Opinions Wanted for Door Damage

[smashedpotatoes]

While driving on the freeway this last weekend, something on the road hit my door hard. When I got out to examine, this was what I found (see pic attached). Whatever hit me took off all the paint and did a number on the metal underneath. It looks and feels as if someone took a scoop out of my door like ice cream. The gouge is about 1”-1.5” long and about 1/2” tall.

My father says the door skin metal is dented and that the body shop would likely pull it out and add body filler before sanding and paint. Would you guys accept this over replacing the door skin for example? I haven’t had a road incident this bad so I don’t have much of a reference point.

 

[kevinkar]

I had a similar event happen to my new, at the time, Camaro in 1994. Driving home on the freeway a car in front of me went over a large piece of sheet metal that kicked up floated and tumbled until it bounced back on the road next to me and hit my driver's door. Similar, almost identical, damage.

I simply brought it to Chevrolet where I bought it and their on-site body shop took care of it and my AAA insurance covered it no problem (no rate increase either.) I had the car for 19 years and that damage never showed through. So it's 100% a fixable problem. Best not to think about it too hard and just let the body shop do their job. If they are good and have a good warranty (if it starts to show up any time within 3 years or even the lifetime of YOUR ownership, they'll re-do) you should have nothing to worry about.

 

[smashedpotatoes]

I had a similar event happen to my new, at the time, Camaro in 1994. Driving home on the freeway a car in front of me went over a large piece of sheet metal that kicked up floated and tumbled until it bounced back on the road next to me and hit my driver's door. Similar, almost identical, damage.

I simply brought it to Chevrolet where I bought it and their on-site body shop took care of it and my AAA insurance covered it no problem (no rate increase either.) I had the car for 19 years and that damage never showed through. So it's 100% a fixable problem. Best not to think about it too hard and just let the body shop do their job. If they are good and have a good warranty (if it starts to show up any time within 3 years or even the lifetime of YOUR ownership, they'll re-do) you should have nothing to worry about.

Thank you for the reassurance. Fortunately this is pretty low on the car. I’ve reached out to insurance and will see what they say.

 

[Golfs everyday]

Yeah, sorry to see. Maybe you can get it spot repaired just across the bottom instead of the entire door to maintain color match. My GTI was a small accident magnet and encountered something very similar on the expressway. I just spot bondo'ed and painted it myself..

 

[jay745]

Been in the insurance industry 22 years, that's a replacement of the door skin all day.

 

[kevinkar]

Been in the insurance industry 22 years, that's a replacement of the door skin all day.

Really? A bit of a grind down, sanding, filler, blended paint (not that old so not that difficult to match) and clear coat? This looks like one of the easiest jobs to do that does not require new skin.