Body Shop Choices

[brett25]

Hello Guys. I recently had a minor fender-bender which caused damage to the passenger side front fender. I have talked with three shops and baiscally I have this choice: 0ne of the shops ( with some creative overlapping plus some cash out of pocket) will pretty much be repainting the entire front end of the car from the doors forward. The second body shop said its best to restrict the ammount of painting to the fender that was damaged. Both shops are reputable and professional it seems. So i am wondering which was the best way to go-should I put all of this new paint on her (would really clean things up in the front) or stick with as much original paint as possible and only paint the necessary section? I am not too experienced with the whole painting thing. Any help and/or advice would be well appreciated. Thanks
Brett

[SoCal Driver]

Find a straight fender in the local junk yards that is the same color as your car.

Replace bent fender and polish.

Pocket rest of insurance money.

My fender bender was a $1,600 pay off.

Fender was $200.

Net profit of $1,400.

[brett25]

Hi. That would not be possible in this case, as the insurance company will be dealing directly with the shop, besides I am hoping to have the car looking really nice after the work.

[SoCal Driver]

Wrong.

That is possible. Just ask the insurance company for the cash as you have your own shop to take it to.

California state law gives you that right.

However Allstate has been locking up shops with collusive contracts many of which are either being investigated or contested by state attorneys. So it's time consuming to get Allstate to move.

Make sure you have that fender lined up before you do this.

[brett25]

Hi thanks for the reply. actually, I am hoping someone will provide some advice to my specific question, i.e, Is it better to stay with the original paint, or take an opportunity to put alot of new paint on. Thanks!

[SoCal Driver]

OK.

To answer your original question:

Your insurance company is going to cut as much cost of off what they pay the body shop as possible. Therefore they have a contract with the body shop that dictates a lower hourly rate.

Your insurance company also has the right to use "collision" and used parts. Collision parts are what they can straighten out and bondo. To heck with the galvanization. This also means that if a used fender, not in you color, is found for less they make the body shop repaint it and use it.

So what level of quality are you going to get for minimum wage?

Since the fender you get will most likely be used why not just get one yourself in your car's original color???

I have never seen scabbed in paint match or last as long as the rest of the factory paint on a 944. The quarter panel that was done on my car 17 years ago lasted five years till it faded and crazed. Took the rest of the car another seven years to catch up. Yes it was done by the Porsche dealer.

In this case you are going to get what you are not paying for.

Good luck.

[bogomili]

Lodgepole says:

"Hmm. . . Hugh Speak-um good sense. . . Let's smoke on it"

[brett25]

Thanks for your reply So cal. I am going to have the minimum amount of paint applied as possible ( I guess I felt this intuitively). However, the insurance is going to work like this: I choose any shop I want. The day I bring the car into the shop, Insurance sends the adjuster to approve ( i found a shop that will "pitch" for me it seems). On approval the work is begun. When the work is finished insurance pays shop. I will not see a check, so there will be no opportunity to do as you suggested and try to pocket most of it and put a used fender on it. But I will probably be getting a new nose panel ( which has ripples in it and mucho rock chips) and headlite covers thrown in. He will paint the front fender with sickens (spelling?) which sounds good. Also he will be puting on a brand new OEM fender.
Brett

[SoCal Driver]

You didn't get a check because you didn't ask.

Most every commercial body shop you go to has some sort of a deal worked out with every major insurance company.

Get a copy of the estimate that you get from the insurance adjuster then take your car to another body shop and get a second estimate but don't tell them who your insurance or the insurance of the person that hit you is.

You will find that it's about 20% to 40% higher.

What a body shop does is come back to the insurance company as ask for more $$$ if/when they run into more damage. By using collusion the insurance companies keep their costs down. This only short changes the insured, you and I, through lessening the value of our cars because of inferior workmanship.

Be sure it's an OEM fender and not something made in Brazil or Malaysia.

Again, good luck and enjoy the education you are about to receive on insurance companies and body shops.