Who Should Repair Body Damage On Leased Car?

[nstryker]

We've got a 2005 RX330 that we lease - starting about 3 months ago. My wife has some paint transfer and minor scratches on the R/F quarter panel from a pole in a parking lot.

The car is leased. Should I take it to a good local body shop or to Lexus's body shop?

Thanks.

[KY350]

Not sure how nasty your accident was, but if it was very minor, you would be able to get the paint and scratches off with a combination of clay bar and scratch remover. Worked on my car.

If scratch remover cannot get the scratches out, then the scratches are too deep and will need to be touched up at a panel shop. If you have the option, take it to a Lexus body shop as they have a lot of experience with these vehicles. Most Lexus vehicles have a lot more fasteners holding the panels together, which most panel beaters find a pain in the butt. So if you take it to a Lexus body shop, they will know exactly what needs to come off, if anything, and know how to put it back together again, without leaving "spare bolts" post repair. Also, I would have a lot more confidence in a Lexus body shop colour matching the paint that Joe Bloggs down the road. Finally, Lexus approved repairers have their staff attend Lexus run repair workshops, so you know that your Lexus will be well attended to by these Lexus approved repairers.

[lexena]

If it is a minor damage, I would suggest to leave it the way it is and fix it when it is time to return the vehicle. If you need to fix it right away, you can take it to any paint shop to repair, it does not have to be Lexus since they don't do body or paint job themself.

[SKperformance]

lots of options

if it is going to rust fix it now with a lexus approved refinisher

it it doesn;t bother you in the look then leave it until you are going to return it and fix it before returning it.

It is it only light scratches then it can probably be buffed out and lexus wont; care less

but don't get it fixed cheap if it is a damaged panel as they will charge you way more to fix it later becuase of problem which are negligable and not worth noting but in order to make it "perfect" they will charge you to return it to oem condition, which is why you use their body shop to do the repair so you are off the hook.

[SKperformance]

btw throw up a pic to get a more detailed answer

[nstryker]

Thanks for all the info. I want to post some pics but couldn't figure out how. I checked the help section to no avail. Please help and I'll get them right up. Thanks.

[SKperformance]

put a pic in the gallery and either paste a link to its page or position from the properties by right clicking it.

or upload it with a new reply as an attachment

[SW03ES]

As long as the body shop does a good job with the repair then it doesn't matter who does it. Most Lexus dealers anymore don't even have bodyshops they just send their customers elsewhere.

Take it to a detailer though, if its just paint transfer and some minor scratches I bet they can buff it out to where it'll be barely noticable.