Hi there

 

My poor little 1976 Corolla CS was backed into by a Holden 1 tonner in a parking lot yesterday. :D

 

The tray on the back of his ute dug into the top hinge area on my passenger side door, damaging that portion of the front panel and door.

 

I took my car to a recommended smash repairer today for a quote, and they quoted $1100 for the job...Now I'm no car genius, but this seems excessive.

 

Does anybody have any recommendations for a smash repairer around the Valley / Kelvin Grove / Red Hill / Newmarket areas, or alternatively around Indooroopilly / Toowong / Milton?

 

If you do, please post a response or send me a message, as I'd prefer for my car not to be written off because of some bozo who didn't look before he reversed.

 

Cheers :y:

Hey got any pics of the damage??

 

I have all my repairs done at Tony's Smash Repairs at Woolongabba.

Yes, yes I do. {btw, is that Toni's Smash Repairs in Balaclava St?}

 

 

 

 

Edited February 4, 200917 yr by mensch

That's not $1100 worth of damage..........

Get a few quotes mate, I think they will vary a lot from that excessive amount.

That's not $1100 worth of damage..........

Get a few quotes mate, I think they will vary a lot from that excessive amount.

 

Its not to the everyday backyarder that we are but panelshops don't wanna really touch old cars these days, They probably looked at the fact that they would have to repair the damaged panels as OEM ones are not available (just saying) and paint matching paint that is 30 odd years old can be a time staking task.

 

Mensch are you claiming it on insurance? In all honesty the 1100 is alot of money for that repair to that car, I wouldnt like to pay anymore than 600 for the repair, Maybe give DIY a go.

 

Just a thought.

It is being claimed through insurance but the problem being they will write my car off if the quote exceeds $1000. They've done this previously even though the insurer of the party who hit me said they were willing to pay whatever it cost.

 

The smash repairer said they will try to get a second hand front panel and beat out the door damage, and spray paint the front panel. As the rest of my car is faded, the paint won't match; my car will look like a patchwork quilt. He said as long as I'm realistic about the okay job they can do for $1100...that my car won't look 100% when they're finished...I got the impression he was too busy fixing the Mercedes in the driveway.

 

It's hard to find a mechanic / panel beater who specialises in old cars these days. If I found one, I would never let them go! Bring back old school mechanics who cherish good old work horses like mine.

 

I could never buy another car like mine for the $1000 I'd get if my car was written off. She is the only car I've ever had, has never let me down, and has been driving like a trooper for going on 20 years. I owe her the same as if I had a dearly loved pet that had been injured. I AM in love with my car. It's true. People might think it's silly, but she is 100% dependable. I just wish dickheads would stop hitting her :D

 

Maybe I should spraypaint her neon yellow? They quoted a mere $5000 for a paint job...*cough*

Edited February 4, 200917 yr by mensch

You're never going to find a panel shop that likes to fix old cars that aren't worth much, not unless you are paying to restore it. Takes time and will never look right unless the car gets a full respray.

 

It's a shame you can't settle this without involving insurance, get a little cash and get some replacement panels.

I'm sure lots of people on here could bodge repair that damage if you didn't mind multi-coloured panels? Adds caracter!

Grab the pliers and bend it back out otherwise grab a dolly and a little hammer and work it out!!!!!

 

I had to do that when the door on my Celica folded over the gaurd it took all of about 30mins work and has never done it again

Yeah, I never thought of it in a purely materialistic / commercial sense before. That if a smash repairer mainly does insurance work, and they're going to get $10,000 to fix a Merc or $1000 for fixing mine, they will just price mine out to be written off to avoid the work so they can get more expensive jobs in.

 

It SUCKS.

 

I feel like becoming a panel beater / mechanic who specialises in old cars and won't touch anything built after 1985.

 

And I don't know why I bother with comprehensive insurance...I should just set up a slush fund for my car.

 

Nobody cares that my car is 100% reliable and wonderful. They're just greedy.

 

I wouldn't care if I had to spray the car myself. I'm a painter. I could do that...

Definately agree with you on the full comp. Unless you are going to cover the car for like $4k+ it's not worth it...

Definately agree with you on the full comp. Unless you are going to cover the car for like $4k+ it's not worth it...

 

And they won't let you cover it for a set price if your car was made prior to 1985 or so. So I can't insure it for purchase price. It's market value...which is probably what, around $800? lol

i don't have full comp on my celica only 3 party fire an theft and i have had afew small prangs but nothin serious aye, but honestly in my opionon i wouldn't have bothered with callin the insurance company, i would just get out the pliers, a dolly and a small hammer and then get a sample of paint when u straighten it out take it to a shop and get them to match it as close as they can!!!!!! then paint it

 

but thats just me honestly

Yeah Toni is on Balaclava st. He is the only smash repairer that I know of that will touch old cars and also deal in rust.

And they won't let you cover it for a set price if your car was made prior to 1985 or so. So I can't insure it for purchase price. It's market value...which is probably what, around $800? lol

 

Change your insurer. I insured mine with Shannons for $7k while it was (and still is) a pile of parts. Only costs like $400 a year. Just tell them you are restoring it :D

Well, thanks for all of your help / advice / opinions. I'll let you know how this ends up :P