Hi. I'm new to this site ... hopefully this is the right place to post this. If not, please direct me to the proper location.

Anyway, I just backed my '04 TL (silver) into a wooden utility pole. Main damage was to the driver's door mirror. It's still attached but is loose, and the mirror is cracked. I also messed up the paint on the driver's door.

I'm looking for advice on how to proceed from here. How much would it cost to replace the mirror? Who should I have do it? Should I file an insurance claim ($500) deductible?

More info that may prove helpful:

** I bought the car in April '09 and am the kind of person who will likely keep it for many years.

** I'm NOT a car "enthusiast" by any means.

** There's other, previous paint damage on the car. This isn't the only blemish.

** Number one concern is money. Want to get this done as inexpensively as possible.

Thanks!

 

Post a pic. (You'll need to host on another site like ImageShack.) I did something similar and had it taken care of at Dent Wizard and avoided body work.

 

 

replace the mirror assemby. gain access to it from the panel on the inside

 

Side mirror assembly:

http://www.acuraoemparts.com/delray/...All&vinsrch=no

$191.81

 

just replace the mirror, and try to buff out as much of the scratches you can. if there is a dent you can try pdr, but the cost will probably then come up to 500ish so you might as well at that point file a claim and get everything fixed to like new condition

 

That's doesn't look too bad. Replace the mirror and buff out the scratches. Hard to tell if they are deep from the photo, but it doesn't seem like it. A good detail shop should be able to get it to look pretty good without it costing too much. I had very similar damage and used the Dent Wizard with great success. The Dent Wizard by me is both a PDR and a detail shop. They replaced my mirror for me too. It cost a few hundred bucks and was well worth it.

Oh, and even if your costs add up to be a little more than your $500 deductible, I would not make a claim, because your insurance rates may go up. Even if they don't go up, it might cause them to go up if you have to make another claim later on down the road. Not worth it to save a little bit of change now, IMO.

 

Thanks so much for the very helpful advice. I'd never heard of Dent Wizard and looked 'em up on the net. The Dent Wizard locations near me all came up as dealerships. Would someone please explain to me how this works?

 

Followup: I called Dent Wizard and the woman told me they're not really what I need. I need someone to detail the car and someone to replace the mirror. Speaking of the mirror, is that something someone who's generally handy can do -- buy the mirror assembly and install it? Or does someone need more specialized experience?

 

Replacing the mirror should be plug and play. Remove the sail panel on the interior and there should be 3-4 bolts holding the mirror on. Remove them, disconnect the wire going to the mirror, swap the mirror, plug it back in, tighten the bolts, replace the sail panel. Done.

 

Thanks, Gen7! Any suggestions on where to buy the mirror assembly? Someone else posted a link above, but I've seen alternates on the net.

 

Only place i can think of is ordering it at your dealer, which will be expensive, or if you get stupidly lucky, you can pull it off a junked TL, but those are few and far between.

Can you take a closer photo of the scratches on the door? If you can feel the scratches easily, chances are it won't be able to be buffed out. Only light scratches can be buffed by a detailer.

Or take it to a pro detailer in your area, and see what he says.

Also, take it to some shops and get a couple quotes. Most will want to replace the entire mirror and door skin, as well as paint. That'll be much more expensive, and I suggest just paying your deductible and letting your insurance take care of it, if you're willing to eat the slightly increased rates

 

^^^ Check eBay, I've seen several on there in SSM.