Damage Repair (Tampa area)

[mkellock]

Unfortunately this evening a vehicle suddenly stopped in front of our Model S and there was no way to stop in time. So, we now have some damage to the front, but mostly to the hood of the vehicle. I was going to call Tesla for some repair suggestions in the morning, but thought I might ask here as well.

Any helpful feedback appreciated.

 

[jrreno]

Unfortunately this evening a vehicle suddenly stopped in front of our Model S and there was no way to stop in time. So, we now have some damage to the front, but mostly to the hood of the vehicle. I was going to call Tesla for some repair suggestions in the morning, but thought I might ask here as well.

Any helpful feedback appreciated.

Tesla will tell you to use their certified repair shop which is Dimmitt Cadillac. I would not recommend them. I know there are others on this side of Florida that have recommendations. Hopefully they will chime in.

 

[jrreno]

I also had what looked like minor front end damage. It turned out the front of the car was pushed back significantly and then snapped back. Two of the radiators up front were damaged. This was not noticed until they removed the bumper ( pretty much the entire front of the car). That resulted in an unexpected two week delay waiting for parts.
Takeaways from my experience:
1. If you have a wrap, make it clear you do not want them to put any wrap on after the repair. Maybe go as far as getting it in writing. Have your original detailer replace the wrap. Get in writing from your insurance company that they will pay to replace the wrap, it was part of the car before the damage.
2. As part of the initial inspection have them check the coolers and radiator elements in the front to determine if they need to be replaced. I drove the car for two weeks and then had to rent a car for 18 days when they discovered the damaged parts. An alternative would be to see if they could order the parts as a precaution and return them if not needed.
3. Check the car carefully when picking it up. Especially for alignment of parts in the front. My detailer noticed flaws that I did not see when I signed off on the work.

 

[mkellock]

Thanks for that feedback jrreno. I'll be certain to ask lots of questions when I get a quote. Unfortunately, from previous experience, with another vehicle, I know that what looks minor to me can hide other issues (ie: get expensive).

Hopefully I will hear from others before I attempt to address this later today.

 

[Larry Chanin]

Unfortunately this evening a vehicle suddenly stopped in front of our Model S and there was no way to stop in time. So, we now have some damage to the front, but mostly to the hood of the vehicle. I was going to call Tesla for some repair suggestions in the morning, but thought I might ask here as well.

Any helpful feedback appreciated.

Sorry to hear about your misfortune, but welcome to the forums.

If you are interested in joining a Florida Tesla club, please click on the link to Florida Tesla Enthusiasts in my signature.

Larry

 

[Seven7]

I had my first Model S repaired at Dayas in north Orlando, they did a great job and had other Teslas in their shop. It did take 90 days, but the first 30 days my car just sat while the insurance companies decided if they were going to repair or total. I probably could have gotten it done quicker but I made the at fault parties insurance pay the $45k repair bill.

 

[1p852nv]

mkellock who'm did you end up taking your car to be fixed? I myself was involved in a similar accident this previous week and need to take my car to a repair shop in the tampa area

 

[mkellock]

We ended up taking our S to Dimmitt. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a great experience and I sincerely wish I could say otherwise. Communication was weak, excuses were many and it was somewhere around 6 weeks. Although, our insurance company dropped the ball as well. Tesla on the other hand was fantastic. Dimmitt did a little Tesla blaming regarding parts, but we discovered we could call Tesla service and find out exactly when parts were ordered and shipped. Let’s say timelines didn’t match.

In the end the work was good, but the experience not so much.

 

[Auto Paint Guard]

Hello. I know a lot of our customers take their cars to the following places. I see the body and paint work all the time and both places are top notch. Hope this helps.

Mirek's European Auto, Inc - Home Mirek is the contact.
Superior Auto Body, Inc. Fine autos repaired expertly Ron is the contact.