Parking lot damage/dent, seeking body shop experiences in Atlanta

[emeraldap]

Hi folks,

A sad day for me. I’d parked my car at a covered lot at my workplace and someone either drove or backed into my car while parked (and also left no note!). I just noticed it before I started for home and needless to say was distraught.

Attached are a few pictures of the damage. For anyone who has been in a similar boat, would you have any advice for me on things to watch out for? Or have any impressions of the Tesla body shop in Marietta, GA (which the website says handles minor body damage)?

I lodged the incident with the poilce and got the conversation started with my insurance provider, State Farm who suggested going with an uninsured damage claim because of my lower deductible ($250 vs. $500 for collision). Also wrote a note to the Tesla service center with pictures and awaiting a reply.

Any advice is appreciated. I couldn’t feel worse (that too after babying this car 10x any other car I’ve owned) that this happened right before the sentry mode s/w is pushed out to M3 en masse.

Thanks!!

 

[Cowby]

There’s an Atlanta Facebook Tesla group u should join for local info.

 

[SR22pilot]

Classic Collision on Hwy 141 is decent and is Tesla certified. They did the repair on my Genesis and the Model 3 that rear ended my car.

 

[emeraldap]

There’s an Atlanta Facebook Tesla group u should join for local info.

@Cowby, I see a few: Tesla Club of Atlanta, and Tesla Motors Fans - Atlanta with 10x members. Does either contain more specific info on the topic than the other? Thanks.

@SR22pilot - Waiting on the Tesla Marietta SC to get back to me. I expected to be forwarded to Classic Collision. Hoping they are less backed up than Tesla SCs usually are. Did Tesla give you a loaner while your car was at the shop? Or did you have to use the rental car coverage on your (or the at-fault driver's) insurance? Thanks.

 

[SigNC]

Isn't the atlanta area serviced by one of the new tesla run body shops?

 

[KenR]

I had work done in Atlanta on my fender. I was VERY pleased and the price was much lower that some of the others mentioned above...
Magnum Collision

1445 Field Park Cir.

Marietta GA, 30066

And they were recommended by the Tesla guy who was mobile and fixed some stuff on my car when I first got it.

 

[Cowby]

@Cowby, I see a few: Tesla Club of Atlanta, and Tesla Motors Fans - Atlanta with 10x members. Does either contain more specific info on the topic than the other? Thanks.

@SR22pilot - Waiting on the Tesla Marietta SC to get back to me. I expected to be forwarded to Classic Collision. Hoping they are less backed up than Tesla SCs usually are. Did Tesla give you a loaner while your car was at the shop? Or did you have to use the rental car coverage on your (or the at-fault driver's) insurance? Thanks.

TMFA is the bigger group....lots of knowledgeable people there.

I wouldn’t goto Classic Collision...choose either Marietta or Magnum or ECR

 

[ClarkJoeKent]

ECR all the way. I heard a bunch of Magnum techs moved there too. Just had my M3P serviced and they were great. Tesla’s dominate their lot, which speaks volumes. Ask for Steve.

 

[emeraldap]

Isn't the atlanta area serviced by one of the new tesla run body shops?

Tesla finally got back to me saying they won’t do it in house because of the damage to the rear quarter panel (metal). I suppose they can only fix bumper related (minor) blemishes in their body shop. Awaiting responses from a couple of third party body shops recommended by folks here (thanks!) and by Tesla and will report back.

 

[SigNC]

dang, that's a bummer. I was looking forward to seeing how you made out at the tesla body shop.

 

[SR22pilot]

@Cowby, I see a few: Tesla Club of Atlanta, and Tesla Motors Fans - Atlanta with 10x members. Does either contain more specific info on the topic than the other? Thanks.

@SR22pilot - Waiting on the Tesla Marietta SC to get back to me. I expected to be forwarded to Classic Collision. Hoping they are less backed up than Tesla SCs usually are. Did Tesla give you a loaner while your car was at the shop? Or did you have to use the rental car coverage on your (or the at-fault driver's) insurance? Thanks.

It was my Genesis that got hit by the Tesla. My girlfriend was driving. She was pretty mad when she found out the Tesla driver had a child in the car considering how he had been driving. Sorry if it is someone on this forum and I offend but the Tesla driver was found mostly at fault. So, no I didn't get a loaner form Tesla. The insurance company offered but Kim went back to driving her Mustang (now sold) and I drove the Model 3.

 

[cpxasn]

ECR all the way. I heard a bunch of Magnum techs moved there too. Just had my M3P serviced and they were great. Tesla’s dominate their lot, which speaks volumes. Ask for Steve.

ECR may be good, but they are really expensive. Their labor charges are around $105 an hour at the Sandy Springs location. I was quoted $1197.47 to fix this small damage on my bumper. They quoted me $1564.88 to get a new unpainted bumper from Tesla and paint it.

I contacted Tesla Marietta's collision center and were able to get me a new bumper for a lot cheaper.
One note about Marietta's collision center, their paint touchups aren't too good. I had a really small paint chip, about the size of the point of a ball point pen, and they weren't able to get it flush.

 

[emeraldap]

ECR may be good, but they are really expensive. Their labor charges are around $105 an hour at the Sandy Springs location. I was quoted $1197.47 to fix this small damage on my bumper. They quoted me $1564.88 to get a new unpainted bumper from Tesla and paint it.
View attachment 380490

I contacted Tesla Marietta's collision center and were able to get me a new bumper for a lot cheaper.
One note about Marietta's collision center, their paint touchups aren't too good. I had a really small paint chip, about the size of the point of a ball point pen, and they weren't able to get it flush.

Thanks for sharing this. My experience has been similar. Steve at ECR told me flat out they will likely be $600-$1000 over what he thinks State Farm will cover (basing on prior experience). He thinks I may need to pay that myself. He also estimated 3-4 weeks for such a repair (total time my vehicle will likely be in his shop). My instinct tells me they are high on both counts, but I am in the process of collecting more data from other Tesla authorized body shops to see if I'm miscalibrated. Too bad the Tesla collision center refused to work on this repair (quarter panels apparently don't qualify as minor repair).

General question - for minor damage such as mine, does anyone mind weighing in on how much extra $$ they had to pick up (over and beyond their insurer approved estimate for the fix)? I realize it's insurance provider/body shop/incident specific, but a general ball park will help me understand if this is one super pricey/busy body shop, or just reality. Thanks to all!

 

[brianmeow]

i was in the same situation, got hit in the parking lot at the same spot but it was a much bigger dent.
Tesla Pomona and nearby 3rd party authorized bodyshop all quoted me around $6-7k for replacing both quarter panel and bumper.
3 weeks in the body shop, picking it up this Friday.

 

[emeraldap]

i was in the same situation, got hit in the parking lot at the same spot but it was a much bigger dent.
Tesla Pomona and nearby 3rd party authorized bodyshop all quoted me around $6-7k for replacing both quarter panel and bumper.
3 weeks in the body shop, picking it up this Friday.

$6-7k - wow! If I may ask, did it entail a lot of back and forth between the Tesla certified body shop and the insurance provider, and did you have the full expense covered, or have to pay some differential out of pocket? My insurer (State Farm) quoted $1800 for repairs so they are nowhere near this estimate. My local insurance agent mentioned their office has never heard of claims on Teslas being low-balled or not fully covered. But the third party body shop issued a warning to expect some out of pocket, given their history with State Farm.

 

[brianmeow]

$6-7k - wow! If I may ask, did it entail a lot of back and forth between the Tesla certified body shop and the insurance provider, and did you have the full expense covered, or have to pay some differential out of pocket? My insurer (State Farm) quoted $1800 for repairs so they are nowhere near this estimate. My local insurance agent mentioned their office has never heard of claims on Teslas being low-balled or not fully covered. But the third party body shop issued a warning to expect some out of pocket, given their history with State Farm.

Tesla dealt with Progressive directly, and it was pretty straight forward. I just have to pay my deductible.