stealthology

Hey guys,

This is what happened: My passenger side door was wide open, with a large object (piece of wood) facing the inside of the door, and the driver reversed and buckled the door backwards. You can see the resulting damage in the photo I attached. For the repair, they need to fix up that door and re-paint it, and also repaint the front fender. They also need to replace the "door check", which is the piece which snapped; I think all that does is ensure the door doesn't continuously open all the way backwards.

Now, the questions:

1) I got a nice independent body shop to do an estimate and they stated $840ish flatten out /fixerup the door/repaint it/repaint the front fender/replace the door check. Does that price sound reasonable?
2) Should I bother getting an estimate from a BMW stealership? Any idea how much more they would charge? Can a small body shop do just as good of a job as the dealership?
3) The body shop which I got the estimate at brought to my attention of another very slight indent on the bottom left side of the same front passenger side door (very close to where the rear door is). It's hardly noticeable, just a very shallow dent (not in pictures). They said if I want to fix that too, it would be an additional total of $220, which includes the cost of blending the rear passenger side door since it's so close to the rear door. They wouldn't be blending the rear fender, so would blending the rear door even be worth it?

Thanks all.
Dan

luigi524td

Wouldn't hurt to get an estimate from a certified BMW Collision Center ... it might not be that much different in price and they'd be more familiar with the nuances of repair. If it's that much higher at least you'll know you have the choice. I'd actually show them the estimate you have from the independent shop.

turboawd

i doubt they are going to replace the door for $840.
they'll probably massage the metal back as close as possible and then use some filler. if you can live with that, then do it. its probably the option i would take, unless insurance is paying for it.

Howitzer

You get an estimate from the most expensive place possible, get that as a payout, then go to the indy shop and fix it for less, pocket the rest for mods!



Unless, of course..... you're paying out of pocket. Then its a no-brainer.

Gilgorm

Check out www.realoem.com to look at the parts and prices involved. With the type of damage done I would opt for a new outer door skin etc.
For the price there is no way you are getting anything new. Based on the age of your car they may be able to find a replacement door at a wreckers. Definitely get a second quote.
An independent can do as good as the dealer for sure as long as they are very familiar with your car. None of the BMW/MB dealers here in Toronto have their own body shops so farm out the work after cars are dropped off. I recently had a very happy experience with an independent who fixed $14,125 worth of damage to my baby.

stealthology

Thanks guys. I will not be using insurance to repair this.

The body shop guy explained to me that they would use some welding materials to pull the dent out so that they don't actually drill any holes, and use a very minimal amount of filler before they re-paint. For people who are experienced with body repair, does this sound right? Will I not be able to notice the repair after it's done? Thanks.

pukka

You are going to notice the new paint since its a fresh clear coat on the door compared to the rest of the car. The important thing is to make sure there are no slight ripples or ridges on the repaired area - it should be as smooth as everywhere else. If it's not, then make them do it again.

Also check to make sure the door is aligned properly (especially the gap between the door and the quarter panel). As soon as you get the car back drive it on the highway and listen for excessive wind noise. Also check for water leaks.

Hope it all works out for you.

MRV99

For what they are doing it does not sound too far off. They will be painting the door, the doorjam door because they will cause damage when they pound it out and when they weld the stud onto the door. The will sandfix the entire driver door and only paint maybe 1/3 of your front door and blend the paint toward the front of the door to make the paint match if it is off ever so slightly(metallic paint makes this easier) . They will Sandfix the rear door and blend the new paint onto the rear door in order to make the repair seamless and then clear the front and rear door. I would ask them if they are going to be removing your door handles and window trim before they paint. If they don't then there is a chance you will see a clear coat line which can be unsightly and make the repair more noticeable when sold. At 50-75 an hour for plus material you may find it cheaper but not drastically.