Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

So I had my Firebird and my Jeep parked on the street in front of my house one day a year or so ago so I could hose down the carport and the driveway. As I did so, the sweet little 86 year-old lady across the street backed ever-so-slowly out of her driveway .... and right into the door of my poor Firebird!

I stood there with my mouth hanging open for a moment as she kinda waved her arms around. Then she put it in "D" and took off!

I chased her down the street, but she didn't stop.

A few minutes later, her husband comes knocking at my door. She'd called him and told him what she'd done. He said she'd panicked because there's no insurance on the car; they can't afford it. They're both on Social Security; he promised they'd pay me off at 50 bucks a month if I wouldn't call the police on her. They're broke, I told him not to worry about it.

So, I'm gonna have to figure this out for myself. I took it to a couple of paintless dent repair guys, but they said there's nothing they can do with it. I was so depressed and disgusted over it I haven't tried to deal with it yet, but i've gotta do something.

I'm thinking my options are to have the door fixed, have it reskinned, or find a good donor door.

Thoughts?
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Re: Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

Well that sucks. I'm no painter or body man but if I had that, with all the 3rd gen cars out there, I would pick up a good door, swap all my stuff to it, and have it painted.

Re: Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

Re: Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

I'd avoid the re-skinning process. Find a good used door and go that route. Texas law says everyone must have liability at minimum, but I'd be willing to bet that close to half of the folks in Houston area don't carry it. That's a sucky deal, sorry you have to go through this.

Re: Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

Did u try one of those "dent removal" guys? I see no creases in that dent amybe they can pop it out.
A new door skin will be $pendy and almost impossible to find.

Re: Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

Trying to look on the bright sjde here, 1 nobody got hurt 2 she missed your quarter panel completely 3 your glass is in one piece.
If I was in your shoes I'd get another door, that one could be repaired as its not that bad, but you gotta strip the door down completely and maybe remove it to repair and then you got to paint it anyway may as well fit a used door. If you have some experience at panel beating maybe go that route, if you got to pay labour to repair, get a door. may as well do your window felt/strips while your there, she'll look real nice again then.

Re: Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

I agree!

Re: Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

Watch some PDR youtube vids...........a good PDR guy can get that out and have it looking pretty good.

Re: Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

Re: Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

I don't see that dent popping out with any kind of PDR due to the handle contour, new door is definitely the way to go. and yeah I would of been relieved it wasn't the quarter panel lol

Re: Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

I hate to sound like a meany but I think you did the wrong thing. I just had to return my Dad's leased Honda recently, he is also 86 years old. His car was constantly taken on dings,dents and scratches due to his poor driving. He popped the curb in front of his house where kids normally play, fortunately they were not there at the time. There comes a time when someone needs to give up their license. What if that was a small child? What's going to stop this from happening again? Her driving abilities are only going to get worse not better. You obviously have a good heart, no doubt.

Re: Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

Should have called the cops...lesson learned the hard way.

Re: Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

Look, I felt bad for them, and that was absolutely part of the reason I didn't pursue it, but not all.

The cops would have charged her with hit-and-run. She would've been able to plead it down to no jail time, which would have been fine with me. I don't want to see the nice little old neighbor lady who comes out to see my dog every day when I walk her go to jail Part of the plea agreement would have been restitution; they would have put her on a payment plan. Remember, the husband already offered that.

I've been to Wal Mart and seen them shopping, man. They eat lean. Any payment plan they got put on would be a burden to them, but that was the first thing the old guy offered.

So, I work nights, and sleep days. I often get home from work and am so tired I forget to put the trash and recycling containers out to the curb. A couple of weeks after this happened, I forgot to take them out, as usual. I went out there the next day to see if there was room for more trash in them, and they were empty!

In my city, if you're old or disabled, you can call the city and they'll come get your trash and recycling containers, you don't have to put them out at the curb. I figured they'd made a mistake and put me on that list, so I called the city to straighten them out. They told me I wasn't on the list. I was puzzled.

My trash and recycling kept getting to the curb when I forgot to put them out, and I kept calling the city trying to straighten it out.

One night, I worked really late, and didn't get home till nearly 7am. As I pulled into my driveway, there was my neighbor, taking my trash and recycling bins down to the curb, He told me he felt bad that I wouldn't let them pay me back for the damage his wife had done, so when he came down to put his bins out, if he saw mine weren't out, he'd put them out for me.

They're nice people. The woman did a bad thing, but that was the motivator for her husband to stop letting her drive anymore. Might have saved her, or someone else's life.

Re: Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

Re: Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

You done the right thing. Tells what kind of man you are.

Re: Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

Re: Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

Cheapest fix is replace with a same color door.Should be one out there you can find for under $100.

Re: Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

I don't know what fantasy land people live in where doors from thirdgens in junkyard condition are any good, I've yet to see one. Especially without any GFX holes.

Looks like a 'soft' dent. I'd say take it to a professional and have them pop most of the dent out and finesse it back to perfection. Whether it's PDR or just a body shop, a pro will be able to get more of it out and do it better/faster than say - grabbing your plunger from the bathroom and grabbing the dent and taking it right out... Talk to a few pros, lay the little old lady story on them, maybe you'll find someone who feels bad for you and doesn't give it to you without the lube.

Beyond just finding a door, you'd surely be looking for a door without a bunch of rust, without a bunch of dents and dings. Then you'd have to fit it to the car and hope it fits right.

Re: Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

You did the most honorable thing. Kudos to you.
Remember, we will all be there someday.

Louis

Re: Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

I honestly think my hubby who is a body tech would be able to repair that door.
And I would have done the same thing for an older person.

Re: Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

By all means that is fixable. Time and patience with a hammer and dolly will work wonders. That area of the door is easily accessible from the inside. Any decent body man should be able to fix that. When I bought my car it had a nice sized dent in the middle of the drivers door at the molding. Took me about 6 hours and I had it pretty flat and only had to skim coat it. Looks so good after paint I can't even tell it was there and I'm not even putting the moldings back on. Junkyard doors in good condition aren't an easy find in my area that's for sure..

Re: Fix This Door, Have It Reskinned, Or Replace It?
 

That's great! Good for you!