today i was out toolin around trying out my new hot coil set up, when i parked in front of a laundromat to drop off my clothes...someone came running in and said "someones Porsche just got hit in the parking lot!" needless to say, my heart sunk, imagining the worst....when i came out, this lady in a Taurus wagon had backed into my pass. side door...i was floored. anyway, the damage isnt terrible, but the local bodyshops all say (estimate) around 1200 bucks to fix. She has insurance, and her company is going to send a rep. to my house in the morning to look at the car, but, man...this sucks. The lady at least was being cool about it, taking responsibility, etc...not driving off like she had the chance to. anyway, enough of me getting it off my chest. <img src="graemlins/crying.gif" border="0" alt="[crying]" />

 

Good to hear she stuck around. Accidents happen, but it's good when they have insurance.

The will replace the door and re-paint. If the paint on the car it is good, they can get it matched up ok. If not.. ask to get the entire car re-painted. Make sure you find a good body/paint shop. Do not settle until you are comfortable. Be firm.. they know they will have to pay. Do not use the estimate they give you.

(My dude plugged in what he thought my car needed and was about 2 grand off. After much debate, I got very close to what I wanted.. and I talked him out of a salvage title.)

 

Chris, be aware that your car's body is galvanized (zinc coated) to prevent rust. Make sure the body shops doing the estimates know this (and the claims adjuster), and that you expect any repair to maintain the integrity of this protection. Bumping the dent out & Bondo-ing over it won't do this. Perry's notion of a new door is the best route.

At least your encounter was with an honest citizen. Hopefully her insurer has integrity, too. Good luck.

Jim, dam' this wind chill!

 

Or if the damage is isolated to the door, keep the insurance payout buy a used door (ideally of the same color) and stick it on yourself. Then spend the residual bucks on some bad-a** performance mods.

Cheers

 

[quote] Chris, be aware that your car's body is galvanized (zinc coated) to prevent rust. Make sure the body shops doing the estimates know this (and the claims adjuster), and that you expect any repair to maintain the integrity of this protection. Bumping the dent out & Bondo-ing over it won't do this. Perry's notion of a new door is the best route. <hr></blockquote>

Wait a minute..if you knock a dent out that is gone? Really?! So if someone backed into my rear fender, i got 2 estimates (1300) but they plan on pulling the fender and respraying to match..is this not good enough?

 

Banging it out can crack off the zinc. Sanding to bare metal will remove it. Once that has taken place, rust can form.

It is also not that easy to pound out a door and get it good and straight. The cross braces and such make it no fun. A replacement door is not that expensive, and if you can hang the door yourself, is a very good way to have some extra jack laying around for some other repairs you may have neglected. (hummm.. cough.. mods)

Used ones can be had cheap, and most of the time you will luck out and get a door that matches. Just compound and wax the whole car and it will look like new.