itorque

I purchased my Targa CPO from a dealer. There were two, what looked like, paintless ding repairs that gave a very very slight wavy look on my door when you got the light just right (you know when you crouch down, put your head next to the rear quarter and look for dings). They were both within about 4" of each other and just below the rear view mirror. We attempted to block them out of the clear coat (knowing that we may go through the clear but if so I was going to have it fixed professionally anyway). Most people would not even notice it but I drove myself nuts with it by looking at it each time I approached the car. In fact I swear I got to the point where I only walked up on the car in a way so I could see that damn flaw (nutso, I know, but how many others of you are just like me).

After driving on the 210 freeway, and seeing a really nice silver GT3 with a door painted that did not match I knew if I wanted it done right I would need to take it to a good shop.

I took the car to Avio (I learned about them on this site). Below are the pictures. I visited there 4 times. Once for the quote, once to drop the car off, once to see the car in the booth the day they painted it, and once to pick up up and take it home. Each time I went their the parking lot was full of DIFFERENT bentley's, farrari, Lambo's, Austin Martins, Porsches and other exotics (the picture shows just a few of what was parked all around.

David Steele (sp), knowing I was an **** freak for bringing the car in in the first place, let me come see the car just after it was sprayed so I could "relax". He was quite funny and asked me if I wanted them to put lipstick on it and leave me alone with it in the booth for a few minutes. I guess he figured out I love my car. I actually freaked when I saw the car in the booth because as you can see the pearl color did not show under the lights in the booth. He said dont worry, you will appreciate it when it is done. He was right.

He gave me a complete tour and showed me the celette machine that had someone elses prosche on it (see picture). Apparently this is a very expensive and important machine for working on European cars. He said the fix that car was having was very common because all it takes is a pretty low impact to bend this part of the car (but you need one of these machines to do it right (notice the suspension has been removed).

He also showed me where they mix the paint and how they color match right there before they shoot it (they showed me the 4 cards with the hole punched out in the center where they hold it up to the paint for a match (see picture).

The last two pictures are my car in the booth and home after I picked it up. they really did a great job and actually they were not the most expensive of the quotes I got.

Anyway, just thought i would share this experience, I tried to take "before" pictures of the problem area but they were so slight I could not get them to show up in the picture.

They blended the complete side with color and clear from front to back and the color match is perfect (not an easy color to match as it is a pearlized color).

To give you an idea of prices that were quoted:

Dealer: $1000.00 (no bumper pads in back)
Marco's in Pasadena: $2500.00 (no bumper pads in back)
Avio: $1500.00 (included chip fix and re-spray of my bumper pads in back)

Also, if you look at the pictures you will see an orange Lambo (one of 4 in the shop when I picked up my car). They are replacing the right rear quarter panel. It is glued on and the part alone cost $15,000.00!

Sorry for the long post (and grainy pictures) but maybe this will help you when you decide to get that one little flaw that drives you nuts fixed. Now, when I walk up to my car, I try to find any other problems (I am hopeless)

BlackCab996

They are the best in Los Angeles, and a must use if you live on the west side of LA - as your writeup shows, they're a little pricier than some and less than others, but their work is absolutely top, top notch. They fixed one of my cars 5 years back after a valet did some damage. They were excellent to work with.

AndyK

More expensive than the Porsche dealer? Wow. But it looks great in the last photo! Perfect color match!

itorque

Actually all the dealer did was quote farming it out to their shop. The problem is that I think they think "used car" quality.

The Marcos quote actually included a new window trim piece ($240.00) that they would have deducted from the price if they did not bend it when removed so their price was actually more like 2250.00 or so.

Avio took this part off without damaging it(they completely took the door apart so they could remove the door handle and key, including the wierd wrap around rubber seal around the window. They removed front and rear lights, the front and rear bumper were also partially removed so they could get the spray to completely cover all the panel seams.

Mfletch

Thanks for the story and the pictures. I completly understand. I got a rock chip on my hood and it is the first thing I see every time I get in the car. I don't want to drive the car until it is fixed. The insurance adjustor sees the car on Thursday...then it is going to the best paint shop in town. It looks like your car turned out great. Congratulations. You are not alone.

MJBird993

Holy crap! Wow. Hey, very nice paint job, I'm glad you're happy.

But wow. I mean, really guys, like, wow! I thought I was ****-retentive. Dudes, I can't hold a candle to you guys! I've got a very slight door ding on the driver's door and another slight ding on the fender that I believe the dealership took out (99%) with paintless dent repair. Yes, I notice them, and yes it bothers me a bit. But I surely don't try to find it everytime I walk by, nor do I anticipate painting the car just to fix them. I've got rock chips on the bumper and there's a rumor that the PO put some curb rash on the wheels. It's a wonder that I can sleep at night, I tell you what.

I really really really want to buy an Aston Martin Vantage. I don't want it enough to sell my 996, and the more I think about the AM, I'm afraid I would be too worried about it, parked out among the teaming masses of inconsiderate morons who populate our roads and parking lots here in the great US of SUV-driving-phone-talking-Big-Mac-eating-Grande-Latte-slurping-idiots. Which is why the 911 is not my daily car.

I am glad you're happy with the car itorque. It's nice to know that there are still craftsmen out there who go the extra mile for perfection.

Michael

ZX9RCAM

Looks like a great job....what color is your car?

spiderv6

I got quite a big dent recently - the car is in the body shop this week getting a new panel and paint job - and I had to start parking the car in the garage the opposite way from normal so that I didn't see the dent everytime I walked past.

I feel the pain.................

DCP

Man, I am completely the opposite. My car has a tiny tiny dent above the left rear wheel. It is not a door ding because it is on a mostly horizontal surface. It's like the previous owner dropped something.

Not fixing it. It helps me park my car in parking lots. If my car were perfect, I fear that I would feel compelled to keep it that way. It's better this way.

itorque

The color is Meridian Metallic.

itorque

Yep, I knew their were others out there like me too. It is like having a beautiful woman with a wart on here upper lip.... Once you have the beauty the wart becomes the problem.

ZX9RCAM

I thought so, same as mine.....

Ramp

Thank you all for making me feel better. There really are people more nuts than me !

ericdee

Wow!!! Yeah you're crazy.

BlackCab996

I'm super ****, yet I bought a black car. Having swirls show up and seeing rock chips more clearly is like therapy. It's forcing me to relax a bit...reluctantly....