fpr4

Some jerk with a trailer hitch backed into me when i was parallel parked (will never do that again) and now I have a nasty gash thru the paint surface. It wouldn't be super noticeable except for the fact that my Classic Silver contrasts heavily with the black base on the bumper.

What should I do? I'm worried that a patch-work paiting will look shotty but repainting the entire fender would get kinda expensive, no?

TheQuietThings

most of the local body shops here charge between $350 and $500 to have a panel resurfaced and repainted.

UnFocused

Yeah, the only way to take care of that would be to have it re-painted. The bodyshop I work at charges about 3 hours (at $45 an hour) for paintwork per panel. plus you are going to need 1-2 hours of body work to fill in the gash. Plus paint materials and clearcoat . your looking at about $350. your insurance will file it under your collision. this is why it pays to have a 0 deduct.

fpr4

Is that to repaint the whole panel or just patch it?

UnFocused

without seeing pics its hard to tell. But if its a small area, most bodyshops will paint just that one spot and blend into the good existing paint. then they will reclear the whole entire panel.

what to you mean by "patch it" with bondo-yes......

kymfitz

See if your insurance will cover it, they should if someone else hit you. Even if they hit you and drove off.

I have a small issue with my fender too. I bought f1 fenders, but am some what hesitant to put fiberglass on my car.

...

Good luck

fpr4

here's my baby


here's my baby up close

Lucky13_TC

Did you get touch up factory paint from the dealer? Being that it is that low and that small, I would try to put just a tad and a really thin layer of that paint to help cover it. Make sure it is a little bit and try to spread it evenly with something flat.

Either that or you could actually put a liscence plate on and that should do the trick, you could even get a crome or reflective scion plate if you don't want a real one on.

My 2 cents

05-RS1

lookin at pics, that doesnt look so bad. i know it may be worse if i saw it in person, but from that pic, looks like some touch up paint will do the trick. i recommend paintscratch.com get the clearcoat and the paint and it'll do u good.

UnFocused

yeah, thats def not worth having repainted. I would try some touch up paint first....

fpr4

The only problem is that the paint was pushed back and it actually protrudes about 3-5mm from the actually body. Is there any way I could buff that out or cut it off first?

fpr4

How does that attach? Do you have to drill a hole through the bumper where those little indentions are?

Lucky13_TC

I assume that is where it goes. In Illinois, the dealer puts it on there for us. You should see if you can get a free install from the dealer. It is a licence plate and they usally have frames of their own that advertise their dealership on it. Get that installed and then you have the holes already and you don't have to worry about messing it up. Just say that a cop hassled you about not having front plates and you need front plates now. Unless it is not illegal for you to not have front plates. Just ask and see what they say, if not, it is drilling time!