Best Place For Body Repair?

[BB]

17 year old son scraped my poor PT last night! He hit it with the Durango as he was backing out of the driveway and did some damage to the rear passenger side bumber and scraped the rear quarter panel pretty good.

My queation is: Better to take it to the dealer for repair or to a third party shop? I'm probably going to just pay for the repairs myself so as not to involve the insurance company which will jack my rates through the roof when they hear that a 17 year old male was responsible.
Thanks! BB

[quicksilverdon]

I believe in general you'll do better at a body shop, not dealer. Ask around at gas stations, auto stores, friends, to find a good body shop. MY OPINION.

[Jimbo]

I agree with Don

[Hooligan]

[|)] What he said!!!

[crazie.eddie]

Depends on your deductable and the cost of the repair/replacement. If the repair is $2000 (for example) and your deductable is $100, then call your insurance. I'm not suggesting this, but you could file a police report and say it happened at the mall parking lot, driving way, etc. (hit and run).

[bobs turbo pt]

hey bb, where are you located?? im in staten island, new york and have a car in the shop right now, (see my post car is 1 week old now this you will get the story) , i use a body guy not the dealership body people, i never saw a dealership body job that was that great

[Hooligan]

quote:Originally posted by bobs turbo pt

hey bb, where are you located?? im in staten island, new york and have a car in the shop right now, (see my post car is 1 week old now this you will get the story) , i use a body guy not the dealership body people, i never saw a dealership body job that was that great

I have to differ with you, I worked at a GM/DC dealership and the body shop people could fix a vehicle so you wouldn't know it had been hit!!! IMHO

[BB]

quote:Originally posted by Hooligan

I'm in S TX....lots of body shops and dealers to choose from.

I have to differ with you, I worked at a GM/DC dealership and the body shop people could fix a vehicle so you wouldn't know it had been hit!!! IMHO

I was half way thinking that the dealer might have techs that deal with PTs on a regular basis. Guess it depends on the dealer...or on the body shop.

Good news is that I spent an hour and a half tonight working on the damage. Turned out to be less serious than I first thought. Got the bumper reattached and used some fine cut compound on the scrapes. Hard to tell that there was much of an accident. Other than a slight inward turn of the wheel well edge, and a couple of actual scrapes in the paint on the edge of the bumper, it's hard to tell at a glance that there was much done to my poor PT. Guess she's pretty tough! [?]

Thanks for the feedback!
BB

[fritz_t_coyote]

quote:Originally posted by crazie.eddie

Depends on your deductable and the cost of the repair/replacement. If the repair is $2000 (for example) and your deductable is $100, then call your insurance. I'm not suggesting this, but you could file a police report and say it happened at the mall parking lot, driving way, etc. (hit and run).

Fraud is illegal... remember? Not to mention the absolutely worst possible lesson for your 17 year old son.

Get the work done by a reputable independent shop. And make your son pay for it. Don't let him cop-out by filing an insurance claim unless he is paying for his own insurance... in which case explain to him what will happen to -his- rates, and let him make an informed decision.

If you want to cut him some slack, let him pay you back over time at 0% interest.

Think of it as an opportunity to teach him about responsibility.

[crazie.eddie]

quote:Originally posted by fritz_t_coyote

Fraud is illegal... remember? Not to mention the absolutely worst possible lesson for your 17 year old son.

Yes, fraud is illegal. That's why I stated I am not suggesting it.