Help Neighbour Dinged my S

[Tvrs19882004]

Hi All

I need some assistance, my neighbour has reversed into my S made a hell of a noise.

After some profuse apologies , we agreed he will pay for the fix.

There is a small hole and a number of cracks. missing paint on the passenger side rear.

Can anyone recommend a repairer in the northeast of England?

Thanks Stephen

[pequod]

Sorry to hear that your pride and joy has been damaged.

Maybe contact Hexham Horseless Carriage to get an opinion of damage and cost of repairs.

http://www.hhcsportscars.co.uk/

I see that they about 1/2 hour away from you so would be my first call.

HTH

Peter

[Tvrs19882004]

Thanks Peter, not sure how much this is going to cost on a "normal car" that is to say a lesser car it would be not much, but on an S? Is repair of this bodywork more expensive or just specialised? If it is costly I may need a couple of quotes if it is not much I may get away with one?

Seems to be small hairline cracks as well as the hole?

Not Happy

[pequod]

Fibreglass repairs require a specialist, not a 'normal' bodyshop, I'm afraid, and given you said there are a number of cracks plus a hole I wouldn't be surprised to see a large bill plus whatever mechanical damage has been caused to the areas you can't easily see.

Have you got your neighbours insurance details?

[Tvrs19882004]

Not yet, he is only a couple of houses down. known him a while.

[DamianS3]

Not really north east but Chris Gregory in Harrogate has a stellar reputation as do Surface & Design in Blackpool.. if you go to Blackpool you would be taking her home as S&D are in part of the old factory. DC trim next door if you need a hood etc...

Ive not used Chris (he was too busy) but have used S&D and cant fault the quality of their fibreglass work or paint.

They did this..

Smmooth bumpers hump and tuscan racer vents.



Audi TT filler and ducktail..



Tuscan vents..



rear quarter is like the worst place to damage a tvr (if its bad)..but either of the above will have her like new.. your neighbour may want to use their insurance though!!

Thanks Damian

Edited by DamianS3 on Monday 2nd July 20:36

[phillpot]

Tvrs19882004 said:

If it is costly I may need a couple of quotes if it is not much I may get away with one?

Everything at a TVR specialist is costly! Get his details and go through insurance.

[lordofthewings]

Tvrs19882004 said:

After some profuse apologies we agreed he will pay for the fix.

Last year a neighbour backed into my wife's Corsa and somewhat comprehensively restyled a front wing. She's a nice elderly lady (the neighbour -- as well as my wife) and we agreed a private settlement. I estimated a couple of hundred, but the bill from a good-ish local bodyshop was closer to £350. I would have been gutted if it had been my S3, and for a TVR I would also recommend the Insurance route. Surely in the 'helluva bang' impact, the bonnet hinges, outriggers, trailing arms and tailpipes must also have suffered..... ?

[Tvrs19882004]

Its weird the damage does not look like much but I heard the impact indie the house on the 1st floor.

You are convincing me to got through the insurance

[LeeHodges]

Not to worry you but the chap that bought my Griff had someone run into the back of it. I've been told that it wasn't too big an impact but the repair bill is £6k!! Admittedly I haven't seen it but got the impression it wasn't horrific to look at...

[Tvrs19882004]

6k, bl***y h**l.

I need a lie down.

[greymrj]

Sorry to hear that, gutted for you.
Unlike steel, fibreglass will often pop back almost into shape, but the whole of the area that deformed will have lost its structural strength and there will be lots of cracks in the grp under the paint. It will also need the gell coat removed from the damaged area or the paint finish will crack. Not a job for a normal body shop and I totally agree it needs someone experienced in grp repair. The companies named are respected. Magpies and Willie Weir are up your way, they may well recommend someone else.

[Oldred_V8S]

lordofthewings said:

Tvrs19882004 said:

After some profuse apologies we agreed he will pay for the fix.

Last year a neighbour backed into my wife's Corsa and somewhat comprehensively restyled a front wing. She's a nice elderly lady (the neighbour -- as well as my wife) and we agreed a private settlement. I estimated a couple of hundred, but the bill from a good-ish local bodyshop was closer to £350. I would have been gutted if it had been my S3, and for a TVR I would also recommend the Insurance route. Surely in the 'helluva bang' impact, the bonnet hinges, outriggers, trailing arms and tailpipes must also have suffered..... ?

And the indicators, surely

[BIG DUNC]

greymrj said:

Sorry to hear that, gutted for you.
Unlike steel, fibreglass will often pop back almost into shape, but the whole of the area that deformed will have lost its structural strength and there will be lots of cracks in the grp under the paint. It will also need the gell coat removed from the damaged area or the paint finish will crack. Not a job for a normal body shop and I totally agree it needs someone experienced in grp repair.

This. If it is not repaired properly then the cracks will reappear in the future.

If you take a large hammer and hit a metal car, then it will dent and be obviously dented. Unless the dent is small the metal needs replacing to restore strength to the structure.

Do the same to a fibreglass car and it may dent but will instantly bounce back to the original shape, possibly with a hole at the point of impact. The damage, however, has been done and the structural strength been lost. The repair is the same. Cut out and replace all the damaged material. Whether it is paid by the neighbor, or his insurance company is between the two of you, but it is unlikely to be a cheap (3 figure) repair and do make sure it is done by a body shop that specialises in fibre glass repairs.

[sawman]

Tvrs19882004 said:

Can anyone recommend a repairer in the northeast of England?

Thanks Stephen

sorry, I am new here, but is TVR Glen in ashington ever a solution for bodywork?

[phillpot]

sawman said:

sorry, I am new here, but is TVR Glen in ashington ever a solution for bodywork?

Sorry, but..............

[sawman]

phillpot said:

sawman said:

sorry, I am new here, but is TVR Glen in ashington ever a solution for bodywork?

Sorry, but..............

That was my expectation, as I say - newbie question, although they seem to have been around for ages so someone must be buying their “fixed up” stuff

[Kitchski]

Get it over to S&D.