced I might be able to push the dent from the inside if I take the door panel off… how crazy am I I can already tell this will cost quiteeeee a bit to fix so I’m trying to see if there’s anything I can DIY. I don’t need it to look perfect just… less ugly. Also there are areas of fully exposed metal and I’m worried about rust. What can I do about that? Or should I give up and start getting estimates. It’s a 2012 ford fusion so I’m really not looking to”
I just found this scratch on my car what would you recommend to get this fixed? submitted by /u/plnx8 [link] [comments]
“Hey everyone, Hope yall are doing well. Got out my car but hit a pillar on the outside. When i run water on it, it does look better but I can still see main scratch in the middle. It does catch my fingernail so ik its pass clear coat. I just want to know my options and how I should go about getting it fixed with is it a big deal. Could a detailer do this? Thanks submitted by /u/ConstructionSafe8229 [link] [comments]”
“Someone hit my car while in a parking garage. The photos show the damaged side and the undamaged side. Could this be fixed by a dent puller or paintless repair or am I in for a few days in the shop? Thanks 2024 Kia Telluride in NY submitted by /u/BennyWez [link] [comments]”
“Didn't realize I didn't straighten my wheel all the way when looking to merge and scraped a concrete wall! First ever damage I've done to any car. My nail doesn't catch and stop when running it top to bottom just feels rough like sand paper submitted by /u/Chemical_Fortune_794 [link] [comments]”
“Did that happen while you were parked where you are showing us? Cuz I don’t get it, you’re parked perfectly fine why would someone key your car”
“Hello, today my dads car got side swiped. It has some scratches on the side and stuff but when we go to open the driver side door the fender is pushed inwards. The door only opens about halfway. I tried finding videos or a decent explanation online but had no luck. Would it be best to take it to a body shop or do it ourselves? The car is having mechanic work done next week so we don’t really have the money to spare so I’d prefer if there was a way to do it ourselves. If not we will take it to a”
“https://www.paintedoemparts.com/product-page/painted-2016-2023-mazda-cx-9-cx9-front-bumper-cover-genuine-oem Hey there! I’m trying to figure out what I might need to repair this, is it just the front bumper cover? figured I’d see if It was DIY-able. submitted by /u/Parakoopa [link] [comments]”
“Is there a way to fix this scratch on the dash of my brand new Mazda cx50? I must’ve had something on the microfiber cloth I used to clean it and left this ugly scratch 😭 submitted by /u/teddybobeddy23 [link] [comments]”
“Someone dropped something on it while walking by or the wind blew something into it or some thing. Damage looks like damage, it all looks the same after a while. Without video evidence we are just taking guesses”
“Vehicle was parked at apartment complex overnight with damage above the driver side fender. submitted by /u/Many_Charge9448 [link] [comments]”
“I mean. Will you choose low mileage nice engine with paint scratches, or clean outside but sketchy technical condition. Maybe OP's car was worth buying even with paint problems...”
“Also forgot to add….. NO MORE CARWASHES or dry wipe downs after the work above. These common mistakes cause the hazing and possibly some of the scratches.”
“You didnt notice this when buying it, or did it happen when you owned it? Drivers side scratches are from people opening their door into you. Passenger side looks like theyve been opening the door into shit. Be more careful, or check closely when purchasing next time. Get a touch up pen and call it a day.”
“Hello techs, When I walked out to my vehicle today I noticed these uniform impressions on the rocker panel. 2 on each side, 4 total. It was in the shop earlier this week, but they said they didn't use a hoist and didn't know what could have caused them. (1st photo is for reference, not my car. ) Any ideas? submitted by /u/motley3382 [link] [comments]”
“I have a 2025 Camry LE Hybrid and noticed my bumper started sagging/coming loose months after I lightly scratched the side of the car. There was no accident or real impact. I started noticing it after I began getting car washes pretty frequently, and I've seen other people with the same year Camry having similar bumper/clip issues. Toyota inspected it and said the clips were broken and blamed the scratch, but I pulled the bumper off myself and the clips aren’t actually broken. Not sure what”
“Something fell in the garage and scraped my rear bumper-plastic, behind rear wheel. Is this: Fixable by an amateur? Fixable by a pro? It is a brand new car so just forgetting about it and moving on is not my favorite option. submitted by /u/WoodpeckerBroad5039 [link] [comments]”
“https://preview.redd.it/um16h1l8hzqh1.png?width=750&format=png&auto=webp&s=a72b8f395bd4d2bcb80525f88cbad9080635dfaa My car was involved in a hit and run in a parking lot. I wasn't there when it happened. Does this gash look like damage done from someone elses tire or something else? Let me know! submitted by /u/OkSpecialist3634 [link] [comments]”
“Im delivering package earlier and got caught on a tight driveway and got deep scratch with dent submitted by /u/Due_Simple9314 [link] [comments]”
“Just noticed this scratch on my car after it was parked outside. I can slightly feel it with my fingernail, but it doesn’t seem nearly as deep as some keyed scratches I’ve seen. Would something like 3D ONE compound/polish be enough to remove or significantly reduce it? submitted by /u/00xjustin [link] [comments]”
“Dented a car my father lent me. He wasn't too upset surprisingly but of course if I want it repaired it's going to be up to me or out of my pocket. I feel quite guilty leaving it there and I'd rather not have to buy a new rear bumper. submitted by /u/FudgeeCow [link] [comments]”
“Got scratched by a metal pole sticking out of a truck, was recently thinking about getting my car detailed, can a detailer fix this scratch or better to bring it a panel beater? submitted by /u/Jinjinius [link] [comments]”
“Two days ago i checked my car it was fine and this afternoon i walked out of my job and found these scratches. I do not park under trees near my house or put anything on my hood or anything of the sorts. Security looked at cameras and found nobody near my car today. Im thinking someone did this and im wondering if someone here is smarter than me to figure out what they used. Or any idea at all of what had happened. It all starts at the top and theres roughly 25 lines in a row. It looks like they”
“Two days ago i checked my car it was fine and this afternoon i walked out of my job and found these scratches. I do not park under trees near my house or put anything on my hood or anything of the sorts. Security looked at cameras and found nobody near my car today. Im thinking someone did this and im wondering if someone here is smarter than me to figure out what they used. Or any idea at all of what had happened. It all starts at the top and theres roughly 25 lines in a row. It looks like they”
“Someone has vandalised your car … they do this and try to get cheaper off you”
“Did you park somewhere you’re not supposed to? Im just asking cos this happened to a friend”
“Mazda CX-3 — I accidentally pulled forward over a pretty high curb/sidewalk (I know). I just looked and the underside of my front bumper looks like this now. How bad is this? I don’t know anything about cars. submitted by /u/snaktooth [link] [comments]”
“Went off-roading in my Jeep and unintentionally scraped the driver’s side door against a boulder. The first photo is what the damage looked like before I did anything, and the second photo is after a wash, compound, and polish. It definitely improved it, but there’s still quite a bit there. It looks like I mostly scraped down to the primer, with a few tiny spots that went all the way down to the bare metal. I’d like to try taking it a little further. I do have the factory-matched paint and clear”
“Hey guys, i recently openend my boot and it accidentely went up and slammed on the roof of my garage (yes the garage is very very low) i know it’s not much but i’m very petty with my cars and that scratch bothers me a lot my question is, is this fixable with just a polishing maschine and Micro Cut? A shop quoted me 170$ to fix. Now i‘m unsure if i should try it myself or just let them fix it immediatly. Help is appreciated! submitted by /u/Wizard_King99 [link] [comments]”
“Somebody either hit my car in the parking lot of caused intentional damage. Is this cheap and easy fix? What do you think happened? submitted by /u/Kindly_Building_1850 [link] [comments]”
“If this is the wrong place to ask this, I apologize in advance. This morning someone scraped the side of my passenger car door while parking, we both live in the same complex, in person the scrapes are pretty visible, through pictures the reflection makes it a bit harder to show. Somebody left a note owning up to their mistake with their name and phone number. I honestly don't really want to go through insurance, I wanna ask the person to just pay out of pocket, should I go to a body shop to”
“Are there any ways to make these scratches seem less obvious? Especially the scratches on my left window annoy me. I’ve seen some webshops sell Quixx Glass Scratch remover but does that really work or do I make it worse? Also any good tips to make my windshield look as good as new? Any recommendations for spray’s/ polish? I don’t know a lot about car detailing, so all kinds of tips and knowledge are welcome! submitted by /u/Mysterious-Cow-178 [link] [comments]”
“feeling super awful right now. like an idiot i scratched my car coming out of a narrow parking spot against a floor pillar that was longer than i thought it was. the scratches look deep and seems like a very an expensive fix, but i wanted to ask for opinions here because i know nothing about car body work, painting or anything so im not even sure what to say to a store. Theres a slight dent in the passengers door as you can see in Pic 3 which i’m not sure what to do about. any advice is apprecia”
“My friend accidentally drive my car into garbage bin and scratched the rear side . There is little dents . How much wud be expected to repair . I am based in Ontario Canada . Thanks submitted by /u/Prudent-Welder-6368 [link] [comments]”
“Tried to fit in the garage and scraped the side when backing out as we realized we would not fit. It is a Mercedes 2026 I jsut got off the lot like a month ago. Idk even know what this could run me cost wise but it’s done now. Do I take it back or do I find a regular auto shop to fix me up? submitted by /u/Nikita7573 [link] [comments]”
“I am not knowledgeable about cars etc., so I wasn’t sure if anyone here could help! I got into a car accident about 2 months ago. I never ended up replacing my door, because it works fine, just has a gnarly scratch and a kind of ugly dent in it. I wasn’t sure if there was a way to fix this on my own. It’s been a rainy summer so it rusted a lot quicker than I thought it would, and I don’t want it to continue to get worse. Basically- is there a way to sand this down and paint over it? I don’t care”