Body shops, insurance work, and paint jobs

A question to the car body guys.

I was sideswiped about a week ago on the interstate (400S at Glenwood for the ATL folks). My car is a 98 LX470 that desperately needs a paint job. The shop said they generally only paint what they touch. I've had a shop tell me they'd need a full repaint in the past for less work that this shop needs to do.

So my question is will an insurance company say to repaint the whole car if there would be a large two tone effect, or is that just not allowed by insurance?

If insurance says no, are they generally amenable to allowing the customer to authorize a full paint job on their dime while the shop has the car and is doing paintwork?

If USAA doesn't tell them to repaint the whole thing I'd like to go ahead and get it painted while the shop has it and is handling the body work and painting there portion. I'd gladly pay the extra cost, which I imagine would be less than a full spray from scratch.

Thoughts and experiences with this or similar situations?

 

Insurance will cover blending of color into the panels adjacent to the repaired/replaced parts. The only problem they will have with you having extra work done on your dime is the additional rental coverage if you get a rental car. They will only cover that cost for as long as the claim repairs should take. I question if a 98 LX is worth the money and effort at this point, though. HTH

 

100% They definitely will not tell them to repaint the whole car. Only what was damaged, and adjacent panels. Lucky they don't total out the car in the process.

 

Get your scuba gear out if you've got to deal with the bottom feeders.

 

Matching UV faded paint is a pain.. I'd rather scuff the whole car an shoot it, especially if it needed paint anyways. Even if it's an SUV. Not sure about the insurance part. Love the old luxury exports US

 

Trust the guy who has 30 years experience, not any of these yahoos.

 

Get multiple estimates. Take highest one to insurance. Get a check to settle the claim. Do what you want with it- be it hookers and blow or having the car painted at the shop of your choice.
Worst thing you can do is let the insurance company "handle it"

 

Still too soon to know if they'll total it. It's not my favorite LX so that wouldn't disappoint me. If it were resprayed I'd spend some on suspension bits to keep it happy. Only 210k miles on it!

 

The should be able to give you the additional repairs at a discounted rate for whatever the insurance company doesn’t cover (which will be anything that isn’t directly adjacent to the repaired panels for blending or if the damage is far enough from the opposite end of the panel to blend into.

3m makes a little tape measure for blending. It’s like 20 bucks. I’d I be at in one and take photos before you take it in. That way they can’t fight with you about how far they need to blend


REMEMBER- the insurance companies will try to funnel you to one of their preferred shops because they have a contract which dictates the shop save them as much money as administratively and legally justifiable. If you want a factory quality repair go to a shop that is your vehicle brand certified and does not have a contract with your insurance company so they can squeeze them for a proper repair.

with that being said USAA is one of the best for their customers.

 

I agree.

I’ll give you tree fiddy for it as is

 

I want to know. Unless it is the guys on Bells Ferry near 92 - they are friends of a friend and I know them already.

 

this is a common misconception that is a remnant of days gone by. The insurance company doesn’t give two shits about someone else’s estimate unless you have actually dropped the vehicle off for repairs and signed the authorization for them to work on it. Or if the estimate came from one of their preferred shops, in which case it will be a very low estimate so they can pay you a check for that amount and have “you take it wherever you want.” But in reality they’ve run the numbers and the likelihood that you’ll just keep the cash and a fucked up car is high. Many people do. Another way they save money while maximizing profit.

 

Throw in a bag of Doritos and I'll consider it.

 

Shut. For you I’ll make it the giant bag from Costco.

I’ll be in ATL in a couple of weeks. When can I come get it?

 

plasti-dip it.

 

Plasti dip is for Lambos... I say a nice desert tan bedliner applied with a heavy nap roller

 

That would be a pretty close color match...