Boulder chip. :(

[AndyP & Lenore]

As some of you know, on the way down the M6 on Friday a HGV in front of us kicked up what can only be described as a boulder. As is always the case with these things, we had about a nanosecond notice and just saw it fly towards us and smack off the top of the car. It hit in the strip of bodywork between the top of the windscreen and the start of our sun roof. There's not a huge amount of damage, but it has chipped down to bare metal and scuffed the paintwork in a few places nearby. It has also put a small sharp dent in the metalwork.

So, we took the car to a local body shop today to see what was best to do with it. This guy looked all round the top of the roof and said that because it's black it would need a whole roof re-spray - I expected that. But because it has a sunroof, there is a rubber seal going round the outer edge of the sun roof cut out and that would need to be taken away to paint the roof. As that has to come away, the only way to do that is to take away the entire sun roof and all the internal trimming which is attached to the sun roof - this includes the entire roof headlining! - I hadn't expected that.

Now we don't know what to do. Realistically it is beyond my touch-up skills and there is the matter of the small dent to fix. I called Dent Central to arrange for them to come out and have a look. They asked me to describe where the problem area is and they basically said that because there is a sun roof they are unable to get to where the dent is to push it back out, so they aren't even coming out to look at it.

Decided not to take it to the local "body repair shop". I know they can and often do give better service than some main dealer bodyshops, but TBH, I would prefer our MINI was being looked after by a panel beater who has tackled this job before. By his own admission this guy had never worked on a MINI with a sunroof.

So, we've now got two options;

1. Touch it up myself, and try to polish out any scuffs. This will still leave a small dent, but I could possibly build up paint levels to make this less noticeable.

2. Suck it up and get it into a dealer body shop and have the whole roof stripped and re-sprayed.

If we go with option 2, I think with the labour time involved it will end up being an insurance claim. My no claims is protected, but am I right in saying even with protected no claims, if I make a claim and at renewal and change insurance companies, I still need to declare that claim? There's also the worry that with a fair bit of disturbance to the cars fabric we're gonna end up with more rattles, squeaks and maybe even a leak. I know... glass is half empty.:rolleyes: :o

If we go with option 1, there's always the risk that when it comes time to trade, the dealer will go over the car very carefully and knock £1,000 off the trade in value. We've had both - dealers who don't even look at your car and dealers who go over it with a magnifying glass. You never can tell.

Oh what to do.......

Update: Some pics of the chip/score/dent:ragin:

http://www.reachercreatures.com/MINI/roof1sml.jpg

http://www.reachercreatures.com/MINI/roof2sml.jpg

http://www.reachercreatures.com/MINI/roof3sml.jpg


A.:(

[Scottie]

Andy,

TBH not to sure what I would do.

Recently with the mishaps I had two the Cherokee I can tell you to choose your body shop carefully. I had one good job from Burgoyne and one not so good job from a shop Bonnybridge although that chap did inform us that the car had been side swiped previously as he could see a crease on the C pillar.:eek: :eek: so he new his stuff just didn't make as good as job at spraying the car.

I can tell you I got my roof lining changed in the Parklane to anthracite done by our local dealer including the A B C pillar trims and did not have any rattles afterwards I think it took them about half a day to change it.

1 job I put through the insurance protected renewed my insurance recently. I told them about my claim as they asked.

[john]

Strip the interior yourself :) it's easyier than it looks, then take it to be repaired and re-fit it all yourself again, costs less dosh and would be quite satisfying that you did it yourself.

While you re at it get it painted a non mini colour and dare to be different;)

[vintageb3]

I feel for you mate...I know how much you and Lenore love your Mini's.

Its going to bug the hell out of you until its fixed...and I think you have already made up your mind which option you are going to take.

Sometimes its not the cheapest option that's best...

mark

[AndyP & Lenore]

Strip the interior yourself :) it's easyier than it looks, then take it to be repaired and re-fit it all yourself again, costs less dosh and would be quite satisfying that you did it yourself.

While you re at it get it painted a non mini colour and dare to be different;)

TBH, John if that requires the use of a screw driver I would need someone there to tell me which end to grip. Well, not quite - I did fit the JCW Leather dash myself, and did a none-too-shabby job.

As satisfying as it would be I really don't have the confidence to do that.

A.

[vintageb3]

I'll let ye borrow a Stanley knife...:rolleyes:

mark

[AndyP & Lenore]

I feel for you mate...I know how much you and Lenore love your Mini's.

Its going to bug the hell out of you until its fixed...and I think you have already made up your mind which option you are going to take.

Sometimes its not the cheapest option that's best...

mark

Cheers Mark, at the end of the day the most we'll be out of pocket is gonna be the excess, around the £250 mark.

I know what you mean though, we probably won't be happy with me fixing it. Every time we go to get in the car it's gonna be staring at us.

A.:mad:

[AndyP & Lenore]

Andy,

TBH not to sure what I would do.

Recently with the mishaps I had two the Cherokee I can tell you to choose your body shop carefully. I had one good job from Burgoyne and one not so good job from a shop Bonnybridge although that chap did inform us that the car had been side swiped previously as he could see a crease on the C pillar.:eek: :eek: so he new his stuff just didn't make as good as job at spraying the car.

I can tell you I got my roof lining changed in the Parklane to anthracite done by our local dealer including the A B C pillar trims and did not have any rattles afterwards I think it took them about half a day to change it.

1 job I put through the insurance protected renewed my insurance recently. I told them about my claim as they asked.

Cheers Fi,

This is what worries us. If anything is even slightly wrong with the car when we pick it up we're not gonna be happy. I know it may seem unreasonable to expect perfection, but why should we expect anything less. And we just know if there are problems it's gonna mean repeated trips back to the dealer for fixes and re-fixes etc.

Interesting that you replaced the rooflining and pillars with no problems - that's encouraging. However - "local dealer"? Not...... them?:confused: :eek:

A.

[Scottie]

Cheers Fi,

This is what worries us. If anything is even slightly wrong with the car when we pick it up we're not gonna be happy. I know it may seem unreasonable to expect perfection, but why should we expect anything less. And we just know if there are problems it's gonna mean repeated trips back to the dealer for fixes and re-fixes etc.

Interesting that you replaced the rooflining and pillars with no problems - that's encouraging. However - "local dealer"? Not...... them?:confused: :eek:

A.


yes them back in the day.

Andy I should also add I've just checked up on my insurance.

Renewing through existing policy that was protected for the x-trail was just over the £320.

However I used another policy that I had cancelled on the E36 that had 6 years no claims and got it insured through NU for just over the £200.

So did my claim affect my protected policy I would say yes but it shouldn't have.



Any pics of the damage.???

[AndyP & Lenore]

yes them back in the day.

Andy I should also add I've just checked up on my insurance.

Renewing through existing policy that was protected for the x-trail was just over the £320.

However I used another policy that I had cancelled on the E36 that had 6 years no claims and got it insured through NU for just over the £200.

So did my claim affect my protected policy I would say yes but it shouldn't have.



Any pics of the damage.???

Cheers for that Fi.

Forgot that your Park Lane was a wee while ago. Was thinking of your Dooper.

No pics yet, but will be spending some time on it tomorrow so will take some pics then.

A.

[ianking]

Andy
Its dead easy to drop the head cloth and associated bits and pieces.
If you done it your self it would certainly save on labour. Its about an hour to remove it all and about 1.5 hours to put it al back in.
At BMW prices thats about £200 is it not?

I require to remove my headcloth within the next month as one of my friendly neighbours kids has thrown a ball on my roof. Dent guy can fix it but has to have the head cloth ot of the way 1st.

[AndyP & Lenore]

Andy
Its dead easy to drop the head cloth and associated bits and pieces.
If you done it your self it would certainly save on labour. Its about an hour to remove it all and about 1.5 hours to put it al back in.
At BMW prices thats about £200 is it not?

I require to remove my headcloth within the next month as one of my friendly neighbours kids has thrown a ball on my roof. Dent guy can fix it but has to have the head cloth ot of the way 1st.

Ian are you forgetting we have a sun roof? As such, the sun roof has to come out. No way that's a 1 hour job. There is no way I'm technically minded enough to do that. I know my limits.

And I'm not really looking to save money on this. At the end of the day, if the repair costs £2,000 (I know it won't, but say it does), or if the repair costs £500 - it's probably still an insurance repair. There's no way I'm going to take the car into a dealer operated vehicle repair shop with the headlining removed, and ask them to fix the car and give me it back with the headlining still off.

I just want to make sure we do the right thing by the car. To get the best result.

A.:o

[ianking]

oh, forgot you had the sun roof. I would have thouhgt the head cloth would come out first before the glass though. Generally things are removed in reverse order they are made. Im pretty sure at the factory I saw the boys puting the glass in then the H/Cloth.

[AndyP & Lenore]

oh, forgot you had the sun roof. I would have thouhgt the head cloth would come out first before the glass though. Generally things are removed in reverse order they are made. Im pretty sure at the factory I saw the boys puting the glass in then the H/Cloth.

Will have a looky tomorrow but I'm pretty sure the sun roof trim fits over the head cloth trim.:confused:

A.

[weefossy]

Andy, what a real sod. As a perfectionist you will always see a 2nd class repair, so you need to get a proper job done.
Thinking "out the box" and I'm not being flippent, could a well thought out smallish graphic hide a "home made" repair? Really depends where the dent is. Just a thought!

[AndyP & Lenore]

Andy, what a real sod. As a perfectionist you will always see a 2nd class repair, so you need to get a proper job done.
Thinking "out the box" and I'm not being flippent, could a well thought out smallish graphic hide a "home made" repair? Really depends where the dent is. Just a thought!

Good idea Malcolm, and it would probably work if we didn't already have the roof graphic on the sun roof. We love that graphic and hadn't planned on changing it. Can't visualise any way another graphic would work with that existing graphic.

It would have worked though, as I remember Ian King had to do that to one of his MINI's when some ar@e ran up his car and over the roof when it was parked up one time. It hid the dents really well.

A.:(

[ianking]

I was just about to post up the very same thing.

Yes I had to get silver checks on my indie blue mini after some idiot ran over the roof. Dent master got it 95% right but I could still see them. Checks on and it looked perfect. I also liked the checks so it all worked out well

However I spotted the car for the 1st time since I got rid in 2005 just the other month and the checks were off. The roof appeared to have been fixed.....

[Scottie]

I was just about to post up the very same thing.

Yes I had to get silver checks on my indie blue mini after some idiot ran over the roof. Dent master got it 95% right but I could still see them. Checks on and it looked perfect. I also liked the checks so it all worked out well

However I spotted the car for the 1st time since I got rid in 2005 just the other month and the checks were off. The roof appeared to have been fixed.....

I think you guys could be on to something. I thought graphics when I read about the dent.

I would have thought if it had been your Red Cooper S which I know is a keeper then yes defo spend the money to get it fixed.

If your R56 is only going to be with you for another 18 months to 2 years then maybe a less costly repair would be the way to go and the dealer won't know (unless they read this thread);)

I take it this will be a costly repair.?

[ELFMAN]

What a pain Andy. On reflection, I'd go down the insurance route - you have a protected No Claims policy, so use it. You pay enough for it and they're (allegedly) meant to return it to you 'as new'. If you can give it to someone with a decent reputation, you should expect to get it back with no evidence of the damage, D.I.Y. jobs are OK if you know what you're doing, but the car's so new, I think it would be a false economy to do so, as anything less than perfect is going to at least bug you and Lenore and at worst devalue the car.

I'd bite the bullet, pay the excess and get a 'warrantied/approved' dealer repair done - they should know their way around the car and can spend as much as they like on it and it'll still cost you £250 or whatever - and you should (pinch of salt) have some comeback if you're not totally satisfied. Still bloody expensive for a bit of rock, but C'est la vie. Hope all's well in the end.

[AndyP & Lenore]

I think you guys could be on to something. I thought graphics when I read about the dent.

I would have thought if it had been your Red Cooper S which I know is a keeper then yes defo spend the money to get it fixed.

If your R56 is only going to be with you for another 18 months to 2 years then maybe a less costly repair would be the way to go and the dealer won't know (unless they read this thread);)

I take it this will be a costly repair.?

Fi the cost is either gonna be £8 ish for a Black touch up pen, or £400 for insurance excess (just checked the policy and we're £200 voluntary and £200 compulsory). Or less than £400 if the whole job comes to less than £400. That said, even if the job comes to £500 we'd probably still pay it ourselves as I wouldn't trust our insurance co to bump the premium up by £100 next year anyway.:rolleyes:

Leaning back towards the touch up pen again.:(

A.

[AndyP & Lenore]

What a pain Andy. On reflection, I'd go down the insurance route - you have a protected No Claims policy, so use it. You pay enough for it and they're (allegedly) meant to return it to you 'as new'. If you can give it to someone with a decent reputation, you should expect to get it back with no evidence of the damage, D.I.Y. jobs are OK if you know what you're doing, but the car's so new, I think it would be a false economy to do so, as anything less than perfect is going to at least bug you and Lenore and at worst devalue the car.

I'd bite the bullet, pay the excess and get a 'warrantied/approved' dealer repair done - they should know their way around the car and can spend as much as they like on it and it'll still cost you £250 or whatever - and you should (pinch of salt) have some comeback if you're not totally satisfied. Still bloody expensive for a bit of rock, but C'est la vie. Hope all's well in the end.

Hmmmm...

All true. leaning towards the insurance route again.:confused: :confused: :confused:

A.:confused:

[Gismo]

This aint anything someone can tell you what to do Andy, it's all down to what you are prepared to accept.
I would easily accept a touch up job, cause, if it can happen once it can happen again and the best time to get it sorted is when you sell it.

If you want perfection, then you know what you gotta do, the insurance will want to go to the cheapest place and you'll have a wee fight on your hands to get it to a BMW dealer.
Nae luck by the way

[GAJ]

I'd go down the insurance route. I've been unfortunate enough to have had to make several claims over the last few years so have never built up a decent NCD so at the moment I only have 1 years and my insurance is £272 with £150 compulsory and no voluntary. Insurance companies rely on policy holders being reluctant to claim and the NCD is never really the percentage they claim.
If you do that you get a professional, guaranteed job done, and if it's not right you take it back and get them to fix it until you are happy with it. And shop around for your insurance!:o

[ianking]

I could show you how to touch it in then wet sand it back down to the correct level then machine polish back the shine.

[Colin]

I would go the insurance route Andy, there's nothing to stop you insisting on a particular bodyshop doing the work (at least I don't think there is).

I can highly recommend Burgoyne's they do a first class job. I have had side skirts painted by them a full bonnet respray and my dads car boot which had a large dent in it was repaired and resprayed by them. My dad used to work with Harry Burgoyne at a Ford dealership when he was still panel beating. They know there stuff, slightly more expensive than other places but as they say you get what you pay for.

[AndyP & Lenore]

OK. Decided to go down the self-fix route. Here's our reasoning.

It's gonna cost about 23p to fix. Picking up a paint stick in Edinburgh on Thursday. Enough paint in them to do a thousand chips.

If I completely screw it up, there's always the fall back of having a pro body shop fix it.

It is highly unlikely we will have the car beyond it's 3 year warranty, so will only have to "suffer" the sight of the chip for another 2 years.

I reckon with advice from Ian King and what I already do with stone chips, I should be able to build up layers of paint, rub it down then polish it smooth to a mirror finish and wax it up so it will look as close to good as new as is possible.

Ordering a megs PC machine to help with the polishing of the red car, so it will come in handy for this fix.

Many thanks to everyone for their advice and suggestions.:thumbs up:

A.:D

[N12 JLK]

its a hard one to decide but I would take it to the body shop and get it done, I couldnt wait till our door dent was fixed so I know how you feel.

[AndyP & Lenore]

First post updated with pics.

A.

[N12 JLK]

I think that by looking at the pics you should attempt it yourself, once dry you could porter cable it.

[vintageb3]

Oh my God Andy!:eek: ....It needs a complete new roof skin!!!!:D

You will sort this easily....with yer new machine....

mark

[AndyP & Lenore]

Oh my God Andy!:eek: ....It needs a complete new roof skin!!!!:D

You will sort this easily....with yer new machine....

mark

lol

There is a dent, which doesn't show up in the pics.

A.:D

[duncan]

That's a sore one right enough.
I think you're right to give it a go yourself, rather than a whole respray option.

Just get a roof graphic over it once you've painted it!

[vintageb3]

lol

There is a dent, which doesn't show up in the pics.

A.:D

I see the dent Andy...think you'll admit its not as bad as this:

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k196/dycecooper/5.jpg
;) :D

mark

[Scottie]

FWIW I think your making the right choice going the DIY route.:thumbs up:

[johnsop1]

Hi Andy

Whatever you do stay away from that bodyshop in Tweedbank. I'm taking my car back in tomorrow because they painted the whole of the n/s rear quarter and missed out the circle around my petrol filler cap!

Paul

[drb5374]

Andy, i'm a panel beater by trade, but i do painting and servicing too.

That damage does NOT need repaired by a hammer and dolly...just some bodyfiller. Neither would i paint the whole roof. Ok, if blowing the small area's in, you may see the edges when looking for it in the direct sunlight, but NO paint job is 100% perfect.

Personally, i'd touch the chips in and see how long you can live with it like that. If it bothers you way too much, get a company that deals in small paint jobs....a few of the big garages in Glasgow get someone like this. This guys repair and paint small areas like these, so they may have a been knack at blowing the edges in.

[AndyP & Lenore]

Hi Andy

Whatever you do stay away from that bodyshop in Tweedbank. I'm taking my car back in tomorrow because they painted the whole of the n/s rear quarter and missed out the circle around my petrol filler cap!

Paul

Cheers Paul - noted.:o

Hadn't planned on going there anyway. If it was going to a body repair shop, it's going to a dealer approved one - mainly for warranty continuity.

A.:thumbs up:

[AndyP & Lenore]

Andy, i'm a panel beater by trade, but i do painting and servicing too.

That damage does NOT need repaired by a hammer and dolly...just some bodyfiller. Neither would i paint the whole roof. Ok, if blowing the small area's in, you may see the edges when looking for it in the direct sunlight, but NO paint job is 100% perfect.

Personally, i'd touch the chips in and see how long you can live with it like that. If it bothers you way too much, get a company that deals in small paint jobs....a few of the big garages in Glasgow get someone like this. This guys repair and paint small areas like these, so they may have a been knack at blowing the edges in.

Cheers,

Really not convinced blowing in is a good idea. Gonne get stuck into it myself first - see what happens.

A.:D

[AndyP & Lenore]

I see the dent Andy...think you'll admit its not as bad as this:

http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k196/dycecooper/5.jpg
;) :D

mark

:eyes up: :eyes up: :eyes up: Yer arse!!! That'll buff out that will.

A.:thumbs up:

[illegalhunter]

get dent devils to it , touch it up & get it wet sanded . Polish it out. Sounds easy , i wish

[Scottie]

any updates????

[AndyP & Lenore]

any updates????

Working away on it Fi. Getting the paint levels up then gonna sand it down and polish it up then wax it off. Or summit like that.

Ian King stopped by for a quick chat today and had a wee looky at it.

A.:D