95wht6spd

A women in a truck backed into me in the parking lot tonight! :mad Rear qtr panel and bumper cracked. I want to have these replaced and back to new, but will the insurance co. or the dealership want to just repair it? I don't want a patch job! :smash:

vader86

If the bumper is torn, i dont think it can be fixed, its urethane plastic not fiberglass.

quarter panel can be repaired, but if they suggest it you better raise all kinds of hell, it should be replaced


[Modified by vader86, 7:09 PM 3/27/2004]

95wht6spd

OK, went to the adjusters today, and like I expected she just wrote the estimate for repair, NOT replacement. Tomorrow I go to have the body shop give me an estimate, which I feel like will be more realistic. They at least have to take of the bumper to be able to tell if the honeycomb needs to be replaced.
I need some help. Any one have any documentation, proof, experiance that at least the cracked qtr panel should be replaced, not repaired. I just can't see it looking like new repaired, VS. replaced. Am I worrying for nothing, should I wait until the body shop gives me the estimate?

The bumper is not torn but it looks like it is dented in where the side molding is, can this be reshaped?

CFI-EFI

A repaired 1/4 CAN be made to look original, if it is done correctly. For the "straight scoop" take to a Chevy dealer. Even better if you can find one that does a lot of Corvette work. At the least, their quote will be on the high side and give you better negotiating power. Good luck, and...

RACE ON!!!

greg84

:iagree: shoot for a body shop that works on vettes ,its a differant repair for corvette glass.good luck.greg84

vader86

If that rear bumper is actually torn, I dont see how they can repair it. Its a one-piece urethane bumper.

If its bent, yes, they heat it up and remold it to look right. You really want a vette shop with alot of experience to do this.

Even so, that rear bumper wont be perfect in shape.

The fiberglass can be repaired, except that it wont stay perfect. The bonding they put on to make the fiberglass stick together usually doesnt act well when paint is applied, and it can bubble up in a spot or two. It wont be immediate, but it probably will show sooner or later. In terms of shape, it can be made to look correct though.

believe me, i know this for a fact

Pete K

I have seen rubber bumpers repair well. Regarding the quarter panel REPLACE<REPLACE< REPLACE!!!! Even if you have to reach in your own pocket for the difference. Trust me on this I could tell you my own horror stories. Your sanity is worth paying extra.

96LT1

:iagree:

Over time even if it was a halfway decent job it will start to seperate or bulge where the repair was done. The bulge can become so bad as to crack the paint.

JasonL

I cracked the rear quarter panel... hard to tell, you would think it was just cracked paint. Body shop owner took one look and said the panel needed to be replaced. According to him, a repair would not hold up over time, if someone leaned on the panel, etc.

Don't know about the rear bumper. I remember them saying something about repairs preferable to replacement, because the original part usually fits better.

95wht6spd

The crack is on top of the qtr panel, from the back edge to the hole for the antenna. The surface is pretty flat even though it is cracked about 5". Do you think this area would be prone to seperating? I went to the body shop today and they do all the work for a local Chev. dealer, including Corvette's. He said they have some very good techs there and it should not be a problem. They had a new Boxster outside and had repainted the front bumber and it looked better than the rest of the car, no orange peel. They also had a letter of recommedation from the local Corvette clube president, they repaired the whole front end of his car.

What kind of warranty is typical, 1yr or life time on the work? If it did recrack, are we talking about in 6 months, 2 yrs, 5 yrs, 10, etc.?

Pete K

Had my 1/4 repaired by the "best" shop in the area. Paid twice what everyone else wanted to repair. The shop offered a lifetime warrantee. That meant that the 19 yes 19 times that it bubbled and cracked they attempted to repair. That tied up my car 6 months of the year for 5 years.Finally got a lawyer involved and they changed them to get rid of me. If you have to pay out of your pocket the difference for replacement it is well worth it. I would even contribute a few bucks toward a group collection if nescessary so you can avoid the stress I went thru. Remember the hair you pull out grow in well but the hair that falls out from stress comes back thinner. :lol: :rant:

vader86

Its almost always going to look great right after its finished, but its not going to last. Thats one thing that always gets people.

Its hard for me to guess how long it'll last without seeing the damage, but the bonding 'can' last a very very long time, so long that you dont have to worry about it coming apart.

But the paint wont. The chemicals that bond the fiberglass will bubble the paint, usually within 6mos-1yr.

mikesvette

She hit you????. You tell them you want it fixed the way you want it fixed or it's Lawyer time. Watch the change in there attitude.

A lady hit my wifes Toyota about 10 years ago and the said, will fix it don't worry about it I said I wanted all new Toyota parts and they said no. I got the family Lawyer on it. Guess what happened.......

Don't settle for something your not completley satisfied with.

95wht6spd

I called today and the manager said that they give a lifetime waranty in writing on the work done. He said if it is done right it won't come apart or bubble. I am with you guys, I would like new parts, but I don't think it would be worth the time, agravation, or expense to involve an attorney. (If it was really busted up or a brand new car, that would be different.) If it fails later, I can have them redo it with a new part, right?

mikesvette

If your fine with that OK but get it in writing. Has this body shop been around for a long time?. Because that lifetime waranty is scrap paper if in 3yrs when it cracks or bubbles the shop is long gone.

Just remember your the victim. They(insurance companies) love to pat everybody on the butt and get it over with the cheapest and easiest way possible.

Pete K

my lifetime warrantee meant 19 attempts at repair. That was loads of fun. :eek: