bagwell

sucks, but look at the bright side...it could have been worse....and it would have been worse if you just came out and found your car damaged (been there).

beautfiul color by the way!
I'd like to see it next to a crystal white for comparison.

tqlla3k

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, I am taking it to Lindsay Lexus collision center. But I definately am afraid about replacing the door shell.

I also want to make sure they dont blend the paint at all. The paint better match without a blend. But what do I do afterwards, if it doesnt match?

jettie1767

I feel your pain! My other car (MB CLS5000 just got vandalized last Wednesday while I was stopped at a light. Some dude decided to whack my rear door with his duffle bag!!! Now, the door needs to be replaced..aarrghh.

tqlla3k

iTrader: (1)

Crap, I just found out that the Lindsay Collision center.... services more than Lexus's and so does Pohanka's collision center(these are the Lexus dealers in the area).

I am probably still best going there.

Foxberry

Same thing happened to my Maxima a few years back at work. I parked my car way out, all by itself in the parking lot. A soccer mom in an Odyssey was not paying attention and ran right into my rear fender and bumper.

ahohnstein

dude..... i'd be on a rampage. it's sad that someone is walking around knowing they did that to your beautiful car and they don't give a rat's *** about it. Have you talked to the security people in your building. It looks like it's a managed building. They'd have cameras trained on the parking lot. If it was that empty it should be easy to spot the culprit. Just do it quickly as the tapes are probably only kept for a couple days (looped reel). Then you can stake out the lot for the bastard the next day and present him/her with the evidence..... and a good *** whoopin' if they don't cop to it.

Seriously, check the with the security desk.

flashsim

Guess people don't read

Bichon

If you had a Saturn with those plastic panels, or one of the Audi models with an aluminum space frame I could see the reason for finding a body shop that specializes in your particular car. But the Lexus IS is a pretty conventional steel unibody car that shouldn't require any novel repair techniques. If it were my car, I'd be looking for a really GOOD shop, not necessarily one that specializes in Lexus.

I've found that one of the best sources of information on body shops are the nuts that spend tens of thousands of dollars restoring and showing classic cars. Attend a local "cruise night" or classic car show, and ask some of the guys with the best paint jobs where they go for their work.

Tony1

I've seen 5 year old cars that had pearl white paint jobs and it matched
perfectly.. All depends on who you take it to. Make sure your dealer just
doesn't "sub contract" the bodywork job out to the nearest autobody shop, (as most
dealerships do)... Your paint shouldnt be all that hard to match up, considering
the paint job has not been weathered, again, just make sure you know who you're
taking it to.. Too bad your not in the NY area, i woulda had someone awesome for
you..

dfw350

I believe there is a law that permits you to kick her in the face in this scenario.

tqlla3k

iTrader: (1)

I just spoke with Lindsay collision center. they say they cant match without blending.

I figured this much, IMO, needing to blend is the same thing as telling me that you cant match the paint.

So what Do I say when the adjuster for nationwide comes around? Am I better off asking my ins co? Geico?

Bichon

I think you'll get the best results if you hire the best possible shop and don't tell them how to do their job. If a shop that you trust tells you that they need to blend to get best possible results, I'd let them do it.

If you want a shop that your adjuster finds easy to work with, perhaps gives the insurance company a price break, and probably does 'acceptable' quality work, ask the adjuster. I stick with my previous suggestion of talking to car collectors and others who restore cars to exhibit in shows.

In case you didn't know, Geico donates radar and lidar guns to police departments to encourage them to set up speed traps. As opposed to my insurance company, NJM, that returns unused premium dollars to policyholders in the form of dividend checks.

tqlla3k

iTrader: (1)

Well the problem with letting a shop I trust do their job, is that I dont trust any shops. my 3000GT has been in 3 accidents. The first was my fault. The shop did a horrific job at matching. But I paid to have whole car repainted, because their paint looked a lot nicer than the factory, and they cut me a break. Plus they let me get my own parts for the 3000, which allowed me to convert to a 1999 Front end(this was in 2000)

Afterwards, Someone hit me in a parking lot, while I was waiting for a space. Take it back tot he same shop... no match.

Next month, somone hit and run my 3000, while the car was parked. Luckily they hit me on the other side, so now both sides have been hit I took it to a different shop... Still no match.

As far as shops which restore cars, I think they usually repaint whole cars, and not repair cars. At least the one I went to for my 3000, wouldnt touch my car.

And for Geico, I may be looking for a new co, when they re-evaluate me, since I have gotten in 3 non at fault accidents in 18 months. (Where someone hit my non-moving vehicle)

AsianGirl007

iTrader: (1)

Since it wasn't your fault, it won't affect your insurance at all. You don't even need to get them involved, just talk to her insurance company.
I once got hit by a limo driver and the owner of the company tried to get me to go to a shop he knew, but I told him it was a lease car and Lexus required me to go to a Lexus body shop. Little white lie but he fell for it.

tdog09

We feel your pain....it burns us!!