So… my new van of about three weeks (which is about to become a bike/surf/camper project) has just been reversed into a lamp post.

And not by me.

I’ve just about stopped seething, and am now considering how to fix it.

Here’s a couple of pics: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_UKHjXgsGDlSjNoaVYzOW56ZW8
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_UKHjXgsGDlTk4ybzk5WnhmY0U

As you can see, there’s a small dent above left of the light cluster and the paint is scuffed, and also cracked in the gap between the bodywork and the light cluster itself (which you can just about see in the second pic). It’s not the worst damage in the world but that back corner now looks a bit crap on what was a virtually unmarked van. Bah.

I can either take it somewhere – in which case, does the font of all knowledge that is STW have any idea how much a repair of this size might cost.

Or, I can attempt to knock it out myself and touch up the paint – which doesn’t look like too much of a job.

Any advice either way?

Thx.

Anyone? Is this going to be the first STW thread with zero replies? 😀

Mine has had a minor knock like that in its previous life, hardly noticeable but it wasn’t pulled out properly. It was around one of the rear door hinges which means the door shuts tighter at the hinge and protrudes slightly on the diagonally opposite corner.

Can’t help on the fixing as I only posted a thread last week for advice on fixing this:

I would take it in somewhere. It’s not too big to repair. Rough price I’d say 200 to 400 depending on where you take it

Aye, hoping it’s the bottom end of that cost range otherwise I might have a go myself.

Anyone know what that involves, other than… er… hitting it with something?

If you hit it yourself, I can almost certainly guarantee it will end up looking worse than it does now.

What van btw and did you use it to dispose of the body?

Get someone like dent wizard to take the dent out. Don’t think it would be too costly for something that size, and then look at getting maybe a smart repair on the paint.

If you hit it yourself, I can almost certainly guarantee it will end up looking worse than it does now.

Yeah, that’s what I’m most worried about. I’ll try and take it somewhere this week for a quote.

It’s a Fiat Ducato that I saw on the forecourt of a little garage on the way back from the Lakes 3 weeks ago. Absolutely spotless condition and around half the price of similar vans on Ebay. Was a bit suspicious about that, but I had my bro with me who’s spent the last few years as a Fiat Commercial mechanic with a main dealer and he knows these vans inside out. Verdict was it’s a bargain so I bought it on the spot.

It’s also not white, or a VW.

Yeah, disposing the body. I’m still working on a plan for this. I’m sure you can guess who reversed it into a lamp post after wanting a ‘try’.

I tried my hardest not to get mad with her and ended up saying not much at all instead, which apparently is worse and means that I’m now the one who’s in the wrong.

I think I need to go and read that thread about women again.

200-400 is probably a good guess, it will vary massively from place to place. I got a few dents and scrapes worse than that fixed on my van at a proper body shop for around £400, but it was in darkest Ayrshire, so their labour rate was low (to give an idea the very good adjoining garage charged £25-£30/h labour).

I can talk you through it if you wanted to have a go yourself. Personally I’d drop the light out and tap the dent out then put a bit of filler in it.

The finish if you do it yourself will never be as good as factory though as you’ll only be able to use cellulose paint. Ideally should be high solid 2k clear coat but you can get spraying that stuff about on your drive

Cheers big yim – appreciated. However, I’ve just had a price from a local mobile repairer based on a load of photographs I sent him – £180, which’ll do me.

He’s got a really busy FB page with tons of recent repair pictures and loads of solid feedback so I think I may be sorted.

Now… what to do with this body?

Yeah go for it. Seems like a good price