Had a bit of a fender bender now my Mini is going to the body shop. Just wondering from those unlucky Mini owners who have had a respray done how well the shop was able to match the paint. The car is going to Caliber Collision, a big auto body chains.

 

I've no experience with "bent" MINIs, but have had my share of experiences (good and bad) with body shops. Assuming one of the front fenders is buggered up, make sure they blend all the way to the rear edge of the door. If they only blend part-way down the length of the door, you might be able to tell where the buffer stopped. I had that done to a Ford Ranger (right-hand side passenger door, dealer damage and repair) and they stopped the blend half-way down length of the door, and you could tell it. My 2009 Mustang GT was blended by Magnum in Marietta GA from front all the way to rear edge of passenger door and it looked great.

Also, make a self-inventory of everything that is damaged and make sure insurance adjuster accounts for everything and body shop installs everything (AND PUTS ALL OF THE SCREWS BACK where they belong), especially those items that are visible. Whenever I look over a used car, I look underneath the front bumper/spoiler area and the wheel houses; that's where the body shops usually cut corners.

I would trust our MINIs with Magnum (local, good reputation and not a chain). If you know of a local N-Calif. MINI club, I'd ask them for any recommendations. Good luck!!