MaxMike93

So I walked out of work today and went to get gas. On the 1/4 mile drive down the road I noticed that my left headlight beam was way out of alignment (low). Got out of my car at the station just to see that someone backed into the driver's side fender of my I30. Front of the fender above the side marker is pushed in, the bumper is popped out in front, headlight knocked out of alignment, fender is misaligned with the hood, and it almost looks like it got stretched since it flares out so much from the car. I have a feeling of who it might be so I'm gonna see if anything comes from asking them about it tomorrow. Any idea how much this could end up costing me of it's out of pocket? Just curious since the last bodywork I needed was just rust treatment and painting. I'll have to get estimates here in northern NJ, hopefully soon. Latest would probably be around my spring break in March so I don't have to worry about my commute to school.

nsnrider

iTrader: (59)

i'm surprised it took you that long to notice the damage on your car.
anywaqys, post up a pic of the damage and maybe we'll be able to give you a fair guestimate. better yet , just go to an independent body shop and get a quote.

Make sure when you are comparing quotes, you are comparing to the same work done, different shops do repairs differently, for example, one shop might swap out the panel and paint it. Another one might swap out the panel, paint the panel and blend into the door and the hood. Obviously the correct way of doing it but a lot more expensive than example one, therefore you cannot compare the two quotes as it is not fair. If car is not in great shape, just get the fender replaced and painted, no need for blends, but if vehicle is in great shape, definitely get the blends done so you won't be left with slight color mismatch.

good luck.

MaxMike93

Here's a couple daylight photos. Turns out it wasn't anyone at my job so it must have been some customer that didn't have the decency to say they hit a parked car. I'm gonna have to go shopping around tomorrow and get a few quotes. Won't help that I'm the only car at my house without any kind of collision insurance on it.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/97860483@N02/12227031154/http://www.flickr.com/photos/97860483@N02/12227031154/]image[/url, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/97860483@N02/12226804403/http://www.flickr.com/photos/97860483@N02/12226804403/]image[/url, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/97860483@N02/12227036004/http://www.flickr.com/photos/97860483@N02/12227036004/]image[/url, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/97860483@N02/12227038324/http://www.flickr.com/photos/97860483@N02/12227038324/]image[/url, on Flickr

Joeker82

iTrader: (2)

Ouch, Mike! Looks like just the fender??..Don't you have a body guy?

MaxMike93

There's a shop my dad's friend owns but for some reason he said not to go there. It is pretty far (over an hour) so I guess to have someone go with me to drop off and pick up the car would be a hassle. There's a bunch of shops around me so I'm gonna go get some estimates tomorrow and I probably won't get the car done until my spring break in March (NJ is being a ***** with all the snow and cold lately) so i don't have to take one of my parent's cars to school. Just was wondering if anyone had this done recently so my wallet knows what's coming lol

Joeker82

iTrader: (2)

I'd stack $800 away, on the high end...

MaxMike93

I was anticipating around a grand so I guess anything less would be good news. There's a place by me called Corrado Auto Body in Totowa that my friend says specializes in Infiniti and his coworker takes his G35 there, so I'll see how it goes when I get an estimate. There's a bunch of other ones around too. Maybe I'll try to get my door taken care too of since when I got the rust taken care of last year the guy at that shop wouldn't touch the door for risk of damaging the paint. Maybe another PDR guy will have a different opinion.

Joeker82

iTrader: (2)

Cash deals always get you a better price too!

MaxMike93

So I got a few estimates today.

Cheapest: $750 to straighten existing fender, then use bondo to get it perfect if needed and blend the hood.

Mid: $1300 to get a new fender, then blend to the door. Guy said when it's closer to me doing it (mid-March when I have spring break and don't have to commute) to go back and in-depth look at the options if they could keep the original panel.

High: mid-$1400 to get a new fender then blend to the hood and the door.

I told my dad and he said to go with replacing the fender and have it blended as the shop sees fit. Then if that much is getting painted, to get the dents taken out of my back door if they would have to be filled and painted to match if other panels are already getting blended. I have one more shop to go to on Monday, they said to go back then, so I will ask them about the fender and including the back door with the job.

Joeker82

iTrader: (2)

Mike, what about getting the fender, and bringing it to them to install and paint. The fender sells for $126 on Rockauto.com

MaxMike93

I saw that so I'm going to keep it in mind. I think that sometimes, though, shops don't really like using outside parts and would rather get the part themselves for use. Although I'm sure part of that would be markup on their end.

Joeker82

iTrader: (2)

Yes, it is all because of markup on their end. Lol!
My suggestion, buy the fender, and have somebody give you a cash deal for repairs. Those estimates seem really high!

MaxMike93

A lot of things are more expensive in the area of NJ I live in so I guess it comes with the territory lol. Anyway, I went to get more estimates and I think I found where I'm taking my car. Went to a place in Lodi, NJ off my boss' recommendation and the price was outrageous so I'm not really giving it more thought. But before there, I went to a place in Garfield where my neighbor had brought his daughter's Lexus and his BMW for some work. Guy quoted me $500 to fix the fender and get the the front end back in line and $200 for PDR to fix my back door, which was half another PDR guy quoted me last year. Apparently the guy does a lot of dealer work and there were mostly Mercedes and Land Rover on the lot. Hopefully in three weeks I'll have everything back to how it was, and I get to DD my dad's Sierra again

VQnBEYOND

Wow nice always nice to wait it out and find the best deal as possible. Good find. Post some pictures of when it's done , this forum I getting boring with no modification upgrades or pictures.

MaxMike93

I will. Still getting those Q50 wheels on your I35?

VQnBEYOND

If my dad gets vossens but he said he only has had 2 q50s come in his work with black chrome assesory wheels which are rare but hopefully by summer. I'll most likely plastidip them anthracite grey plastidip. Still interested in g37s coupe wheels or i35 ones?

MaxMike93

If I ever get a Q50 I'm getting those black chrome wheels on them. I've seen them on eBay for $1400 and I think another for $1700 from a dealer that's about an hour from me. I might have to pass on your set since shipping is going to be insane from NE to NJ and I really only need 2. I appreciate the offer though.

VQnBEYOND

No problem!y dad has the awd q50 with black chrome wheels so there the 17 inch but no problem!!

MaxMike93

Dropped her off yesterday and the guy said everything should be completed tomorrow or Thursday. I have my dad's truck to drive around and I kinda like how different it is. Parking it at the Garden State Plaza wasn't even an issue:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/97860483@N02/13254126683/http://www.flickr.com/photos/97860483@N02/13254126683/, on Flickr

VQnBEYOND

Lol nice looks like a Sierra with all the bells and whistles. Hope everything turns out well.

discoverlos

Damn I have the same damage to my fender but my lights are good, hope you get it fixed! Have you tried any salvage yards? ?

MaxMike93

I never went to any salvage yards as the shop I brought it to said they would be able to keep the original panel. I'll have the car back in around two hours and I'll put up how it turned out. Although of course they couldn't really do the door since it would take too long. I'll get that taken care of eventually :roll eyes:. By the way, I love that bronze color of your I30.

MaxMike93

Just picked her up and I am very happy with the result. If there was painting done, it was either in such a small spot or done so that I couldn't really find it. Guy said a tab on the headlight was broken but that he fixed it. Unfortunately, the door still has the dents because it would be a bigger job than the PDR guy had time for since apparently the window has to be taken out for it to get done. Total cost: $543. Now onto the pictures. Excuse the bumpers, as I've read that pearl paint ages differently on plastic vs. metal and white makes it blatantly apparent. Maybe I'll get them sprayed someday.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/97860483@N02/13295003354/http://www.flickr.com/photos/97860483@N02/13295003354/]image[/url, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/97860483@N02/13294794763/http://www.flickr.com/photos/97860483@N02/13294794763/]image[/url, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/97860483@N02/13295011794/http://www.flickr.com/photos/97860483@N02/13295011794/]image[/url, on Flickr

http://www.flickr.com/photos/97860483@N02/13295014884/http://www.flickr.com/photos/97860483@N02/13295014884/]image[/url, on Flickr

discoverlos

ThTs my friends car but I love the stance and the i35 grill with the 350z wheels
This one is mine though

MaxMike93

Oh alright. Nothing wrong with keeping the car stock like it rolled off the lot. I think I've seen your friend's car when I go through hashtags on Instagram

VQnBEYOND

Looks good! When my friend painted my roof spoiler cost 25$ (behind the dealers back) even though pearl isn't that expensive but he color matched it pretty well. Looks good , you should have had it take longer so you can drive that truck longer! How many miles does your I have?

MaxMike93

I enjoyed driving the truck for the past few days but I'll let my dad deal with the gas mileage it gets lol. I have a little more than 57k at the moment. Can't believe I've put about 35k on the car since I got it in 2011.

VQnBEYOND

that's crazy only 57.. My brothers 2008 G coupe has 68.. I see what you mean though our I's get good highway mpg.

MaxMike93

I haven't been getting that great mileage. Less than 20 average lately. The cold weather was even keeping me at or below 18

VQnBEYOND

I get 20 average city driving 45 mph hitting a stoplight every mile to school. Get 31-33 mpg 65 mph highway... Is it that my car has a gift that it's fuel efficient or my roof spoiler sure helps

MaxMike93

Must be something. Either my city driving for school hurts a lot (including endless driving around the parking garage for a spot some days) or it could just be my heavy right foot. I also plan on doing my spark plugs this year. Are you relying in the trip computer or calculate it by miles driven divided by gallons needed to refuel? I fill the tank every week and enter the info to Fuelly for my MPG.

VQnBEYOND

yes I rely on my tc but I think it's pretty accurate maybe sometime I'll really have to see the mpg..
I barely even get past 2500 rpm in my 3.5 baby it like no other but I do need to calculate the real mpg