View Poll Results: what would u do...
remove and repair
28
62.22%
repair the existing one
11
24.44%
screw it ... keep the money
6
13.33%
Voters: 45. You may not vote on this poll
rear quarter panel repair
12-20-2006, 04:43 PM
#1
IN IRAQ MAXIMA.ORG-ING :)
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iTrader: (11)
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Northern New Jersey
Posts: 1,461
rear quarter panel repair
well this past weekend i ended up getting hit by a friend of friends car... giving her the opportunity to get the problem fixed... now i went to bunch of body shops... prices ranging from 2000-3100 for remove and replace quarter panel paint and bumper as well... and prices on repairing existing quarter panel with paint and new bumper is around 800-1600 (two said they'd pop it out and one said heat it up and finish it off)...
i know the body shop is just trying to make money off the repair job even tho everything is computer generated... wat would u do...:
PICS:
i know the body shop is just trying to make money off the repair job even tho everything is computer generated... wat would u do...:
PICS:
12-20-2006, 05:39 PM
#3
if she wants to give u $3000, i say keep the money; the value of our cars are depreciating so fast i don't think it's worth it to fix it. depending on model and mileage, $3000 is around 1/3 of the value of your car
12-20-2006, 09:02 PM
#5
that really sucks, it reminds me of the damage on my car...not as bad as yours, if you dont plan on paying for it to get fixed.....try hitting out the dent with a rubber hammer. it could only look better from there....mine had deep dents but i was able to pop some of them out.... :I
12-20-2006, 09:26 PM
#7
did she hit you with an suv ? that dent is sure up there. at least your smoked side light isnt damaged
i doubt that can be just "popped" out without wrinkles
i would just get her insurance to pay for it, but if she is willing to give you money then do that and get it fixed, you don't want to be driving around with something ugly like that, especialy since you put so much work into your car
i doubt that can be just "popped" out without wrinkles
i would just get her insurance to pay for it, but if she is willing to give you money then do that and get it fixed, you don't want to be driving around with something ugly like that, especialy since you put so much work into your car
12-21-2006, 09:54 AM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 116
I'd have the panel replaced. Since the rear quarter is part of the unitized body, it is in effect part of the "frame". Modern cars are made with high tensile strength steel. This is what allows auto manufacturers to use such thin steel (think light weight). However, once they are mashed, the only proper repair is to replace the metal. Heating it up will cause the steel to no longer be of the high tensile strength variety. If the heating it up repair is done, you will have a "soft" section of your frame and that will cause you no end of quirky behaviour from your car. Pounding it out isn't much better. The steel has already been stressed from the impact and is no longer strong along the wrinkles of the damaged area(s).
With damage that significant, I'm surprised there aren't "wrinkles" elsewhere on the car. Have you checked the in the trunk under the carpeting. Make sure there aren't any bulges/waves/wrinkles in the floor. Make sure all the body panel gaps are even - all the way around the car. An impact in the rear like that can show up in the drivers side front fender... It's possible that the rear axle got moved. A check on a frame rack will verify that the car is straight (ie doesn't have a "diamond" in it). If the frame is bent, then the $2k-$3k estimate seems low to me.
Arguably, you should take your car to a reputable collison repair shop and get a professional estimate. Shops that work closely with insurance companies are not necessarily vested in your interest. So it would behoove you to choose a shop that doesn't do work for you insurance company or hers -if for no other reason than to get a second opinion.
When it comes to body repair panels, insist on geniune Nissan parts. There are many other companies that make repair panels. However, most are manufactured with the intent of cutting cost and not with the intent of fitting properly. That is not to say that 3rd party parts won't fit properly. However, genuine Nissan parts come from the same stamping dies that were used to manufacture your car.
(If you really need to obsess about collision repair, check out: http://www.i-car.com/)
I's also second the notion that you get her insurance company to pay for the repair. Also, insist upon getting "dimished value" from the insurance company. This is where the insurance company will pay a lump sum to cover the loss of value to your vehicle. Consider 2 identical Maximas, except one has been in an accident, and repaired. Which one would you want? The damaged and repaired vehicle will be worth less and the difference between the 2 cars is "dimished value".
Just my $.02 worth.... Well, maybe more like a $1.35...with inflation, et al.
With damage that significant, I'm surprised there aren't "wrinkles" elsewhere on the car. Have you checked the in the trunk under the carpeting. Make sure there aren't any bulges/waves/wrinkles in the floor. Make sure all the body panel gaps are even - all the way around the car. An impact in the rear like that can show up in the drivers side front fender... It's possible that the rear axle got moved. A check on a frame rack will verify that the car is straight (ie doesn't have a "diamond" in it). If the frame is bent, then the $2k-$3k estimate seems low to me.
Arguably, you should take your car to a reputable collison repair shop and get a professional estimate. Shops that work closely with insurance companies are not necessarily vested in your interest. So it would behoove you to choose a shop that doesn't do work for you insurance company or hers -if for no other reason than to get a second opinion.
When it comes to body repair panels, insist on geniune Nissan parts. There are many other companies that make repair panels. However, most are manufactured with the intent of cutting cost and not with the intent of fitting properly. That is not to say that 3rd party parts won't fit properly. However, genuine Nissan parts come from the same stamping dies that were used to manufacture your car.
(If you really need to obsess about collision repair, check out: http://www.i-car.com/)
I's also second the notion that you get her insurance company to pay for the repair. Also, insist upon getting "dimished value" from the insurance company. This is where the insurance company will pay a lump sum to cover the loss of value to your vehicle. Consider 2 identical Maximas, except one has been in an accident, and repaired. Which one would you want? The damaged and repaired vehicle will be worth less and the difference between the 2 cars is "dimished value".
Just my $.02 worth.... Well, maybe more like a $1.35...with inflation, et al.
12-21-2006, 12:46 PM
#10
Originally Posted by getbigtony
if she wants to give u $3000, i say keep the money; the value of our cars are depreciating so fast i don't think it's worth it to fix it. depending on model and mileage, $3000 is around 1/3 of the value of your car
12-21-2006, 01:13 PM
#11
You are asking serious enthusiasts if they would drive the car they love around with a big, ugly gash in it...That is a nice car, so FIX IT! Although, from the bits and pieces I have learned about body work, I can say that the dent can be popped out to its overall original shape, and with a thin layer of fiberglass body filler and some paint, it will look as good as new...an cost you half the price...
12-21-2006, 01:33 PM
#12
No body shop is going to use fiberglass to fill that dent. Not cost effective. They will push the dent out as best as possible and then fill it with bondo. Sand it down, prime and then paint.
Get your car fixed via her insurance. Unless she is coming out of pocket 2 - 3g's. For that price they should re-paint your entire car.
Get your car fixed via her insurance. Unless she is coming out of pocket 2 - 3g's. For that price they should re-paint your entire car.
12-21-2006, 02:02 PM
#13
IN IRAQ MAXIMA.ORG-ING :)
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iTrader: (11)
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Northern New Jersey
Posts: 1,461
well we both have the same insurance... so i know i won't have to go through much of a hassle with it... u know at the same time i really do think i should replace it that rear quarter panel like john mention... i do understand the stress the metal went throo for that to happen... i happened to stop by at a body shop and i seen are car there with its quarter panels off and whoa... there's layers of staggered metal around the entire quarter panel... i shall make a decision soon as well
12-21-2006, 09:24 PM
#14
Remove and Replace the quarter panel and blend the right rear door and deck lid. If you try to pull out a dent that big, it just wont look good in the end, especially since your car is black (black shows dents easily). The quarter panel is not much of a structural piece it is mainly just a piece of sheet metal. The real structure is behind it. You might want to have them check that out as well. Its kinda hard to tell from the pic, but is the bumper damaged?
When it comes to body repair panels, insist on geniune Nissan parts. There are many other companies that make repair panels. However, most are manufactured with the intent of cutting cost and not with the intent of fitting properly.
BTW, I dont think they make an aftermarket quarter panel
Originally Posted by JohnWEngle
When it comes to body repair panels, insist on geniune Nissan parts. There are many other companies that make repair panels. However, most are manufactured with the intent of cutting cost and not with the intent of fitting properly.
id say dent the other side the same way and call it a mod...
12-22-2006, 01:10 PM
#18
Originally Posted by JohnWEngle
Since the rear quarter is part of the unitized body, it is in effect part of the "frame".
As far as I can see, you don't have to replace the quarter panel. Someone who knows what he is doing can fix it so that it will look like new... Just make sure there is no damage under the quarter panel.
12-22-2006, 02:34 PM
#19
Newbie - Just Registered
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 7
Just research the body shop well. My Maxima was rear ended for $7,000 and it never has gotten fixed right. I took it back 17 times for many different problems, now the trunck dosn't fit/shut like it did, and even though they got the leaking stopped the entire rear end fits improperly. Dragging it out in court is a waste of my time, in couple years I will buy another, but it sucks when you get hit cause your cars never the same.[IMG][IMG]
[/IMG][/IMG]
After repair, before fixing leaks unaligned everthing.[IMG]
[/IMG]
[/IMG][/IMG]After repair, before fixing leaks unaligned everthing.[IMG]
[/IMG]
12-22-2006, 03:47 PM
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: seattle area
Posts: 159
i had worser damage then that. but i didn't pull it out(to much work, but possible), i cut out the panel with a hand grinder on my car, then cut out that same exact piece from the junk yard and welded that piece togather. i got pics somewhere but can't find it.
12-24-2006, 11:23 AM
#22
[QUOTE=KabirUTA13]well this past weekend i ended up getting hit by a friend of friends car... giving her the opportunity to get the problem fixed... now i went to bunch of body shops... prices ranging from 2000-3100 for remove and replace quarter panel paint and bumper as well... and prices on repairing existing quarter panel with paint and new bumper is around 800-1600 (two said they'd pop it out and one said heat it up and finish it off)...
i know the body shop is just trying to make money off the repair job even tho everything is computer generated... wat would u do...:
PICS:
i need a tissue!!!!! KAbir I would have them pull /pop it. I would make sure though they know how to do it and if so can they do a great job.
i know the body shop is just trying to make money off the repair job even tho everything is computer generated... wat would u do...:
PICS:
i need a tissue!!!!! KAbir I would have them pull /pop it. I would make sure though they know how to do it and if so can they do a great job.
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