Body work, paint. Advice needed.
07-13-13, 06:39 PM
#1
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Body work, paint. Advice needed.
My 2006 GS 430 bought 18 month ago was perfect, and I kept it that way up until last thanks giving when I parked the car by my building for a few house. When I came out, I found a nice dent and a scratch on the left side quarter panel. The dent is horizontal, right at the wheel arch. I buffed most of the damage out but there is still a small scratch and a dent .Most people would never see it unless they looked for it. Needless to say it bothers me.
Few shops gave me an estimate from $300-500. Thats repainting the quarter and re doing the painted pin strip so it matches the whole side.
My problem is, I dont know if its worth repainting the whole quarter panel and risking the paint not matching perfectly, making it obvious that that side was painted.
Color is FLint Mica and in the car looks brand new. I hand was it myself and wax it a few times a year.
Few shops gave me an estimate from $300-500. Thats repainting the quarter and re doing the painted pin strip so it matches the whole side.
My problem is, I dont know if its worth repainting the whole quarter panel and risking the paint not matching perfectly, making it obvious that that side was painted.
Color is FLint Mica and in the car looks brand new. I hand was it myself and wax it a few times a year.
07-13-13, 07:20 PM
#3
Instructor
Thread Starter
Basically a white car side swiped my car.
The dent is very small but it starts at the right side of the rear wheel arch, starts at 3 and end at 9 o'clock as far as orientation goes.
The shop that repainted my back bumper, because it got scratched up at the parking garage in Manhattan, quoted me $400, with pin stripe work. Unfortunately my car came with a painted pin stripe, and its fading in places. I dont want to take the chance removing it, a few shops wanted 50-100 to wax it off, but they did not promise me how the car would look afterwards. Needless to say if the pin strip was made of tape, I would remove it by now. I don't understand what type of people put a pin stripes on a Lexus, GS430 of all cars. I dont even know why pin stripes exist. I guess an older gentleman was the first owner, which explains why the car is in such great condition. I'm the second owner.
The dent is very small but it starts at the right side of the rear wheel arch, starts at 3 and end at 9 o'clock as far as orientation goes.
The shop that repainted my back bumper, because it got scratched up at the parking garage in Manhattan, quoted me $400, with pin stripe work. Unfortunately my car came with a painted pin stripe, and its fading in places. I dont want to take the chance removing it, a few shops wanted 50-100 to wax it off, but they did not promise me how the car would look afterwards. Needless to say if the pin strip was made of tape, I would remove it by now. I don't understand what type of people put a pin stripes on a Lexus, GS430 of all cars. I dont even know why pin stripes exist. I guess an older gentleman was the first owner, which explains why the car is in such great condition. I'm the second owner.
07-13-13, 09:10 PM
#4
The dealer puts on the stripes - unless you catch the car fresh off the truck, or you think to have them remove them as a condition of sale. I took mine off the GS - parked it with each side facing the sun for a few minutes to warm up the vinyl and they came off easy with no residue.
As for your car, I would do everything possible to avoid a single panel repaint. Even if it seems to match at first, it will not fade the same as the factory paint. Try PDR first. Even a small dent is way better than an entire mismatched panel. Just one repainted panel has kept me from buying vehicles.
As for your car, I would do everything possible to avoid a single panel repaint. Even if it seems to match at first, it will not fade the same as the factory paint. Try PDR first. Even a small dent is way better than an entire mismatched panel. Just one repainted panel has kept me from buying vehicles.
07-13-13, 09:25 PM
#5
The dealer puts on the stripes - unless you catch the car fresh off the truck, or you think to have them remove them as a condition of sale. I took mine off the GS - parked it with each side facing the sun for a few minutes to warm up the vinyl and they came off easy with no residue.
As for your car, I would do everything possible to avoid a single panel repaint. Even if it seems to match at first, it will not fade the same as the factory paint. Try PDR first. Even a small dent is way better than an entire mismatched panel. Just one repainted panel has kept me from buying vehicles.
As for your car, I would do everything possible to avoid a single panel repaint. Even if it seems to match at first, it will not fade the same as the factory paint. Try PDR first. Even a small dent is way better than an entire mismatched panel. Just one repainted panel has kept me from buying vehicles.
07-14-13, 05:48 PM
#6
+1 on the paint, also, Pin-stripes shouldn't have been painted, they should be removable.... And at that, you can peel it off (slowly, and with a hairdryer/heatgun and plastic squeegee or something non-scratchable..... Also, another tip is to use alcohol to remove sticky residue that's left by the pinstripe if there is any leftover...
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