Dent (or ding) on driver side rear door

[yadaBaga]

Our Gravity's rear driver side door got a tiny ding/dent yesterday. Someone's kid kicked their car door open too hard . It's pretty small but paint chipped and it's driver's side. So will keep bothering me.

Lucid Service Center recommends a specific body shop (and I'm getting an estimate from them). I also had a local body shop look at it and claim they could fix the dent, match the paint and all for $500-$600, 1-day job max. Would repaint the entire door. They walked me through their fancy paint matching system and claimed that based on color code L929P (Abyss Black), I won't be able to tell. Anyone have experience on whether a non-Lucid-certified body shop (that does fairly high volume of cars, including high end ones) could be trusted or should I schlepp out to the certified one? (Didn't find a clear opinion on this via forum searches)

Pictures attached (and yes, a pigeon shat on the car right above the dent to add insult to injury).

 

[yadaBaga]

Lucid-certified estimate: $3,640 . They would remove door and then recalibrate everything (at $175/hr). Craziness. Vs the local auto body shop would tape up the car and paint without removing the door. Clearly, I wouldn't want anyone but certified shop to disconnect electronics but otherwise, not sure I shouldn't try the $500 version first. Hopefully, someone will tell me if that's a dumb move.

 

[ke2]

I'm hoping you are talking with the driver of the car which dented your car (though it sounds like perhaps not).

 

[Leftlane]

Painting cars is as old a skill as there is - there isn’t anything so special and delicate about painting a Lucid door versus any other car. If they have a good reputation and good reviews, and can match the paint to Lucid’s color, just let them do it.

This is why EVs are so expensive to insure - $4k for a little door ding is insanity.

 

[borski]

Lucid-certified estimate: $3,640 . They would remove door and then recalibrate everything (at $175/hr). Craziness. Vs the local auto body shop would tape up the car and paint without removing the door. Clearly, I wouldn't want anyone but certified shop to disconnect electronics but otherwise, not sure I shouldn't try the $500 version first. Hopefully, someone will tell me if that's a dumb move.

I think you're fine; the only time I'd worry about this is on 'special' paint like the Zenith Red, which has a tinted clear coat, which *is* hard to replicate.

 

[yadaBaga]

I'm hoping you are talking with the driver of the car which dented your car (though it sounds like perhaps not).

Driver who dented was nice enough to leave a note on the car and has offered over text to do what he can to make it right. But doubt he'll sign up for $3.6k bill though (directly or through his insurance) haha.

Appreciate everyone's comments, going to try the cheap version. If it's atrocious, I can always do the fancy version later.

 

[borski]

But doubt he'll sign up for $3.6k bill though (directly or through his insurance) haha.

While I'm not suggesting you do this, if you call his insurance (or yours, for that matter, since they'll just subrogate to his), he doesn't have a choice but to 'sign up' for that bill.

 

[tmichael]

Driver who dented was nice enough to leave a note on the car and has offered over text to do what he can to make it right. But doubt he'll sign up for $3.6k bill though (directly or through his insurance) haha.

I give the guy a ton of credit for leaving his information! He could of just split, but he took the honorable route and left contact information. He's probably not offering $3K, but at least he seems willing to belly up to the bar for some of the cost. Cheers to taking responsibility!

 

[yadaBaga]

While I'm not suggesting you do this, if you call his insurance (or yours, for that matter, since they'll just subrogate to his), he doesn't have a choice but to 'sign up' for that bill.

Interesting, didn't think about just calling his insurance. He suggested involving insurance and I thought that seems likely to only raise my premiums.

 

[pjdcorp]

Driver who dented was nice enough to leave a note on the car and has offered over text to do what he can to make it right. But doubt he'll sign up for $3.6k bill though (directly or through his insurance) haha.

Appreciate everyone's comments, going to try the cheap version. If it's atrocious, I can always do the fancy version later.

Good luck. Hope it does the trick!

 

[borski]

Interesting, didn't think about just calling his insurance. He suggested involving insurance and I thought that seems likely to only raise my premiums.

It depends on the state, but in CA they cannot raise your premiums based on that.

 

[yadaBaga]

Closing loop for posterity: Non-Lucid certified body shop knocked it out of the park. They told me they didn't like how it looked first time so after it dried, they redid the door. I can't tell at all. Honestly, kinda blown away how easy/quick it is to repaint a car door and reduces my stress about dings in the future. And the guy who dinged the car even covered the whole bill ($500)!

Thanks everyone who commented!

 

[MGRMLN]

I have a PDR guy who could make that go away.

Suggest you reach out to local shops

 

[Leftlane]

Closing loop for posterity: Non-Lucid certified body shop knocked it out of the park. They told me they didn't like how it looked first time so after it dried, they redid the door. I can't tell at all. Honestly, kinda blown away how easy/quick it is to repaint a car door and reduces my stress about dings in the future. And the guy who dinged the car even covered the whole bill ($500)!

Thanks everyone who commented!

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Perfect ending - thanks for closing the loop and glad it all worked out, including the guy covering the cost - rare to say the least!

 

[ke2]

Yeah, the painting matching technology these days is pretty incredible (as long as there isn't any other coating on the door)

 

[EVCar]

Closing loop for posterity: Non-Lucid certified body shop knocked it out of the park. They told me they didn't like how it looked first time so after it dried, they redid the door. I can't tell at all. Honestly, kinda blown away how easy/quick it is to repaint a car door and reduces my stress about dings in the future. And the guy who dinged the car even covered the whole bill ($500)!

Thanks everyone who commented!

Sounds like the shop did a great job and you're happy with the work.
Any reason not to post the shop's info to help their business?

 

[Miami_Lucid_Man]

It depends on the state, but in CA they cannot raise your premiums based on that.

Yeah, if you’re not deemed at fault your premium shouldn’t rise. I’ve had a few situations like that down here at least and I’ve never had an issue.

Edit: looks great!

 

[yadaBaga]

Sounds like the shop did a great job and you're happy with the work.
Any reason not to post the shop's info to help their business?

Good call. Happy to share: Ryan at Arys Complete Auto Repair in Brooklyn, NY. They don't have much of a presence online.

 

[deemz]

Looks like Cyp from NOTCH EV channel had a similar dent problem. He used GK Dent NYC, also a 3rd party paintless dent repair, they did a very good job for him, per the video at least.
His video about how they fixed it for him

 

[lucidnewbie24]

Good call. Happy to share: Ryan at Arys Complete Auto Repair in Brooklyn, NY. They don't have much of a presence online.

Made note of this in case I need a repair one day. Wonder if theyd be able to match supernova bronze.