So, my crossfire is going in Monday for hail damage repair. The most recent estimate from the insurance company was just over $7500. The estimate covers replacing the hood and the entire passenger side of the vehicle. For the top and the driver side, they are paying for paintless dent repair. Since the Crossfire was my first new car purchase and I plan on keeping it indefinitely, I think I am going to throw in the extra cash to have the entire car repainted so everything matches. I am also going to have them take care of the areas that are showing signs of rust mentioned in another thread. I have never had a car repainted so I'm wondering if there is anything I should know or questions I should ask when I take it in? I would appreciate any information or recommedations I can get? Thanks!

I tried taking pictures of the hail damage to the panels, but the camera on my phone won't pick up the dimples. I have attached pictures of the broken cowl, tail light and a picture of the hail.

 

Take it to either a high end shop, preferably one tied to a Mercedes Dealership or one that has worked on high end German cars. Make sure they use the same paint that is used on Mercedes cars, DO NOT settle for anything less, this also includes the clear cote, since it is harder than the paints on american cars, just my 2 cents....
Dennis

 

Look at other cars in the bodyshop that are about to be painted. Check to see that they R/I (remove and install) all the door handles, mirrors, headlights, tail lights, bumpers, etc. You can tell a hack shop rite away if they mask/tape off all(or most) of those items.

 

That's ashame. A few years ago I had just gotten a new PT Cruiser. Waited 6 months to get it, came in the last day of March in 01. It was a big deal to me because a few years earlier I had lost my job, which meant I lost my car etc. I had been walking for two years. Any way one day that May a storm comes up real fast. It was coming from the north which I can't see from my office window. Usually I can see them coming from the south and west. The sky turned from sunshine to blackish green in about 5 minutes. It got extremely windy and it poured for all of about 3 minutes then the hail came, golf ball size, that lasted no more than another 3-5 minutes then the sun was back out. I ran out to check my car and it looked ok, covered in leaves though. That night I was sitting out on my porch looking at my car and I start seeing dents. the hood had about 25 of them, the roof a few and one on the trunk lid.
Dent Wizards fixed all of them for about 350$. I was amazed. Hope yours is fixed up real soon.
Pat