Car Repair has me Stumped.
June 5, 2017 12:01 PM Subscribe
We are one year (+/-) into a three year lease. We ran into a tree stump hidden in some grass as we were leaving a circle shaped driveway (essentially straddled it between the passenger side wheels) and there's a pretty significant dent in the body of the car directly under the front passenger door. What do we do?
For lack of a more specific question, what do we do in this scenario? Take it to the dealer and ask for a quote before shopping it around? Call our insurance company? Will this be $$$ or just $$ (hopefully not $$$$)?
There is no damage to the doors or any of the mechanicals as far as I can tell, just a nice, big, stump shaped dent in the body.
Should we do this immediately or closer to the end of the lease? Anything else to consider?
For lack of a more specific question, what do we do in this scenario? Take it to the dealer and ask for a quote before shopping it around? Call our insurance company? Will this be $$$ or just $$ (hopefully not $$$$)?
There is no damage to the doors or any of the mechanicals as far as I can tell, just a nice, big, stump shaped dent in the body.
Should we do this immediately or closer to the end of the lease? Anything else to consider?
You need a professional to look at it. The body of your car is more than just cosmetic - it forms a safety cell that, with its crumple zones and cage, protects the occupants in an accident. What's happened to this car sounds like it has the potential to have compromised the safety cell in a way that a dent to a door or bumper wouldn't. I'd be a lot more concerned about that than about how many $s are involved.
posted by pipeski at 12:19 PM on June 5, 2017
posted by pipeski at 12:19 PM on June 5, 2017
Agreed -- have your insurance/repair folks look at it. The concern would be a bent frame, which is dangerous.
posted by acm at 12:27 PM on June 5, 2017
posted by acm at 12:27 PM on June 5, 2017
A picture would sure help. FYI, it's unlikely you bent the frame at driveway speeds. Sounds like a dent in the side of the vehicle? $$ not $$$$
posted by no1hatchling at 1:24 PM on June 5, 2017
posted by no1hatchling at 1:24 PM on June 5, 2017
Best answer: Side skirt? It might just be a piece of trim and not as heart-stoppingly expensive as you might imagine. I doubt your frame is bent. Call your insurance company.
posted by fixedgear at 1:30 PM on June 5, 2017
posted by fixedgear at 1:30 PM on June 5, 2017
You definitely need to get it looked at by a repair shop. Just because the door itself isn't bent, doesn't mean the lower section of the car that the door closes into hasn't been, and that can allow water intrusion if there is no longer a tight seal.
posted by Thorzdad at 2:20 PM on June 5, 2017
posted by Thorzdad at 2:20 PM on June 5, 2017
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by empath at 12:16 PM on June 5, 2017 [2 favorites]