Damaged Bodywork on Tesla Model 3

[Llama.]

I’m so gutted, but my virtually brand new Tesla Model 3 has some damaged bodywork when my wife had to reverse around a tight corner out of a narrow road with a low wall.

I live in Leeds, and there is a service centre here. Not sure it does bodywork?

Do you reckon this is an insurance job. I’m with Churchill. Do you think I should just let the insurance company choose who will do the repairs?

Im hoping it’s just a cosmetic repair but the scratches are deep. And the inner wheel trim seems to sit a little proud of the wheel arch now. Also the fog light seems slight pushed in seems slight loose.

Have a look at the pics. What do you reckon?

 

[MrBadger]

A decent independent body shop will fix that for far less than your insurance excess.

 

[Mr H]

Mine is currently in for repairs at Alton Cars (Tesla approved) in Leeds. Direct line asked where i wanted it to go. Hopefully it will be completed tomorrow.

Tesla don't repair bodywork themselves.

 

[Llama.]

A decent independent body shop will fix that for far less than your insurance excess.

Do you reckon? My excess is £800

I think it’s mostly cosmetic but the fog light seems less secure than the other side suggesting some clip underneath may have been affected.

My worry is that it will need it’s bumper off to sort out whatever is meant to retain the fog lamp

 

[Llama.]

Mine is currently in for repairs at Alton Cars (Tesla approved) in Leeds. Direct line asked where i wanted it to go. Hopefully it will be completed tomorrow.

Tesla don't repair bodywork themselves.

Thanks for that. I’d be keen to know if you were happy with their repair.

What are they doing to your car?

 

[GlynG]

Christ, your wife couldn't be arsed to stop then when she initially made contact with the wall - just push on and fingers crossed.

The repair is only the bumper so well below your insurance excess - and don't forget if you make a claim your premium will rise for three years because they view you as an increased risk. You have a repair shop identified Alton Cars - why not pop in and get a quote before you decide if its worth using your insurance and if you do decide to pay up keep schtum with the insurance company tell them SFA

 

[Mr H]

Thanks for that. I’d be keen to know if you were happy with their repair.

What are they doing to your car?

I had a van come out of a side road into my nearside front wing and door, i'll let you know when i get it back, i've only been waiting 4 months........

 

[btc1k]

I’m so gutted, but my virtually brand new Tesla Model 3 has some damaged bodywork when my wife had to reverse around a tight corner out of a narrow road with a low wall.

I live in Leeds, and there is a service centre here. Not sure it does bodywork?

Do you reckon this is an insurance job. I’m with Churchill. Do you think I should just let the insurance company choose who will do the repairs?

Im hoping it’s just a cosmetic repair but the scratches are deep. And the inner wheel trim seems to sit a little proud of the wheel arch now. Also the fog light seems slight pushed in seems slight loose.

Have a look at the pics. What do you reckon?

I would think you could get that done via a smart repair.

I've seen a lot worse repaired that way and you would never know. Had someone drag their crappy Skoda all the way down my BMW, denting and scratching 3 panels.... smart repair cleaned it all up good as new. About £250 from memory

 

[Stuart1714]

Mine is currently in for repairs at Alton Cars (Tesla approved) in Leeds. Direct line asked where i wanted it to go. Hopefully it will be completed tomorrow.

Tesla don't repair bodywork themselves.

The Tesla location maps have recently added an option for their own bodyshops indicating that they may well be building up a network of Tesla body shops in the future. It looks like one may have just opened in Dartford, but for the rest of the country it’s approved body shops.

Tesla Body Shop Support

 

[MrBadger]

Do you reckon? My excess is £800

I think it’s mostly cosmetic but the fog light seems less secure than the other side suggesting some clip underneath may have been affected.

My worry is that it will need it’s bumper off to sort out whatever is meant to retain the fog lamp

Yes. Probably around the £400 mark for a perfect finish. The fog light will probably have just unclipped itself so will either just need clipping back in, or a new clip.

 

[Neilman]

MG Cannon Salisbury, included in Tesla's list of body shops, never responded to my request for a repair quotation sent in February this year!

 

[nxsynjs]

Which body panels on the M3 are Aluminium? I seem to recall from previous cars, that aluminium is much much harder to smart repair than steel?

 

[Llama.]

I would think you could get that done via a smart repair.

I've seen a lot worse repaired that way and you would never know. Had someone drag their crappy Skoda all the way down my BMW, denting and scratching 3 panels.... smart repair cleaned it all up good as new. About £250 from memory

Great suggestion. I’ve searched for smart repairs. And have already got 2 quotes. One for £160 and one for £250.

Do you think they will have trouble with the paint match with the metallic white multicoat white?

 

[Jason71]

Great suggestion. I’ve searched for smart repairs. And have already got 2 quotes. One for £160 and one for £250.

Do you think they will have trouble with the paint match with the metallic white multicoat white?

They should be able to match the original colour and texture without trouble. Getting it as thin and soft as the original could be tricky though.

 

[pdk42]

I reckon a good smart repair (ChipsAway etc) will sort than for under £500. An independent body shop might charge a bit more, but you'll have the surety of a more controlled spraying environment and a potentially better finish. Either way. the damage looks like it's mainly gouging and paint scratches to the bumper - that will be quite capable of being rubbed down, filled, and re-sprayed. I wouldn't personally go through insurance for this because you'll pay at renewal time, and the one after that, and the one after that, ...

Don't be too hard on her either. I reversed into a metal bollard within a week of getting mine! £250 repair with ChipsAway and it looked as good as new again!

 

[Neilman]

I tried asking Chipsaway for a minimal damage quote and they said they had no one available for Southampton area

 

[m3p_uk]

I was told chips away don't work on Tesla as their company insurance doesn't cover them to do any work on Tesla's

 

[Llama.]

Your comments have been really helpful. Looking forward to getting the scratches fixed. Can’t bare to look at my car in its current state.

Which quote would you go for:

1) £160 From Kiwicolour
Car Body Paint Scratch & Dent Repair Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate, Halifax, West Yorkshire
Mobile service


2) £350 From Car Cosmetics
Car Body Repair Leeds | Car Body Shop - Car Cosmetics
Mobile Service

3) £400 Plus VAT From AutoBlend

Car paint scratch chips scuffs dent repair | Leeds | Autoblend

PROFESSIONAL CAR PAINT SCRATCH REPAIR, SCUFFS, DENTS OR CHIPS ON BODYWORK OR BUMPERS. We come to you with full colour matching technology

autoblend.co.uk

Says they will need to make colour tiles on the day to check if it needs blending with adjacent panels which would be a further £100 plus VAT if needed

Great responsive and polite communication from all three.

The guy from the second quote says that the 3 stage paint process requires more time to apply the the metallic white paint and has quoted on this basis.

Both are less expensive than I was expecting but the first one seems too good to be true.

What do you reckon?

 

[btc1k]

Your comments have been really helpful. Looking forward to getting the scratches fixed. Can’t bare to look at my car in its current state.

Which quote would you go for:

1) £160 From Kiwicolour
Car Body Paint Scratch & Dent Repair Leeds, Bradford, Harrogate, Halifax, West Yorkshire
Mobile service


2) £350 From Car Cosmetics
Car Body Repair Leeds | Car Body Shop - Car Cosmetics
Mobile Service

Great responsive and polite communication from both.

The guy from the second quote says that the 3 stage paint process requires more time to apply the the metallic white paint and has quoted on this basis.

Both are less expensive than I was expecting but the first one seems too good to be true.

What do you reckon?

Your first quote there have great reviews online. And that's about the price I'd expect to pay. I'd go for the £160 if it was me.

Most cars are metallic / pearlescent these days.....

 

[Durzel]

I'd be reassured by the first one having 163 reviews on Google and a 4.9 rating from them.

It does sound like a very good price though, as you say seems almost too good to be true.

The concern I would have is that pearlescent paints obviously look different according to the lighting conditions, and particularly direct sunlight. There is a chance I guess that the repaired area could look flatter than the rest of the bumper/car. There's a chance you might not know until you get a really sunny day, vs being able to tell in a workshop under strong lighting.

I think on balance though the fact they have such a high rating from a decent number of reviews should be reassurance enough.