how to repair rear quarter panel damage
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AudiWorld Super User
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how to repair rear quarter panel damage
hit a guardrail and my insurance wants to "repair" the damage while the bodyshop wants to cut into the car and replace it. is it possible to theoretically get equally good cosmetic results with both? i am worried about structural integrity if they cut into the car to weld the piece on vs cosmetic results if they just pound out the dents. they also want to replace the door instead of just repairing the dents in it. anyone had the door replaced? did you have a problems with the windows or seals later? i know i have a good body shop but i don't want to do anything to the car that doesn't have to be done to it.
AudiWorld Super User
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Well...
I restore muscle cars in my spare time.... And do a lot of quarter panel replacement. If it is done right your car will be as strong as it was before. It not you will notice problems fairly soon. The problem with pounding out the dent is that if the dent is deep the sheet metal is stretch and would take a lot of work to get it back in to shape with out using a lot of body filler. A good body shop could do it but for insurance work they wouldn't even bother. Time is money..... It's much faster to just replace the panel for most places...
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AudiWorld Super User
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thanks...
i have pics of the damage, i wish i could post them. my main concern is that the car look as beautiful and be as strong as before. it is a good body shop and i just want the car to be perfect (although i know that will never be) again....
AudiWorld Super User
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Well technically,
if you want the car too look as good as it originally did... you would have to paint the whole car.... Patch painting may look good at first but a year or so down the road you will find the area where the original paint and new paint meet and be about ready to freak...... that is the big draw back of body damage on a part that doesn't just bolt on. There is no seam to hide the area where the new paint stops and the old paint begins... but if it is a good body shop I wouldn't worry much. Just make sure you get to pick the car up and take your time looking over the new paint in the sun from many different angels.... So you can see how straight the car is and ... if the paint is any good... also maybe you will want to pay attention to how much orange peal the new paint has.... Some times it is a lot more present than the original paint... and that will be a pain.... As every time you wash and wax the car that area will always look a bit different... And if it is too smooth....(not much orange peal) that area will be a lot glossier than the rest of the car... but its extremely hard to get a 100% match...
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