Model Y rear wheel arch scratch repair - what are your opinions on these vastly different quotes?

[novemberRomeo]

My wife reversed in to a post and has scratched the rear passenger wheel arch and surrounding bodywork and trim, as you can see in the photos below:

I've contacted 3 Tesla Approved repairers, and 8 local body shops two weeks ago. Of those, only 1 Tesla Approved repairer and 2 local body shops have replied with an estimate, and they are all vastly different from each other.

• One local shop quoted £400 'all in, I'm fully trained and have repaired loads of Teslas'
• One local shop quoted £825 based on 'Costs to repair and refinish the N/S rear quarter panel blending into the rear door and rear bumper corner, this is inclusive of all paint, materials and labour.' They also said 'With regard to the wheel arch trim we can do a texture repair on this or price you up a new one (getting Tesla parts costs is a nightmare so bare with me a few days or so if that's your preferred option)'
• The Tesla approved repairer £2445 and included a comprehensive estimate of parts and breakdown of work (see attached)

I'm at a loss as to what to do next. It's a leased car, I have it for another 3 years. I'm not fussed about having a 'gold standard' repair, I simply want it to be repaired well enough so that I don't have to pay any additional fees when it goes back to the lease company.

Should I take a gamble on one of the cheaper quotes or go to the approved repairer? Both the local shops have 5 star reviews on Google Reviews.

Worst case scenario I suppose would be going with one of the cheaper quotes, they mess it up, and then I need to go to the Tesla approved place to do it all again properly.

If it's < £1000 I was planning to pay cash rather than go through insurance, but perhaps I should just go through the insurance anyway and let them worry about it. What do you think I should do?

 

[KennethS]

We had a car bump us in our son's school car parking lot, and we had much the same decision. The Tesla approved repairer quotes were many multiples of the local body shop. The price seemed extreme and also involved removing a lot of glass etc to "properly" blend the paint. It was really a fairly minor blemish on the rear bumper and the prospect of them removing glass and blending paint along both rear quarters of the car seemed excessive. The person who hit us really wanted to avoid an insurance claim and I felt badly and a bit outraged by the size of the Tesla-approved repair quotes. I have no doubt they would have done a superb job but we opted to use a local shop who happened to have another Tesla in with the bumper off when we visited for an estimate (a very similar damage being repaired). They charged £350 and even looking closely I can't see the repair. Compared to £2,500+ from the Tesla places I can understand why insurance for all of us is so expensive. One repair shop was encouraging we go to a claim management company and assured us we would have a nice hire car for the "2 or 3 weeks" it would take to do the repair. The local guy did it in 2 days. I am not trying to disparage the Tesla approved places. They will do as perfect a job as possible I have no doubt. But if you have a local body shop with some Tesla experience who you can trust then it can be a big cost saving.

Sorry it happened to you and best of luck whatever repair option you choose.

 

[novemberRomeo]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Kenneth. That’s really reassuring and making me think I should just go with the local shop.

 

[ewoodrick]

Touch up paint and it may pass inspection when you turn it in.

 

[Adopado]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Kenneth. That’s really reassuring and making me think I should just go with the local shop.

If the local shop has decent reviews I would definitely use them if I were in your shoes.

 

[PITA]

I had a minor scuff to deal with this month. Nearside front wing was slightly damaged and front bumper scuffed. Nearside front wheel was scratched as well (which was replaced with a new one). Wheel alignment needed doing as well.

Paid £750 excess for insurance to send it to an Approved Tesla Repairer.

Then paid an additional £1000 myself to have the rest of the front bumper and bonnet completely repainted to get rid of stonechips, toxic bird poo scars and a dent caused by hitting a bouncing block of wood on the motorway two months ago. Plus kerb rash under the front bumper from ignoring the wiggly-worm STOP notification.

Car came back like new, really pleased. Gave me a courtesy car for 5 days as well.

Now... while I was in there I got chatting to a guy who owned a Tesla also, he was there after a very bad experience of dealing with a non-approved Tesla Repairer. Apparently they'd messed up his car by yanking off bodywork with sensors attached, causing further damage. His car had been with them for weeks while they tried to sort it out.

So eventually he'd had a massive argument with his insurer to get his car relocated to someone who knew how to deal with Teslas. His experience of dealing with 'cheapo' was not good.

 

[Mr Miserable]

Give Chips Away a call.

 

[Durzel]

Seems mad to spend full whack on something like this when a) it's a leased car, so you ultimately don't own it and b) it sounds like it might not be the first incident you have to deal with? (sorry, but this is a pretty basic collision)

I'd echo giving ChipsAway a call. The Tesla approved quote sounds ridiculous for what they're suggesting they would have to remove/replace/refit.

 

[Billbrown1982]

Personally I would go with the local shop, if it comes out looking like garbage you refuse to pay and walk away. If it comes out looking as good as you want to the naked eye, happy days. Hand it back at the end of the lease and sleep soundly every night.

 

[novemberRomeo]

we don’t have a chips away in our local area, and I asked the one who covers the next county and they refuse to touch any Tesla!

 

[MrT3]

we don’t have a chips away in our local area, and I asked the one who covers the next county and they refuse to touch any Tesla!

Is that panel steel or aluminium as the Model Y isn’t all Aluminium? If steel it doesn’t need to be ChipsAway, just a good recommended smart repairer in your area. Most won’t try can pull dents from Aluminium.

 

[WannabeOwner]

My wifee did something similar. I had the local "chips away" type bod (friend-of-a-friend who came highly recommend) come and repair it on my drive. It was £200 and similar damage to your photo.

He asked me to unlock the car .. ."Do you want the key?" "No, just need to see the sticker for the paint shade ID on the door jamb"

 

[Adopado]

Is that panel steel or aluminium as the Model Y isn’t all Aluminium? If steel it doesn’t need to be ChipsAway, just a good recommended smart repairer in your area. Most won’t try can pull dents from Aluminium.

Just get your magnet out ... I don't know about a Model Y but on a Model 3 that area is steel.

 

[Krokkodillo]

Go for a local paint shop, you won’t see a difference (except in amount cash in your wallet). Some guy brushed my M3 in the same my place, the repair came to around £5k with an approved Tesla repair shop, also I’m waiting for the court hearing as my insurance is trying to get the money back from the 3rd party as I provided footage of the incident.

 

[Jason71]

I agree with using the cheaper quotes but I would be tempted to get a price for buying and fitting a replacement plastic trim. ISome Tesla parts are actually surprisingly cheap so it may be worth investing in that since I think it will be hard to repair well. Assume it will have to come off for the re-spray anyway?
you could email Tesla parts yourself to get a price. I did it once for a new undertray.

Edit you can get a used one for £100 on Ebay. less than the labour trying to fix the old one I would think and looks like it just clips on:

Tesla Model Y Rear Left Wheel Arch Moulding 1683861-00-A 1683865-00-A REF F4B31 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Tesla Model Y Rear Left Wheel Arch Moulding 1683861-00-A 1683865-00-A REF F4B31 at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products.

www.ebay.co.uk

Edit 2: the new parts price total from the Tesla quote is only £109 so presumably a new trim is no more than that looks like it might only be £40!

 

[WannabeOwner]

Assume it will have to come off for the re-spray anyway?

I don't know the answer to that, but the damage on mine was similar and guy masked it off, sprayed it on my drive, and put his Big heater on it to cure it ... can't see the join now I was only looking for "good enough" / cheap repair ... but actually very happy with it.

But clip on a new one for £100 sounds good too!

 

[Krokkodillo]

If the plastic trim is not deformed, can you try to buff out? With something like: Meguiar's Plast-RX?

 

[Jason71]

If the plastic trim is not deformed, can you try to buff out? With something like: Meguiar's Plast-RX?

Looking at the pictures the Op provided I would say it is gouged and thus beyond buffing out.

 

[MrT3]

Looking at the pictures the Op provided I would say it is gouged and thus beyond buffing out.

Agreed. Whatever you tried with the trim piece wouldn't go unnoticed on inspection at the end of the lease, which then draws attention to the area for very close inspection of the paint.

 

[ewoodrick]

Folks, the poster is LEASING this car!

That's a big difference. Leasing companies often allow vehicles with minor wear and tear to be turned in. I think that with a little cosmetic fixing, that this would probably pass inspection. So instead of paying $5,000, maybe all that's needed is a few hundred dollars or just touch up paint.