My rear hatch was damaged in a rear end collision. Driver's insurance took responsibility. Body shop patched hatch with filler. Can I demand a new rear hatch? Located in South Carolina?

 

If the sheetmetal had minor damage, the cost of replacing the entire hatch may have been excessive. Too late now but there is a reason to select your preferred bodyshop when another insurance company is paying for the repairs. Discussing and agreeing on repair options before beginning work results in your interests, not the insurance companys, interests being represented. If you would have pushed for a new hatch, it likely would have happened. That being said, plastic filler repair of panels is a time proven repair method as long as the damage isnt so extensive and the support structure wasn’t compromised.

My daughters mercades SUV was backed into at her work. The responsible parties insurance company asked her to bring it to a specific shop to have repairs made. I instructed her to get an estimate from the shop they requested but also send it to a shop Ive used before that does very high quality work to see what they would charge.

The difference was staggering $2600 vs. $6600. Their “preferred” shop was just going to tape off the trim, beat out the dent, bondo the panel, blend repaint part of the panel and the bumper. It would have looked OK for a few years until the blended panel and bumper areas faded. The correct repair was to remove all trim, paint the entire panel including where it goes into the door sill so no paint line and replace the rear bumper where the crash structure underneath had been compromised. I’ve done paint and bodywork as a hobby for years and even with my educated eyes, the repair was 100% undetectable. Even the very slight orangepeel in the factory paint was matched to perfection on the repaint which takes some real skill to do. I have no doubt her car will look this way as long as she cares to keep the car. Of note was although the insurance company rep kept saying their shop did good work and had a lifetime warranty, my daughter sent it to the quality shop and had zero problems getting the work done and paid for (which also offered a lifetime warranty).

In the end, the insurance company will cut corners to reduce their costs as much as they can unless you specifically say otherwise. They want to do just enough to satisfy the average, non educated, consumer who doesnt realize there plenty of corners that can be cut in making repairs to a car including replacing damaged parts with questionable used parts, non OEM parts, etc.

 

Probably a bit late to redo the work; the repairs should be clarified before you agree to them. Is the job done and does it look OK?

Does the shop and/or insurance company offer you a lifetime warranty? Expy hatches have the paint bubbling issues along the bottom edge and around the license plate area and you may be worse off or better off with regard to the possibility of future corrosion.

I had a Subaru which had the tailgate kicked in via apparent vandalism. The cost to repair it was barely more than my $500 deductible and I chose not to make a claim, but the shop that did the work is one that I've worked with for 40(!) years and they used to do custom Corvettes and win custom car shows... I basically trust them more than any other shop or dealer facility. It is a complex tailgate and there is a tiny bit of bondo in it.

My son has the car now and the tailgate is fine after 6.5 years. They did spray it internally with oil- based rustproofing as I'm in Michigan and had concern about future rust.

 

Thanks, guys. The shop has a fantastic satisfaction rating, but I should have followed my instincts and got a second opinion or gone with an independent shop. Haven't seen the results yet. Going to look at the car today.

 

You can demand new parts be installed, however, if the cost to use new parts exceeds the value of the vehicle it can then be totaled.

 

OP's footer says he's got a 2016 Expedition. Guessing it's worth way more than a new hatch

 

True! Minor damage to hatch skin (about 8" wide, 1/2" high rectangle dent, shallow). They filled and painted. Going to pick it up today. Lifetime warranty, so just going to accept it as long as I can't tell it is there. If it ever shows up, I'll make sure they fix it.

Appreciate all the advice and will know better next time. Slightly painful but relatively inexpensive lesson learned.

 

Always select a body shop that will FIGHT FOR YOU to get new replacement parts.

All they have to do is work with the adjuster and get it ok'd.

Bondo is not acceptable. No way should you have taken your vehicle there.

It may look good now but what about in years to come?

Also make sure you get the proper settlement for being rear ended no matter how minor you think it may have been.

Also make sure that their insurance compensates you properly for DIMINISHED VALUE on your vehicle post accident. You vehicle is worth less now after your accident and ****ty bondo repair.

 

There are states like Michigan that do not have any kind of diminished value laws.

I would think it hard to make a case that an 8" long crease involving a bit of bondo would significantly reduce the value of a used vehicle.

My concern with any Expy would be the tendency of tailgates and hoods to oxidize at the edges, which they all do in Michigan. Possible that a repaint would actually make this less likely but it could also go the other way....and the lifetime warranty might actually end up helping you in a strange way.

Good luck. If you keep vehicles for 10 years, like I do, there is not gonna be much loss at the actual time you sell it anyway...and if the bump shop gives you a lifetime guarantee (and stays in biz) you should be covered for any problems.

Stuff happens and I usually have more to worry about in life than an 8x1/2" dent.

George

 

SC has excellent diminished values laws, with a full three years to apply. Guess that gives you time to see the real effect of an accident on value and allows you to settle repairs with the insurance company before you add on a DV claim.

Picked up the truck last night. They did everything right. Completely stripped the rear hatch for the repair/repaint. Perfect match (one reason I was happy to get the Oxford White). Painted a few other dings that I didn't expect them to touch. Very happy to have the truck back and be driving it again. Love my Expedition!

 

I love Oxford white and other non-metallic colors. I keep cars for 10 years or longer and there are so many times when a panel gets whacked. Having to paint the whole side when only one door is damaged is a drag but a necessity with today's metallics and pearl paints...

 

Same here; keep my cars for 10+ years. Buy them slightly used and drive them until too much wrong or tired of repairs. Had the 2001 for 13 years. Hopefully this 2016 will last even longer. Lots of great memories, and with a little care a car can look almost new for over a decade.

 

I know but I like to throw in tips like that for others that read the thread. If the same thing happened to someone with a 2000 they might not think about it being totaled when demanding new parts.