Author Topic: Keeping your car looking nice.  (Read 2474 times)

greenmimama

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Keeping your car looking nice.
« on: January 07, 2015, 09:36:07 AM »
I have a question for you all.

We have a 2003 Honda Odyssey, we were rear ended recently so insurance is paying to fix it, while it is at the body shop I asked if we could get an estimate on fixing a dent in the drivers side door and some rust spots on 3 doors, the estimate came back at $713.

Now it only has 155k miles on it and we plan to drive it for a long time, even when we upgrade, we plan on my DH driving it as a work vehicle he is a wood worker, or plans to be sooner than later, so we would get a tow package put on it and a used covered trailer for him to deliver the pieces of furniture he makes.

Knowing all of this, would you spend the money to fix it? I don't want the rust coming through and ruining the body, we live in MI and get slated roads for a few months out of the year.

We could also just have them paint and fix the rust spots for half of that number and leave the dent, it isn't terribly bad, noticeable, but doesn't really stick out if that makes sense.

solon

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Re: Keeping your car looking nice.
« Reply #1 on: January 07, 2015, 09:43:19 AM »
$713 seems cheap to me. I would get it done. It will last you a long time.

greenmimama

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Re: Keeping your car looking nice.
« Reply #2 on: January 07, 2015, 09:46:21 AM »
5 years ago when we bought it, we spent about $600 fixing some really deep scratches and a few rust spots and some bare metal spots, and only the paint cover up on the dent has come back through and that is understandable, the other spots are new.

My DH is fine with it, I just wondered what you guys would say.

eil

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Re: Keeping your car looking nice.
« Reply #3 on: January 07, 2015, 10:47:20 AM »
Hello fellow Michigander.

If it were me, I wouldn't worry about the dent but do get on top of the rust spots. They will only get bigger and the salt in the winter accelerates their growth like nothing else. My '02 Protege is starting to rust really bad around the wheels and the bottom of the doors and I'm kicking myself in the ass for not addressing it sooner because the cost to get it all fixed is probably now more than the car is worth. And it's doubly painful because the car runs great and is still in beautiful shape otherwise.

Maybe in the spring I'll try my hand it fixing it up myself with bondo, paint, and scads of elbow grease. It won't look at all professional but there's no way it can look any worse than it does now.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!