Most liked posts in thread: My MINI got beaten up

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  1. Grizld700

    Grizld700 Well-Known Member

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    #2 Grizld700, Mar 24, 2016
    I'm sure there are plenty of Paintless dent repairmen down in your area just for this reason. I would find a local person and give them a call. Have them look at your vehicle and give you a quote. I find most of the average repairs can be done below my deductible. And if not then perhaps just paying out of pocket will do you more good since you're worried about raising your premiums.
     
  2. Gil-galad

    Gil-galad Club Coordinator

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    #3 Gil-galad, Mar 24, 2016
    +1 to the advice from Griz.

    Must've been a helpless feeling not being able to shelter your MINI, and it sucks about the hail divots...but it sounds like your attempts to protect it would have made an entertaining YouTube vid. :devil:
     
  3. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    #4 Metalman, Mar 24, 2016
  4. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    #5 Metalman, Mar 24, 2016
    double post...
     
  5. BruceK

    BruceK Active Member

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    #6 BruceK, Mar 24, 2016
    Good advice. I get a quote. And my wife just returned home with her Infiniti which has its own share of fresh but faint hail dents. So I'll get a quote on that too. I've got a feeling this hailstorm is going to fund the college education of the children of body shop and paintless dent removal owners!

    I'm sure it would have been! It was all of 90 seconds of manic activity for me to burst out of the garage with blankets in hand, run back and forth pulling bricks from the big pile at the edge of the yard, and try to gingerly but effectively place them on top of the MINI before being severely pelted by hail and running away. The Yakety Sax song from the old Benny Hill TV show would be a good soundtrack for the video.
     
  6. BruceK

    BruceK Active Member

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    #7 BruceK, Mar 24, 2016
    Last edited: Mar 24, 2016
    That would have been great! The cost is less than most people's deductible.

    But, it needs a compressed gas instant inflator cartridge like a life raft. I literally had 90 seconds warning, so 5+ minutes it takes for that to inflate would have had me cussing like a sailor.

    And I wonder if it really can deal with a full-on hailstorm. It's not like a few fly balls coming your way, it's more like there is a hole in the bottom of God's ice maker and it all rushes out at once.
     
  7. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    #8 MCS02, Mar 24, 2016
    I truly hate to hear that. My niece's ex does paintless dent repair. He told me once the metal on the mini is great to work with. It has a good memory and is easy to work the dents out of.
    Good luck!
     
  8. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    #9 Minidave, Mar 24, 2016
    Man! no fun......I agree, let the paintless dent guys do their thing.....
     
  9. whaap

    whaap New Member

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    #10 whaap, Mar 24, 2016
    I handled automobile insurance claims for 25 years with two different insurance companies. I have never known of a persons rates going up because of a comprehensive claim. Collision losses, yes. Comprehensive, which is hail damage, no. If you have any doubts, ask your agent.
     
  10. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    #11 Metalman, Mar 25, 2016
    ^^^ I agree... Acts of nature are not your fault....
     
  11. mrntd

    mrntd Well-Known Member
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    #12 mrntd, Mar 25, 2016
    One your fellow Texans told me his method from removing the hail dents is to let the sit in the hot Texas summer sun until mid day then put some dry ice on the dent and it will pop right out. I've tried it here in Ohio and it does work.
     
  12. Grizld700

    Grizld700 Well-Known Member

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    #13 Grizld700, Mar 25, 2016
    ^I've heard of this and have seen video on the interwebs, but I was always skeptical.
     
  13. BruceK

    BruceK Active Member

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    #14 BruceK, Mar 26, 2016
    What you say makes sense. I've paid for automobile insurance for decades and not filed any comprehensive claims. But I decided to put my car back right (and my wife's as well) so I filed two claims.

    I'm insured with Geico, and they pulled out all the stops after the big hail storm 3 days ago to make the process easy. Setting up an appointment was simple. Here's the massive facility they used to inspect the cars. They pulled agents in from all over the state and had representatives from various body shops and paintless dent removal shops inspecting cars too. I washed both my car and my wife's car this morning to help better show the hail damage.

    I actually received a compliment from one of the inspectors on the good condition of my 14 year old car. That was nice.

    They said my car only needed PDR and the estimate was for about $2,300, while my wife's car would need some stainless door window trim mouldings replaced and lots of PDR with an estimate of about $4,200.

    Now comes the wait for the call to put the cars in the shop.
     

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  14. 00Mini

    00Mini Well-Known Member

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    #15 00Mini, Mar 26, 2016
    Nice to hear that things went smoothly and that the repairs will be done through insurance after all that's why you pay the premiums.
     
  15. Metalman

    Metalman Well-Known Member
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    #16 Metalman, Mar 26, 2016
    I'm glad you are getting the PDR option.... much less hassle keeping the oem paint intact than body putty and a respray.....

    All of the repair shops will be in a mad rush to crank out as many finished jobs as possible in the shortest period of time...
    They will going for maximum turnover....
    The PDR guys use special lighting when they work the dents out.... Then the lights are put away when its time for you to accept the work...
    Just make sure your car isn't stuck over in a dark corner... get a good look at the work before accepting the completed job.... The PDR lighting would be the best for the final inspection...

    [​IMG]

    They do have the ability of making it perfect....
     
  16. minintrigue

    minintrigue Active Member

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    #17 minintrigue, Mar 26, 2016
    PDR for hailstorm damage is great. Many years ago my VW GLX got whacked while at the grocery store. I had that car for another 6 years and you couldn't tell excrept for the one the missed. I'm a big fan
     
  17. Minidave

    Minidave Well-Known Member
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    #18 Minidave, Mar 26, 2016
    So am I...it's like a miracle when you see a guy who really has skills doing it. When it's done right, you can run your hand over it (use your palm, not your finger tips) and shine lights on it from all directions and not find the repair.
     
  18. MCS02

    MCS02 Moderator
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    #19 MCS02, Mar 27, 2016
    That great news it's getting fixed! But I have one question.............so when you were out there pulling your Binny Hill imitation covering you Mini. Did you think about the wife's car? :devil:

    You can tell us we won't rat you out, really you can trust us!:lol:
     
  19. minirab

    minirab Well-Known Member

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    #20 minirab, Mar 27, 2016
    I had the pdr guy that has been at MOTD the last couple of years take a dent out of the roof, a pretty amazing process watching him do it. It came out perfect and was worth every penny.

    If you have one or more and will be at MOTD in May check him out, he's good.
     
  20. BruceK

    BruceK Active Member

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    #21 BruceK, Mar 27, 2016
    Oh yes, I thought about it. And my thought was: Nobody in this house loves that car - it's a pretty much a replaceable commodity, but... my MINI is loved.. And treasured. And babied. And a family member. Therefore...


    :wink:







    .
     
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