Ding on Hood

[dpz8]

I was out this past weekend and had the Z8 parked at a valet stand in Long Beach. The short story is that a passing commuter train kicked up a rock that hit the hood of the car causing a ding and a chip to the paint. To say the least i was really disappointed. This is the first real damage to the Z8 of any kind.

Any advice on how I should have it repaired. From my experience aftermarket repaint jobs of large portions of the car never really match the orange peal and color of the factory. Is it better just to have one of those "paintless" dent repairs just push out the ding and refill the chip with touchup? Anybody have any experience or suggestions. This ding is slight and chip is about 3mm in diameter.

I filed a claim with the valet because the Z8 was still in their possession. It is likely they will fully reimburse me but ultimately i want the best results.

[gutMD]

I would definitely have the ding pushed out and the chip filled and buffed down by a professional. It is amazing what they can do as long as the paint is NOT cracked. If it is cracked then you need a respray.

Two years ago a bicycle fork fell onto the rear fender of my 928 as it fell off my garage wall. Left a good size ding and scratch. I was horrified and had a sick feeling for days. Took it to a local dent doctor recommended by my BMW dealer and 25 minutes and $100 later it was perfect.

You can always respray later if you are not happy with the result.

Only my $.02.

Good Luck

[hayvenhurstkid]

I too would first try the paintless dent removal along with a professional touch up guy for the paint repair. If you are not happy with the results, PM me. I have a guy in Tarzana who will match the paint perfectly, and that includes the correct orange peel.

[Grease Monkey]

I have had a number of small dents "massaged" out by a paintless dent removal guy and the results bordered on miraculous. To this day, no matter how closely I look, I cannot tell where the dents were. Try to find one who has had lots of experience. Also, while the underside of your Z8's hood is relatively easy to access, it is made of aluminum and many paintless dent repair guys are not qualified/trained to work with aluminum, which can stretch if overworked. Make sure you ask about experience with aluminum body panels first.

[dpz8]

Thanks for reply posts. From the location of the ding/chip doing "minor surgery" vs. the alternative I think is the best solution. Can anybody recommend a good guy in Orange County?

[Bend]

Carlos recommended to me Vince D'Alessandro at DentsNoMore - (949) 363-3767. He did a great job.

[///M Blitz]

Carlos recommended to me Vince D'Alessandro at DentsNoMore - (949) 363-3767. He did a great job.

Vince has done wonders on my other BMWs and from the job he did on Ted's car it looks like he can work on aluminium also. And to make things ever better, he'll come to your house.