Hi all, looking for opinions on the following:
I'm shortly going to trade-in my 99T BMW 318SE for (probably) a two year old 530. The 318 is in A1 top condition inside and out, with one glaring exception.
A few weeks ago my wife conducted a spot of "stunt parking" involving a high kerb and the passenger side "skirt" (not sure if that's the right term, but I mean the very bottom bit of the side bodywork, which appears to be a 10cm high piece).
As a result, the "skirt" is both nastily scraped and a little bent out of shape for about half it's length. I'm just thankfull that she didn't get the alloy wheels as well!
So, my question is this: is it likely to worth me paying to get this fixed before trading it in, or is the difference in trade-in value not likely to make this economic?
Ie: If it's going to cost me £750 to fix, but the dealer only chops £500 off the value then it's not worth doing.
Also, as an aside, I've been told that August is the best month to get a "good deal" since the dealers are very quiet when everyone is on holiday - any truth to this statement?
Thanks in advance.
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The dealer will knock an amount off the trade-in corresponding to his repair cost.
If you do it through him, he will charge you that plus markup. So its better to trade in rather that let the dealer repair it.
The question is, can you find an independent to repair it for less than the probable dealer in-house cost?
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>>The question is, can you find an independent to repair it for less than the probable dealer in-house cost?
I'd guess that the answer is 'unlikely'.
The marginal cost to the dealer is probably nil. If we believe (as I do) what we hear from people like Blue, cars at main dealers are constantly being bent back into shape. So he will have easy access to somebody who will do a good job.
The dealer probably won't even look at your car to work out the p ex value. In which case, you're quids in.
On the other hand:
The dealer might negotiate you down a long way because of this scrape, in which case you would be better off having it dealt with. In which case, do you really have to pay £750?
I'd have thought (being naughty) that a pot of filler (£5); a piece of glass paper (50p); a can of primer, paint & lacquer (3 for a tenner, Halfords offer); a liberal application of Mk I Mud from nearby muddy field would do the job just as well. (Fortunately for you, it has been a wet summer, so this should be easily achievable.)
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>>In which case, do you really have to pay £750?>>
Presumably then there would be no complaint if the car purchased exhibited similar "repair" treatment?
The £750 is presumably a guess and, I would suspect, way above the actual cost.
Easier, quickest way to resolve it is to take the car to an independent body repair specialist and ask for a quote (it will probably be provided on whether it's a customer or insurance job) and base PX difference on that figure.
Remember, the dealer will most likely be able to get it done for far less, so don't lose any sleep over it.
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The £750 IS a total guess. I've not bothered to ask a BMW to quote, since they know how to charge for bodywork repairs!!!
Anyone know a good independent body repair specialist in the East London/Essex borders?
Thanks for the replies, by the way!
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So you have damage to the 'skirt' only?
This part of the car is way below eye level, and also a relatively small area to spray (you won't have to spray the doors).
I reckon you could get this fixed for 150 quid, 200 tops. If it were me I'd have it done for about 100 quid, but I've given you a higher estimate because
1. you live in London
2. you probably don't have a clue where to go to get a good cheap job done. and even if you did they would probably up the price a bit as soon as they see you coming.
You get it done, and the guy taking your car probably won't notice it's been done, because it's down there.
Now I'm going to get loads of flames saying...
There is no way it could be done that cheap.*
and
Any salesman/inspector worth his salt will see this a mile off, unless it's done well and you have to pay proper money for it to be done well.*
*All I say in response is, I have had plenty of bumps and scrapes repaired, and I know what I paid for them. Because it's down there, if there is a bit of orange peel or other blemish no one will notice it, having said that I've never been unhappy with the work to my cars. And the salesman thingy...I bet he gives it a quick overall check and doesn't look twice at the repaired area. He's going to get rid of your car at auction and he knows it's going to sell in 2 minutes, and he knows roughly how much he will get for it.
To those disbelievers an example...spray a bonnet white, current colour black. Price from an "independant body repair shop": Hmmm you're looking at about 150 there mate. Me: "no thanks, I was just passing by and thought I'd ask. I know can get it done for 50 quid." Sure enough I got it done for 50.
Another time a bit of a rear knock on the rear wing, a different "independant repair shop" price: Hmmm that's nasty, you'll need a new wing, 250 plus the wing. Me - "yeah ok I'll think about that" I got it done for 80 quid - no new wing, & it looked great (and yes it was metallic paint).
Back street repair shops - find a good one.
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was kev_is_here
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I'll agree with Zendo, just find a one man back street body shop, ask any small car lot and they'll point you to the nearest place.
They'll happily do an average job on the cheap if you ask them right.
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I read often, only post occasionally
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I managed to do some "stunt parking" too, scraping my sill (which i think is what you mean by the skirt) on the nearside (passenger side) on a big boulder strategically placed to stop you parking on the grass. I succeeded in denting the sill for about a metre but without penetrating the metal, or (i am advised) affecting the car's structural integrity. The car is an Octavia, but believe the Skoda dealers seem to charge BMW rates!
I thought it would cost £150 - £200, casting my mind to replacement cills on Chevettes and Fiestas from my youth and adding inflation etc. Imagine my surprise to get a quote of £900 (yep, nine hundred pounds), and a second for £600 from somewhere else. Admittably that's paint and everything, but at £600, it represents about 20-25% of the car's value. for a gouge just under a metre long.
Without seeing the damage, but reading your description, £750 probably isn't far off the mark if you go to a "proper" bodyshop and it's new cill time. I'd valet the car, leave the damage and park the car the right way round at part-ex time!
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My girl's bit of stunt parking a while back was estimated at about £400 by a 'proper' bodyshop, but after a few enquiries, we found a small outfit operating from a large shed in the corner of a field, and they did a brilliant job (2-pack paint and exact colour match) for £120. I'd rather pay for the work than the premises...
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