do you do body work yourself?

[friendly_jacek]

I never did, but get this. Some lady backed into my daughter's corolla. Front fender damaged. Fortunately she had insurance.
Priced at $1200. I was shocked. I thought it would cost maybe $300. Here is what I did.

I pocketed the money, ordered $65 fender online, got it 2 days later, and painted it using $16 worth of auto rustoleum spray paints. I got great results with them earlier this year when I painted a whole bumper. I had to google for some pictures and youtube how to take bumper, fender, and side skirts apart. It took some time but not hard.

Will put it in tomorrow and polish the paint next week.

I just didn't feel like spending all that money on a simple repair. If one is uneasy about DIY painting, I found a local shop that would paint a new fender for $150. The reason I didn't do it, they were closed on weekends and I didn't feel like waiting.

I didn't realize body shops were such a ripoff lately. Last time I used them was a loooong time ago.

 

[Chris142]

I might bolt on a fender or a door. but I leave the bondo and the painting to the pros

 

[01rangerxl]

Yeah, I kind of put myself in that position by only having liability insurance and beating the [censored] out of my truck.

What I have found is that if you are just replacing a fender, bumper, door, etc. by itself, it's easy. When the things that other things bolt to get bent and mangled though, then it becomes a major PITA. Also some metal won't move for anything except the tree or whatever that did manage to bend it. It's not the nuts and bolts that are the problem, it's bending, tweaking, hammering, and smoothing things.

 

[babyivan]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
I might bolt on a fender or a door. but I leave the bondo and the painting to the pros


+1!

 

[HTSS_TR]

Nope, the more I tried to straighten out a bend fender the more damages I did to it. Now I just take the car(s) to a body shop I known for more than 10 years for any bodywork.

 

[Lyman]

I have done some body and fender work in the past. Turned out better then I thought it would to tell the truth. It's not easy work either. I found a web site that sells paint that matches real well with both base and clear coat.

 

[The_Jeff]

Yes, but sloppy rocker panel repairs to pass inspection.

Similarly I've replaced several bolt-on subframes or welded plates to them if they aren't too bad off. I think of this more as mechanical work though-- it's a grey area.

 

[andyd]

^^ What Eljefino said I am no good at the fine work , but structural repairs are NBD. That does not stop me from hammering out damage and wringing another 100k out of a post accident, instant beater. I'm a function over form guy.

 

[TechnoLoGs]

Somebody Bondo'd my truck. Want to see?

They didnt finish...

 

[cmorr]

Originally Posted By: TechnoLoGs
Somebody Bondo'd my truck. Want to see?

They didnt finish...


Shocked !!

 

[supton]

I finally decided that no one in their right mind is going to want my car any more. Or, those who would won't care about my body work skills. Well, lack of skills... Fenders are shot, door is shot, hatch is shot, so, what's to lose? I'm going to see if the inspection shop will let me pass with JB Weld and flashing to fix the holes.

I wouldn't touch it at all, if I wanted it to look decent. Good enough to keep the water out, rust at bay, and to be legal? Why not?

 

[zzyzzx]

What you did was OK for a beater, but based upon my personal experience, and the experience of others I recommend using something better than Rustoleum. The Rustoleum is better then the cheap car paint used by some paint shops like MAACO, but you should be using something better, like what they sell at a boating supply store or real auto paint.

 

[Olive1465]

Lets see pics!!

 

[friendly_jacek]

Originally Posted By: Olive1465
Lets see pics!!


I'll do pics after I polish the paint. Right now, color is good, but there is some orange peel.

 

[friendly_jacek]

Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
What you did was OK for a beater, but based upon my personal experience, and the experience of others I recommend using something better than Rustoleum. The Rustoleum is better then the cheap car paint used by some paint shops like MAACO, but you should be using something better, like what they sell at a boating supply store or real auto paint.


Auto Rustoleum paint is acrylic enamel, something OEM used back in 70's, before urethane paints become widespread.
I did a whole bumper with it several months ago and I'm very pleased with color and finish. It may not hold well for 11 more years as the original paint did, but I don't care in a kid's beater.

BTW, there was zero rust in the original toyota fender, even though the metal and paint were very thin. Make sure to buy your next car in the south!

 

[supton]

Not sure I want to post mine...

This is what I started with:

After rapping on it a bit, I discovered it was actually this under it:

After doing some more work, I discovered it was really bad, and that the hatch was basically DOA. Nothing left to lose, other than money. Some JB Weld and some flashing later:

Yep, a hack job...

I *think* this will pass inspection, as there are no sharp edges.