I Hit My Rx While Reversing, Please Help

[Kutten]

Today was a bad day. While backing up my RX330, I bumped into my parents Accord's mirror. There's a dent on my RX330 (back passenger side) and little bit of the paint also pealed out. I don't know what to do, as I am scared if it’ll cost lot to get it fix. Should I take it to a Lexus dealership? Any advice or suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot.

[SW03ES]

Can you post pictures of the damage?

[Kutten]

Sure, how do I post pictures that will stay on this page?

[djspawn00]

Sure, how do I post pictures that will stay on this page?

Attach the pictures as a file when you post a reply. You don't have to go to a dealer to get it fixed, you said you're missing paint, check some body shops in your area they shouldn't have a problem giving you an estimate to repaint that section, just take a look at some of the work they've done when you pay a visit.

[SW03ES]

As a matter of fact an independent shop that comes to you highly reccomended is likely to do better work than the dealer.

It might be something they can fix with PDR. Otherwise if the dent is where I think it is, its going to cost a mint to fix. If its in that rear quarter panel then they have to repaint the ENTIRE panel to make it look right, which includes the section above all the doors all the way to the base of the front windshield. If thats where it is, you're looking at $1800 easy.

There are cheaper ways like painting and blending, but its not going to look right.

[Kutten]

Here's a Photo of the dent. Can someone tell me how much it'll cost (roughly).. What's the best way to get it fixed. Thanks a bunch to everyone.

[denslexusgx470]

Looking at the dent, looks like they have to replace that part of the metal. I don't know how they do it, as when my RX300 back 5 years ago didn't get any body metal damage, so I can't tell you how they repair that. But unfortunately, you're definitely looking at a 4 digit repair bill.

Take my bumper incident for example. Bumper, painting, and labor costed me $805. Good luck. Just remember, cheaper isn't always going to be better. Use good common sense and inner feelings to judge whether the shop will do a good job or not. I had two shops quote me, about the same price but the first shop seemed like they didn't really know what they're doing. The bumper guard on top of my bumper, is built in, meaning it is part of the bumper, and not some attached thing. First shop told me, they'd remove the old one and put it on the new one. Second shop said that it's part of the bumper and that it's the "unpainted" part of the bumper. Shows to me, the customer, that maybe the first shop doesn't know what they're doing until they start working on my car.

Just make sure you go with a shop that sounds like they know what they're doing and make sure it's no "XYZ bodyshop" but some reputable shop in town. I highly recommend body shops at dealerships because they have a reputation to keep.

[Kutten]

This morning I went to 2 body shops (Service King & a local one). They both said that PDR can't be done for mine. I will be taking it to few more shops today. Service King quoted: $1400; local one: $1000. Service King kept saying that soo much have to be done to the car, etc..etc. So still trying to find a better place.

[SW03ES]

Yeah thats a really bad hit, they're going to have to do a lot of metalwork to get the metal flush and then respray that ENTIRE panel. I think $1400 is probably low.

Remember that on a car of this caliber its definately worth it to spend the money upfront to have the work done right, or it will hurt you in resale down the road.

[LexKid630]

They will either have to smooth out that dent, fill and sand, or just buy a new panel. Either way, that panel will most likely need to be removed and re-painted.. that means they will have to take half the car apart :(

Hopefully the'll be able to fix that panel without damaging much of the paint surrounding it, so they can just blend and not have to go into the rear passenger door or tailgate...

If you see this picture i attached, you can see how large that panel is; it goes all the way to the mirrors :(

Have you thought about going through your insurance company? I just got into an accident a few months ago, and decided to have my insurance take care of it. My body shop REALLY helped me out too; here's how:

Lets say it really cost them $800 to fix my car... I had my insurace people look at the damage at my body shop. My body shop guys told my insurace people they needed $3000 to fix my car! So they fixed the damage, gave me $500 to cover my deductable, and $750 to cover the new rates i'm going to experience for the next 3 years... so i'm even, and my body shop made out VERY well! I just have to hope i don't get into another accident for 3 years...

Just a thought...

Also, when deciding on a body shop, make sure you see some of their work. Notice the paint match, and the quality of the clear-coat. See if there's dust etc. caught in it. You'll know when you've hit a good place!

[SW03ES]

Thats the problem, they cannot remove or replace that panel. That panel is an integral part of the unibody construction of the car. It would have to be cut out, and then a new one welded into its place, the welds ground down and smoothed out. Thats why damage to that panel is so costly to repair.

You don't want them to blend the paint, you want them to re shoot the entire panel if you want it done right, and that includes the part that goes over the doors down to the base of the windshield. Blending in this day and age of computerized paint matching is a thing of the past.

That hit isn't worth going through his insurance, its an at falt collision claim and it will raise his rates.

Here's a picture, I've outlined the entire area that will have to be repainted:

[Rx330driver]

lol lexkid thats insurance fraud although my dealer offered to do that for me one time. He wanted to print two copies of different receipts, one for me and one to show the insurance company. lol

who designs cars with the body panels integrated into the structure? thats a bad design in my opinion seeing how body panels always get dented.

[SW03ES]

Yeah...thats absolutely insurance fraud. Both LexKid and his shop could do time for that. Not worth it.

Plus, BS like that is what makes insurance so expensive for all of us, thanks.

As for the quarter panels being integral to the structure, thats how ALL unibody cars are designed.

[Rx330driver]

oh yeah i know, but it doesnt seem practicle to do that.

p.s. love the blue outline. you do that on paint? lmao

[Lexusfreak]

Kutten, you never really mentioned what kind of damage was done to your parents Accord.

[Kutten]

Kutten, you never really mentioned what kind of damage was done to your parents Accord.

In their car, the mirror came out of the screw (0.15", it's not noticeable unless you go close and look at it).

Have you thought about going through your insurance company? I just got into an accident a few months ago, and decided to have my insurance take care of it. My body shop REALLY helped me out too; here's how:

Lets say it really cost them $800 to fix my car... I had my insurace people look at the damage at my body shop. My body shop guys told my insurace people they needed $3000 to fix my car! So they fixed the damage, gave me $500 to cover my deductable, and $750 to cover the new rates i'm going to experience for the next 3 years... so i'm even, and my body shop made out VERY well! I just have to hope i don't get into another accident for 3 years...

Just a thought...

Also, when deciding on a body shop, make sure you see some of their work. Notice the paint match, and the quality of the clear-coat. See if there's dust etc. caught in it. You'll know when you've hit a good place!

I do not want to get my insurance involved as I already have a claim from little over 2 yrs ago.

[SW03ES]

oh yeah i know, but it doesnt seem practicle to do that.

p.s. love the blue outline. you do that on paint? lmao

Practical or not, if you want it done right thats how it has to be done. Otherwise you're going to have a paint line somewhere up the C pillar.

Yep, I'm an MS Paint professional can't you tell! ;)

[Kutten]

I removed all the panels to push out the dent.. and I was able to get my hands inside, even though it's in a rough place.. I pushed with my hands, but it didn't even move little bit.. any other ideas? also, what's main reason to use hair blower (is it to soften up the metal).. thanks a lot...

[Rx330driver]

yes it is to soften up the metal. but be careful when doing that, it gets hot. so use gloves.

[Kutten]

yes it is to soften up the metal. but be careful when doing that, it gets hot. so use gloves.

someone said it's to make sure the paint doesn't crack.. can u really soften the metal with hair dryer?

[ArmyofOne]

yes it is to soften up the metal. but be careful when doing that, it gets hot. so use gloves.

someone said it's to make sure the paint doesn't crack.. can u really soften the metal with hair dryer?

it serves both purposes. it will help the metal conform back to its original shape. i dont think it will work on this dent tho, its too big. if you look at the area under the taillight, you can see it stretched the metal and bent the taillight cavity. thats going to have to be a precision repair as steve said or it will never look right...i would be prepared to write a $2,000 check for it to look factory ever again. but being that its such a nice vehicle, i would find a way to pay that expense.

i just looked again, the hair dryer wil not work, the paint is already ruined, if you look closely at the dent on the rear portion, you can see a crease in the metal. they wont even be able to fill that with body filler, it will crack and begin to fall off again in a few years because of that crease there, they will have to pull it out and reconform the metal, or as steve said, cut the panel out and weld a new one in.

and JMO, DO NOT LET SERVICE KING ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR VEHICLE...you will not be happy with the results. service king is kinda like maaco...actually, they are just like maaco. repairs are cheap and will last a few years, but I wouldnt put a repair of that quality into anything except a 1993 Dodge Neon, or chevy cavalier.

[SW03ES]

You can't push out a dent like that with your hands, if they can't do it with PDR it will have to be done by a professional shop or left alone.

If you keep messing with it this way you're going to crack the paint and make it worse...

[Kutten]

Today 3 different PDR took a look at it, and two of them said they won't even recommend doing a PDR on it.. then one guy agreed that he'll work on it, so I dropped my RX with him, buy after 3 hours he called and told me NO LUCK, so I went and picked it up. So PDR is out of my option. Now I have to get it done through body shop.. so today, I stopped by a Nissan body shop and they game me a very good estimate I got from all 10 estimates.. so u think I should let nissan body shop work on my repair because I am little bit concern about the RX Bamboo paint.. please let me know ur option ASAP. Thanks..