Have some damage from impact with a deer. On the surface, it appears that the impact damage is limited the hood and a headlight bracket. Regarding the hood, one shop has said they can fix the hood (pop out the dent, repair the damage, repaint) and one advised they would recommend replacing the hood.
The new hood is an attractive option since the existing has some chipping from what I assume is a stray rock getting thrown up on the highway here and there but I'm worried about quality versus OEM. As I understand it the replacement will mean the shop is going out for bids which could mean an aftermarket hood. The estimate from the shop recommending repair would basically be reconditioning the direct area around the damage. The estimate from the shop recommending replace would also include repainting the quarter panels to blend the color with the repainted hood.
Which is preferable? Both are reputable shops, so I'm not concerned with a hack job, just minimizing headaches later. I need to read the details but both carry a lifetime warranty to the repairs as well as long as we own the car.
The new hood is an attractive option since the existing has some chipping from what I assume is a stray rock getting thrown up on the highway here and there but I'm worried about quality versus OEM. As I understand it the replacement will mean the shop is going out for bids which could mean an aftermarket hood. The estimate from the shop recommending repair would basically be reconditioning the direct area around the damage. The estimate from the shop recommending replace would also include repainting the quarter panels to blend the color with the repainted hood.
Which is preferable? Both are reputable shops, so I'm not concerned with a hack job, just minimizing headaches later. I need to read the details but both carry a lifetime warranty to the repairs as well as long as we own the car.