Damage to car - advice needed

[Singlelady]

I ve been out this evening and sometime between 10pm last night and this evening my bonnet has been damaged

See photo. I have three dents in my bonnet. I was parked up next to a garage door on my passenger side and it s the side near the garage door so I can only assume it s deliberate vandalism during the night probably off some drunken idiot. I m absolutely fuming as you can imagine.

I m not going to repair the car yet because where I m living isn t great and I m only living here until my house purchase goes through which could be another six months or so but I don t want to pay to repair it and then have something else happen so I m going to wait for the moment.

What would happen with a repair such as this will it be filled and re-sprayed? Or is there a way of pulling it out and then dealing with any paint issues? I m assuming it s not an entire bonnet respray?

Has anyone got any idea how much this might cost to repair?

Is it worth me paying for this myself when I ve moved or should I claim off my insurance although I don t want to put the claim through now, so not sure this will work because my renewal is in March and I assume if I don t put the claim in before I renew it probably with a different insurer I won t be able to claim anyway is this right?

One of my neighbours across the road has CCTV. It literally points directly at my car and he s always said to me if anything happens to let him know and he will check the CCTV. Is it even worth it? It s black-and-white and it s unlikely you can see who it was and even if you can, it s unlikely the police would do anything, isn t it?

Is it worth logging the incident online with the police so I can get a crime number or is that not necessary?

I ve already had some damage about four months ago to my wing mirrors, kids on scooters. I didn t report those incidents to the police because I was going to just pay for that myself but now obviously this is even more damage. Are wing mirrors repairable? Their plastic, not paint so I don t know can that be repaired or do I need new wing mirrors?

Again, does anyone know how much it will cost to repair or replace the wing mirrors? Just roughly?

Anyone got any idea how much it s going to cost me to repair all of this damage? I m guessing I ll have to at least pay for the wing mirrors myself because I never reported it to the police and it will be a bit late now to claim on the insurance. I m assuming? I ve never had to claim on my insurance before. Never had so much damage to a car in 30 years of car ownership.

I m not even sure if I can claim off my Car Insurance. It s due for renewal in March so once I ve renewed it, my new insurers aren t going to pay for it so am I guessing if I don t claim before I renew it, I d have to pay for it myself anyway. Is that right?

Thanks

Edit
I had some difficulties getting the photographs on. I’ve managed to do it now even though one photograph is on twice sorry.

Edited by Singlelady on Thursday 1st January 23:45

Edited by Singlelady on Thursday 1st January 23:48

Edited by Singlelady on Thursday 1st January 23:50

Edited by Singlelady on Thursday 1st January 23:51

Edited by Singlelady on Thursday 1st January 23:51

Edited by Singlelady on Thursday 1st January 23:53

Edited by Singlelady on Thursday 1st January 23:55

[Vsix and Vtec]

Would be useful to know what the car is. A wing mirror for a fiesta is significantly cheaper than a Ferrari, so details matter.

If it's something ordinary like a Mini or A3, just buy second hand parts (mirror cover and bonnet) from a scrap yard in the same colour as your car. That way you can just bolt on the replacement, no fuss, no need for insurance claims.

[DaveF-SkinnysAutos]

The wing mirror damage is just plastic caps/covers that just pop off, you can either buy some replacements off ebay, or find a local bodyshop to respray them. I'd be at about £60 and just spray them up at the same time as a bigger job while the lacquer is mixed.

The photo of the damage to your bonnet isn't great to form a proper opinion, and I cant see what the overall bonnet looks like compared to where the damage is, but unless there is some kind of body line on there to blend to then you'd have to get the whole bonnet resprayed I'm afraid.

The dents would be pulled and then skimmed with a bit of filler. They look too sharp for any kind of PDR repair in my opinion?

To repair and respray a bonnet you are probably looking at around £500, depends where you are, and what car its on etc and how close those dents are to the edge, ie, do any of the wings also need blending in?

As to an insurance claim, that's purely your decision. You need to see what your excess is and how many years NCB and is it protected etc.

In relation to reporting to the police, of course you should, they aren't going to launch a big investigation, but if they don't know where crime is happening they cant respond. By reporting it they are at least aware and if you are lucky you might get a diligent officer driving through slightly more often? Of course you should ask your neighbour, the CCTV might be rubbish, or it might clearly show what happened, only one way to find out.

[Singlelady]

Vsix and Vtec said:

Would be useful to know what the car is. A wing mirror for a fiesta is significantly cheaper than a Ferrari, so details matter.

If it's something ordinary like a Mini or A3, just buy second hand parts (mirror cover and bonnet) from a scrap yard in the same colour as your car. That way you can just bolt on the replacement, no fuss, no need for insurance claims.

MX-5, 24 plate

[Vsix and Vtec]

Singlelady said:

Vsix and Vtec said:

Would be useful to know what the car is. A wing mirror for a fiesta is significantly cheaper than a Ferrari, so details matter.

If it's something ordinary like a Mini or A3, just buy second hand parts (mirror cover and bonnet) from a scrap yard in the same colour as your car. That way you can just bolt on the replacement, no fuss, no need for insurance claims.

MX-5, 24 plate

Might be a little awkward with the age, but possibly still achievable going down the scrapyard route. As the other respondents said, the mirror capping is a really small concern. The bonnet is likely to be tricky, but not impossible for a bodyshop, as the metal looks like its been perforated by the attack (looks like a screwdriver has been hammered into it to me). I would get quotes from your local paint shop and then decide if insurance or pocket is the right avenue for your payment.

Do I take it from your mentioning of blocking a garage that you suspect this to be the reason your car was damaged?

[Singlelady]

DaveF-SkinnysAutos said:

The wing mirror damage is just plastic caps/covers that just pop off, you can either buy some replacements off ebay, or find a local bodyshop to respray them. I'd be at about £60 and just spray them up at the same time as a bigger job while the lacquer is mixed.

The photo of the damage to your bonnet isn't great to form a proper opinion, and I cant see what the overall bonnet looks like compared to where the damage is, but unless there is some kind of body line on there to blend to then you'd have to get the whole bonnet resprayed I'm afraid.

The dents would be pulled and then skimmed with a bit of filler. They look too sharp for any kind of PDR repair in my opinion?

To repair and respray a bonnet you are probably looking at around £500, depends where you are, and what car its on etc and how close those dents are to the edge, ie, do any of the wings also need blending in?

As to an insurance claim, that's purely your decision. You need to see what your excess is and how many years NCB and is it protected etc.

In relation to reporting to the police, of course you should, they aren't going to launch a big investigation, but if they don't know where crime is happening they cant respond. By reporting it they are at least aware and if you are lucky you might get a diligent officer driving through slightly more often? Of course you should ask your neighbour, the CCTV might be rubbish, or it might clearly show what happened, only one way to find out.

Thanks
So, the wing mirrors don t look like the plastic would pop off to be honest. But I don t really know. Where do I take it to find out? Do I look for a body shop/repair place to find out if they can be repaired or need replacing if that s if they even come off?

About 10 years ago, I had a different car fixed by a mobile company. Somebody reversed into my wheel arch and drove off. They did an excellent job to be honest although I can t remember who it was with is it worth trying a mobile company to do this work or better to take it somewhere and leave it with them?

It s an MX-5, 24 plate. Was in perfect condition until these issues this year and I d like to return it to as new condition to be honest.

I attached a couple of photographs. First one shows what the bonnet looks like when it was cleaned a few months ago because the car is new and second one shows the area where the damage is.

There is no damage anywhere else just the bonnet

I don t know what a PDR repair is. So I don t know if that s needed. My knowledge of this is basic. All I know is it could be pulled and repaired or filled and repaired. I don t know if it will need a full bonnet respray or if it can be blended in.

I m based in Lancashire so might be cheaper than down south. I ve no idea how much we will be talking.

I think with the insurance, I will come unstuck because I m in the process of buying a house which won t go through until maybe July/August and there s no point me repairing it until I get it parked at my new place in case something else happens in the meantime by that point I will be with a different insurer because my insurance renews in February/March so it won t be covered by them will it, so I m probably going to have to pay for it myself

I ll report the incident online to the police and chat with my neighbour about the CCTV

[Singlelady]

[Singlelady]

It’s not easy getting photos uploaded on here. This is the area where the damage is on the bonnet.

[Singlelady]

Vsix and Vtec said:

Might be a little awkward with the age, but possibly still achievable going down the scrapyard route. As the other respondents said, the mirror capping is a really small concern. The bonnet is likely to be tricky, but not impossible for a bodyshop, as the metal looks like its been perforated by the attack (looks like a screwdriver has been hammered into it to me). I would get quotes from your local paint shop and then decide if insurance or pocket is the right avenue for your payment.

Do I take it from your mentioning of blocking a garage that you suspect this to be the reason your car was damaged?

Mirror capping?

Sorry, but you’re speaking to me in terms I’m not familiar with. Not sure what this is.

Would it be possible to get my wing mirrors wrapped? Could I do that without having to repair the damage and would that be cheaper than repairing the damage?

If I get them wrapped, would that prevent them from being scratched in the future if somebody were to clip my wing mirrors or catch them with a bicycle handle for example

I don’t know what’s damaged the bonnet. It’s not gone through there are no holes just dents and there are no areas where the paintwork is missing so would that be a screwdriver? I agree I think it’s been hit with something deliberately.. Either someone who is jealous of my car or a drunken idiot on New Year’s Eve. unfortunately, I’m not living in a very desirable location (temporary move)

Do I need to take it to a body shop or would a mobile person be okay to use? I’ve explained on a previous response. I had someone driving into my wheel arch on a previous vehicle and had that repaired using a mobile company. The repair is excellent. I just can’t remember who it was. Or should I take it to a body shop because it’s my bonnet?

Technically, I am blocking the garage. Yes. But I have the owners permission to do so, I’m renting from them. I only mentioned it because I’m parked parallel to the garage door so my entire passenger side is next to the garage door so someone’s used either a long blunt instrument to hit my car or they’ve leaned across my bonnet because the side that is damaged is near the garage door that I’m parked in front of

[DaveF-SkinnysAutos]

Hi,

The mirror caps will come off, don't worry about that, they just need a trim tool to get them off. That's an easy fix, if you google Mk4 MX5 mirror covers you will see you can buy them already colour coded for £29.94 each plus postage, as I say, I run a small bodyshop and I'd charge about £60 for the pair so not really any difference there.

The bonnet is the bigger issue.

PDR is Paintless Dent repair and its a very skilled, usually mobile service, they either use glue on small tabs to pull, or bars underneath to push out the damage, meaning you don't have to get the panel repainted assuming the paint hasn't been damaged, which is your case. I'm not skilled in PDR, but I think the dents are too sharp, and the metal too stretched for PDR to work, but again, google 'PDR in Lancashire' and get a opinion, if a decent PDR tech thinks they can get them out then perfect, that's your easiest and cheapest solution.

If they cant remove them with PDR your next port of call is a bodyshop. A bonnet is usually too big for a SMART repair, a SMART repair is what you had when the mobile guy came out and repaired your wheel arch. It's perfect for small low down repairs, but I don't know any smart repairers that go as big as bonnets. They don't have the overheads of a bodyshop so can work to cheaper prices. Again, call a mobile service and ask them.

My view is that you need to get some quotes from some local bodyshops. The damage is small considering the size of the bonnet, but you cant blend the lacquer coat (the shiny paint), therefore although the area damaged is small, they would need to lacquer the whole bonnet as it needs to go to a panel edge. The damage is far enough away from the edge of the bonnet, meaning that only the bonnet would need painting. If you came to me I'd be quoting around the £500 mark and I'd want your car for 2 days.

[Singlelady]

DaveF-SkinnysAutos said:

Hi,

The mirror caps will come off, don't worry about that, they just need a trim tool to get them off. That's an easy fix, if you google Mk4 MX5 mirror covers you will see you can buy them already colour coded for £29.94 each plus postage, as I say, I run a small bodyshop and I'd charge about £60 for the pair so not really any difference there.

The bonnet is the bigger issue.

PDR is Paintless Dent repair and its a very skilled, usually mobile service, they either use glue on small tabs to pull, or bars underneath to push out the damage, meaning you don't have to get the panel repainted assuming the paint hasn't been damaged, which is your case. I'm not skilled in PDR, but I think the dents are too sharp, and the metal too stretched for PDR to work, but again, google 'PDR in Lancashire' and get a opinion, if a decent PDR tech thinks they can get them out then perfect, that's your easiest and cheapest solution.

If they cant remove them with PDR your next port of call is a bodyshop. A bonnet is usually too big for a SMART repair, a SMART repair is what you had when the mobile guy came out and repaired your wheel arch. It's perfect for small low down repairs, but I don't know any smart repairers that go as big as bonnets. They don't have the overheads of a bodyshop so can work to cheaper prices. Again, call a mobile service and ask them.

My view is that you need to get some quotes from some local bodyshops. The damage is small considering the size of the bonnet, but you cant blend the lacquer coat (the shiny paint), therefore although the area damaged is small, they would need to lacquer the whole bonnet as it needs to go to a panel edge. The damage is far enough away from the edge of the bonnet, meaning that only the bonnet would need painting. If you came to me I'd be quoting around the £500 mark and I'd want your car for 2 days.

I’m guessing I need to take it somewhere to see if the wing mirrors will come off and if it can be replaced at the back and then do I buy the parts myself or will they buy them and fit them for £60 ish for both?

I agree, I don’t think PDR will work. I’ve had another look at it this afternoon and looked at the dents. Two of them are quite deep one of them not so much. I’m thinking perhaps someone’s pressed a key into my bonnet as opposed to hit it with something I think something‘s been pushed into it possibly the backend of a key or the sharp end of a key and just pushed into the bonnet and it’s gone down in three places.

I’m going to ring 101 later and report it to the police.

So you don’t think it’s worth trying a mobile unit? Do you think I need a body shop to repair the bonnet

Thanks for giving me an idea of what to do and roughly how much it might cost

[stogbandard]

Sounds like someone may been on the garage roof jumped off the garage onto your bonnet. I had someone a few years ago climb onto our old A6 to scale the wall into our neighbours garden and left a thankfully small dent in the roof near the back tailgate.

[DaveF-SkinnysAutos]

Hi,

The mirror caps arent a very difficult job, do you know anyone with a bit of hands on experience who might help you. With a blunt plastic trim tool they aren't usually hard to remove, that way you can buy some replacements yourself already colour coded and simply push them back on. If you don't know anyone that can help you then I would recommend finding a small bodyshop, not a big commercial one and they should be able to give you an honest quote and if you had the bonnet done would likely swap your mirror caps over or repair those at the same time.

You might find a PDR or a SMART repair service, most ask you to upload or send photos so you should get an easy answer with a little bit of research on your phone or laptop. There isn't any harm asking a couple of firms and if the answer is no then you know the only option is a bodyshop.

[Singlelady]

stogbandard said:

Sounds like someone may been on the garage roof jumped off the garage onto your bonnet. I had someone a few years ago climb onto our old A6 to scale the wall into our neighbours garden and left a thankfully small dent in the roof near the back tailgate.

The garage I’m parked next to is underneath the building that I’m living in so they would’ve had to have jumped off the roof two floors above the car so I think that’s unlikely. I also think if that’s what they’ve done there’d be a serious amount of damage to my bonnet so I don’t think the damage is consistent with that.

Looking at it, I think someone’s pushed a key into it unfortunately in three different places. It’s very annoying.

[Singlelady]

DaveF-SkinnysAutos said:

Hi,

The mirror caps arent a very difficult job, do you know anyone with a bit of hands on experience who might help you. With a blunt plastic trim tool they aren't usually hard to remove, that way you can buy some replacements yourself already colour coded and simply push them back on. If you don't know anyone that can help you then I would recommend finding a small bodyshop, not a big commercial one and they should be able to give you an honest quote and if you had the bonnet done would likely swap your mirror caps over or repair those at the same time.

You might find a PDR or a SMART repair service, most ask you to upload or send photos so you should get an easy answer with a little bit of research on your phone or laptop. There isn't any harm asking a couple of firms and if the answer is no then you know the only option is a bodyshop.

Okay, great. Thank you for your help and advice. I’ll try a few Smart repair services and see what they say and contact bodyshops if that’s not going to work out.

Unfortunately, I don’t know anyone that can help me with my wing mirrors, so I’ll have to get it done at the same time as I get the bonnet sorted.