Hi everyone:

A few weeks ago, something dinged my car while I was driving on the freeway. There is a little dent on the hood about 1/8'' wide and 1/4" long. When I went to dealer for an estimate, they told me it would cost $700 to fix. That seems a bit steep. Is that the going rate?

Does anyone know of a good reputable body shop in the Los Angeles area that they would recommend?

Thanks.

 

the $700 is probably getting the dent removed and then repainting the entire hood and should also ensure it blends in with the fenders.

 

Try a paintless dent removal shop. Should be about $200.00.

 

...I say try the paintless dent removal. It should work if the dent is not too deep. If the metal is stretched, then you are out of luck (and you will need to get it pulled, filled, and painted). If you've got to get it painted, then get a second opinion on the price, but remember, with bodywork you usually get what you pay for (IMO). And, the Crossfire is definitely NOT a job for Maaco!

Another thing you may want to try, if the dent is shallow: There are usually a few distributors in any major city that will sell you dry ice, or sometimes you can luck out and get it from a fish market. Go buy a modest amount. Park the car in the sun, and let the surface heat up under the rays. Take a piece of dry ice, and wrap it in a cloth. Put your hand in a glove, so you can hold the cloth without hurting your skin. Rub the ball of dry ice around the dent. With any luck, it may just pop out.

 

try paintless guys first, you will be better off keeping the factory paint if possible.
I am an ASE master paint tech and i would definitely give the dent guys a try first.
just my .02

 

Try the dry Ice method (it does work) or the paintless dent removal.

Good Luck

 

Just a comment on dry ice. You can usually find it in a big grocery store. I had a Nissan Titan and a small dent on the storage cover door. The metal was much thinner than what is on the Crossfire so I thought I would try dry ice. Bought $10 worth. Heated up the surface with a hair dryer to get it good and hot and tried the dry ice over and over again for 3 hours, cycling hot and cold.

Didn't even get close to removing the tiny dent.

Paintless dent repair is THE way to go. Find a reputable shop and keep their card, you will be happy with the result and you WILL have to go back from time to time. Don't forget to tip. It helps. I suggest an independent because they usually will work on one dent without charging you a ridiculous ante-in price per panel.

 

Thanks for all the advice. I will look to get something done soon.