Dan Cobb

This evening (my sons' Birthday!) we were pulling out of the driveway to go to dinner in our Tahoe. As I drove past my car, I noticed a dent in the top of the wheel arch on the left 1/4 panel.
I stopped the SUV to check it out. Sure enough, there is a 6" high cupped dent along the top edge, right above the rear tire. No other damage is visible, and no sign of an accident (I didn't drive the Porsche today).
Several neighbors were outside and saw my reaction and inspection of the car.
They are all friends and aware of how I care for the car.
We go to dinner and I can hardly eat.
When we get home, my neighbors are outside again, and this time before I can get to the front door, my buddy tells me, "I think I hit your car".
Susprised, (because he has a very nice Denali) I start talking to him. Sure enough, it looks like he rubbed into the rear fender with the corner of his rear bumper while backing out of his driveway (his house is across the street).

Anyway, he immediately owns up and then offers to cover the costs of repair.
He asks if I want to go through insurance or just get it fixed. I suggest that getting ti fixed is the best approach, but we agree to see the expected costs first, then decide if it is worth the hassle of insurance.

I'm not sure what I really need to know, but what advice can you guys provide?
He's a pretty good bud, and we have a really tight street. Most of the familys get together a couple times a week.
I have no doubt that he will stand behind his word, he's just that way.

How much of the car will they likely have to repaint?
I'll post a pic ASAP, so you have a better idea of just what I'm yapping about.
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Rhino

I feel your pain.
The exact same thing happened to my 87 a few months ago. As I was waving good by to a friend of mine as she backed out of the driveway in her Suburban, I suddenly saw my car move slightly. She smiled and waved as she drove away. I walked up to the car and sure enough she put a dent just above the drivers side rear quarter panel. She didn't even no she hit it. I wanted the fix done right, had the dent fixed by a pro, had the entire quarter panel painted to show room shine. Total cost was $1400. My friend paid for the damage without using her insurance. It looks better than before.
Make sure when the shop is painting the car you discuss with them how much over spray they will clean up. After I had the car fixed, I had to get it proffessionaly detailed (Another $250) which the shop would not pay for. Next time I will ask before chooosing which shop to use.
let me know how it turns out
Rhino

shaynes

Dan,

Crap happens, my wife was trying to help me move around some cars last week and chunked the side of the garge with the wheel well on our 968, the just had to pull the dent , sand and spot paint it is done perfectly, but I know it is there, it was a perfect car.. but cest la vie, at least it wasn't to one of the 911's

Gary R.

Dan - if there is no brake in the paint or crease in the metal have a Paintless Dent Removal guy look at it. A good one can do amazing things with the bodies of older (heavier guage) body panels.

Peter Zimmermann

Dan: Gary makes a good point. Give Brace a call (310) 823-2474, and ask him to look at it. One of his guys is doing paintless dent removal, and the guy is an absolute artist. The same guy can put a 911 with $30K in damage on a chassis jig and fix it!
Pete

Gary R.

Some of them are true artists! I had a pimple in the hood of my 90 C2 from the PO closing it on something. My PDR guy took it out, along with about 4 door dings for $250. I KNEW exactly where each of these dings were and could not find a TRACE of them afterwards.

bourgeois911

I have gone the paintless dent removal route in the past and have been thrilled with the results. The guy let me watch them removing some door dings from a Tahoe, pretty amazing process.

redidrum

I have a guy here in Indy that is incredible. He took out 6 tiny dings and 2 creases for $100. I've heard about guys using dry ice too. Ive seen the kits to do it yourself on e-bay. Seems like a good trade for a retired person. My guy here owned a body shop for 30 years and now all he does if go around town removing little dings. The tools look like long barbeque sticks or thin golf clubs.

srf506

I know how you feel. A co-worker creamed my passenger side door in my '85 eurospec 930. Fortunately, it was just the door and I had a great body guy here in Orlando who went the extra mile to chase down an OEM Door shell to fix it. He transferred everything over from the old door and it is perfect. Fortunately, my car is the ever popular basic black so matching the paint wasn't that big a deal. Its worth trying the paintless dent route, but it might be a big enough spot its strtched the metal too far for that process to work. Good luck with it though. I'm sure your neighbor will make good on it.

Dan Cobb

Sadly, the paint is broken and the there is a crease about halfway down the front of the fender arch.
I got a referral from my mechanic, and I've talked to the shop owner. He is a PCA member with his own Carrera, so he was very understanding and sympathetic.
My neighbors' insurance guy has already called, offered a rental, and seems to be a very good guy.

I'll take it in tomorrow and see what they say about cost, time, etc.
On a side note, Jeff's (neighbor, also known now as "Crash") insurance guy told him that it is AAA policy to reimburse for the cost of a new car seat if it is involved in an accident. We were both surprised that even in a very minor incident such as this, they insist on replacing it.

I hope that is a good sign on what to expect.
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Tim993

Dan, By chance was your car parked at the Pasadena Athletic Club this afternoon?

Dan Cobb

It better not have been! it had better have been at the shop in Torrance to be inspected by the insurance guy.
Now I'm worried!!!
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Tim993

I don't think you need to be worried. I saw a similar colored car to yours with some damage over the drivers side rear quarter right after I read your post. The car looked a little rough all over so I did not think it was a Rennlist members 911 but I don't see many Porsches on the street that have unrepaired damage. I hope your car comes back looking better than before the mishap.

Dan Cobb

Thanks. So do I!
I've already asked him to provide an additional estimate for fixing the clearcoat that peeled off when I replaced the sunroof gasket last winter. I've also included the cost to respray the Turbo decklid and fix a small spot on the hood.
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scottb

Dan: Before you commit to anyone to do the work, take it out to Kevin at Automotive Innovations and Restorations in Van Nuys. He works on lots of Porsches. He frequents the Pelican board (KevinP73), and he knows what he's doing when it comes to these cars. You won't be disappointed.

Scott