fender bender. need advice. - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

applesyo · 01-25-2015, 11:55 AM

I hit a parking deck gate while trying to drive through. It's such a tragic feeling, knowing that it's my pride and joy.
I am wondering if there it's any diy fix or advice for repair.
I am a young diver with already high insurance rate so I'm trying to keep this to myself.

ELIC1 · 01-25-2015, 12:19 PM

how the hell does someone does this dont get it. can you see that it was tight to fit your car throw it.

Angrybird 12 · 01-25-2015, 12:26 PM

Check with the local schools and see if they have an adult education class on auto body. I was restoring a car a few years ago and took the class and got to a work on my own car in it and use their materials and tools. All I had to buy was the paint and clear coat. I think it was like a 10 week class and cost about $120. Well worth the money to me.

ToolFan66 · 01-25-2015, 12:39 PM

Just take it to a body shop, and pay for it out of pocket..

MLAZ1990 · 01-25-2015, 12:40 PM

Ouch! Sorry!

762ch · 01-25-2015, 12:55 PM

What is your location? Pm me if you are in norcal.

If you want to keep the price as low as possible, order a fender online or find a used one. Remove the bumper and take the grilles, lights etc out.

Take the fender and bumper to a body shop and have them paint off the car. They will probably want to blend the door and hood. But if you want to keep costs down, don't blend. Just have them butt match the best as possible and live with the potential color difference.

After they are painted you can install the parts yourself and save big bucks.

I work in a collision shop and fix that kind of stuff all day everyday. I'd replace the fender, unless you are OK with a bondo sculpture for a fender.....

spadz93 · 01-28-2015, 02:35 PM

chances are the bumper will just need paint. but the fender, that's a toss up between being able to be pulled or having to be replaced. got into a similar accident with my last car, except the bumper was also shot, but they managed to pull the fender back out and repaint it

fastjohnny · 02-08-2015, 08:12 AM

In my opinion the fender isn't worth fixing, get a new one, the bumper you can salvage as long as there is no cracks, color matching to your original paint is tricky on some colors, not sure if you just have the bumper and fender painted and put them on your self as to how well they will match. Go go a body shop and show them what you have, and let them know your paying for it out of pocket and not a Insurance claim. Good luck, I know that sick feeling your having, but in the long run if you get the job done right you will feel much better in the long run!!!!

sbubbaklein · 02-08-2015, 08:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fastjohnny

In my opinion the fender isn't worth fixing, get a new one, the bumper you can salvage as long as there is no cracks, color matching to your original paint is tricky on some colors, not sure if you just have the bumper and fender painted and put them on your self as to how well they will match. Go go a body shop and show them what you have, and let them know your paying for it out of pocket and not a Insurance claim. Good luck, I know that sick feeling your having, but in the long run if you get the job done right you will feel much better in the long run!!!!

A new fender is about $325 including shipping from online parts stores. Well worth it to have it fixed right. If you pay out of pocket, you don't have to worry about insurance going up as well as no car fax history to mess up your trade in later on.

Blue Thunder · 02-08-2015, 08:51 AM

That's a 8-10 hr repair on that fender. At $45 an hour it is prob cheaper to replace. But with a repair you might be able to get away with just refinishing the fender. With replacing fender you're better off with the paint being blended to door and hood. The bumper cover already needs to be refinished or at least blended as well.

LStick · 02-08-2015, 09:56 AM

Out of pocket for sure. Had to to a similar thing for one of my kids.

Bought the fender, clips and side marker;hand rubbed out the bumper; took it to the "Fix this -fix that" body guy, cost me just under a grand for everything. Kept it off the Insurance (had 500 deductable anyhow)

01-25-2015, 11:55 AM	#1
applesyo Drives: 2014 camaro 1lt rs Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: United States Posts: 2 View My Garage	fender bender. need advice. I hit a parking deck gate while trying to drive through. It's such a tragic feeling, knowing that it's my pride and joy. I am wondering if there it's any diy fix or advice for repair. I am a young diver with already high insurance rate so I'm trying to keep this to myself.

01-25-2015, 12:26 PM	#3
Angrybird 12 7 year Cancer Survivor! Drives: 17 Cruze RS, 07 G6 GT, 99 Astro Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: East Tennessee Posts: 21,547	Check with the local schools and see if they have an adult education class on auto body. I was restoring a car a few years ago and took the class and got to a work on my own car in it and use their materials and tools. All I had to buy was the paint and clear coat. I think it was like a 10 week class and cost about $120. Well worth the money to me. __________________ Cancer's a bitch! Enjoy life while you can! LIVE, LOVE, DRIVE... The Bird is the word!

01-25-2015, 12:39 PM	#4
ToolFan66 Drives: 2011 2SS 6.2L W/RS package Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Colorado Posts: 3,008	Just take it to a body shop, and pay for it out of pocket.. __________________ KooKs LT Headers, Borla S-Type cat back, RotoFab CAI, Bo White PTB, RMCR tune...

01-25-2015, 12:40 PM	#5
MLAZ1990 Drives: 2012 black camaro 2LS Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 3,023 View My Garage	Ouch! Sorry! __________________ SLP Loud Mouth 1 Exhaust, K&N CAI, RS Headlights, NightOwl V2 halo kit, ZL1 Grille, Custom 2LS Emblems, Green Footwells, GM GFX splitter, Ace Alloy Convex All Matte Black Wheels(20x9 & 20x10.5) wrapped in Toyo Proxe STII(255/45/20 & 295/40/20)

01-28-2015, 02:35 PM	#7
spadz93 BUMBL Z Drives: 2015 ZL1 Join Date: Nov 2013 Location: Northern NJ Posts: 2,573 View My Garage	chances are the bumper will just need paint. but the fender, that's a toss up between being able to be pulled or having to be replaced. got into a similar accident with my last car, except the bumper was also shot, but they managed to pull the fender back out and repaint it __________________ Current: 2015 ZL1 M6, Rotofab Intake, LS3 throttle body, 2.55 Upper/9.17 Lower w/ Idler Relocation, DMS Reinforced Brick, ID1050X, 1 7/8" Headers, ProSpeed HX/Reservoir, DSX Aux Pump/Flex Fuel Sensor, E85, McLeod RXT, BMR 1" Drop, Tuned by Pat G Past: 2010 2SS, some bolt ons, 415rwhp/400rwtq

01-25-2015, 12:19 PM	#2
ELIC1 Account Suspended Drives: black and silver Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: new york Posts: 1,728	how the hell does someone does this dont get it. can you see that it was tight to fit your car throw it.

01-25-2015, 12:55 PM	#6
762ch Drives: 2011 2SS Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Sacramento Posts: 341	What is your location? Pm me if you are in norcal. If you want to keep the price as low as possible, order a fender online or find a used one. Remove the bumper and take the grilles, lights etc out. Take the fender and bumper to a body shop and have them paint off the car. They will probably want to blend the door and hood. But if you want to keep costs down, don't blend. Just have them butt match the best as possible and live with the potential color difference. After they are painted you can install the parts yourself and save big bucks. I work in a collision shop and fix that kind of stuff all day everyday. I'd replace the fender, unless you are OK with a bondo sculpture for a fender.....

02-08-2015, 08:12 AM	#8
fastjohnny Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 173	In my opinion the fender isn't worth fixing, get a new one, the bumper you can salvage as long as there is no cracks, color matching to your original paint is tricky on some colors, not sure if you just have the bumper and fender painted and put them on your self as to how well they will match. Go go a body shop and show them what you have, and let them know your paying for it out of pocket and not a Insurance claim. Good luck, I know that sick feeling your having, but in the long run if you get the job done right you will feel much better in the long run!!!!

02-08-2015, 08:51 AM	#10
Blue Thunder Drives: 2014 Chevy Camaro 1SS/RS Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Chicagoland, Illinois Posts: 250 View My Garage	That's a 8-10 hr repair on that fender. At $45 an hour it is prob cheaper to replace. But with a repair you might be able to get away with just refinishing the fender. With replacing fender you're better off with the paint being blended to door and hood. The bumper cover already needs to be refinished or at least blended as well. __________________ 2014 Chevy Camaro 1SS/RS L99 377rwhp/396rwtq Stainless Power 1-7/8 headers, HF cats Magnaflow 3" tru-x cat back exhaust NicKey Dyno tune Bo White ported throttle body Elite Engineering Catch Can CAI air intake GM Strut Brace Bar JL Audio 12w3 sub, JX1000/1d amp CFD Carbon Fiber pistol grip TapShift shifter EGX rear window louvers 4500k HID head and fog lights

02-08-2015, 09:56 AM	#11
LStick Drives: 2021 Shadow Gray 1LS Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Streetsboro Ohio Posts: 1,371	Out of pocket for sure. Had to to a similar thing for one of my kids. Bought the fender, clips and side marker;hand rubbed out the bumper; took it to the "Fix this -fix that" body guy, cost me just under a grand for everything. Kept it off the Insurance (had 500 deductable anyhow)