Hi I am a new member and a new RX-8 owner from Worcester, MA.
Unfortunately, 2 weeks after I got my car, it got hit in the parking lot and got some decent damage. And ofcourse nobody left a note and no one seems to have seen the incident either. See http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=82208 for pics. Scroll down on the same page for more pics.
Anyway I have 3 choices:
1. Get it repaired professionally - remove dents, paint and paint match (cost $1100)
2. Have a new door panel installed, paint and paint matched (cost $1600)
3. Take a course at a auto-training school where people get to work on their own cars. They also have their own dust-free paint booth and are supposedly pretty well equipped. I can fix the dents or replace panel, put whatever base coats I safely can and then leave the final top coat work and paint matching work to the experts. Cost ($370 for course + door panel if replacing + top coat work from third party).
I have 0 experience at doing any body work or paint work. Also people have told me that the door is made of aluminum and it will be hard to repair and not compromise structural strength. Given all this, should I go ahead with taking the course and fixing most of it myself ?
My insurance deductible is $1000 and I could not catch the culprit yet - thats why I am going to all these lengths. Plus getting some body work experience on my car will be fun. Also the course is taught by an instructor who has 30 years experience in restoring cars. The course runs for 4 hours per week for 11 weeks.
Thanks,
Bodi
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