Yesterday i returned to my lexus IS200 to find that some nice person had dented the o/s rear wheel arch.
i have visited the Lexus dealer who say's that they will repair the dent and blend it in with the rear door. i am concerned as the car is a silver metallic finish, and as it is quite new, i want to get the best possible repair so that the repair will not notice. i would appreciate any advice on getting the right job done. The dent is only inches from the rear door, so a match will be important.
Thanks.
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Have you considered consulting one of the paintless dent repair outfits, or has the paint been damaged? If it is damaged, then you won't get a better source of repair than the main dealer, surely?
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Why would a main dealer do a better body repair than a dedicated body shop? I would take it to a body shop, as this is what they do every day of the week. The only reason to take it to a dealer is if you are worried about a body warrenty. Else take it to the pros.
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Sometimes the main dealer farms out your business to a specialist bodyshop and you pay for the privelage.
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A friend's IS200 received major damage to the bodywork (rear end shunt) soon after he bought the car. His Lexus main dealer made an excellent job of repairing it.
On the other hand, I remember a press report of a couple of years ago where a Lexus 400 owner asked his main dealer to repair a minor scratch and they made a complete mess of it. They kept having a go at it -- first the scratch, then the wing, then the side of the body until it ended up needing a complete respray, and all the time he was given a lot of hassle. He was so annoyed that he traded the car for a Mercedes and vowed never to buy a Lexus again.
Perhaps, as has been suggested, it would be safest to use a known high-quality independent bodyshop.
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The best bet,not always easy is use a paint shop that has been recommended,otherwise its very easy to end up with the car looking a complete mess.You could try asking a salesman at the Lexus dealers where they get their trade work done,quietly of course,often not the same place as in house.
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If you go direct to a bodyshop (no reason why not) then make sure they have the special kit to pull out dents perfectly
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Thank you all for your help. I found out that the Lexus dealer farms out the work to an independant body shop, and that they do not do the work themselves. The quote from Lexus was £400. I found a local Toyota body repair specialist who also repair Lotus and TVR, their quote is £100 less. This way I shall pay for the work myself and not claim on my insurance.
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I have had 2 small scrapes on my metallic silver Focus repaired by RGR Cranfield's body-shop, and I can't see the join(s). Excellent service, too, and they happen to be a small-ish Ford dealer, which, for me is most convenient.
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There was an article in a reputable car magazine regarding Ford bodywork
repairs,specialised on restoring the finish to trade ins(London area) which they sell on their forecourts.Apparently they have developed their techniques to such a successful standard that the Concours crowd are using their services.
Waterbased paintwork....ugh!
Simon
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