What to do with a dent

[catfish79]

OK Guys. Your thoughts please. Heres My Focus. Standard car 1.6. What would You do about dent if You were Me? 1.Pay body shop to repair 2.Pay mobile paintless dent removal guy 3. Have a go at removing dent or most of it Myself.4.Ignore it altogether. The dent was self inflicted so My fault.Car is pretty good otherwise. Your input much appreciated thanks

[Ryan_Tango]

Depends how much the car means to you, I'd personally pay a body shop to sort it out.

[dezwez]

body shop if it was mine

[Dan P]

Bodyshop or nothing. It looks like too big a job for mobile dent repair and unless you've got skills, tools and experience you're unlikely to make any improvement.

[usersteve]

Defo a body shop job

[Luke4efc]

Make sure there is no exposed bodywork (plastic bumpers are fine), and spray over it so it doesn't rust in the meantime. It looks like one of the mk1 focus' from that picture, so depending on the condition of the rest of the car, mileage, (therefore how much it is worth), you might want to hold off, or have a go yourself. The car is probably only worth £1,000, and I guess at least £250 if they have to bodyfill and respray. Probably a fair bit more tbh, I've lost track of how much things cost.

[Phil21185]

+1.  

My mk1 meant the world to me in that it was my only car and means of getting around, but it wasn't worth spending much on it cosmetically in my case.  May be different for you though.

 

If it were me and my mk1, I agree with Luke, make good the paintwork on metal so I don't start getting worse problems like rust and bubbling, then do my best at minimal cost to reduce the visual impact of the damage.

 

No matter what car or what age, mileage etc, its ALWAYS a bummer to prang it.  I feel for you and hope you can sort it how you want.

[isetta]

I would leave it.  you could spend the money having it done and then some damage occur to it again next week (by you or someone else when left parked).

If it was a fairly new car and you wanted to sell it for good money next week I might get it done but for that age car, is it really worth doing?

It looks like the type of job a lot of people might try doing themselves and end up with something looking worse - you often see bodge jobs done with aerosol, poor colour match, no shine, runs etc , lumpy filler , badly hammered out dents from inside and think it would have looked better if left alone

[south_bound]

I have a similar dent on my Mk 2 - that's the day I didn't see a metal post and found out the reverse sensors had stopped working!  I have just left it as per some of the other comments, it would cost nearly the value of the car to fix and isn't doing any harm as it is (though that's not how I felt the day it happened).  Same when I caught the underside on a rock and left a dent, or when someone opened their door against mine, upsetting at the time but have lived with it since and not worth getting worked up about.

[Devonboy]

6 hours ago, south_bound said:

I have a similar dent on my Mk 2 - that's the day I didn't see a metal post and found out the reverse sensors had stopped working!  I have just left it as per some of the other comments, it would cost nearly the value of the car to fix and isn't doing any harm as it is (though that's not how I felt the day it happened).  Same when I caught the underside on a rock and left a dent, or when someone opened their door against mine, upsetting at the time but have lived with it since and not worth getting worked up about.

Likewise when SWMBO dented my Cortina twice in one day , So! It's just a lump of metal and will one day end up being crushed.

[Phil21185]

Yeah it really depends if you're nearer to 'just crush it' than 'just bought it'...

[catfish79]

Thanks for Your comments Guys.Wise words. I was dismayed to see what My car is worth. One place estimated 475 Pounds to repair. Cars like mine on eBay selling for 600 to 900 Pounds.I have discovered if the bumper is removed its possible to get inside the dent if You see what I mean.Its possible to get it from under neath it.Using a wedge or levering inside may just push it out a bit.I have little to loose as the paint is sound and if it restores its shape just a bit I will be happier.It is not possible to get at it from within the boot.Il keep you informed and maybe put up some more photos for You all. I just need to fashion some thing to wedge in there or find a strong lever.

[Phil21185]

If the paint isn't compromised I would leave it. Trying to pop it out from the inside may just cause a crease in your paintwork which may cause problems later...

[Trillionz]

The hardest thing will be getting the paint to match but there is a body line just above it and then the two gaps top and bottom of the filler cap. I'd have a go at pulling it,and filling,spraying in. But I have experience,but the only way to get experience is to try it.

[biff55]

its an old car to be honest and the next owner will probably be the scrap yard so just drive it till it falls apart.

certainly not worth spending £300 on bodywork repairs on a car  worth £800 at most solely for aesthetic reasons.......

[catfish79]

OK Guys. Im gonna need one of these for starters .The post I hit was moving faster than I thought lol . Its an air vent that sits under the bumper

[Trillionz]

Your having a go then? I would! £5 for tin of filler,£1 Poundland primer,£10 to have the right paint mix put in an aerosol and a tin of acrylic lacquer for about £6ish.

If your in the boot behind it already you will be able to knock a great deal of it out using mallets,rubber hammers and pieces of wood. Use the other side of the car as a guide. You can even make up cardboard templates from the other side and flip them over to use.  YouTube is invaluable here.

For just over £20 you will pick up a skill for life. wet and dry,I don't go mad here I use 240 for roughing and 600 for finishing,or wire-wool. I have no body shop experience but I can spray a motorcycle so it looks like new. Good enough to fool a dealer anyway.

[catfish79]

*****!! Well I removed bumper and the problem is getting behind the dent.It can only be done from the bottom and its a bugger to get in at the angle needed to lever the dent out ARRGGGGH

[Trillionz]

I have not got one or ever used one but that looks like it needs a "slide-hammer puller". 3-4 holes drilled down the middle and pulled.

But not having one myself I would have a go with a piece of wood drilled through in the middle about an inch thick and placed across it horizontally supported by those two creases. Drill the centre of the dent and get a course threaded screw,something like a coach bolt (4mm/dia) with a hex-head so you can put a spanner on it. Pass the screw through a penny washer and put it through the hole on the wood then into the dent hole. Tighten away and pull the dent up to the wood. May be able to to pull it further if you curve the inside of the wood.

It will look a mess when finished but you know what they say about omelettes and eggs.

[catfish79]

Thanks Trillion I like Your thinking.Its better than My idea. I was going for the self tapping screws claw hammer and wood to lever against lol.