Well this is the PITS!!!

[Fischer]

Well, this is what happens when the tail-gate it open and the garage decides to close. I was pretty P-O'd as the reason the gate was open was to get out my air pump to help out a neighbor with a flat. I looked over and was thought "I didn't close the garage door." Then I proceeded to crawl under it to find the damage.

 

[Fischer]

And another.

 

[rocco123]

I have a buddy who did that 3 times with his minivan.
I told him all he had to do was get a hacksaw and cut off the short peice of metal bar that was not used on his opener ( where the door hooks to the opener)...but guess that was too much work for him.

 

[88vert]

Did it dent it at all

 

[Fischer]

No dents, just shaved the paint clean off down to the metal.

Any suggestions till I get to the paint shop?

 

[88vert]

Keep it clean,I did the same thing to mine about 2 months agono rust yet,but mine is going to be repainted in about two weeks

 

[Fischer]

How much do you think it will cost to have a good paint job on it?

 

[88vert]

To do just the liftgate or the whole truck?

 

[Fischer]

Just that area shown there.

 

[88vert]

i would say anywhere from 200 to 300

 

[Fischer]

Originally posted by 88vert
i would say anywhere from 200 to 300

DOH!!!

Seriousely? I have never had anything to do with paint. I thought you could get a whole car painted for that much.

 

[88vert]

With materials and time it could even be a bit more.Clearcoat is what kills ya

 

[MONMIX]

$200.00 to $300.00 is VERY reasonable too , for a quality job at least. If it shucked the paint off it is some what likely the metal is a bit dented.
Between now and the body shop keep the metal dry. Get some touch up from the auto shop just to protect the bare metal. To save some bucks at the body shop do all your own de-trim if you feel capable. ( remove the handle , glass , emblems ) that will save you some bucks.

 

[Fischer]

Thanks for the support fellas. This is a wicked pissa! I just can't believe the circumstance in which it happened. Oh well.

So does anyone know a reputable paint shop in the Denver area?

As well is there anything I should know, like who to stay away from. ie. The guys that just roll down the windows rather than masking them, type of things.

Should I go small shop or chain....I prefer supporting the small guy.

 

[MONMIX]

Look for a busy shop. The busier the better. Look for lots of nice cars as well.
Look at the employees cars as well , if they care about their own car odd's are they'll care of yours.
Look also for ICAR certiciates. ICAR is a collision repair training and certification orgonasiation.
Ask if you can walk into the shop and see how they repair and prep the cars. If they do not let you , go else where. What are they trying to hide ?
Avoid Macco like you avoid kissing you aunt Agness on the lips.

 

['96explorereddiebauer]

Wait a minute guys. Is the scratch deep?? If it isn't, get 3M's Rubbing Compound and see if you can buff it out. If not, well, the body shop is the only choice.

 

[MONMIX]

Originally posted by '96explorereddiebauer
Wait a minute guys. Is the scratch deep??

He said it went down to the metal.

 

['96explorereddiebauer]

Oh...oops. I was skimming. Should've read the whole thing. I feel so stupid. Here's another way you can get rid of those scratches.

Get some touch up paint from the dealer. Now here's the critical part, use a 1500 grit sandpaper and clean the paint chips so the fresh paint will stick onto the metal properly. After that, use a toothpick, dip the end into the paint bottle and just lightly dab it on the chips. Just enough so there is a thin coat of paint. Once you've done that, leave it alone so it can dry.

When it's dry, do the same thing until it levels with the other paints. If it's higher than the other paints (which is very common), use a 1500 or 2000 grit sandpaper and level it off. After that, use 3M's Swirl Mark Remover in order to get rid of of some swirls you made while sanding the paint. Then use some high quality wax and wax the tailgate.

If you do this properly, you shouldn't see the damage at all. So good luck!!