silvermax2k2

iTrader: (1)

I was involved in an accident back in october, and I finally just got a check to get my car fixed. They gave me just under $2,500 for the damage. I really need the money right now, and i hate to cut corners, but if i can just buy a new door, 1/4 pannel, and new mirror, and install it all myself, i will save a bunch of money, and be very happy. Do you guys think I can fix this myself? it does not look like anything is bent as far as mounting brakets, but I am not too sure. here are some pics....







what do you guys think? Anyone work for a body shop here? thanks

StillenMax80x20

iTrader: (3)

i don't work at a body shop, nor do i have much repair experience, but i would try if i didn't have insurance that would cover that.... Def possible, maybe some bending, and some misaligned mounts, but it does not look like frame damage is present from the pics, but you'd have to find out for yourself

goodluck

03blk6mt

iTrader: (4)

What I might do...is bring it to a body shop (preferably one you WOULDN'T deal with) and get a detailed estimate so you know what your're up against. If there isn't any frame damage, etc that's out of your ability, then search for the parts, bring them to a body shop you trust and have the parts edged in (if you can't find the same color at the junk yard etc), install them yourself and then bring it back to the same body shop for paint/clearcoat. I wouldn't have them paint the parts off the car because the sterling mist color is very hard to match, they'll need to blend it in with the front bumper and rear doors so you don't get that two-tone effect that SO many repaired cars have.

Anyway, just the way I would do it and my .02

Good luck

emmas97

it doesnt look too bad, where it was hit are relatively flat areas... although you may need to realign the door hinges, but i dont know... are you planning on painting these yourself? i guess you can buy stuff prepainted, but then you have the issue of the paint matching and whatnot.... whatever you decide to do, good luck! tilleys99 owns a bodyshop... feel free to pm him and ask him any questions you might have.

Tek-Niq

iTrader: (3)

if you fix it yourself are you going to give yourself a warranty if it goes bad down the road, not.... I would go to the shop just in case, you never know, it might look worse under the skin, you know something that you fail to see. a body shop atleast guarantee the work and if it goes bad or something you can take it back for free.

I say get it done once by a pro and get on with it..

NismoMax80

iTrader: (6)

see my post about the MPG.

Uh, this I would absolutely get insurance to cover. My cousin is a body magician so I would have him do what he can (hopefully make money out of it) then get dealer to finish. Afterwards go back to my other post and see why you have even more reasons to upgrade.

silvermax2k2

iTrader: (1)

Well I have the check from the insurance company... but I can cash it if I want and fix it myself. just not too sure if anyone has seen under those pannels, or has worked on a maxima with similar dammage.

schernov

check www.certifit.com for parts. You will have to call them for 02 parts, but they are pretty cheap.

roll4life

iTrader: (2)

id say...new fender from ebay for $110..bodyshop for paint..for like $80...then door id flat out myself with flat hammers and mayb some bondo on uneven spots..i woulnd't order a brand new door panel it would cost too much

BRAN808

iTrader: (1)

I don't know if you'd want to try that one yourself. Judging from the pics.....I mean if I were to write a sheet for this accident (w/o actually being able to se the car in person), I'd include to change the left fender, skin the left front door, change the mirror, change the front door moulding, blend the Hood, and blend the rear door. From the pics, it also looks like the fender may have been pushed in far enough to damage the hinge pillar as well. I wouldn't even consider this one unless you work at a shop or have prior autobody experience. This is not a 1 or 2 day repair. I would estimate about a weekto week and a half. Definately, the warantee is what you want to look at. Let's say you try and do it yourself, and you f-ck it up, you'll end up losing out, because now you need to pay again to have somebody do it right. And yes, that color is harder to match to some others.

BRAN808

iTrader: (1)

SilverMax2k2, your car is too nice to be doing this kind of stuff to it. Just take it to a shop and let them do what they do best. Just think if you ever sell this car later...........would you buy it if there was some marginal body repairs to it??? In the end, it's just not worth it.

CCS2k1Max

iTrader: (2)

My wife gauged her van's front bumper at a gas station post and I said I'd fix it myself. In the meantime, she got clipped by a lady that worked at a Porsche/Audi/Saab dealership. They fixed the rear at their shop (real nice work they did), while six months later I'm still waiting for the weather to cooperate (it's like 30 deg inside my garage and 12 outside) and kicking myself for not letting them fix the front bumper. And the store bought paint I got doesn't quite match and have had to extend the area to blend it...

silvermax2k2

iTrader: (1)

yeah, thats what i figured guys. I was just trying to save some money, and also time. if i did it myself, i could go to my buddys garage, and install everything, and not have a messed up car anymore. (i hate the car now because i have to look at this huge dent everytime i get in my car, and the door is a PITA to open/shut. but it looks like I should have it done, and have that be the end of it. i just have to wait untill the snow stops... i do not want hard ice to scratch the new paint. It looks kinda simple to fix, like, tak off door, get a new door in the same color, and install new door type of thing, but I guess not. while the car is in the shop, i mine as well have them paint the new front lip, and fiberglass sub box too.

Klutch

iTrader: (5)

Take some of the parts off and see if you can tell if anything is seriously messed up. If you don't think it is then give it a shot. You'll be buying the parts either way so might as well try and mount them yourself. Then take it to be painted. Surely you can find a fender, doorskin and mirror at a junkyard. You might just discover you hava nack for bodywork. Just don't buy the cheapest aftermarket part you can.

BRAN808

iTrader: (1)

I wouldn't suggest doing any of that. If it's a new fender, (and a different color) it's going to need to be edged first, so putting it on, would be a waste of time. And finding a used door skin is going to be next to impossible. A door shell......maybe. But, not skin. Also, some shops do things differently. We, for example, sometime will shoot parts off the car, so we don't have to mask the jambs 2 times. Take this car for example. If there is damage to the hinge pillar, we can actually shoot the hinge pillar, the fender (and edge it), left front door (and edge it, if it's a new/used shell), plus do the blend on the hood and the quarter with only masking and bagging the car once. Bottom line, if you're going to try it on your own, there's no turning back. Just be ready to accept the outcome....whether it be the finished product, or extra out of pocket expense on additional repairs, or re-doing the entire job. Trust me, it's NOT worth it. Good Luck!

03blk6mt

iTrader: (4)

go back and read post #3 and #14. Seriously though, give yourself a couple of hours and pull the fender off so you can get a good look at the A pillar and the door hinges. If the A pillar doesn't look bent then try it yourself. If it does, then send it to the body shop. Atleast if you take the fender off to inspect, you will give yourself the piece of mind that you atleast looked at it to see if you could do something with it and if you can't then oh well. Granted there could be "hidden damage" but a week to a week and half to fix your car is absurd, that's just the body shop dragging out the labor (I used to work in a bodyshop and still have many friends in the business that do). You can always find the parts at a discount (junkyard, the org, etc, but stay away from aftermarket parts as the quality isn't anywhere near as good) and have the body shop that will do the paint work edge them in. Also, just keep in mind that these parts are bent up and when you take them off, probably won't go back on, so if you take them off and decide you don't want to do the labor yourself, you may have to have the car sent over on a flat bed. just my .02 and I will prob get flamed on but oh well

BRAN808

iTrader: (1)

Well couple of things. I mean, everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but from a bodyshop point of view: Yes, you could R&I the fender and door and check if the pillar is damaged. Even if it wasn't damaged, how many people that you know of, who aren't bodymen by trade, can skin a door, not to mention have the tools and materials to do it. And if he wanted to change the entire door shell, what's the chances that the one that he gets is going to be in good condition with no dings, AND the same color. As far as the time frame. Every shop is different. We do not "drag out the labor. Why would we? We get paid by the insurance company per job, not per day the car stays in the shop!? How do you make $$$ if the car just sits in the shop unfinished. We typically schedule 4-5 cars for each technician to work on. The reason being that when we do find supplements, if it does require parts, sometimes the repairs can't continue without the parts. We make sure that each Tech has multiple cars to work on to stay efficient. Our shop is pretty decently high volume shop, and we typically put out about 125 cars a month. There's no waythat we could put out that many cars if we scheduled them back to back. It may seem faster to do it the other way, but it's not as efficient as scheduling multiple cars per Tech. In the end, I don't think you'll save very much $$$.......unless you get bery lucky!

03blk6mt

iTrader: (4)

I can agree with what you're saying as well, and there are a lot of what ifs. The bottom line is the guy is short on cash and wants to try and save himself some money. 1 thing I think you will agree with me on is that the "shop rate" for most body shops and garages is is somewhere around $70 per hour +/- which is VERY expensive. Anything he can do to cut into that will help save himself some money. Maybe the best thing he can do is go talk to a reputable body shop and voice his concern and his abilities and see if they will work with him. Maybe he can find the parts cheaper somewhere, maybe he can take the door off, remove the interior pieces, etc to save some $$...there's ALL kinds of ways to save money WITHOUT compromising the integrity of the repair.

BRAN808

iTrader: (1)

That's very true, and a good point. And by the way, I wish we could charge anywhere near $70/hr. Maybe in the mainland, but here in HI, our average insurance companies labor rate is $40. Sucks!

Kevin

dont cheap out, just get it fixed.

mikelly

Silvermax2k2,

Let me clear this up once and for all. If you don't have any experience working on a
a body, fabricating, customizing body panels and aligning everything (Measure twice
and do it once). Don't do the work yourself. It'll cost more than you bargain for.
Take it too a body fabricating shop or to your dealer. If I were you I wouldn't cut
corners just to save a few bucks. Good luck

Mike

silvermax2k2

iTrader: (1)

after taking a look at my car... what do you suspect a good price would be to fix it? do you think i should ask more from my insurance company to get the car fixed? i mean they only gave me 2.5 grand... any thoughts?


and thanks guys for all your opinions. I have decided to just have to done by someone else. it is better to have it done correctly, the 1st time.

2k2kev

sorry, I posted then deleted... I found the pic of the damage to my car and the estimate...



here's part of the quote for my messed up fender (only the fender, did not involve the door, hood, or bumper)......

$80

Klutch

iTrader: (5)

check www.car-part.com

BRAN808

iTrader: (1)

As far as the price on the estimate, that doesn't really matter. If you're going to follow through with the claim, all that you'll pay is the deductible, and the insurance would pay for the balance. I would check with your insurance company and check to see which body shops are part of their preferred direct repair program. Then, check them out. Visit the shops...Are they clean.....Does the shop look well organized.....Are the Techs working, or playing. Then talk to the employees. Ask to speak to an estimator and have him go over the estimate and explain what would be done to the car. I always make time to explain to a customer what's going to happen. Just because I know, doesn't mean the customer does. If your business is important to that shop, you'll know it. Bottom line, take your car to a reputable bodyshop that you feel comfortable that they have your best interest in mind when servicing you. In this case, searching for the best deal is not always the best thing to do. And heck, the insurance company is picking up most of the bill anyway. Oh yeah and 2K2kev, I said the same thing when I saw the " paint for like $80 " From looking at your estimate, I'm betting that they changed the fender, and did a blend on the hood and door, R&I the front bumper and left H/L. Also the R&I for all the parts on the left front door. But,the price seems a little lower than I would've expected for a job like that. I would've guessed closer to $1200-$1300.

03blk6mt

iTrader: (4)

When it's done can you post before and after pics?? And if you get in good with the bodyshop maybe you can get that lip and sub box painted for not much more $$.

toplinemaxima

I dont know what insurance you have, but I have Geico and last time I needed a repair at the shop, they had to fill out a form saying they repaired it for equal to or more than the amount of $$ that Geico gave me. The reason for this is to cut down on the people who dont care what theyre cars look like, so they pocket the insurance money. Or in your case, pocket the money and fix it themselves. Just make sure youre insurance company doesnt do this, cuz if they do, they will not reimburse you for any damage in the future.

silvermax2k2

iTrader: (1)

As for the insurance, it does not matter. the lady hit me, and it was her fault. her insurance cut me a check already to get my car fixed. my insurance company has no need to get involved what so ever, so i do not have to worry about a deductable.


it is hard to find a body shop that does good work. there are so many around, and i have no idea where to start. if i get it done, and i pay the money, i want it done right, and i want to to be perfect. i do not want the work to fade over time, or start to rust.

Klutch

iTrader: (5)

I'm sorry, my link should have been www.car-parts.com That is the national junk yards search database.

silvermax2k2

iTrader: (1)

ouch, i just searched for a door on that link, than this is what i found...

2002
Front Door
Nissan Maxima GREY,NO MIRROR E730 $700

2002
Front Door
Nissan Maxima RH R-PP PN DKGRY/KV3 OOOB RP YTP V03604 $770.12

2002
Front Door
Nissan Maxima PW,T,PL,GRY,-MIRROR, 7D2 2.0 023867 $Call

CCS2k1Max

iTrader: (2)

To find good body shops, go to high end dealers around your area and ask who they use. They are not going to cut corners and **** off their clients to save a few bucks.

silvermax2k2

iTrader: (1)

True, I never thought about that. they might think i am weird asking where i should get my car fix though. lol.

does nissan fix their own cars... or do they ship them out somewhere to get done? i wonder who they use.

CCS2k1Max

iTrader: (2)

They sub body/paint work out.

BRAN808

iTrader: (1)

Oh well, if their insurance company is going to pay for the damages, then you're all set. What insurance company was it anyway? The good thing is that you can also get a rental car while your car is in the shop. And as far as "If I pay the $$$ I want it done right," in this case, even if you're not paying, you still deserve to have a quality repair done. Even if it's not your $$$, you are bringing your business to that particular shop, therefore, you're a paying customer.
And yes, it is hard to find a quality repair shop. The good thing is that your car is still driveable. I write estimates for wrecks everyday that peoples bumpers or headlights are falling out, quarter panels pushed into wheels, hoods pushed up to the glass, and then after I write the sheet for them, have to try and figure out a way to tell them that I would love to be able to repair their vehicle..........if they can wait 3-4 weeks to fit into out schedule. Our wait is typically 3-4 weeks before coming in for the repairs......after the estimate has been written. We are a fairly good size shop.......as far as Hawaii standards go, but being that we work with every major insurance company, we're lucky to have that amount of business. As far as choosing a shop, I recommend talking to the other parties insurance company, as well as your own. They can usually provide you with a list of "preferred" shops to check out. Start from there. Also ask your own insurance agent who he would take his/her vehicle to if he needed repairs done. I'm proud to say that we've repaired many insurance adjusters vehicles from a bunch of different insurance companies. That makes me feel proud of where I work, and it shows. The last thing that I would would say is to remember to be realistic when dealing with the shop. I've turned many a customer away if they expect to the have their repairs started today, or be finished tomorrow, or why can't we do this, or do't this get repaired for free. Too many people think that way, and they need to realize that what these technicians do is seriously an art! Anybody can just pound out a fender and slap body filler on, but a first class technician has the know how and usually the pride to do it right. Body lines need to match, body work needs to be smooth, color needs to match and have the same finish. We shoot for an "Invisible Repair." Take your time and let the shop do what they do best.

BRAN808

iTrader: (1)

It depends. We have a "Auto Mall" with Tony Volkswagon, Tony Honda, Tony Nissan, and now Tony Hyundai, and they have their own dedicated body shop for their dealership, as well as insurance companies.

CCS2k1Max

iTrader: (2)

Yes, I shouldn't have generalized. For the most part they don't, but since dealers are independently owned, it's up to whoever owns them.

BRAN808

iTrader: (1)

Don't worry about seeming weird to these guys. If they're half way decent human beings, they'll gladly answer your questions and recommend places. I would seriously consider taking the insurance companies recommendations though. The main reason being that they deal directly with the body shops on a daily basis. They know which shops really take care of their customers, and which ones are just in it for the $$$. Also, every insurance company out there is battling to keep their customers satisfied. Customer service is one of the most important things they look at. If a customer takes his car to be repaired at a shop and he's happy with the way he was treated, he's happy with his quality repair, and he's happy because he got his car back in a timely fashion, then the insurance company will recommend that shop again. And usually to be a preferred shop, you need to have a good reputation and follow strict guidelines. Unfortunately, most dealerships that have repairs done are not looking at the quality of the repair as their main focus. Of course it needs to be good, but providing a means for their customer to have a quality repair done is the only thing insurance companies do. Car dealerships sell cars. Just my .02

ddpack

I would go to a decent body shop and the best paint shop around. I made the mistake of going to a mediocre paint shop and they flat couldn't match the paint. I think you'll have the same problems if you don't go to a highly reputable paint shop at least. It's easy enough to remove and in stall junk yard parts and have the paint shop paint it. You'll still probably have at least $500 to spend, and what the hey, you always need money! (at least I do)

silvermax2k2

iTrader: (1)

Thank you all (especialy bran808) for all the information, tips, and idea's. I will be going down to a body shop to get a more acurate quote, and i will be doing my homework on some body shops. I will update you tomorrow if i find any new information out. thanks again!

BRAN808

iTrader: (1)

No problem at all. If you got any questions, let me know, and I'll try my best to help. It's funny, but I've only been in the autobody industry for about 2 years, ( I used to be a chef....believe it or not! ) but I've learned so much from just asking my dad questions, and taking classes. Our bodyshop is family owned and operated, and has been in business for almost 40 years now. It's really a good feeling to help customers get their "babies" back to new condition. The way I see it.........if I needed help and had questions, I'm sure there is somebody out there that has the answers. I would really be thankful if they helped me to answer any and all questions. Yeah, so if you need any recipes or need to know how to make a good creme brulee, just ask. Just kidding!