Got In An Accident

[mike94silverado]

My Clean 94 Chevy isn't so Clean anymore. On my wayto get the family christmas tree some drunk made no attempt to yield at the yield sign and took out my passenger box side. He was blew a .07 .08 is drunk here. He got a ticket and I got a smashed up truck. I got full coverage but I don't like the idea of bondo in my clean truck I guess I'll see if the body shop will put a new box side on for me. I guess this is the opportunity to get my cab corner redone also

[budhayes3]

Sorry to hear that man. At least nobody got hurt. It always breaks my heart when a nice Chevy truck gets banged up.

[mike94silverado]

the worst part is that his Dodge got a broken side marker that's it.

[budhayes3]

the worst part is that his Dodge got a broken side marker that's it.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Aaarrghhh!!! That really sux!

[lisak421]

That really stinks! The good thing is you're ok. I hope you find a good shop that can restore your baby.

[mike94silverado]

yeah I hope I find a good shop but I am going to be a complete a$$hole to them until it is right. I am way too picky lol.

[mcreyaufmiller]

If it is a big enough dent, they will replace the bed side. Now a days, it is eaiser and cheaper to replace panels then to fix them. Good luck, let us know how it turns out.

[dstktmusa]

If it's not a big enough dent to replace the entire bedside, perhaps make it a big enough dent before you take your truck in..........................

[Autumn]

My perfect ride was hit by an 18 wheeler and pushed into a guardrail. Nobody hurt and all damage has been fixed. Question: how do I determine what my truck was worth before the "accident" and what it is worth now? Has anyone ever been successful in getting the other party to pay that difference?

 

I hope they fix your ride as good as they did mine. Glad nobody was hurt.

 

Autumn

[gnutruk]

Many years age I figured out how to determine the best body shop in any given region.

 

The drivers front of my '84 Toyota Ex-Cab was smashed in by a guy who slid out on ice. Nobody hurt, but extensive front end work needed.

 

I knew all the undercarriage steering and suspension components would be replaced, along with the sheet metal panels that were completely crumpled. But there were other panels further back that were only slightly bent, deep scratches and gouges, etc.

 

I too, like mike94silverado, didn't want a bunch of bondo patching.

 

So I called around to all the "upscale" auto dealers, such as Mercedes, Volvo, and BWM, and talked with their service guys about where they send their brands for minor body work. Where I was living at that time they all answered with one name, and in all cases it was the same shop.

 

That place was NOT on the list of body shops my insurance carrier had provided me with. But California insurance regulations at that time let me choose my own repair shop, so I had my Toy hauled over there.

 

The guy took one quick look at my busted up Toy and sez; "After I'm through this truck will ride better than new." I sez; "I don't like the idea of bondo, you know." (or words to that effect). He sez; " We don't ever use bondo or anything else like that. If we can't pull dents we patch in new sheet metal. If we can't patch in new metal, we replace the entire section." I sez; "I'm worried that the frame got racked." He sez; "After I'm through that frame will be closere to spec. than when it rolled out of the factory."

 

Long story short: That truck rode better than new afterward. I owned it for almost another ten years, and the body panels, suspension, steering, etc. were totally trouble free (those 1980's 4 cyl. Toyota motors were superb, too).

 

So to recap: To find the best body shop in your area, consider asking the local upscale Euro service guys where they send their brands.

 

gnutruk

[blue2kzr2]

One of the local Enterprise franchises uses the shop I go to. I also regularly see luxury cars in the body shop. They even commented, after my 2nd accident had damaged both fenders on my old truck, that the bondo on the pass. fender was NOT theirs, that they use a different color if they use any at all. They usually replace damaged body parts with new OE parts, they rarely cut and weld panels unless it's needed in order to replace the damaged panel (quarter panel on many vehicles). Oh yeah, they do such a good job with pulling the frame that you couldn't tell it'd been bent on the old truck, drove GREAT.

 

My truck goes there next week for my annual state inspection and possibly front suspension work.

[mcreyaufmiller]

Keep in mind,

 

Even if they cut and weld, there will be a small ammount of bondo used. The only way to almost gaurentee no bondo is to replace the panel. Most of the time, even new panels need a little bondo.

[ManyCamaroz]

yeah I hope I find a good shop but I am going to be a complete a$$hole to them until it is right. I am way too picky lol.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

 

I am going to be a complete a$$hole to them until it is right

 

Where do you think that will get you?

 

Autos come from the factory with body filler (bondo is only a brand name). There is nothing wrong with a little filler if prepped and applied correctly.