Baffled woman parks Nissan as man fixes dent. Problem is, she doesn’t know him, and it’s more common than it seems

A viral TikTok video captioned “Still can’t believe this happened to me” shows a man seated on the ground, repairing dents on a Nissan. The text overlay says, “When a random man starts working on your car while you’re sitting at work. It’s important you tell him no.”

TikTok creator Elise (@jerniganelise) shared the post, which cuts from the man working on the car to Elise examining what appears to be poorly-applied bonding paint on her car’s exterior. Comments noted it looks like he patched it “with cement.” In the comment section, Elise explained, “He was soooo sweet!! I just think he lowkey did not do a good job but it’s okay we love him anyways.”

The bodywork fix-it trick

It’s unclear how the situation worked out, but as other commenters explained, the man was likely offering up his services in hopes the car owner would pay him. As other commenters noted, it’s a common ploy. Those who fell for it report mixed results.

One said, “Happened to me at a Walgreens! I had gotten a dent the day before and I was parked and some random dude came up to me saying he can fix my dent for free. I was like f it.” The comment said he came back with a blowtorch, a plunger, and a spray. “I let him do his thing and it worked! He fixed it. He left the spot where it happened with tiny bubbles but worth it 😂😭. You couldn’t see it unless you were up close.”

Responding to Elise’s note, “it’s important to tell him no,” another added, “Naw, I took that risk and it went well for me.” He said he was washing his car, “and some dude was all ecstatic that it was an old Toyota. He checked it out and fixed a big dent on my door and other little ones.” After buying him some beer, the man went on his way, the car owner said.

Still, the unrequested repair tactic rankled others. With one comment adding, “Stuff like this annoys be because don’t do something without asking and then expect me to pay you for doing it. I did not ask you to do it nor did you offer you just done it.”

Experts agree: unsolicited repairs aren’t worth it

Allowing a random person to work on your vehicle can seem like a quick, cheap fix, but it carries real risks. On the pro side, some informal repairs—especially simple dent pulls—might improve appearance or save time compared to a shop appointment, and some commenters on TikTok share stories of positive outcomes.

But the cons can outweigh that: unsolicited offers in parking lots are a known scam tactic in which people do quick, poor-quality work and then demand payment, sometimes even using inappropriate materials that worsen your car’s condition.

In addition, poor or improper repairs by amateurs can reduce resale value, cause hidden damage, or leave you with no legal recourse if things go wrong. That’s unlike work done by a licensed professional who provides a warranty and documented estimate. But in Elise’s case, it sounds like everything’s okay, as she followed up in a comment, “Y’all this was a few months ago my car is fine everything is going to be alright I promise 🫡.”