How much do car dings cost to repair?

[purbeast0]

I washed my car today that I bought right at New Years, and noticed a god damn ding in the door that is somewhat significant, at least to me, and it got me very salty right away.

I am curious what kind of money I would be looking at to repair something like this. There is clearly a very tiny bit of paint missing too.

It's kind of hard to really even see from this pic due to it being super shiny after the wash, but I tried to get 2 angles.

 

[lxskllr]

Wow, that's a shiny car! I had to scroll to the second pic to tell what I was looking at. Looked like a wormhole formation in the atmosphere in the first pic :^D

Can't help. That isn't something I'd ever think about fixing. Pulling a number out of my ass, I'd say $200?

 

[Ken g6]

I just saw this on Motorweek the other week:

Hot Glue Dent Repair | MotorWeek Your Drive

motorweek.org

 

[RLGL]

An arm and a leg

 

[Red Squirrel]

Pulling a number out of my ass, going to guess $600. Everything cost so much now days. This is not something I would bother fixing myself, but given how pristine that car is, guess your best bet is to just get an estimate and go from there.

 

[WilliamM2]

One reason why I never park next to anyone. It's worth walking a bit to avoid the hassle.
That should be part of your comprehensive coverage, not collision. They don't raise you rates for that, and usually the deductible is smaller. Mines $100. If paint is missing, they may have to paint the whole door, or at least clear coat all of it. Probably $800 to $1000.

 

[repoman0]

$150-250 for a good PDR guy to take care of it. Don’t worry about the paint, chips happen. Better yet, don’t worry about the ding at all. It’s a daily driver, embrace it.

I have a bunch of small dings on my M5 … I’ve been kicking around taking it for PDR for years. Imperfections make the car more enjoyable though so I haven’t bothered so far.

 

[BoomerD]

Ouch...is that the new Kia? Fuck dammit...that sux. Knocking out the dent won't be too bad...but if they have to repair the paint...that will get spendy.

 

[purbeast0]

Ouch...is that the new Kia? Fuck dammit...that sux. Knocking out the dent won't be too bad...but if they have to repair the paint...that will get spendy.

Yep it is, and it sucks.

I do park far from everyone, I have always done that. I really don't even know where it happened or exactly when it happened.

The place I did my ceramic coating also does the paint free ding repair so I may swing by there and just see the cost of at least getting rid of the ding.

I did take a closer look at it yesterday and I do believe there are 2 little places where paint came off. I'd still rather have no ding with a paint chip than have a ding and a paint chip.

 

[MrSquished]

An arm and a leg

Said in the deep movie trailer guy voice

 

[BonzaiDuck]

A slight dent in a door panel? I agree with the others, unless DIY is acceptable.

If that then, if it's a shallow dent, you'd want a tube of red body putty, some sandpaper, and then primer and touchup paint. You can get the touchup paint by paint-code at PaintScratch.com. A spray can of it would cost you about $25 -- I'm guessing the other materials would bring the total outlay to $50.

As for the touch-up paint work. You could be tempted to paint the entire door panel, because the difference will otherwise be visible. If the paint match is very good, you might be able to reduce the visibility with application of Rubbing Compound after the paint has been dry for a few weeks.

It all depends on how much you have invested in the vehicle, how much of that has depreciated or how old the vehicle, and your tolerance for imperfection. I would fix it if paint is missing from the dent. If not -- leave it alone.

Here's a story, since I'm feeling voluble this morning. I recently had a parking-lot "tail-light' collision with another car, deemed as 50-50 fault by my insurer. My car is 30 years old, and I don't carry full collision. I shoulder the risk for an old vehicle myself, and it saves me money. There was also a crease in the associated rear quarter-panel.

So I went to a body shop and asked for estimate of what they would charge, and I was quoted $1,200. Then I went to EBay and purchased a pristine, flawless tail-light lens for $70. I purchased a can of fiber-glass Bondo for $10 or $15, some sandpaper, primer and touch-up paint. I used a slam-hammer to pull out the dent or crease, but it wouldn't have otherwise been necessary and just as easily filled with the Bondo.

It was all of around $150. The paint is a perfect match and the dent and paint repair is invisible.

Still contemplating purchase of a new hybrid-drive-train vehicle, in face of the tariff uncertainty and other factors, like avoiding any serious reduction in my extra retirement nest-egg. But as long as my old Trooper continues to run like this, look as good as it does, and as long as gasoline prices are reasonable or affordable for my monthly and annual miles, I'm good to go, as they say.

 

[purbeast0]

I was quoted $180 - $200 from the shop that did my ceramic coating. So $200 basically. That seems reasonable so I am most likely going to do it.

I took a better look at it and it doesn't quite look like paint has been chipped. The 2 spots I saw must have been paint from the other car because I just kinda rubbed with my finger and both of them came off.

 

[iRONic]

I was quoted $180 - $200 from the shop that did my ceramic coating. So $200 basically. That seems reasonable so I am most likely going to do it.

I took a better look at it and it doesn't quite look like paint has been chipped. The 2 spots I saw must have been paint from the other car because I just kinda rubbed with my finger and both of them came off.

Ask them if they have the skills & equipment to do your front bumper also. If not get a recommendation from them for a shop that does that kind of work.