| Author |
Message |
Robert Faggian
Tinkerer
Victoria
V8
Posts: 80
Reg: 02-2009
|
OK, I've been to see Rhode Smash Repairs and I'm keen on opinions, advice, etc.
I only had third party insurance on the car...ironically I'd sourced a full comprehensive quote from Shannon's after reading the thread on insurance in here, only a couple of days before the storm. Sh1t happens, plus I'd always planned on getting a re-spray at some stage.
I've included a photo - its a crappy phone camera photo, but good enough to give you an idea of the damage. Most of the damage is on the bonnet, roof and boot lid, plus a few dents along one side of the car. Luckily all the glass is intact. Plenty of cars in my area didn't fair this well.
Rhode's was packed with storm damaged cars...about 15 people were already waiting for a quote when I arrived. They suggested I wait a couple of weeks until the rush had died down, and said it would cost in the vicinity of $5000 (that's without a proper quote). I can get significantly cheaper elsewhere, but these guys have a good track record with soarers.
I've never had a car re-sprayed before, and I'm in no particular rush, so a few questions:
1) Given the damage, what are your suggestions on the prep work...ie. should I do it myself and go back to bare metal? Other options?
2) At re-spraying stage, is there anything I should (or need to) ask specifically for, e.g interior sills, etc?
3) I assume that now would be the time to think about body kits or updating front/back bars, etc...if I was to do that, I'd want something not too outrageous looking. Does that mean 97+ is the best bet or are there more subtle aftermarket body kits that people could suggest?
4) Any other suggestions on opportunistic work I could do on the car during this process?
Thanks all...Rob. |
Robert Faggian
Tinkerer
Victoria
V8
Posts: 81
Reg: 02-2009
|
And to Haydn and Natasha - thanks for your suggestions also. I actually had three cars hit...one is a beat-up older hilux which will be getting the dexta/bog treatment and the other is an alfa romeo which is going to the paintless dent removers. |
Miles Baker
Goo Roo
Vic
66 Mustang GT Convertible, 55 Chevy Bel Air, 69 Firebird 455, 69 Nova SS Clone, 65 Mustang Fastback, 67 Mustang Convertible, 67 Camaro RS/SS
Posts: 2341
Reg: 08-2005
|
Get a replacement hood and trunk lid. They're not expensive and will cost you less than the repairs on yours if you shop carefully and slowly. Bumping out each of those dents is a slowly painful process. I'm not sure how easy the headliner is to take out. I'd be willing to bet the paintless guy could take most of them out if you got the headliner out. The roof has a bigger crown in it so the dents are probably smaller than on the hood? Then strip, prime and spray the two new panels to match and you could get it fixed reasonably well on the cheap. No offence but I wouldn't spend 5 grand fixing a Soarer if that's what it's going to take. If you take your time acquiring parts I would be willing to guess you could get the whole ordeal behind you for under 2 grand.
If the paintless guy can't fix your roof I have a great metal guy who does all the work that is beyond my skill level. He's pretty damn cheap too (but you will be painting it afterwards). |
Robert Faggian
Tinkerer
Victoria
V8
Posts: 84
Reg: 02-2009
|
Thanks Miles. Yes - I've acquired a boot lid and bonnet for a fair price from someone on this site, and will pick them up this weekend. I'll also be seeing a specialist dent remover on Friday to get another opinion. |
Miles Baker
Goo Roo
Vic
66 Mustang GT Convertible, 55 Chevy Bel Air, 69 Firebird 455, 69 Nova SS Clone, 65 Mustang Fastback, 67 Mustang Convertible, 67 Camaro RS/SS
Posts: 2344
Reg: 08-2005
|
Good deal. If you need my mates number just let me know. |
Michael Lucas
DieHard
VIC
SC: a really good one
Posts: 504
Reg: 02-2008
|
Robert let me know how you go - I'm in a similar boat - getting some panels soon but the rear quarter and roof can't be toyed with (well it's just not worth it - they're all welded on I think)
So I'd like to see what a specialist reckons about the roof. And would a sunroof change things at all?
My car's roof has a few small dings likewise the rear right quarter. Now I'm getting it stripped and resprayed - so should I fix the dings now or get it stripped then fix the dings before the respray when saving paint wont be an issue? Is there a different process they would use in each scenario?
Any advice is much appreciated |
Miles Baker
Goo Roo
Vic
66 Mustang GT Convertible, 55 Chevy Bel Air, 69 Firebird 455, 69 Nova SS Clone, 65 Mustang Fastback, 67 Mustang Convertible, 67 Camaro RS/SS
Posts: 2348
Reg: 08-2005
|
It just depends when you want them fixed. What is your timeline on this bare metal job? I would probably wait if it's some time soon. When the paint is off you can hammer dents out faster. |
Michael Lucas
DieHard
VIC
SC: a really good one
Posts: 506
Reg: 02-2008
|
waiting on the shine kit so i might be a while yet. Though I'm going away for a little while so I'm in no rush to fix the dings up. |
Rob Rojo
Goo Roo
NSW
Soarer TT
Posts: 3751
Reg: 02-2010
|
I would just replace the boot and bonnet with 2nd hand ones in matching silver (should be plenty available) and paintless dent removal on the rest.
Wait a couple of months to get the paintless dent removal done as the prices are lot more expensive just after a storm as there is such a high demand for PDR work. |
David Grab
Goo Roo
SA
T78
Posts: 2224
Reg: 01-2008
|
+1 to what Rob said.
But i cant believe this hasnt been said yet and Rob pray to god you wrote this down somewhere. If you rang an insurance company looking for quote for full comprehensive insurance please tell me you wrote the quote number down and still have it. If not get your arse on the phone back to them and see if they can give you the quote number for when you rang a few days before the hail damage. Reason is that if you get a quote you have 30days of insurance coverage with that company without paying yet. So because you were looking for insurance but hadnt paid yet your still covered for 30 days after receiving the quote. I hope to god you get this, be nice way of saving $5000 :-) |
Dan McColl
Goo Roo
Victoria (The Nazi State)
Active V8 and the Beast.
Posts: 2472
Reg: 07-2005
|
A quote is not insurance cover, you need to accept their terms and take out a cover note. If you did this you need to pay the premium and the excess if you wish to claim on it. |
Robert Faggian
Tinkerer
Victoria
V8
Posts: 90
Reg: 02-2009
|
Shannons are quite clear in stating that the online quote is just that, a quote, until such time as you call up and finalise the contract.
I'm taking this repair job slow now that I'm in on the AC copy kit...no point doing anything until the kit is ready to install as I'd be doubling up on a lot of the work.
Must admit I am still a bit torn between doing this for a reasonable price (dent removal) or taking the opportunity to get a full respray. The problem with the dent removal option is that a few of the hail stones have cracked/chipped the paint and exposed the metal underneath...I haven't seen too many successful attempts at blending small sections of re-spray as opposed to doing an entire panel.
Anyway, as Rob mentioned, dent removal guys (and panel shops) are still flat out. I'll give it a couple of weeks more then get full quotes for the full re-spray vs the dent removal etc, and decide which way to go.
Thanks all for the advice. |
Miles Baker
Goo Roo
Vic
66 Mustang GT Convertible, 55 Chevy Bel Air, 69 Firebird 455, 69 Nova SS Clone, 65 Mustang Fastback, 67 Mustang Convertible, 67 Camaro RS/SS
Posts: 2382
Reg: 08-2005
|
No blending small areas rarely works. Many places will shoot a single panel for you for around $300-400. I dinged my neighbour's car when he parked right up my arse one morning and a local panel beater quoted $350 cash to knock the ding out and spray the hood. Of course my neighbour has kept the $350 and the ding is still there. |
James Wilson
TryHard
sa
TT
Posts: 251
Reg: 10-2008
|
Miles Baker wrote on Sunday, April 04, 2010 - 12:59 pm:Of course my neighbour has kept the $350 and the ding is still there.
Priceless |
Murray Lund
TryHard
NSW
V8
Posts: 263
Reg: 07-2005
|
David,
I think your 4/4 post is confusing a quote with a cover note.
Murray |
Previous
Closed: New threads not accepted on this page
