fugasi

iTrader: (3)

Ok, situation is my car got hit. Unfortunately, I no longer have a host where I can post up the images (will try to find something for that soon). Essentially, my driver's side rear quarter panel got hit hard, a good amount of damage. Here's my question. I'm getting two differing points of view on the "best" way to fix this.

1. Repair the panel. Entails the process of welding small "puller" rods to the panel and pulling it back into (as close as possible) the original shape of the panel, then body filler and sand to shape, prep, paint.


2. Replace the panel. Shape will be factory perfect.

One side of this is telling me that since it's a structural panel, it's not advisable to replace. The other side is telling me that replacing the panel is better than body filler because the body filler can eventually deform, due to the panel's metal reacting to heat changes.

All of this on a 2000 Pontiac TransAm. Driver's side rear quarter panel, apparently part of the unibody.

Opinions are welcome, but hard facts are preferred.... Also, looking for the solution to get it fixed right, not cheap or quick.

Thanks.

Cop Car

iTrader: (14)

1/4 pannels are replaced all the time, replace it

fugasi

iTrader: (3)

Pics... (hopefully photobucket allows hotlinking)

This is the trunk liner, you can see the dent is deep enough to push this liner in.


The bottom seem alone makes me think it's pretty impossible to repair this thing properly.

Firebirdguy00

Oh you can pull that out and it will be good as new. When you said hit hard i thought it was worse then that. No dont replace that. Ive fixed body panels 10x worse then that. It would be dumb to cut that whole fender off for that.

rex orr

I parts changer would change it, A real Body Man could fix it.

FLA02TA

iTrader: (5)

My rear just below the tail light was parking-lot-bumper rubbed and pushed in a little, right between your two marks there. The light cover itself appears to stick out a half inch.

I've tried pulling the spare out and hammer-tapping it, but it seems another layer of metal separates the body panel from the cubby. No luck.

Is there a tricky way of pulling it out from the outside? There's no damage to the paint, etc. Just caved a little.

CAMJAG

iTrader: (34)

That is a easy fix not bad at all keep that quater on it find a good body shop and take care of it. Just tell them before they fix it that it has to be perfect of your gona fuss. No body shop wants to do a job twice so tell them 100% the first time its not a honda civic.

PSiBlackZ

iTrader: (2)

Ok, well first of all I want you to know that I have worked at a body shop since i was a junior in highschool. I do all of the structural work and painting. Your qaurter panel could be bumped out without a doubt. Although, you said that you wanted to do this THE RIGHT WAY . The right way to do this would be to replace the qaurter panel. If the insurance company were paying for this we would replace the qaurter panel without a doubt. If it was someone jus tryin to get it done the cheap way we would bump it. Trust me, you DO NOT want that bumped out tho. Body Filler aka "Bondo", is a very cheap, unreliable way to fix things. It can crack or chip off (especially on thaat seem) and unless you get a very good body shop, they will most likely not block it out good and if you rub your hand against it or look at it on an angle it will appear to be "wavy"
DO IT THE RIGHT WAY, and replace the qaurter panel

fugasi

iTrader: (3)

That is, unfortunately, why I asked this question... The insurance company this is going through (Mercury insurance, covering the person that hit me) is recommending repairing the panel, not replacing it. All the independant estimates I got (3 total) were recommending replacing the panel, and this insurance assesser is recommending repair.

The Golden One

I had an accident similar to this where my quarter pannel got pretty roughed up and I believe they simply repaired it and not replaced it. I am 7 months aways from owning my Z28 and plan on taking a loan out to completely restore my Z and was curious as to how much a new quarter pannel would cost???

fugasi

iTrader: (3)

I'll have to check the original estimates I got and see if it includes a price for the panel...

CAMJAG

iTrader: (34)

Try to get as much as you possibly can out of the insurance adjuster. I dont know if they estimated your car yet but if not have them come to the shop your fixing it at or any shop just to write the estimate thier and the owner/manager of the shop can get them to give you more money. The job obviouslly has to be done perfect see what they can do you will get your check and then just tell the shop how you want it done and see how much they will do it for. Just know if not already that you can have any shop you choose to do the job not the insurance or anyone else can tell you where to bring it. Just tryin to help ya as much as I can..

2K2WS6TA

iTrader: (2)

Screw what the insurance company wants, their client hit you, it's up to them to make it right, if they keep balking at replacing the panel, just explain to the adjuster that you'd rather settle it without the expense of legal proceedings, but will do what's needed to protect your interests (and mentioning your neck and/or back is hurting wouldn't hurt either )

fugasi

iTrader: (3)

A lawyer is already on speed dial should I need that.. the neck and back thing won't fly, since I was asleep in my apartment when the car got hit... Yeah, ultimately, I'm going to get what I want. It's probably just not going to happen right away...

The Golden One

So does anyones know how much a new quarter pannel with install would cost???

fugasi

iTrader: (3)

Going off of my estimate and gmpartsdirect.com, GM list price for a drivers side quarter panel is $569.61, $336.07 (before shipping) from gmpartsdirect.com. Estimate says about 3 hours for removal and installation of new panel (including a-pillar manipulations), but that sounds a bit short for all that. Figure at least 3 hours for prep, paint and possibly blend.

Easiest way to get a better price would just be to go to a dealership or body shop and get an estimate. They almost all do it for free.

PSiBlackZ

iTrader: (2)

My suggestion is find a good body shop, dealers do THE shittiest work and overcharge , ask anyone that works at a dealer body shop and they will admit it.