I was reversing out the driveway of a house I was visiting last week. It was a bright sunny evening. For a split second, I lost concentration and bumped into the car parked across the road. It happened at a normal speed for reversing out a driveway. But, hands up, I should have been more careful.

I got out and surveyed the damage. It was minimal. I had scraped the paintwork on the bumper of the other car. If I’d driven off, I doubt it would have been noticed. But I would never drive off. I’m too soft like that. So I knocked on the door and told the woman what had happened, inviting her to send me the bill when she had it seen to. There was no need for any drama. It was my fault. I gave her my details. We talked for 20 seconds and that was it. I got back in my car, called myself a silly idiot or words to that effect and thought no more of it.

Three-page quote

Until the following evening when I was landed with a three-page quote from what I thought was a reputable garage. The total cost of repair would be €956 thank you very much. I was apoplectic. Why didn’t I just drive off? In my mind this was a scandalous “try on” by whoever concocted the bill. But let me tell you they had picked the wrong victim. I sought a second opinion, with the agreement of the car owner. This quote was a fraction of that initial outrageous and greedy one. I might even get a third opinion yet.

The cost of the labour quoted by the garage was totally disproportionate to the actual work required, but it this what managed to bloat the quote.

Here is what I think is going on. The repair people work off the assumption that I blink and just put it through my insurance. Because many years ago when I was getting a dent fixed, the repair shop gave me two quotes. One for “cash”. The other if it was going “through the insurance”. So if I was to add two and two based on this latest experience, it’s a trick which is still in vogue and it is being paid for through higher insurance premiums.

How much of this is going on? I don’t know. I am all for competition. Doctors differ and patients die, but how is there such a disparity between car repair quotes? Maybe the Society of the Irish Motor Industry might let us know what they think. CL.

Giving back pain the needle

For a chap who sees black and white at the sight of a needle, I wasn’t exactly skipping in the door.

I was exchanging backache stories with a friend of mine at a funeral recently, as you do, and he told me that after years of suffering with a bad back, he underwent acupuncture and now he’s like a new pin.

As I’ve moaned about before here, I could be walking across the street and I might seize up with a spasm and be left frozen on the spot. It is to do with muscles and nerves and bulging discs and sciatica and all of that. Anyway, I took the plunge and went for the acupuncture.

All I can say is, it is painless and the best thing ever. Thank you to whoever invented it. Although, what did whoever it was think would be achieved by sticking needles into someone?