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Totally gutted, need advice on ding on car and how you would handle it
Well I am beyond frustrated about the lack of consideration of most people. I am that guy who is OCD about his car and parks as far away as possible, however I came out to my car and saw that it looks like someone hit it with a shopping cart and did some damage. I'm wanting to fix it but also want to make sure I'm not causing more issues in the future. I don't plan on selling my car any time soon so depreciation isn't a major concern but it could be. Lucky I had my magnetic stone guards on it along with new PPF on that area as well or it could have been much much worse.
So I called my Paintless Dent Repair (PDR) guy I trust, spoke with a local body shop that he recommended and then took it to one of the best body shops here in Austin for their opinion (Berli's). They all gave pretty much the same opinion and I need help deciding what to do. It's going to be bodyshop or PDR with extras. The extras is because the rocker is fully boxed so they can't get to it from the backside or the side. They are afraid of the glue pull because the metal is harder down there and they are afraid they may pull the texture off that is normally on the sides of our cars. They pulled the wheel and there are holes in the fender for access, with rubber grommets, behind the wheel liner but not in the right place.
Full Bodywork for perfection
Action:
This would require the normal body shop procedures of getting the dents taken out but would require the removal of the door, paint and reclear the side of the car
Fears:
I really like the outcome of this method of it being 100% however I do not like that now the car has been resprayed on the side and can look like more damaged occurred in the future although it was just for the rocker. Paint meter will show that it was fixed on that side
Least intrusive but still invasive
Action:
Pull the wheel and fender liner
Drill a small hole so they can remove it via PDR, won't be 100% but would be 90-95% perfect
Have a touch up shop detailing shop touch up the paint, replace the mud flap that was damaged
Fears:
Drilling into metal is not what I want to have happen, however it would be behind the fender liner, it would be the size of a quarter and it would have rust protection completed on it with a grommet. So sight unseen but still at 90-95% of perfection
Do nothing
Not really an option at this point but curious to find out what you would do
Last edited by slowrey; 06-03-2024 at 03:52 PM.
Reason: clarity
I vote option 2. PDR with paint touchup. 110%. I would just make sure that they have exhausted all abilities to do it without drilling holes AND if they do drill the hole...(behind fender liner) to ensure that wherever they drill, they don't just pop a grommet in it. The edge of the drilled area should be properly corrosion treated (primer/paint or rust preventative coating). Otherwise that hole is going to corrode over time.
Why option 2 over option 1? Every time I've ever had a car in a body shop, with paintwork, there's something that happens. Maybe there is slight overspray on something, maybe the texture of clear isn't a perfect match, maybe they leave a window down for awhile and shop dust gets all over the interior, maybe it sits for a month and the battery dies, they jump start it and it fries something... but really... I don't like leaving my cars in bodyshops. Ever.
I would certainly do the least expensive option out there, just above doing nothing. I drive this car 5-10,000 miles per year so I accept that having imperfections is space normal speed. I worry far more about how it drives versus how it looks. btw there will always be people who see a nice, expensive car parked away from everybody else to protect it and see that as an opportunity to **** the owner off, especially as the gap between haves and have not increases. I never park like that.
I vote option 2. PDR with paint touchup. 110%. I would just make sure that they have exhausted all abilities to do it without drilling holes AND if they do drill the hole...(behind fender liner) to ensure that wherever they drill, they don't just pop a grommet in it. The edge of the drilled area should be properly corrosion treated (primer/paint or rust preventative coating). Otherwise that hole is going to corrode over time.
Why option 2 over option 1? Every time I've ever had a car in a body shop, with paintwork, there's something that happens. Maybe there is slight overspray on something, maybe the texture of clear isn't a perfect match, maybe they leave a window down for awhile and shop dust gets all over the interior, maybe it sits for a month and the battery dies, they jump start it and it fries something... but really... I don't like leaving my cars in bodyshops. Ever.
Yeah both of the PDR shops that looked at it who discussed drilling an access hole discussed ensuring that it's treated so it doesn't rust and coating it and painting it back as well. Both shops normally work on the Ferrari's, Lambos, etc in the area and are used to high end cars.
I just had my washer shake itself loose in spin cycle and it hit my car. I was going nuts but I found a paintless dent removal guy and $280 later you cannot tell anything happened.
I just had my washer shake itself loose in spin cycle and it hit my car. I was going nuts but I found a paintless dent removal guy and $280 later you cannot tell anything happened.
Yeah unfortunately I've been told by multiple shops in Austin that the rockers are the hardest areas to PDR due the thickness of it compared to other body panels.
Yeah unfortunately I've been told by multiple shops in Austin that the rockers are the hardest areas to PDR due the thickness of it compared to other body panels.
As you stated that is a very thick part. Surprised a shopping cart did that. Maybe a cart was there and a car baked into the cart that hit your car.
How about a variation on option 1: have a talented body man pull the dent and smooth the rocker. Then paint only the textured area with a masking line on the edge of the texture.
I just had my washer shake itself loose in spin cycle and it hit my car. I was going nuts but I found a paintless dent removal guy and $280 later you cannot tell anything happened.
How about a variation on option 1: have a talented body man pull the dent and smooth the rocker. Then paint only the textured area with a masking line on the edge of the texture.
so this occurred to me as well… And I have seen Porsches painted on that texture line before… (in fact my friend has a 944 turbo that had a paint touchup on the sill in this exact manner - up to the line at the top of the textured portion - from a misplaced jack issue) If they do a good job, this actually may be a good option that would prevent drilling holes… Just make sure they take off all surrounding trim. That said, I don’t love body filler repairs (“Bondo!”) oh so if they can’t pull it well and reshape the metal… Which might be debatable… They will probably use Bondo and then I would recommend option two over this idea.
Just concentrate on getting the dent repaired with good color match and don’t worry about the orange peel texture. If they can reproduce it, great, but if not, is it really a big deal? So the drivers side rocker will look different from the passengers side, who cares? Only you will ever know😉
This is treating a zit like it's cancer. Any body shop can fix that to good-as-new. No special skills or techniques are required. Jeez Louise, it's a tiny dent that is purely cosmetic.
I too once damaged my rocker panel and trust me, that metal is MUCH MUCH tougher than the other panels. The body shop I took it to botched it. Tried 3x. I ended up selling the car so not my problem now...haha
For anyone thinking dent = PDR, think again.
I feel for you OP, this one might be a tough one.
06-03-2024, 02:04 PM
Totally gutted, need advice on ding on car and how you would handle it
