Repairing damage… sort of

[Something or other]

Hi all. Firstly, if this is the wrong place, I apologise.

I don’t post often but wanted to consult the collective wisdom of PH.

We have a 65 reg Octavia on 82000 miles. We plan to run it into the ground.

A few weeks ago we got it back from being repaired after being sideswiped by a lorry. The rear three quarter panel had been scraped and dented.

Today, the car was side swiped by a concrete pole and the damage is in exactly the same place. I’m tempted to do some basic repairs to protect the metal work rather than shell out hundreds repairing it. It’s my wife’s daily and she’s not bothered.

So…
- Would it be possible with no experience and minimal tools to clean this up?
- What process would you go through? I’m thinking touch itn the scratches and machine polish it. I’d try taking the arch liner off and pushing the dent out.
- What would you do about clear coat? Use it? Not bother?

Ultimately, it’s this or a £600 PDR or £1300 body shop bill. As my own car, a Focus, needs its wet belt doing in July, we’d kind of like to keep costs down.

Any help gratefully received. Pics below (I hope).

[croyde]

If it were me, I'd leave it.

That's how I ran my BMW E36 for 23 years. No money spent on bodywork dents and dings, just keep an eye on rust.

Money well spent on tyres, suspension and services.

I only say this as you are planning on driving it until it dies. All the best.

[Something or other]

Thanks. Definitely the way I’m leaning. My main concern is rust long term.

It’s maintained and looked after mechanically, decent tyres, etc. I’m not expecting 23 years out of it though!

[Klippie]

I was quoted £820 to fix a few scuffs and very minor dents in the side panel of my van, this was for back to as new condition.

So going by the picture that will be considerably more.

[Something or other]

Yeah… the numbers above are the estimates I’ve been given based on photos. The body shop in question want to see it in the metal, so I imagine the price will change. I might pop in for a chat with them at least. The PDR guy is really good (he’s done minor stuff for me before) but I worry he won’t be able to do much when the car only had a repair there a few weeks back.

[Sebring440]

Something or other said:

Today, the car was side swiped by a concrete pole

Can't you claim off the owner of the concrete pole that side swiped you. Was your car stationary at the time?

[Something or other]

I may have been borrowing from the Putin school of fact reporting when I said the pole side swiped the car. Let’s leave it as the car and pole had a coming together (I wasn’t driving by the way—it was my wife who’s now beating herself up big time).

[Belle427]

If your not that bothered mask an area off, rub it down to key the surface and rattle can it. Wont look great but its better than rust.

[Gas1883]

This was the daughters car after someone reversed into it ( issues with ins , long story ) meant I got her a new car , then a big hammer / angle grinder / large tub of filler & a few cans of spray I had a works car that lasted me 4 yrs , it didn’t look pretty but did the treck to work fine , and as it was really worth scrap value meant I had a car I didn’t have to worry about car park dings , stone chips etc etc bliss

[magpie215]

A few years ago the Mrs pranged our car.





Fortunately I managed to sort it with a sharpie.

[Biggy Stardust]

Sebring440 said:

Something or other said:

Today, the car was side swiped by a concrete pole

Can't you claim off the owner of the concrete pole that side swiped you. Was your car stationary at the time?

Ditto the lorry.

[croyde]

Gas1883 said:

This was the daughters car after someone reversed into it ( issues with ins , long story ) meant I got her a new car , then a big hammer / angle grinder / large tub of filler & a few cans of spray I had a works car that lasted me 4 yrs , it didn’t look pretty but did the treck to work fine , and as it was really worth scrap value meant I had a car I didn’t have to worry about car park dings , stone chips etc etc bliss

I want to see the After pic, or is that it