I had a little mishap with my Model S, unfortunately. The damage doesn't look that bad, but from reading some other threads on here, looks can be deceiving when it comes to Tesla body damage.
I already took the car to a non-Tesla body shop that I have used in the past with other cars. They do a lot of work with aluminum but feel that they wouldn't be able to repair it, or that even if they could, it would take too many hours of labor to make it cost effective. They recommended a Tesla-approved body shop that they work with to have the quarter panel replaced under insurance. I don't want to go through insurance because I'm afraid it'll increase my rates, so I'm seeking alternatives.
Can anyone recommend anyone in the NYC area that might be able to repair this inexpensively? Could I buy a salvage quarter panel and have a body shop install it (and if so, would that save me enough money to make it worth while)? How bad would it be for the car if I just left it alone right now and deal with it in the future?
Thanks for your input.
I already took the car to a non-Tesla body shop that I have used in the past with other cars. They do a lot of work with aluminum but feel that they wouldn't be able to repair it, or that even if they could, it would take too many hours of labor to make it cost effective. They recommended a Tesla-approved body shop that they work with to have the quarter panel replaced under insurance. I don't want to go through insurance because I'm afraid it'll increase my rates, so I'm seeking alternatives.
Can anyone recommend anyone in the NYC area that might be able to repair this inexpensively? Could I buy a salvage quarter panel and have a body shop install it (and if so, would that save me enough money to make it worth while)? How bad would it be for the car if I just left it alone right now and deal with it in the future?
Thanks for your input.