Accident Damage Advice - Rear Quarter Panel?

[brkaus]

Looking for advice - was hit in a parking lot, both of us backed into each other. The other car, an SUV, took the hit to the bumper. Given they hit my side, I feel like I was there first... Anyway, Insurance companies are still arguing over fault.

There is minor clear coat scratch and one small place right under the tail light that the paint is scratch through to base coat.

What to do? I've read everything from paintless dent repair to cut out and weld in a new rear quarter panel.

The paintless guy that gets good reviews here said ~$250 and I know he has worked on aluminum.

 

[steve841]

I cant say enough about a good PDR ....

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

well, one is $250, the other will be thousands... so you do the $250 one, and if it's good enough, it's good enough, if not, go bigger.

 

[brkaus]

well, one is $250, the other will be thousands... so you do the $250 one, and if it's good enough, it's good enough, if not, go bigger.

Agree on the cost. Any input on if the car is somehow significantly better with a thousand $$ repair or a paint chip? I know, personal preference. But a chip vs a repainted panel...

 

[steve841]

Man .. the variables. Matching paint, over spray, aligning things, how long it takes..... PDR and be happy.

 

[brkaus]

Man .. the variables. Matching paint, over spray, aligning things, how long it takes..... PDR and be happy.

Just looking for encouragement/reinforcement Thank you.

Less than 24 hours and it's been a pain... the other driver has filed a claim w/ my insurance saying I'm at fault. They left their insurance out of it, so after talking to my insurance this morning I had to file a claim with their insurance to have them both fight it out. The police did come out, but wouldn't assign fault or write any sort of report.

 

[benjiejr]

Came out from a grocery store when I first bought the car and found very similar damage. I figured it was a shopping cart, but maybe someone hit it. Anyways, I did PDR and it came out very good. The only part that he couldn't get out perfectly was at that crease where the two panels come together. No one would even notice it. I think I paid $250-300. Good luck!

 

[demundus]

If you send it off to have the QP replace it will NEVER look the same, and will take you months to get back and cost you (or insurance) nearly 10K.

PDR if you can stomach it.

 

[JasJ]

In terms of resale down the road, PDR is a MUCH better option. Any re-paint on the car will lose you thousands unless you keep the car for 5+ years.
As it is if the insurance companies deem it's the other guy's fault, file a diminished value claim for the now blemished carfax.

 

[nevrenuf]

Body Shop + Insurance Claim = CARFAX report = diminished value.

PDR - no insurance, no CARFAX. If you can get acceptable results with PDR, go for that, pay it yourself, and be happy.

JMHO....

 

[P85_DA]

+1 PDR

 

[realvvk]

FYI, about $12k for that quarter panel replacement.

 

[Skipdd]

Agree with others on PDR. But there is another option. Get body shop quote to see if they can fix completely w/o replacing quarter panel. Less expensive than replacing, and depending on your pain tolerance maybe you pay out of pocket and there is no insurance record so presumably resale hit. I took this path on self inflicted scrape that was much worse on my previous 85D. PDR was not an option for me..

 

[mentalspaz]

correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that part of the 3 steel, not aluminum?

I actually mysteriously got a nice crease in mine. (looks like someone kicked it... sigh) So I was expecting a huge price tag because I thought it was aluminum, but I'm pretty sure it is steel.

 

[demundus]

correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that part of the 3 steel, not aluminum?

I actually mysteriously got a nice crease in mine. (looks like someone kicked it... sigh) So I was expecting a huge price tag because I thought it was aluminum, but I'm pretty sure it is steel.

Which part?

 

[brkaus]

Thanks all. My plan now is PDR and then a body shop if necessary. I'll accept some blemish in the area to avoid replacing the rear quarter. It will be well under my deductible, so no need for insurance.

The insurance is now involved. They filed a claim against my policy. The agent said in most cases these are 50/50 so we will each be responsible for our cars. Since insurance is involved, am I stuck with a carfax tag on the S anyway?

To add to the fun, the other party is not paid up on their insurance premium. So it is questionable if it will be covered in case they are found > 51% fault anyway. And of course, as luck would have it, being a local grocery store, we have lots of mutual friends although I don't know the family involved.

 

[mentalspaz]

Which part?

The rear quarter panel, beneath the charger all the way around to under the trunk.

 

[demundus]

The rear quarter panel, beneath the charger all the way around to under the trunk.

Oh you said "the 3", I misread. Not sure on the 3, on the S its paper thin alumnium

 

[brkaus]

Finally paid a visit to the paintless guy. Looking at it in person, he said it too bad for paintless repair. The dent is right on the seam, the strongest part of the panel.

Off for traditional repair quotes. And a discussion with insurance.

 

[dbldwn02]

Just FYI....I had similar damage on my quarter panel and bumper. Ski resort van backed into it while I wasn't in it. Insurance adjuster said $2100. Stuttgart Auto Body in Denver said $11000. Soooo...YMMV.

I had the ski resort's insurance pay the $11k to get the whole quarter panel replaced. It took 6 months for the whole process from beginning to end. That was the fault of both the body shop not calling me when parts were in and Tesla taking weeks to get parts shipped out.