So a week after getting my new Mini, a dog jumps on the passenger side door and scratches it all up!!!

A few seem to be just clear coat scratches, but a few seem pretty deep. Whats the best way to go around fixing this myself? Or should I just give in and pay someone to fix it?

Thanks for the help ...
John

 

first , shoot the dog.Better yet ,shoot all dogs......KIDDING! Sorry to hear of your boo boo. It's generally been my experience that if the scratch goes through the paint to bare metal, that no amount of dicking around with touch up paint is satisfactory.If the scratches are as you say mostly to do with the clear coat,that is an entirely fixable problem.A visit to a qualified body shop will not cost you anything as far as asking advise goes,and you may find that the cost for professional repair will not cost you as much as you think.You may want to post your geographic location and ask the community for referrals to

 

Thanks for the reply,
I live in Little Rock, AR if anyone knows a good paint/body shop around there, please let me know

I went to the local BMW Dealership and asked their repair guys and recieved the estimate of $400. He said they would take the whole panel off first and then fix it. Sounded like overkill to me, but then again I've never painted a car before :smile:

 

Sorry - I'm sure doggie didn't mean to do it...:smile: How about a nice doggie blanket on the seats??

Chow!

Donna :smile:

 

If you use a bit of polishing compound on a soft rag, you may be able to clean up shallow scratches. Just be sure not to press too hard and use wide pressure, not a fingertip only. I had the same experience with our neighbors chocolate lab while driving my '90 300ZX TT a few years back, he saw me through the open window as I was rolling up to park and ran up to jump on the door to say hi... thats the one and only time I have ever closed fist hit an animal in my life... and he was lucky I did not then have the concealed weapons permit I have now.

 

Yeah you sound like a quality human being.....dude it's a freak'n car!!! and you'retalking about concealed weapons....I'm sure your neighbors are glad you have that permit, you sound stable enough to be carrying one! Geez

 

lighten up...

besides, cars cost WAY more than dogs. har.




personally, i want a welsh corgi... their stubby legs will be taught to stay on the ground when in the presence of motor vehicles, so they dont get overwhelmed by sheet metal love, and/or get shot.

 

I hear cats are good if you cook em right

 

To have a body shop fix scratches on a door, I go by the rule of $500 minimum. $400 sounds like a good deal to me.

I had a 3 cm very visible scratch in my door and resisted taking it to the body shop for the $500 repair. I investigated other cheaper options, but no one except the body shop could truly take away the scratch.

$500 later and I literally cannot tell that the scratch was ever there. The dark silver metallic paint is a perfect match, metallic flecks and all.

To me, it's worth it getting it done right at a good body shop.

 

I've taken several cars to places like CarsMedics and another similar place when i lived in Atlanta. I know these places are all over the country. They are the ones that do touch up on new cars still on the lot for dealers. I've had excellent results and the average cost for me has been around $200. They do an excellent job and you'll never be able to tell it was there.