My BMW E46 M3 - just damaged it, advice please?

[Wolfer]

Hi all,

My car, 2002 BMW E46 M3 SMG2, LSB



Not a great picture, but you get the idea.

Had a bad day, took the M3 for its MOT with fingers crossed a little tightly as I've had a bit of financial bad luck lately. As it happens, flew through the MOT, even a comment on how pristine the car was and the fact that it was "solid".

2 minutes after, and leaving the MOT station, I caught a brick wall with metal strip as I negotiated a tight turn (as I have done many a time in much bigger cars) and I heard that scrape you only get when about to lose a lot of money (although I've not heard it before, however, I knew!) I eased myself out of the problem, parked and looked.

Straight away I hated myself for being such a div and could quite easily have cried!

From the MOT station, I went to one of the closest repair shops for a quote (and also a very good one based on recommendations)

I was very sad, and angry with myself - quoted at just under 1k, plus a further 150 for window brushes that apparently inevitably snap when removing. Quote is pretty much for the whole side to be repaired and resprayed, and also included fixing a cornflake, underpaint rust bubble on the arch.

Here are the pics of the damage.....











Scratched and dented the top of the door, the bottom of the door (more slightly) the door strip, the handle, and the back arch. What looks like rust where it's down to bare metal is just the rust off the metal strip that I caught.

Would like some advice if possible looking at that, and if anyone knows of anyone in the Warwick / Leam area that could take a look for me, as I would like a few quotes first before I have a heart attack.

People keep telling me it doesn't look that bad!!! It's parked on my drive now, sun shining on it and it may as well be Zak Dingles Renault Van!!!

Thanks in advance.

[Nikko 40691]

I can't give you any recommendations of bodyshops I can only offer my condolences.
We all make the odd silly mistake behind the wheel, your's just happens to be rather costly.

[aspirated]

Wouldn't finding a new door be cheaper? You may even find one in LSB

Edit - I know this is removed from a cab but its a lot cheaper, may be worth holding out for a coupe one?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E46-Convertible-Coup...

Edited by aspirated on Friday 16th May 19:32

[mwstewart]

aspirated said:

Wouldn't finding a new door be cheaper? You may even find one in LSB

Edit - I know this is removed from a cab but its a lot cheaper, may be worth holding out for a coupe one?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E46-Convertible-Coup...

Edited by aspirated on Friday 16th May 19:32

Ths s gd advc.

[6cylGolf]

£400 maximum for an invisble repair and paint. Find some other qoutes

[Ruskie]

Never a £1k job. Shop around.

[BlimeyCharlie]

Well I feel sorry for you. I would feel the same.
I would ask around for a decent firm and actually visit places to see what they are up to, level of their work etc.
Might be missing something here, but a replacement door will need to have locks that match, and so on. Then trim needs to come off, and will probably rattle and so on.

Nothing is straight forward, is it?

[Martin_M]

mwstewart said:

aspirated said:

Wouldn't finding a new door be cheaper? You may even find one in LSB

Edit - I know this is removed from a cab but its a lot cheaper, may be worth holding out for a coupe one?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E46-Convertible-Coup...

Edited by aspirated on Friday 16th May 19:32

Ths s gd advc.

Hpe u gt it sortd

[BritishRacinGrin]

Quote is pretty much as I'd expect for a perfect job.

[mwstewart]

Martin_M said:

Hpe u gt it sortd

Bloody keyboard has had it

[TheHighlander]

That's not a £1k job.

I had a similar accident in 1 of my previous E46 M3s but I scudded the door pretty bad.

I bought a replacement door from Ebay in the same colour for £150 and had the quarter panel touched up and in total it was just under £300.

[TooMany2cvs]

<sucks teeth>
If you're lucky, it'll be Cat C rather than Cat B. Tell you what, I'll save you the hassle of the claim, and give you £500 for it. I can collect today, and I'll bring cash.
<proffers hand to shake>

[andymc]

i pay £70 a panel

[Wolfer]

Cheers guys,

Someone has said to me that the company who quoted this, may have taken the rest of the car into account and thought i'd be a fussy bugger so taking that into account, and the fact they would have to paint the whole side, gave me that quote.

If anyone has any suggestions of anywhere to try for a quote I would be grateful, based near Warwick but willing to travel.

I have tried a few today bu just turning up, but most were shut by the time I got there. (didn't drive till late due to having a few beers to drown my sorrows last night!)

Thanks

[Campo]

andymc said:

i pay £70 a panel

My PH price drop theory stands firm.

From £1000 to £70 in just a few posts.

That'd be a quality finish for £70

OP - I commiserate, I took my then 3 year old Fiat Coupe and carefully parked it in my newly aquired garage to keep it from dings and knocks on the street only to catch the rear wing on the metal strip on the edge of the garage door.

A little worse damage than yours but done by a mate of a mate for £500. That was years ago though and he did do it on the side so it took a week to get it done.

[BritishRacinGrin]

A proper job, in my opinion, will be to R&R door strips, pull the dents, minimal skim with filler and then spray trim strip, door and rear quarter, then blend to adjacent panels. That will be getting on for a grands worth, £800 at least. Yes, it could be done cheaper. With that paint colour though, you're unlikely to find a replacement door in the right colour in good enough condition to fit straight on and even if you did it'll be at least 1.5h to fit it and you'll still have wheel arch damage to contend with.

[essayer]

I did a wing in a similar way, £250 at the local body shop.

[mustdash]

Which bodyshop quoted you that?

There is a well respected one in Keresley and one out Southam way (both names escape me at the moment - I'll trawl my emails and find their details)

[Wolfer]

Thanks again.

BritishRacinGrin said:

A proper job, in my opinion, will be to R&R door strips, pull the dents, minimal skim with filler and then spray trim strip, door and rear quarter, then blend to adjacent panels. That will be getting on for a grands worth, £800 at least. Yes, it could be done cheaper. With that paint colour though, you're unlikely to find a replacement door in the right colour in good enough condition to fit straight on and even if you did it'll be at least 1.5h to fit it and you'll still have wheel arch damage to contend with.

So is this a good quote and should I get saving?

[Wolfer]

Sorry to post twice, can't see how to multiple quote.

mustdash said:

Which bodyshop quoted you that?

There is a well respected one in Keresley and one out Southam way (both names escape me at the moment - I'll trawl my emails and find their details)

If you could find their names I would be grateful. If it's over 1k so be it, but I would rather get a few quotes.

Thanks