My first dent....

Post by **Walt** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 5:47 am

It had to happen sooner or later.

More info in a bit.

gocntry · Post by **gocntry** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 5:59 am

OUCH!

Been There Already, Got Mine From A Shopping Cart In Costco Parking Lot,
Not As big As Yours But I Still Was Pretty

Post by **Walt** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 7:03 am

Well, here's the story.

I was at a funeral home (my dad's aunt passed away). My dad was standing outside talking to somene, and they heard a loud noise, and looked to see a lady in a pewter mid-sized SUV sitting still--backed into my truck! Before they could do anything, she pulled off and left. My dad recognized her, and knew her first name, so I did some asking around (discretely) inside the funeral home, and found her information, and submitted to a friend of mine at the local PD. He is planning to call her today. If she doesn't agree to come back and settle up with insurance, he told me to press charges on her for leaving the scene, and he would treat it as a "hit and run", which would mean that a warrant will be issued for her arrest.

Hopefully she'll come back and we can get the insurance still taken care of, but if not, I'm prepared to do what I have to do. The sad part is that she's probably distantly related to me.

It's hard to tell from the pic (It was getting dark), but the front of that door is bowed out some. It'll barely open without hitting the front door.

killian96ss · Post by **killian96ss** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 7:23 am

At least you know who did the damage, even if it is a relative. Hit and runs are way too common these days.

Just last week I saw a guy on my block come out of his house and jump into his F150, start it up, rev it real high, and throw it into reverse.

There was a nice black Honda Accord parked right behind him.

He ended up completely smashing the grill and peeled the hood back about a foot. What do you think he did next? Yep, he just looked in his side mirror and then sped away from the scene.

I don't know who owned the Honda, but if I ever see the owner I will definitely let them know who did the damage.

It sucks getting dents, but at least you know yours is going to get fixed, and hopefully this woman will learn her lesson.

Steve

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 10:38 am

Got my first dent about 2 weeks ago...someone was using my truck for BB target practice. Nasty dent I have one on the other side on the piller 1/2" from the window.

Post by **Walt** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 10:42 am

The only other blemishes I have are some small paint chips here and there.

Update: The lady is going to make things right. She's contacting the officer with her insurance information.

Post by **HenryJ** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 10:44 am

The paint doesn't appear to be broken? I wonder what our "Dent King" expert would say about the possibility of a paintless dent removal?

chumley · Post by **chumley** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 10:58 am

I got a few scratches in my back bumper about 2 months ago- my mother-in-law pulled up behind my Blazer, in my driveway, and proceeded to rear-end it!

In her new Caddy no less which took the brunt of the damage-@5 grand. Like I said it only scratched my bumper each side of the plate and under it. Don't know what she was thinking, and she wasn't sure what she did either, possibly hit the gas and not the brake

Post by **Walt** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 10:59 am

HenryJ wrote:The paint doesn't appear to be broken? I wonder what our "Dent King" expert would say about the possibility of a paintless dent removal?

Yea, I don't think the paint is broken. The picture doesn't show this, but at the top of the rocker panel, where the sheetmetal is curved, there's a pretty sharp crease, and one more in another spot. I'll be really surprised if it doesn't require some minor body work top smooth things out, but I'm definitely open to opinions. I'll see if I can snap another pic or two here in a few minutes.

Post by **Walt** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 11:17 am

Alrighty....more detailed pics.

What do you guys think now?

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 11:22 am

More than the ding king can handle

Post by **HenryJ** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 11:22 am

That looks worse than the first picture

Might be time for...

Linering the rockers?

Post by **Walt** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 11:23 am

Jim wrote:More than the ding king can handle

That's kinda what I figured... Just a bit to much, and in a bad spot being on the rocker.

gocntry · Post by **gocntry** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 11:44 am

If The Person Who Hit You Let Their Insurance Pay For It Couldn't You Just Have A New Door Skin Put On??

Post by **Walt** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 11:45 am

gocntry wrote:If The Person Who Hit You Let Their Insurance Pay For It Couldn't You Just Have A New Door Skin Put On??

I guess so.....which ever is cheaper and looks the best.

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 1:12 pm

Walt wrote:
gocntry wrote:If The Person Who Hit You Let Their Insurance Pay For It Couldn't You Just Have A New Door Skin Put On??
I guess so.....which ever is cheaper and looks the best.

Take my word for it it doesn't need the skin replaced when the dent and the shell are straightened together it'll be good as new.

Post by **Walt** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 1:16 pm

Jim wrote:Take my word for it it doesn't need the skin replaced when the dent and the shell are straightened together it'll be good as new.

Good point.

rick · Post by **rick** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 10:04 pm

I had a 2003 S-10 standard cab in Pewter like yours that I traded to the dealer for my 2003 CC. It was hit like yours at Home Depo. The insurance company paid to have the door skin replaced. I just went to the auto wrecker and bought a used door. I got lucky and found the right shade. Your paint code will come back with about 20 different color shade variances. Since they door not make rear door skin for the CC and the inner structure is also damaged as well as the outer skin they will probably replace the rear door. If the insurance company is fair and thats what will happen. The shell is about $610. labor to change every thing over is 4.5 hrs at $75. to $100. per hr. Paint and materials to color match $500. + paint labor $300. to $500. A Credit Card size dent is 1 hr labor. It is cheaper to replace the door than the labor to repair it. A reputable body shop will remove the inside door panel, outside handle and rubber molding anyways to do a OEM like paint job. Its easily a $2000. job. Now you wonder why insurance is so high.

rick · Post by **rick** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 10:10 pm

My Guess is $1857.00 This is not a joke. Lets have a contest. Hmmm I wonder what the winner will get for coming the closest.

jeff024 · Post by **jeff024** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 1:59 am

956.77

chumley · Post by **chumley** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 2:05 am

$1450

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 2:38 am

I'm staying away from the pricing since I've been out of the body shop business 20 years. I will say if you put up a fuss about the paint match before the shop starts they will take precautions to make you happy and not have to do it over. They will have to blend the paint onto the front door also. This means both doors will be clear coated entirely. Since all my customers were picky I always had to blend the finish onto the next panel if work was close to the edge like yours. If blended correctly paint thats way of in color isn't noticed by a nonprofessional. When you pick it up be sure to look at it from all angles. Don't accept it parked next to there multi-colored tow truck reflecting on it.

Post by **Walt** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 7:58 am

Alright...the betting pool's open.

The guy I go to for bodywork is excellent. Good friend too. He'll fix me up, although he is expensive when dealing with insurance.

04crewvt · Post by **04crewvt** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 8:34 am

$1995.00-

killian96ss · Post by **killian96ss** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 8:43 am

$1996.00

Steve

04crewvt · Post by **04crewvt** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 9:04 am

What is this, The Price is Right!

killian96ss · Post by **killian96ss** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 2:04 pm

04crewvt wrote:What is this, The Price is Right!

Steve

Warnoffroad · Post by **Warnoffroad** » Sun Jul 23, 2006 3:10 pm

i bet right at 2 grand depending on what all they have to replace. The rear pass side door on my F-350 was hit in that exact same spot, only a little bigger with white marks paint marks on a black door

. i was givin $2300 to repair it, luckily a buddy of mine owns the biggest body shop in central florida, and fixed me up with a $30 an hour ladbor charge and a new door skin. Had the truck back in 3 days and only around $1600 to do, but that included some marks on the tailgate i had him take care of. 3 days without my truck and i walked away win an extra $700 in my pocket, how can i complain?

2kwik4u · Post by **2kwik4u** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 4:16 am

Dayum, you guys are easy on your trucks

I dented/scratched mine within a month of owning it. I'll take some pics at lunch time.

Good luck on getting the lady that did it....I hate people that don't fess up to what they did

Post by **Walt** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 5:27 am

Already got her. She says that she didn't realize that she hit my truck, but was very cooperative and gave the officer her insurance information. 2kwik4u, my truck is almost like my first child.

While it's nowhere near as important to me as my two girls, it's still like a firstborn.

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 8:55 am

Walt wrote: She says that she didn't realize that she hit my truck, but was very cooperative and gave the officer her insurance information.

I suspected this from the "get-go"!

Either a freakin' cell ph was in her ear because (hopefully) she actually turned it off at the funeral home and needed to catch up on her voicemail or our doors are extremely stealthy and just quietly fold up

Post by **Walt** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 9:02 am

It wasn't a hard hit at all...there was no paint from her vehicle. There's probably not any evidence on her vehicle either, it just happens to be in a horrible spot on mine. A similar dent higher on the door, or on the tailgate would be much easier/cheaper to fix IMO.

bwenny247 · Post by **bwenny247** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 2:15 pm

i'll guess $1500

04crewvt · Post by **04crewvt** » Mon Jul 24, 2006 3:58 pm

I got my first dent less than 12 hours after I cut the check for the truck. I went to work and then the grocery store, when I came out of the store the rear quarter was dented in. That's the reason for the rubber skirt I put on. I just pounded out the dent and covered it up.

WVHogRider · Post by **WVHogRider** » Wed Jul 26, 2006 5:06 pm

I'll guess around $1750.

My first dent was dropping my cousin's Polaris 500 4x4 quad on my tailgate with me still trying to ride it into the bed. The hooks gave out on the tailgate ramp, while I was trying to get the front wheels up on the fender wells in the bed, causing the ramp to fly out from under the rear tires. Insurance covered everything, even replacing the whole tailgate, spray in liner & etc. Cost was $1450 if I remember correctly.

Luckily, I was able to teater-totter the quad long enough to climb off the front of it into the bed of my truck while it hung on the tailgate.

Post by **Walt** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 11:16 am

jeff024 wrote:956.77

Looks like we have a winner folks! The Estimate is for $875.26. It would've been lower than that, but the Insurance Adjuster budgeted in a new set of replacement nerf bars because he found a small scratch on the top of the driver's side bar right under the dent.

$226 for a new set. When I told him that nerf bars for our trucks aren't as easy to find as others, he said "I'd just get some touch up paint and fix it if doesn't bother you, and you're $226 richer"

WVHogRider · Post by **WVHogRider** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 12:21 pm

They have to be just pulling the dent out and using putty for that price. Or is that to replace the door skin? Either way, it still sounds good.

PS. Anyone wanting new stepbars--I ordered mine from runningboardwarehouse.com

Post by **Walt** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 12:55 pm

Popping the dent out and smoothing it over, then blending the paint.

It's funny, he budgeted in $229 for the nerf bars, and I only paid $130-160 for them (I think)

F9K9 · Post by **F9K9** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 1:30 pm

Walt wrote:Popping the dent out and smoothing it over, then blending the paint.

It's funny, he budgeted in $229 for the nerf bars, and I only paid $130-160 for them (I think)

Sliders for $229 for ZR2s but our wheelbases are the same

BTW.........if, you don't install that dayem SC, I am gonna freak out totally

Post by **Walt** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 6:37 pm

f9k9 wrote:
Walt wrote:Popping the dent out and smoothing it over, then blending the paint.

It's funny, he budgeted in $229 for the nerf bars, and I only paid $130-160 for them (I think)

Sliders for $229 for ZR2s but our wheelbases are the same

BTW.........if, you don't install that dayem SC, I am gonna freak out totally

If I ever get sliders, I'd prefer the kind you have Reed, but atm those are out of my budget plans.

The SC has been sitting under my carport for a while now, all ready to go. I have had several local offers on it once the word got out that I had one.

They've ranged from $50 to $1200. $50 is rediculous, but I hesitated a bit when refusing the $1200 offer.

gairbear · Post by **gairbear** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 6:40 pm

SC???

Post by **HenryJ** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 6:46 pm

If you can get a $1000 for that used Super Charger, I'd take it in a heart beat.

Buy the Softopper and pocket the difference with a big

Post by **Walt** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 6:54 pm

HenryJ wrote:If you can get a $1000 for that used Super Charger, I'd take it in a heart beat.

Buy the Softopper and pocket the difference with a big

Believe me, I still struggle with what to do. I could buy a winch and mount, or a softtop, or a multitude of accessories. Oh the choices!

Post by **HenryJ** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 6:59 pm

Take this from a SC owner. It is a big heat pump that requires many other money eating accessories. It does not stop. It continues to consume dollars by the fist full.
Sell it if you can.

On the other hand, for a play toy, mashing the throttle and the instant response is lots of fun.

killian96ss · Post by **killian96ss** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 7:08 pm

HenryJ wrote:If you can get a $1000 for that used Super Charger, I'd take it in a heart beat.

If it were mine I wouldn't take less than $2,000 especially since they are $3,400 brand new.

$1000 is almost an insult considering what your getting.

The only down side to that SC would be a drop of about 2-4 mpg.

I would think that the fun factor would over come the loss of mpg for a while anyway.

Steve

Post by **Walt** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 7:14 pm

Considering that my gas mileage is horrible already, 3-4 mpg is to big of a drop.

killian96ss · Post by **killian96ss** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 7:16 pm

Walt wrote:Considering that my gas mileage is horrible already, 3-4 mpg is to big of a drop.

What kind of gas mileage are you gettin these days?

Steve

Post by **Walt** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 7:21 pm

12-13 on average. 15 all highway driving. I don't consider myself a spirited driver in terms of crushing the pedal, but I do speed on occaision. When I take the truck to get the body work done, I'm going to get the service department to fix some things and check some other things.

killian96ss · Post by **killian96ss** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 7:32 pm

Walt wrote:12-13 on average. 15 all highway driving.

That seems kind of low!

I always average about 16-18 mpg no matter how I drive it. My lowest mpg was 15 and my best was 20. I always use 89 octane Shell or 76 gas and my Hypertech set to the 87 octane tune. There must be a reason why your mpg is so low. Even when my CC was completely stock I always got 15-16 mpg.

Steve

Post by **Walt** » Wed Aug 09, 2006 7:33 pm

Surprisingly, I've gotten that kind of gas mileage as long as I've owned my CC. Going from 235/75/15's to 31's didn't change much.

TexasBlaZeR2 · Post by **TexasBlaZeR2** » Tue Aug 29, 2006 1:45 pm

Mileage in the 5000 lb BlaZeR2 with 3.73 gears is about the same as yours Walt...12-13 avg, but better on the highway. The new 7000 lb Avalanche is getting 15-16 mpg with a 5.3 and 3.42 gears.

Regarding dents, here is my story. I was in Manchester, NH at the mill buildings where my friend had his training business. Came out one day to find a business card on my windshield. It was for a business in the mill buildings and the guy had seen a big truck take out the back corner of mine. Then I saw the back corner of my rig...yikes! I went and found the person whose business card it was. He had written down the license of the guy who did it before he drove off. It was a company in Massachusetts.

I called and talked to the owner of the company, saying there had been a hit and run and there was a witness. Apparently the driver had thought he got away with it. I did get the truck fixed though. If I remember correctly they paid for the body shop up front instead of involving their insurance company. Dobles Chevy did a nice job on the bodywork. It looked good when they were finished. It is nice to know those guys in the building cared enough to want to do the right thing. Unfortunately, there are also people like the guy who hit it and tried to get away with it.

I also had a 95 Cavalier Z24...one of the first made in that body style. It was parked right in front of the apartment building in Manchester. I came out to find the panel behind the passenger door bashed in about the same as your pics above Walt. It looked like someone had tried to back out too fast and caught me hard. Never found out who did that. Never found out who broke into my rare Lumina Z34 with 5-speed at the same complex and caused $6000 in damage to it...to steal the radio and my jump box. I am sure glad I don't live in that complex anymore. It was very expensive in damage to my vehicles.

Tom