Car Dent Question

[ebykowsky]

Don't feel like signing up to a car forum to ask this:

I'm looking to trade in my '09 Accord pretty soon to buy something that can tow a bass boat A few months ago, I got a dent in front of my rear driver side wheel well, and since I'm about to trade in, I want to decide what to do with the dent. The dent came from side swiping a pole in a parking garage.

So:
Do I pay to get it fixed, and then sell it?
Do I let the dealership who buys it deal with it?
How much does this devalue my otherwise-in-good-condition car?

Dent is around a foot in height, 1-2 inches in width. In very accessible location.

Thanks for y'all's help!

 

[EppyGA]

Get your glasses prescription updated.

 

[ebykowsky]

Get your glasses prescription updated.

Thanks for that.

 

[PaulS]

Looks like about $1,000 They'll probably put a new fender on, that one looks wrinkled, then repaint. Looks like the door got it too, will have to be fixed and blended in. If you are selling I would fix, if you are trading in, I would probably just let the dealer deal with it.

Edit,

Just looked up a fender for an 09 accord, can be had for $60. Probably around $500 to $800 to replace and repair.

 

[N747JB]

As a car guy, you are better off fixing it. But, make sure you don't get a cheap repair that leaves it noticeable, with poor paint or body work. You'd be amazed at the sorry work I've seen done to otherwise nice cars, it makes you wonder how bad the damage was to start with.
It's a $800+ dent.

 

[Ted]

If you know a cheap body shop, go for that. Otherwise, I'd just leave it. I emphasize cheap because you're trying to put lipstick on the pig and make more money off of the sale, which isn't served by spending top dollar on the body shop.

 

[mike d]

Let the dealership deal with it. If you have to fixed, it will cost you more than the dealership and it may not come out right so they will ding you on the trade in anyway.
If this is the rear quarter panel, it is not easy to access for repair.
This is around $1k but the cost will depend on many factors.

 

[N747JB]

But bad body work is worse than leaving it alone.

If you know a cheap body shop, go for that. Otherwise, I'd just leave it. I emphasize cheap because you're trying to put lipstick on the pig and make more money off of the sale, which isn't served by spending top dollar on the body shop.

 

[Pinstriper]

Call DentPro they can work magic.. I'm a journeyman bodytech and I've seen them do things I didn't think possible..

 

[ebykowsky]

Ewww. Also, it's not a bumper repair; it's part of the main body. Worth getting insurance to take care of it you think? Not sure what my deductible is.

 

[Ted]

But bad body work is worse than leaving it alone.

Depends on how quickly you sell the car.

 

[PaulS]

Ewww. Also, it's not a bumper repair; it's part of the main body. Worth getting insurance to take care of it you think? Not sure what my deductible is.

I'd call the insurance and ask them what your deductible is, don't tell them the car is damaged. Then I would go to a body shop and get an estimate. If the estimate is just a few hundred more than the deductible you might just want to fix it yourself. In these parts insurance can go up for accidents, not sure about where you are......

 

[ebykowsky]

And to think I almost took a hammer to it to try to knock it out!

On second thought, my parents probably have a pretty high deductible. I'll most likely end up letting the dealer deal with it. I'll figure a $800 devaluation.

 

[Non Compos Mentis]

Maybe try a paintless dent removal guy.

I had a football-sized dent in my truck, and a guy I know made it absolutely disappear. I thought he'd take one look at it and tell me it couldn't be done, but his response was: "No problem".

While he was at my house (yes, he came to me!), I had him also take a few door dings out of another car. Did everything for $80. Way too cheap for what he did.

Not all are as good as this guy, but definitely worth a shot.....

 

[Pinstriper]

Maybe try a paintless dent removal guy.

I had a football-sized dent in my truck, and a guy I know made it absolutely disappear. I thought he'd take one look at it and tell me it couldn't be done, but his response was: "No problem".

While he was at my house (yes, he came to me!), I had him also take a few door dings out of another car. Did everything for $80. Way too cheap for what he did.

Not all are as good as this guy, but definitely worth a shot.....

PDR is what DentPro does.. Some of them guys are incredible..

 

[N747JB]

At least get an estimate from a reputable shop, then you have something to negotiate with.

And to think I almost took a hammer to it to try to knock it out!

On second thought, my parents probably have a pretty high deductible. I'll most likely end up letting the dealer deal with it. I'll figure a $800 devaluation.

 

[Sac Arrow]

That doesn't look like an $80 paintless fix to me, not something you can put a plunger on and pop it back out. I mean get a quote, but you're not getting your money back on anything more than a $500 fix.

 

[ebykowsky]

That doesn't look like an $80 paintless fix to me, not something you can put a plunger on and pop it back out. I mean get a quote, but you're not getting your money back on anything more than a $500 fix.

Turns out there's no option here for a paintless It's going to be body shop for this one Guess that's the dealer's problem. Hopefully it doesn't hurt my resale value too much.

 

[Pinstriper]

That doesn't look like an $80 paintless fix to me, not something you can put a plunger on and pop it back out. I mean get a quote, but you're not getting your money back on anything more than a $500 fix.

Suction cups? It's advanced way farther than that ;-) skip to 3mins in this video for an example

 

[dell30rb]

If you know a cheap body shop, go for that. Otherwise, I'd just leave it. I emphasize cheap because you're trying to put lipstick on the pig and make more money off of the sale, which isn't served by spending top dollar on the body shop.

I'd go the other way. 2009 is what I consider late model, and accords hold their resale value well. Unless it has super high miles or something else wrong with it, pay the extra $$ to get the job done right.

If I saw something cheaply fixed on a 5 year old car, i'd punt. On a 15 year old car, wouldn't care.

 

[Sac Arrow]

Suction cups? It's advanced way farther than that ;-) skip to 3mins in this video for an example

I know, I meant that tongue in cheek. I didn't feel like typing out the whole descriptor.

 

[Pinstriper]

We had a major hail storm here in Chico Ca. 2011 those PDR guys came out from the tornado alley in the mid west and set up camp.. I'm talking came out in droves and in semis to repair panels in our shop we were replacing. We were amazed at what they were capable of and not to mention these guys were raking in $2k - $3k a day easily..

 

[N747JB]

They all show up a day or so after the hail comes through, we had a big hail storm last year in Atlanta and we had guys from all over the country! Some are better than others, but even the bad ones are pretty amazing to watch.

We had a major hail storm here in Chico Ca. 2011 those PDR guys came out from the tornado alley in the mid west and set up camp.. I'm talking came out in droves and in semis to repair panels in our shop we were replacing. We were amazed at what they were capable of and not to mention these guys were raking in $2k - $3k a day easily..

 

[N747JB]

+1 A 2009 Accord is highly sought after merchandise, especially if it has decent mileage. The sweet spot for used cars is generally 3-5 years old, all cars. They are still stylish and you can finance them at good rates and the price is different enough from new to make them more desirable.
We are always looking to buy 2008-2010 cars and trucks, they just sell quicker than newer or older ones.

I'd go the other way. 2009 is what I consider late model, and accords hold their resale value well. Unless it has super high miles or something else wrong with it, pay the extra $$ to get the job done right.

If I saw something cheaply fixed on a 5 year old car, i'd punt. On a 15 year old car, wouldn't care.

 

[bluerooster]

Looks like the "dogleg" which is not accessable from the back side, but not too bad to fix. Would run about $800 (give or take) for a quick decent fix. I'd just about guarantee theres wrinkling in the door jamb as well. Which will also need to be repaired and painted.
Then blend on the door and the 1/4 panel.
Can be done in a day, or 2 at the most. I like to allow 3 because I don't have ovens and paint booths. But can usually turn something like that in 2 days anyway.

I would think it would be about $1000 in TI value.

 

[bluerooster]

They all show up a day or so after the hail comes through, we had a big hail storm last year in Atlanta and we had guys from all over the country! Some are better than others, but even the bad ones are pretty amazing to watch.

Just wait a year or so, when the customers start comming back due to those paintless repairs jumping up to bite yer butt.
The paint is cracked, and will cause troubles later. But the fly-by-nite, dent fixers are gone, and the insurance company won't accept liability after a year, and yer customer is hoppin' mad. BTDT

 

[dmspilot]

How many miles are on the car?

 

[ebykowsky]

64k miles

Also has leather, sunroof, spoiler, everything short of a V6 and Nav system

 

[JHW]

I had a similar dent in my fender in this photo, below the gas filler door through the wheel well. Over Christmas holiday we were camping and had cut some logs to put in a stream bed to drive over because the mud was too deep. One of the logs broke and flew up denting in my fender.

I borrowed one of the magnet-and-steel-ball things froma coworker and every night while I was on a boring conference call with the accounts in the USA, I would work on my dent in the garage. It took about a month's worth of budget meetings but now it's gone. I can still see it but no one else can.

 

[SCCutler]

Suction cups? It's advanced way farther than that ;-) skip to 3mins in this video for an example

That is remarkable.

 

[N747JB]

We've been pretty fortunate so far, we've been having PDR done for 15+ years and haven't had any real issues.................so far.
But, we did end up filling and painting quite a few from the last hail storm, it was done with the insurance company blessing at the time. If the paint is cracked, not much else you can do.

Just wait a year or so, when the customers start comming back due to those paintless repairs jumping up to bite yer butt.
The paint is cracked, and will cause troubles later. But the fly-by-nite, dent fixers are gone, and the insurance company won't accept liability after a year, and yer customer is hoppin' mad. BTDT

 

[Dave Theisen]

My wife is the office manager for a PDR company here in Atlanta. I think they have kind of a love/hate relationship with hailstorms......lots of money, but lots of work.


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[N747JB]

Which company? I think everyone involved has a love/hate with hail storms, our body shop was covered up for months, just not as profitable as it would have been with that many cars and regular body work. But, still better than not getting it.

My wife is the office manager for a PDR company here in Atlanta. I think they have kind of a love/hate relationship with hailstorms......lots of money, but lots of work.


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[Dave Theisen]

Atlanta Dent Company in Roswell


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[us AAirways]

Let the dealership deal with it. If you have to fixed, it will cost you more than the dealership and it may not come out right so they will ding you on the trade in anyway.
If this is the rear quarter panel, it is not easy to access for repair.
This is around $1k but the cost will depend on many factors.

$1k???

I had scratches in the paint on the roof and drivers side plus scratched glass on the drivers side from roof shingles blown off during a storm. They replaced the glass and sanded/repainted the scratches.........$4500!

I had the work done at a dealership, but the insurance co said I could go any place, so it would have been the same at Bubba's Body Shop.

I am in the wrong field.

 

[bluerooster]

$1k???

I had scratches in the paint on the roof and drivers side plus scratched glass on the drivers side from roof shingles blown off during a storm. They replaced the glass and sanded/repainted the scratches.........$4500!

I had the work done at a dealership, but the insurance co said I could go any place, so it would have been the same at Bubba's Body Shop.

I am in the wrong field.

What kind of car? And how old? Also what color?

 

[bluerooster]

We've been pretty fortunate so far, we've been having PDR done for 15+ years and haven't had any real issues.................so far.
But, we did end up filling and painting quite a few from the last hail storm, it was done with the insurance company blessing at the time. If the paint is cracked, not much else you can do.

Thing about it is that the cracks aren't there, untill after the PDR.
Next time you get one in the shop, and it's done, just look closely in the proper light, you'll see them. A little star centered where the dent was.

I almost bought a very nice C36 merc. but the price was a tad high for what it was. Anyway, the guy was quite surprized that I knew that it had hail damage, and PDR. prior to looking at the mx records. The records confirmed that it had extensive hail damage, and repaired PDR by RBM of Atlanta, 17 months prior.

 

[us AAirways]

What kind of car? And how old? Also what color?

2013 Ford Edge in silver. I heard that silver is the worst color to fix??

Happened last year.

Mostly labor, removing the roof and door panels to repaint.

 

[us AAirways]

2013 Ford Edge in silver. I heard that silver is the worst color to fix??

Happened last year.

Mostly labor, removing the roof and door panels to repaint.

I thought the adjuster was kidding when he told me the $$ i was thinking it might be $1k, so I would just pay for it since I had a $500 deductible anyway, and keep my rates from rising. That idea went out the door quickly.