Plastic fender repair companies or bodyshop?

[TransAm]

On the way to work I hit a small dog, I am sure it died pretty instantly as I spun the car round to check it and it wasn't conscious. I think it was a stray as it had no collar, I intended to let the owner know what had happened assuming the dog carried some contact information on a tag.

I picked up a few of the parts and kicked the glass into the median, but nothing is salvagable. My front fender is cracked horizontally right at the bottom and I am minus one foglamp and the little airvent that sits adjacent to the lamp. I don't think the fender is misshapen but there is only so much you can see under streetlights at 510am. Hopefully the I/C and radiator weren't damaged, I am pretty sure they wouldn't have been in the impact area, it was quite a small dog, like a terrier.

The foglamp assy is about $135 but the fender is over $600.

Any ideas of fender/plastic repair companies in TX? In the UK we have a company called 'the plastic surgeon' or similar which is a guy who comes and repairs things like this. Of course, googling 'plastic surgeon' is not going to heed any relevant results! I googled "plastic fender repair" and didnt get much back. Do you have this type of plastic repair service in the US, or should I just go to a bodyshop, get an estimate and decide from there?

I could make a claim but my deductible is $500.

I will post up a pic of the damage tonight if it helps.

[pharzo]

Well i searched around a little, and apparently in the US it's called Autobody repair, or after collision repair, plastic bumper after collision repair, somewhere around there

here's some shop i found...seems decent. They're located in Richland Hills, and thanks to google earth i know that's about 26 mins away from you. I tried to search somewhere closer, but Crowley is apparently not bursting with mechanics

^^A little free time is a dangerous thing

[TransAm]

Thanks man, much appreciated There is a bodyshop in Crowley (right next to the Dairy Queen restaurant if you can see that on google earth), but I was hoping to find a service where the guy comes to your house and repairs the cracked bumper at your home.

I can put the new foglamp assembly in, but I don't have a heat gun for the plastic.

It might, just might, glue back together and I can use some touchup paint over the crack...

[pharzo]

Well for the DIY inclined, a site i ran across earlier

[TransAm]

That could be useful, thanks Pharzo! 8)

[ZfrkS62]

i dont know if any of them will actually come to your house to do it because of some of the chemicals they probably have to use, but it might just end up being cheaper to replace the fender anyway. That composite crap GM uses is a pain in the ass because once it starts breaking, there is really no stopping it. Glue or body filler might hold it together for a little while, but i am really not 100% sure as to wether or not it will really fix it for the long term

[TransAm]

Thanks for your input, Zfrk, much appreciated.

I'll check the damage in the daylight later on and if I have to make an insurance claim I will - my insurance premium costs for next year aren't an issue in the context of making any claim; current plans are that I will be back in the UK by May 06 when my policy is due renewal. 8)

[TransAm]

Originally Posted by insane Dog killer! :x

Would you believe I was listening to Sophie Ellis-Bextor 'Murder on the Dancefloor' when it happened?*


*may not be true


I do feel quite bad about the dog though , if I had been on high beam I might have seen it in time...

I am sure the dog didnt suffer - I was back there within a minute of the impact occurring and it wasn't breathing.

[ZfrkS62]

Originally Posted by brembo On what you could do on the fender is.... Remove it from the car get some fiberglass and epoxy (the same stuff boats are made of)and apply it on the back side if the crack then it will hold together at a very high strenght then you can put in some filler in the crack and some touch up paint on the front side of it...... This is at least what I would have done and have done in the past works very well and its cheap and easy.... The materials are easy to get hold of at a harware store or a boat shop they are easy to work with and very strong....just be sure to do this in a ventilated area preferably outside with a small breeze...... Good luck and keep us posted.....

Or use your camcorder to record yourself doing it in an enclosed space and then post the vid here for us to laugh at

[TransAm]

Badum-tish

[TransAm]

No, Ronin, a saab site

Update: In the light of day it is more damaged than I first thought, so I went home via a bodyshop. The estimate for repair is $1404, I'm going to go through my insurance. $500 deductible :cry:

[FoxFour]

Better off anyways. They will probably just repalace the fender, that way, no worries. Even though I have seen body shop guys do some amazing things with plastic filler, and it hold up for many years.

[ZfrkS62]

Originally Posted by TransAm2001 No, Ronin, a saab site Update: In the light of day it is more damaged than I first thought, so I went home via a bodyshop. The estimate for repair is $1404, I'm going to go through my insurance. $500 deductible :cry:

Luckily you have a light colored car so its easier to match the paint.

[TransAm]

Thanks Ronin