Emergency!!! Dent. Please advise!!!

[jboriott]

Car arrived last night. About to pick it up.

Dealer just called to say there is a small dent on the driver's door - almost like someone hit it with a phillips head screw driver (unclear on whther the paint is damaged).

They found this while prepping the car. I saw the car last night and can tell you I didn't notice it, although the car still had plastic from shipping.

The dealer's been very good to date (MSRP, no price increase, etc) and although they're willing to "do the right thing" I can't stand the thought of the door being resprayed. I will never look as good, and will show over time. (My wife agreed to the car with the understanding that my 4 year old boy will get it later).

I don't want to be a wacko, but I'm considering requesting a new door. I just can't stand the thought of the car starting out this way (although I recognize that dings and such will be inevitale).

Furthermore, I worry that by accepting the car I will loose leverage (to persue a new door, rather than a touch up).

Thoughts????

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[TbirdTim]

Here in Atlanta there is a company, called "Dent Wizard" that will come out and repair dents on your premises. From what I understand, they can use dry ice on some smaller dents and the dents pop right out, without ever knowing that they were ever there! There may be a company like that in your area. It's worth a phone call at least. Make sure that the dealer pays for it.

 

[T02 Bird]

JB-

If there is no actual paint damage, you may want to consider one of the "paintless dent removal" vendors that are around. I don't know if Ford will actually agree to replace the door for you either.

I don't know what I would do if it were me in this situation, but thought I'd give you the suggestion.

Good luck...

KB

 

[PA 02 Bird]

Tough Call..... It has to be RIGHT.. After all YOU get to keep it for at least 12 more years.. I would try the New Door.. They will squeal...Repainting will always look different from the other panels.. No matter how hard you try to control conditions they turn out different... The color that you will have the best luck matching is White... I don't know what color your bird is.. As far as dings being inevitable..They are, but you have to be the one to do the first one...

 

[jboriott]

The car is Blue with a White top.

 

[Gobird]

jboriott, all I can say is what happened to mine. We got hit by a PT after only having the car for about thre weeks. My body shop guy did a great job on repainting the back bumper and lower fender. I can't see where it was hit and neither can anyone else. If you get a GOOD body guy I think it would be OK.

------------------
02 T-Bird 9293
69 Vette
73 MGB
97 F-150 4x4
2-Seadoo Jet Skies
Live Long and Prosper!

 

[cat380]

Don't mess with the factory paint if you can avoid it.It will look fine for a while but over time it will fade and become more noticable.If you get a new door have it painted at the factory. Thier methods are far superior than those used by outside body shops. I have a small door ding that I have decided to live with.
Ed Robbins
Triple Black #4430

 

[Tom M]

jboriott:

My 2 cents here - try the paintless dent guys first. When I got my '94 BMW 325 2 weeks later some a-hole put a big dent in the door. I called the BMW dealer and they gave me the number of the "Ding Doctor" guy they used, he came out about a week later.

It was fun to watch. He came out on a hot sunny Friday afternoon. We pulled the car into the driveway, and he stood a big white piece of plastic with thin vertical black lines about 1 inch apart next to the car. I wondered what that was for, he explained that he looked at the reflection in the door panel. Where the metal was not smooth, the reflection of the parallel lines was clearly distorted. Neat!

So he pushed what looked like a big doorstop wedge in between the window and the door frame to create a gap. Then he used a piece of metal with hook in the end of it to press on the dent from the inside.

It was really hot & he was sweating so I got him a cold brew to take the edge off. Just one I told him! Well it must have worked because in about 15 minutes he had "teased" that dent out so well I could not find it, and I'm a major pain about stuff like that. The reflected lines looked perfect.

So he packed up and said he would charge me $100 and get me a receipt for the insurance. Of course my deductible was $500 so the receipt would be worthless, so I said well listen I don't need a receipt, can I just pay you cash directly? He said fine, how about $50? I had the money out so fast he couldn't believe it!

So anyway I guess my 2 cents worth of advice is to go to a high end car dealer like BMW or Mercedes and ask them who they use. This kind of ding happens all the time and fixing them is routine. If the paint is not broken and the metal is not creased, a good ding doctor can fix it so you will never see it.

If you end up unhappy with the results and getting it painted anyway, the downside is not much, maybe spending $100 extra at most. But I bet there's at least a 75% chance you will be happy with the repair.

Best of luck and let us know how it turns out.

Tom M

 

[JRL]

Most of what's been said here is wrong.
First, as was said, if the paint isn't broken get the dealer to try a "dent doctor" or "dent wizard", should work. If that doesn't work, paint the door. You don't really want a new door, it's not neccessary for many reasons. Today's paint can usually be matched perfectly and since the car is new it will all fade together along with the rest of the car. The trick here is to use a good painter and not taking shortcuts and the car should be just fine.
Third solution is don't take the car and insist on another. Good luck.
JRL

 

[JRL]

P.S.
I don't know what everybody here is trying to say but "the factory" doesn't send you a painted door.
What comes is an unpainted shell. Then it has to be painted and all the interior panels have to be reinstalled etc. That's why you don't want a new door if you can help it.
Everybody should not give you advice if they don't know what they're talking about.

 

[whvt01]

Our car came with a small scratch on the
drivers door. Did not bring it up to the
salesman since was not going to have any
thing done about it.

If its liveable I would leave it alone.

More than likely you will have a different
paint texture. They have to blend which
might mean going into the front and rear
fenders.

They anchor the bird down during shipping
thinking ours might have been from a metal end
of the belt.

 

[CTBob]

Interesting that this topic should come up today, but I spoke today to a lady who works for a local Ford dealer whose blue bird had its door damaged while she was at work. The dealer sent it out for repair, but the body shop was not able to get the color to match. The dealer was, however, able to have a new exterior door skin, painted by the factory, sent to him and he replaced her door. The color match this time was perfect. Maybe since she worked for the dealer, he was able to get a door painted from the factory. If the dent magician doesn't perform his magic see about having the dealer get you a new door painted from the factory. This lady has worked at this dealership for many years and knows what she is talking about!

 

[PaulH]

I too have had a similar problem with a new purchase. I purchased an Acura TL last year and before taking delivery noticed a flaw in the trunk lid paint. I was told by the saleperson that it you buff out and that they would fix it later. I ask them to keep the car, but they reassured me that I could and should take it. It ended up being repainted poorly. I finally made them replace the trunk lid with one off another car on the lot. This only worked because they assured me that I would not be able to tell the car was painted and the fact that they were willing to do whatever it took within reason to make me happy. End the end no one was truely happy and I should have just not taken delivery until the car was just the way I wanted it. Make sure the T-Bird is fixed prior to taking delivery or order another car.

I would live with the small dent and ask for $500 off the car or free oil changes for the first 36,000 miles. I will make it easier to live with the car getting the first dent out of the way before you drive off the lot.

Good luck!

 

[jboriott]

I saw the ding tonite. It almost looks like it was tapped with a small Phillips Head Screwdriver. The damage is on the driver's side, directly between the handle and the edge of the door - about midway between. Unfortunately the paint is broken, so it WILL require (re)painting. Because the dent is so close to the edge (but apparently within the area where the door starts to get thick again) we can't be sure the dent can be worked from inside.

I appreciate everyones advise/feedback. Although I know the car will accumulate dings over time (inevitable). But it makes me sick to my stomach that it has to start out this way. I am especially troubled at the thought of bondo sagging or paint showing different qualities over time (remember - I have 14 years before my boy gets it).

The dealer said the factory will only send a skin, which then has to be painted locally, and put onto the door (using the edges?).

Question - if I do allow them to repair the door, rather than insisting on a new door panel... how should the paint be done? I.e. should the entire panel be repainted, just the area within the body lines, or should the spot be blended in(lot's of distraction going on there - handle, door edge, body line above, etc.

Don't worry - to consider this route, the dealer needs to make it complling$$$.

Further thoughts?????????

 

[JRL]

If you're really going to keep this thing for 14 years, try to make them sell you another car

 

[Tom M]

jboriott:

Sorry to hear about the extent of the damage. I think you are correct, once the paint is broken the paintless guys can't help you.

Here's the bottom line: you door CAN be fixed so it's essentially perfect. Unfortunately, it can also be botched up. So your dilemma is finding the right guy to fix it so it's perfect.

At first I thought the best thing to do would be to find the guy who does the high end cars in your area and have him fix it. My thinking was that he would be most likely to have the best skills and techniques. But maybe that isn't the best idea, probably Ford paint is different enough from Mercedes paint that it's a different skill. And you certainly don't want the guy learning about this on your car!

So here's what I would personally do: the dealer obviously has a paint repair guy they work with. I would go to him and explain the situation and ask to see a sample of his work. If you think it's good, tell him how important it is to you that is right and could he please assign his very best guy to this. You know, the guy who HE would want fixing HIS TBird!

Then introduce yourself to the actual repair guy. Size him up. Ask to see his work. Ask if he has done this before. Then show him a Franklin, it's his if it's perfect. I know, you should not have to do this but in this world money talks and BS walks. It's worth it if it's perfect.

But the most important thing is, I would do all this BEFORE taking posession of the car. Afterwards you have way less leverage, although the truth is you have very little leverage here anyway. After all, if you walk away in a huff and say "Keep the friggin car, I don't want it" exactly how long will it take them to sell it to someone else, maybe even for more $$$?

Anyway, all of this is way more than 2 cents worth but that's how I would handle it. Best of luck, let us know how it all turns out.

Tom M

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[jboriott]

This is actually reply from STNHILLD pasted by me (jboriott). I do this for everyone's benefit.
==============================
I took delivery of my bird in October. same deal. Ding in Driver's door. Probably from the truck drive, backing it off the truck, or a loading. My dealer was really good. they too, did not wnat to repaint. They had the dent removal guy look at it and said the could not fix it. I then decided to take it to a friend that has a body shop to repaint the door, as the dealer was afraid they would not do a good enough job.
He wanted "his dent guy" to look at it, prior to repaint. He took the ding out in about 30 minutes. No paint!!!!!!! It can be done. Do not take no for an answer. They drilled a hole in the door jamb. About 1/16 Diameter. Then put in a small grommet. I had one hell of a time just finding the grommet. I'm a car guy. Many Corvettes, etc. So I'm particular. I am so pleased with this fix (black car).

 

[jboriott]

Reply from mike biddle
=======================
I'm going to ramble as you have a hard decision to make. I know I wouldn't be happy with the dent there right from the start. My LeBaron was a "clean" car when we bought it new but got a nasty little dent (that broke the skin of paint so wasn't eligible for dentless repair) in the passenger door just 1.5 months later as I was driving down the road. Have never repaired it but have to look at that dent every time I wash the car or view the car from that side - the car is black. Also have to look at numerous other small dents its received over the years. The original paint is deteriorating now (13 years old and those were the years of poor factory paint because all the motor companies switched paint types at that time) so it will be due for a new paint job within the next few years & that's when I'll have all the little dents repaired. Your 'bird will probably need a new paint job by the time your son is ready to inherit it.

What I'm saying is If you accept the car with the dent in it and never have it repaired it will always bother you even if you are compensated for it at the beginning.

You have a tough decision as your new car will not be yours for up to a few more days if you have the dealership fix it first and that would be the route I'd go. Your dealership will accomodate you as they'll have it repaired under warrantee with Ford so it's not really costing the dealership money. You won't want a paint patch done as that will really be hard to match the rest of the paint on the door as it's a metallic paint - You may be able to get away with just repainting just the area within the body lines, but a full paint of the door may be the best route to go. If it's all done and the paint doesn't match, then I think they'd be more willing to try to get a door painted for you at the factory. The paint on the car was just done recently so if you can get a new paint job to match now, it should age as well as the rest of the paint on the car.

Tom M's advice was good about going to a high end dealer to find a good body shop if you're not satisfied with the quality of the Ford dealer's job but you'd have to get the dealership or Ford to ok that for warrantee work.

Get in touch with the woman that CTBob was talking about in his reply and ask for more info about getting a replacement door that's painted at the factory.

 

[RTBRD]

jboriott,

One other thing to consider if you decide to have the door repainted. Go to a local car show where there are custom rods/restored classics being shown. The quality of paint on these beauties is hard to deny. Find out who did the painting and take your car to them, get their thoughts and opinions. These people have a passion for what they do and nothing less than absolute perfection is accetable.