I like that idea about looking at the repair before it is covered in bondo. Well I have a new question: How does an estimate change if you say insurance is paying or if you say you are paying out of pocket? Cause now her insurance is getting involved and I went to the body shops saying it was out of pocket.

 

If you had gone shopping saying it was an insurance job, you probably would have gotten a panel replacement recommendation from more than just that one shop. Insurance companies have the money that an individual may not, and the shop knows they're going to get paid from the ins. co. The insurance company may or may not send an adjuster out. Sometimes they don't and will deal on the phone if they have a good working relationship with the shop, and the repair sounds reasonable.

 

any time a unibody car gets part of the structure that is welded to the whole and it becomes damaged it is considered "frame damage"

Massey

 

Do you think if I go back and say insurance is paying they will adjust the estimate?

 

Well, as a businessman, I wouldn't if I were them. That would mean back-tracking on what was said and recommended to you in the first place. That would make ones integrity look a bit questionable, unless they can't think that far ahead of themselves. But hey, give it a shot. What do you want to get out of the repair anyway. Would you be happy with it getting hammered straight if it only meant minor filling?

 

I want it to be restored to factory. the way it was before the damage no dents or waves. But I dont want a screwed up panel replacement. I guess what Im saying is I want it factory with the least amount of chance of something going wrong. Cause they can screw up the dent pull and be ok but screwing up the panel replacement would be bad.

 

Goes back to what I said earlier then, ask around for references. I know a couple good body shops right near me that I and others I know have trusted with this kind of work.

 

Ill do some more research then. I really appreciate your help.

 

You're welcome, and good luck. If you were out here by me, I would know exactly where to send you, and you would get a perfect car back. Out by you, somebody must know somebody who knows somebody. And as far as reputations go, bad news travels faster than good, so it should be easier to find what shops not to go to.

 

also like I was saying earlier as well, call your local insurance agents offices and ask them about the local body shops. Independent agents work better than the company's 1-800 numbers since they are going to be local and usually dealing with the local repair shops.

I can understand your feelings on getting the repairs done and done right. I know what is a right repair in either case because I have been a body man and I used to do this for a living. most people would not know if it is right or not just by looking. trust me I have had to fix what a shop messed up and some of the stuff was not pretty. One shop messed a qtr up so bad that what was a simple 4 or 5 day job of repairing turned into a qtr replacement because of all the holes they put in the panel trying to use a slide hammer to pull the dent, they left it as an oil can and bondo'd it all up. they didnt even weld the holed shut.

Massey