Getting in a fender bender is never ideal. A post-Target shopping glow quickly faded for one woman after she accidentally bumped her car into another car in the parking lot.

As it turned out, the car she hit belonged to someone she knew. Their reaction took her by surprise, however.

In a TikTok with over 4,500 views as of this writing, content creator @ilovepink5093 says she thought the person would play it cool because they actually knew each other. But things went otherwise. 

“So I was at Target today and I had a little bumper car moment because me and the car were backing out at the same time and boom. Dent in my car,” the woman begins.

There’s a visible dent in her car’s bumper.

“Nothing crazy right? Anyways, get out of the car to talk to each other, cause you know we just [expletive] hit each other,” she continues.

After stepping out of the car, she realized that she knew the other driver and it wasn’t anyone she’d expected.

“It turns out it’s my old library teacher from high school who hit me,” she says. 

Realizing they knew each other provided some relief. But it was short lived.

“So obviously the damage is not that bad. So I go and crack a joke. I’m like ‘Hey, funny seeing you here,’” she shares.

Her former librarian was not having it. She immediately demanded her insurance card. Apparently flustered, she then struggled to contact her husband.

@ilovepink5093 was confused by her frantic response, as she didn’t think the situation warranted it.

“It’s not that serious,” she says.

In a caption, she added that she “lowkey am sad about the dent in my car.”

Gallery: Home mechanic garage ruled legal

5

‘A Plunger And Hot Water’

Viewers in the comment section offered DIY suggestions to fix the dent in the bumper.

“A plunger and hot water,” one wrote.

“Easy fix. Boil a pot of water, pour it on slowly. Heat it up and pop it back into place,” another added.

At least one viewer was curious about the kind of car the other driver had.

“Did she have a somewhat new car?” one asked.

@ilovepink5093 responded that the vehicle was an older model.

“Idk why she would be upset then she might as well be happy and get the insurance check,” the commenter replied.

What’s The Best Cheap DIY Repair For Fender Bender?

It’s easy to ignore a small dent and procrastinate getting it fixed. Due to the fact that the vehicle can still be driven, many drivers have waited an extended period of time before addressing such damage. However, it’s best to fix even minor dents right away. 

Having a professional fix the dent on your vehicle can range anywhere from $50 to $2,500, Chase reports. The cost will vary depending on the location, size, and depth of the dent. Because repairs can rack up into four digits, many drivers attempt cheap DIY fixes.

One of the most popular DIY options to fix a dent on your vehicle is the plunger and hot water method several commenters recommended. This method entails boiling water and pouring it on the dent. Then you use a plunger to pull the dent out. Some people will try to use a toilet plunger. This leads mixed results. That’s why it’s best to use an actual dent puller.

According to NAPA, dent pullers or suction cups are the best cheap option and easiest to use. They also don’t require hot water. Toilet plungers can struggle to get the grip to pull out the dent, while dent pullers grip better. Some dent pullers cost as low as $5 from AutoZone.

CarParts.com reports drivers can also use a hair dryer and cold compressed air to fix the dent. You heat up the area with the hair dryer, then spray compressed air on the dent to reshape it. The heat expands the body panel, while the cold air shrinks simultaneously, pulling the dent out. Caliber notes that dry ice can also be used with this approach.

Each of these methods can have the potential to save hundreds or even thousands of dollars. But they could also further damage your vehicle. To err on the side of caution, it’s best to use a dent puller, as hot water and heat can cause additional damage.

Motor1 has contacted @ilovepink5093 via TikTok direct message and commented on the post. This post will be updated if she replies.

 

 

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motor1.com?

Take our 3 minute survey.

- The Motor1.com Team