Hail Damage

jspeer · 04-30-2012, 12:23 AM

Any experts in hail damage. Major hail storm rolled through Sat night while out at friends house.

Golf ball size...over 25 dents ranging from pea size to grape size. We are dying...we pray every single dent can be fixed. Anyone familiar with the repair process for hail damage?

I hope they just order a whole new hood and fix the side's and roof. I just really hope they can all be repaired...devastated in KY....only 8,000 miles and dents all over it...

A real friend would have let us used their garage...

willwitten · 04-30-2012, 12:46 AM

I have had hail damage twice (on a dodge avenger).
Repair was done each time and looks perfect.
It was costly....$1,200 and $3,000.
Insurance covered it without issue (minus $95 deductible).

VinceL · 04-30-2012, 07:26 AM

Sorry to hear about the damage to your car

I have seen a couple of hail damage repairs and I have yet to see one where you could tell that something had happened to the car. Find a good body shop and you shouldn't have anything to worry about.

I would try to avoid having any parts replaced, as repainted panels in metallic colors can be difficult match. The color may be right, but when the light hits it at different angles, all bets are off.

bigsleep · 04-30-2012, 01:03 PM

I have had some hail damage repaired in the past. The body shop replaced the hood since it was cheaper than doing the body work. The vehicle came out looking great.

I would agree that picking the right body shop is key. I talked with many of my friends before settling on one. I've seen repairs from other shops that didn't look as good, particularly on the roof. Maybe they thought no one would be looking that close at the roof of an Explorer and took shortcuts.

BobbyM13 · 04-30-2012, 01:12 PM

You will have coverage under your personal auto policy under the comprehensive coverage less your deductible (which is usually lower for comp versus collision).

Your insurance company will likely write an estimate for paintless dent removal versus a customary repair from a body shop. Paintless dent removal isn't actually done by the body shops, but subcontracted to specialists in this type of work. I would try to find a dent guy, dent doctor, etc in your area. Given the hail storm, they will likely be crushed.

Paintless dent removal works nicely as they pop the dent out from inside the body panel. If paint chips during the process, then more work and painting is needed, but if this process works, you won't have to worry about painting, blending, etc panels on the new vehicle. Usually though, if the vehicle is new, painting won't be too bad of an issue as the color hasn't faded, so blending is easier.

*LONO100* · 04-30-2012, 04:17 PM

wow, that sucks. if i walked out one morning and saw what happened to you on my rig, i think my head would explode. try not avoid getting parts replaced, i had that done a while back and after a year, it was obvious that the paint didnt match and that i had body parts transplanted. go to yelp or ask around who are the best body guys. thats the most important part. than tell your insurance company to get involved if you have coverage. hope it all works out.

jspeer · 04-30-2012, 05:26 PM

Over 30 dents, right now they are repairing the hood but there is one dent that may be too deep to repair and it's going first. If we don't like the look they are going with a new hood. $2900 right now. We had a $500 deductible but the shop is covering it for us.

We're sick...they have to remove the door panels inside to repair with PDR. I hope they go back perfect with no rattles afterwards. So far so good especially with the turn around. We left it today. Our agent was awesome at Kentucky Farm Bureau. If we waited for everything to finalize we would more than likely be behind a long line of customers...now we will have back on Thursday...

Unfortunate it happened but so far a very smooth process..

04-30-2012, 12:23 AM	#1
jspeer Wannabe Elite Explorer Louisville, KY 2012 Limited Explorer Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 48 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Hail Damage Any experts in hail damage. Major hail storm rolled through Sat night while out at friends house. Golf ball size...over 25 dents ranging from pea size to grape size. We are dying...we pray every single dent can be fixed. Anyone familiar with the repair process for hail damage? I hope they just order a whole new hood and fix the side's and roof. I just really hope they can all be repaired...devastated in KY....only 8,000 miles and dents all over it... A real friend would have let us used their garage...

04-30-2012, 07:26 AM	#3
VinceL Wannabe Elite Explorer Spring, TX 2013 Explorer Limited Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 2,164 Vehicle Specs	Sorry to hear about the damage to your car I have seen a couple of hail damage repairs and I have yet to see one where you could tell that something had happened to the car. Find a good body shop and you shouldn't have anything to worry about. I would try to avoid having any parts replaced, as repainted panels in metallic colors can be difficult match. The color may be right, but when the light hits it at different angles, all bets are off. __________________ We just bought American! She got the 2013 Ex Meet the Gray Ghost HERE Check out the Gray Ghost on Fuelly.com Average Mileage: 21.3 Best Tank: 26.5 Last edited by VinceL; 04-30-2012 at 08:52 AM.

04-30-2012, 04:17 PM	#6
LONO100 Elite Explorer Bay Area CA 03 sport trac XLT Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 2,944 Vehicle Specs	wow, that sucks. if i walked out one morning and saw what happened to you on my rig, i think my head would explode. try not avoid getting parts replaced, i had that done a while back and after a year, it was obvious that the paint didnt match and that i had body parts transplanted. go to yelp or ask around who are the best body guys. thats the most important part. than tell your insurance company to get involved if you have coverage. hope it all works out. __________________ http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/...d.php?t=350365

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04-30-2012, 12:46 AM	#2
willwitten Wannabe Elite Explorer Dallas, Texas 2003 Expy (ToBe '11 Expl) Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 83 Vehicle Specs	I have had hail damage twice (on a dodge avenger). Repair was done each time and looks perfect. It was costly....$1,200 and $3,000. Insurance covered it without issue (minus $95 deductible).

04-30-2012, 01:03 PM	#4
bigsleep Wannabe Elite Explorer Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 1 Vehicle Specs	I have had some hail damage repaired in the past. The body shop replaced the hood since it was cheaper than doing the body work. The vehicle came out looking great. I would agree that picking the right body shop is key. I talked with many of my friends before settling on one. I've seen repairs from other shops that didn't look as good, particularly on the roof. Maybe they thought no one would be looking that close at the roof of an Explorer and took shortcuts.

04-30-2012, 01:12 PM	#5
BobbyM13 Wannabe Elite Explorer Reading, PA Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 12 Vehicle Specs	You will have coverage under your personal auto policy under the comprehensive coverage less your deductible (which is usually lower for comp versus collision). Your insurance company will likely write an estimate for paintless dent removal versus a customary repair from a body shop. Paintless dent removal isn't actually done by the body shops, but subcontracted to specialists in this type of work. I would try to find a dent guy, dent doctor, etc in your area. Given the hail storm, they will likely be crushed. Paintless dent removal works nicely as they pop the dent out from inside the body panel. If paint chips during the process, then more work and painting is needed, but if this process works, you won't have to worry about painting, blending, etc panels on the new vehicle. Usually though, if the vehicle is new, painting won't be too bad of an issue as the color hasn't faded, so blending is easier.

04-30-2012, 05:26 PM	#7
jspeer Wannabe Elite Explorer Louisville, KY 2012 Limited Explorer Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 48 Vehicle Specs (Original Poster)	Over 30 dents, right now they are repairing the hood but there is one dent that may be too deep to repair and it's going first. If we don't like the look they are going with a new hood. $2900 right now. We had a $500 deductible but the shop is covering it for us. We're sick...they have to remove the door panels inside to repair with PDR. I hope they go back perfect with no rattles afterwards. So far so good especially with the turn around. We left it today. Our agent was awesome at Kentucky Farm Bureau. If we waited for everything to finalize we would more than likely be behind a long line of customers...now we will have back on Thursday... Unfortunate it happened but so far a very smooth process..