Have some damage on my passenger door, and was quoted $1850 to have it fixed, followed by "if you get an estimate anywhere else, it won't be any less than $2500." Is that true, and is $1850 a fair quote? Pictures of the damage attached.

 

It's more than the door panel, there is damage to the rear quarter panel too.
I'd sure get a couple more estimates but I don't think you'll get much better. Body work ain't cheap anymore and you want it done right. Has your insurance person looked at that?

 

Definitely get more estimates!!

Our other car is a '14 CX-5 (solid car) in that metallic red you see in all the Mazda commercials. The left doors and rear quarter panel got some severe scrapes and some dents. Went to a body shop that had done work for me before, and they insisted that the undamaged front quarter panel would also need repainting because that red was so tricky -- over $2k. The dealer recommended another body shop, one that they use, and they said a bit over $1k. Needless to say, we went to the $1k shop (left front panel alone) and the car looked new again.

 

Take them up on their offer to get more quotes. If the other quotes are similar or higher, I'd give them your business as they were honest. If they are way high, and others are lower, choose one of the others (but do some inquires using Yelp, Angies, etc., to determine quality of work).

Just my .02 rupes.

 

Yes, body work doesn't come very cheap. I'm getting work done that I thought wouldn't be as much as it turned out to be. If panels are repaired and need paint work, remember that panels that are unrelated to the damage will need to be blended. Meaning, additional paint work on panels that you may not be thinking of. You can ask for a print out of the quote they gave you so you have an idea of all the work that is needed to be done. Go to other body shop for quotes and then compare them. Where are you located? Might not be a bad idea to also do a yelp search for reviews on shops near you that seem to have a good reputation.

 

I was trying to do this without insurance, as I didn't think it would be anywhere close to a 4 digit estimate. I also didn't want to make a claim as it was my own fault, not the result of an accident or any outside influence.

I've got a few more requests for quotes out right now, it just didn't seem like it would be so much. If they all come in around 2k, then I'm just not going to bother with it for now. I simply can't afford that much and won't be able to for a long while.

 

I wouldn't hesitate to have that done through insurance...that's what you pay premiums for! If your rates go up, drop em & take your business elsewhere. Everyone makes a boneheaded move once in awhile!

 

I have heard that if it gets handled thru your insurance, it will show on CarFax and could potentially reduce the value when you try to sell/trade.

 

Figures...the insurance companies are probably the ones behind Carfax! LOL! They win on both ends because they get their premiums & customers are afraid to use their insurance when they need it! That's a win-win for the insurance companies and a lose-lose for the consumer....what's wrong with that picture?

So, when you sell the car (and you fix it yourself) what are you going to tell the buyer when he asks you if it's ever been damaged or in an accident?

The damage doesn't look too terribly bad, but it will cost some sizable change ($$$) to fix that properly is my bet. That's no minor scratch! I'd use the insurance, unless the deductible is too high to really help much. If the cost is under $2,000 and the insurance has, say $1,000 deductible, I might be tempted to bite the bullet and fix it myself I suppose.

Weigh both options and let us know what you decide. Get at least three quotes from reputable body shops before deciding is my recommendation.

Btw, your car looks like a nice MINI! We feel your pain!

Good Luck!

 

If you think that Carfax might be too good to be true, you are right. I had a '09 Audi A4 with low mileage, no dents, but I got bumped by someone. The other driver paid and the repair was done. My appraisal was lowered because of the bump. The car dealers love this stuff. They screw the trade in, and sell the car for a price that does not represent the ding they gave on the trade in. It's a con like "Obamacare". Get a grip people.