JetJock

Well, I was at the vegetable stand yesterday and parked my car next to a pile of mulch, with 2 wheels on the grass to be safe. Some old lady wearing those huge sun goggles didn't look where she was going, backed out then just turned into my car....she never saw it with those dark glasses.

My driver door got crunched by her Volvo Wagon. Now...what to do?? Do I have the dent pulled, and door repainted, or insist on a new door...then have that repainted? Neither one seems a great solution. The color is Anthracite, will the colors match, if I get a new door, will they need to paint the door jams too? What about getting the upholstery and moldings to fit perfectly if they replace the door? What are most body shops doing with crunched doors. Fortunately, it only got the driver door, edge is slightly warped, but there is no damage to rear door. I think it's damaged beyond "paintless dent repair services". It looks bad but the paint isn't damaged.

SteveP66

Ouch - Hopefully you got the insurance information from that babe with the goggles.


I'll bet she felt just as bad as you for hitting your car - go easy on her.

It's hard to tell how it will be fixed without a pic but ask the insurance adjuster - ask the body shop where it gets fixed and then you tell them (as best as you can) which way you prefer the job be done.

ballinfizzle89

iTrader: (6)

Damn man that sucks, sorry about your experience. I guess it really depends on the insurance, and hopefully you got her insurance info as Steve said. Good luck

JetJock

Yeah.....she came inside the market looking for me. She was really upset that she hit my car. Asked if it were a new car (04-6MT), and said I hope you didn't just get it today. That's the Zaino at work....11,000 miles, and never driven in the rain, and garaged....it looks better than new. I just hope I can find a body shop that cares as much as I do about my paint. Most dealerships just push them out the door, and care less about quality. I'm looking for an Independent Body Shop that deals mostly in exotics and imports....they seem to care.

Her insurance company called last night admiting liability, so that's one less hassle to deal with. The poor old lady probably called her insurance company crying about hitting my car...she was really sweet....and no, I didn't yell at her. I'm just glad she didn't split, leaving me with paying myself. Those old ladys (and men) really need to get rid of those welder goggles....how can they see with those things....or else take a drivers test when they pass 80...with their goggles.

SteveP66

I think they wear the goggles because they may have had Cataract surgery ........... her driving would be worse without them.....

ggesq

iTrader: (1)

are you entitled to diminished value in PA?

Jetmaker

I just had my front passenger door repaired. It was a sharp bottom vertical crease about 10 inches long starting just under the "groove" in the door. In my case whoever hit my car split on me.

My suggestion is to get at least 3 quotes from body shops, and most importantly demand to see examples of their finished work. They should have plenty of it on the spot. The place I went to was highly recommneded on Angie's list. And I admit their front office staff was great and tried hard to please. But in the end they had to re-do the door twice and the quality is not 100% of what I expected. It looks great from most angles but when the light hits it just right you can tell the difference between that door and the others. My car is black, so that makes it extra tough. Not sure at this point if I want to hassle taking to another shop.

So, do your homework up-front!

timmahh

Just insist that the door skin be replaced and that when they repaint it they fade it into the surrounding body panels.. also take it to a place where all of the rich people go, that's where I take my accord 'cause no one matches NBP like they do =p

JetJock

Thanks guys!! I went to 2 body shops today. One my friend recommended because he had his Jetta repaired 3 times there, and his son's Acura too many times to count...he's a louzy driver...lol. The shop was filthy...the air filters in the paint room were plugged with grey dirt. There were no Ferraries there, like my buddy said....and no Porsches either.

Next...I went to a BMW shop locally....a new shop...and it looked like a NASA assembly center. Everything was clean, and they said everything I wanted to hear. The other shop wanted to pull the dents...and just paint the doors. This shop wanted to blend the paint from the headlights to the rear pannel...not paint everythign..just blend the paint and clear coat everything. They included pulling the HID's, removing the door handles, and molding above the doors. New skin on the door...not just pulling dents. I was sold. Since I've got a 4 week wait to get the job done...I'm still open to more suggestions from you guys. Geeze...this forum is great...just hearing of other peoples experiences.....and adding mine. That's what it's all about!!! I'll keep posting as my car gets repaired.

If it really matters, since the old lady with the goggles agreed to pay, the BMW shop was $200 more expensive than the Mom & Pop shop. I never even considered the local Acura Body shop...it's old and filthy like the first shop I visited.

MR1

Suggest that you run it through your insurance company, Let the equals work it out. Then I would take it to one or two of their perffered shops. Painting the whole side does sound like the correct method so that the paint matches.

What this will accompolish is a guaranteed repair for as long as you own the car by both your insurance company and the repair shop (depending on your company). There will be no deductible and no insurance increase because of this as there is no cost to your insurance company.

Yes I have been there, done that a few times but ymmv.

NaplesTL

Who is your insurance and hers? If you dont mind me asking? If you go through yours every case I know of you will have to pay your deductable up front but you should get it back after your insurance goes after her insurance company, and settles. I can tell you right now if you go through hers it will be more of a hassle (I see it everyday) unless it is a big company (like State Farm)

NaplesTL

My shop warranties all of our repairs as long as you own the car. Now with that said the insurance company might try to steer you to a "perfered shop" and they will tell you that if you dont go there they (insurance company) will not warranty the work. This is the insurances way of getting the work done a little cheaper for them. (ie: aftermarket parts, lower labor rates, discounted parts) Not to say ALL direct repair shops are that way but a lot are. You are a claim it which also means you are to be put in a rental for the duration of the repair, you may have to pay the rental up front but you should get it back. If you go through her insurance the rental part of the claim would go easier. If you have any question let me know.

JetJock

The same day the incident happened, her insurance company called me admitting liability. Although I already contacted my insurance company, her insurance agreed to pay for the damage, rental car, etc. My insurance told me I'd have to pay out of my pocket for the deductable.(500$), and they only pay 80% of the rental car charges. So, I'd have to wait to collect. Since this old lady was so nice...I decided to take her offer to pay everything. Sometimes you get lucky...she could have just booked from the lot....and I'd be screwed....but some people are honest....it makes me happy to know she's a nice person. I'm really glad I didn't get mad at her...I treated her like my grandmother.

timmahh

Not to hijack your thread but..

I was behind a rock truck in my 01 Accord and got pelted by it; I received the following:

New Headlights
New Bumper
New Hood
Paint All New Items
Repaint Mirrors
Repaint Fenders
Repaint Roof
Repaint Spoiler
Repaint Decklid
Fade all newly painted parts into existing paintwork

They blended everything together; they took off the door handles and painted them - they even took off the interior door panels when painting.. I think the total was close to $7k of paint work for my car. But my NBP looks fantastic!

If you goto the body shop where the "rich" people go you'll get good work - they don't want their cars to look like it's ever had any work done on it; to generalize and stereotype people who goto a Mom and Pop shop might not care so much if there's fish eye or orange peel; the BMW Body Shop probably deals with crazy BMW drivers all day who see a spec of dust so it's in their best interest to get it done right the first time.

Anywho best of luck you can have your thread back!

JetJock

Thanks Guys...for all the comments and support. I just hope the "blend" works!! I don't understand how they can "blend" metallic paint....but I'm not a painter. I hope the texture of the metallic blends properly...and the texture of the paint matches. I've got over 15 coats of Zaino on my car...which didn't go unnoticed by either body shop. They said...WHOA...what did you do to that paint to make it look so good? They have a huge challenge ahead pleasing me....I'm not rich..but I'm fussy about quality.

NaplesTL

they basicaly blend into panels because of fading from the sun, (there are other reasons but usally its the sun) they newer the paint the better the match will be (theoreticaly) If I were you I would go through an insurance company if you are hard to please and very particular about your car because the insurance in some cases will back you up if you go where they want you to and demand that the work be done to your satisfaction.

NaplesTL

or as they call it Preaccident condition

NaplesTL

we have a computer that will scan the paint and give us what they call an "profit" tells you how much crushed pear, metalic flakes, anything. Computers are making things easier and easier (LOL and in some ways harder)

JetJock

One good thing with this car is the fact that the car is garaged almost 100% of the time. I never drive it to work, in the rain, or snow. The car rarely sits outside...i'm either driving it, or it's in a garage somewhere. The paint has little sun exposure. My concern is getting the texture of the clear coat (orange peel effect) to match, and getting the metalic density equal where it's blended. Then, since they are going to re-skin the door, will they get the nice smooth edges inside the door where they bend the new skin, weld it, and fill it with putty. The factory edges look pretty good. I hope the door doesn't rattle either...I've got one of the few TL's that never had one rattle. It's a '04 Anthricite/Ebony 6mt, navi. with '05 style leather seats. I love this car!!!

NaplesTL

thats good, if it is a good shop you should not have to worry about orange peel, you know almost all new vehicles have orange peel it sucks when you are trying to buy a new car.