12 replies to this topic

[TopGearRules]

~~~~~Please delete this text before posting the topic~~~~~~
Please give your topic a title that quickly describes your problem. Just putting 'Help my Mini doesn't work' is useless to anyone trying to help.
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Model: Mayfair
Year: 1991
Description of problem (please be as in depth as possible): Dented in rear wheel arch panel



Any non-standard parts that might be involved with the problem? No.

Hi there, finally after many months i am getting my mini fixed after my uncle reversed it into a concrete post! However there is some good news and bad news! Good news is that the guy who is going to carry out the repair (the mini specialists) in hanworth has quoted £350. Bad news is that where the wheel arch panel has dented in where the plastic wheel arch trim is, he cannot repair it without cutting the whole panel out (cot in excess of £1000!). Im just wondering if there is any other way of repairing that part, i have seen wheeler dealers use pins your weld in and pull out with some equipment which is a reverse of a hammer? Here are some photos to help:







I hope you can see where the damage is. Any advice and ideas i will be grateful! Thank you, Alex

[Tommyboy12]

A good panel beating would see that straight if there isnt any underlying rot.

[TopGearRules]

Hey there, is there any way without drastic measures to get at the back of that dent and hammering it out?? Thanks

[new_zealand _minis]

so the seam has gone in , not just the side panel . if you had the right clamp and a slide hammer would not be a very hard job .... or air jack on pots

Edited by new_zealand _minis, 23 June 2011 - 07:04 PM.

[sonikk4]

The inner wheel arch may be damaged but how is he charging £1000 for changing that quarter is beyond me.

The rear quarter can be taken off easily in half a day its only spot welds and a new one clamped in place. Providing there is no other damage then half a day or so to spot weld it in place. Longer if you had to plug weld. Also i would use a Heritage quarter panel as they are a much higher quality item.

Even with paint that still seems very expensive.

I would take that plastic wheel arch cover off to get a better picture of what is going on.

[Tupers]

If it's pushed the seam in you'd have a hell of a job getting it out with just a slide hammer. You'd more like need to have someone pull it out with a dozer type machine.

That said looking at the picture I don't think it will have pushed the seam in as the force required to do that would have destroyed the plastic arch. My advise would be to remove the wheel arch an investigate further. If it's just a long dent (I suspect it is) then you should be able to knock it out with a small block of wood and a hammer although you will have to take the tank out.

[TopGearRules]

Thanks for all your replies, really appreciated them! The guy has taken the mini and unfortunately needs a lot of work need doing to it! Not only that, he says that the rear panel has to be cut out and a new one fitted, apparently its gonna cost £1000 just for that. So its going to be around £2000 i reckon over all! Can it get any worse?!

Alex

[Tommyboy12]

Get your car back before he starts! That is far too much money!

[TopGearRules]

Get your car back before he starts! That is far too much money!

I dont know what to do though, other local bodyshops have not replied back to my emails or phone calls and the car needs fixing before it has a M.O.T. Me and my mum will be talking to him tomorrow, and hopefully there is a way of repairing the car without spending tonnes of cash. Baring in mind the other jobs like the rear drums, exhaust and many other bits need doing comes to £500, i just wish that the rear repair was £500 or less so everything will be done under a grand! Really gutted, just wish i never had loaned my car to my uncle!

[Tupers]

Don't give him permission to start work on the car, £1000 to replace a rear panel is far to much and I highly doubt it needs the whole thing.

[Sam14]

i had a wheel sheer off, push the a panel into some odd angle and the front wing panel up and dented out

was in worser state than yours and i got a panel beater in and did a perfect job for only £100 plus cups of tea so that guy is having you on, you could buy a new mini with that sort of money

[TopGearRules]

Thanks once again for all the replies! What im going to do is get him to do all the engine and other mechanical work done so it is MOT ready, then get a body specialist to do the rest. My first thoughts on the damage was that it wasn't major at all, and i thought that you'd only need a device to pull out the arch and hammer out the back! Anyone got any body shops they would recommend to me who are in the south west of london? Thanks, Alex

Edited by TopGearRules, 24 June 2011 - 05:54 PM.

[sonikk4]

If i was you see if there are local Mini clubs join and see what they think of the damage etc.