[TSC111]

Hi all - new to the Owners Club and the forum having just purchased a 2007 Element EX with a story and a little cosmetic damage. Apparently the previous owner had a dog (big from the looks of it) that resented the owner leaving it behind and would express that resentment by biting the front wheel wells of the E when the owner was gone. As a result there is some cosmetic damage to the paint - bite/chew marks on the exterior of both front wheel well panels. My question is do I (1) take it to a body shop to have the panels sanded and repainted (any guess at cost?) (2) replace the panels (cost? and source suggestions?) or (3) leave it and modify the story to a wolf/shark/piranha attack. The last option reminding me of the 2007 ad campaign. . .

 

[Flat Lander]

....leave it and modify the story to a wolf/shark/piranha attack. . . .

Venomous Duck....:grin:

 

[dammitjim]

It would help if you posted some pictures of the damage

 

[TSC111]

It would help if you posted some pictures of the damage

True.

Front left

Front right

 

[erickang411]

Goodness Gracious...thats pretty bad...imho, you need to take it to a body shop to get them to repaint the panels. It should be easy for them to do it.
Not sure how much they'll charge, but they should be able to do it fairly cheap. just make sure they can match the color correctly.

 

[dammitjim]

We had a plastic bumper on a different car with similar damage repaired earlier this year. IIRC it was around $400. You might be looking at that much per side.

 

[Mistergou]

well body work is never cheap... but likes like its not to bad they should be able to sand those down an fix any imperfections an repaint them prob looking in the $600 range for fixing an painting

 

[Picturetaker]

I had damage on the right rear fender on my 07 from the previous owner backing into something. it looked kinda like your dog damage. Also the rear tailgate had some scrapes where the owner had hit it loading something. The body shop manager at the Honda dealer said that it would be cheaper on me to replace the rear fender, than charge for the repair and prep time to fix the flexable panel. They replaced and painted the rear fender and repainted the lower tailgate. The bill was $600.00. Rear fenders cost more than front fenders but the labor may be higher.

 

[Jeannine]

A friend's BMW has similar damage done by a gopher or woodchuck (I can't remember which). Her husband walked outside and saw the thing just going nuts on the front of the car (they wound up trapping it and animal control put it down...it was rabid). Anyway, it cost $900 to fix, but it was covered by insurance.

 

[GUMP08SC]

Recently

I recently had a "rub" on my front fender and bumper from a parking lot incident.

Repairs were $850, which the other driver's insurance took care of.

However, ALMOST HALF of that charge was for removal and re-installation of the plastic body parts.

So, I assume that after you get a body shop to look at it, you could (conceivably) remove the panels yourself. Let the body shop repair and paint them. Then you could put them back on. Assuming you are comfortable doing that....

Just a thought....