Hail Damage :(

[Danaldson]

My car was caught in a hailstorm this weekend Obviously my parents cars took priority in the garage. Has anyone experienced hail damage before? This is the first time i will be going through insurance for a claim.

Ive been told that hail repair can add up really quickly. But i dont know how they repair them. The black book value on my car is like 8000-8500ish... Ive been told by some friends that they will just repair it no problem, and others say it could be written off. Just wanted to see what you guys think?


Its tough to see the damage in photos, but its very noticeable in person. I took the time to mark down each dent with a little piece of tape. Most dents are about dime-nickel sized.

[jamerican1]

That sucks man Good luck with everything!

[Danaldson]

That sucks man Good luck with everything!

thanks, getting a quote today at lunch.

[QuattriumMT6]

Actually surprised your windshield and back window weren't cracked during the storm. Approximately how many landed on the body? I was able to count 35 dents based from your photos.

[mtroxel]

I was caught in a hail storm years ago in my B4. Estimate was over $4,000 and this was about 1997. In MN you get a salvage title if the repairs are over 80% of the BB value. Most states have a threshold like that. So I would guess that if your repairs get somewhere near $6k your insurance company will total it. However, that doesn't mean you can't buy it back from them with a salvage title.

[Danaldson]

Actually surprised your windshield and back window weren't cracked during the storm. Approximately how many landed on the body? I was able to count 35 dents based from your photos.

Luckily my rear end was protected by a tree so thats good, but yeah its about 40 dents in total.

I was caught in a hail storm years ago in my B4. Estimate was over $4,000 and this was about 1997. In MN you get a salvage title if the repairs are over 80% of the BB value. Most states have a threshold like that. So I would guess that if your repairs get somewhere near $6k your insurance company will total it. However, that doesn't mean you can't buy it back from them with a salvage title.

yeah I've been told that if its 80% of the BB value they'll write it off. If that would be the case i probably would probably just get the valuable stuff off the car and take the money and look for a wagon or something. But I'm not sure if this damage would add up that high.

[Dad A3]

Try and find a paint-less dent remover. Most body shops can do it.
cut the price in half. They can definitely do the doors that way.

[Theiceman]

PDR is definitely the way to go , they can handle this no problem . I wouldn't go through insurance on a 10 year old carunless your car is cherry and its just cosmetic. They will jack your rates.

See if you can get a cash deal at a PDR guy it will be a totally different price than an insurance job for sure. that's about 400-500 bucks cash job.

[vce1232000]

Dent Wizzard is one of the biggest corporate PDR companies out there. They do work

[ryanhmusic]

PDR is definitely the way to go , they can handle this no problem . I wouldn't go through insurance on a 10 year old carunless your car is cherry and its just cosmetic. They will jack your rates.

See if you can get a cash deal at a PDR guy it will be a totally different price than an insurance job for sure. that's about 400-500 bucks cash job.

$400-500??

In Boston its no where near that cheap -- I wouldn't be surprised if it ended up running you ~$3k around here.

I don't think that's totaled though.

[mtroxel]

$400-500??

In Boston its no where near that cheap

Same here, no way in h__l. But you can save a lot of money if your remove all the interior panels yourself. Drop the header, trunk lid liner, etc.

[Danaldson]

So I just got back from a shop. Turns out there are way more dents than i could see when they put it under proper lighting. I have a friend who works there so i trust their quote. But i will need to get a quote through the insurance company as well.

The shop quoted me at 4500 bucks. This is all pdr work accept for the aluminum trim around the doors. They have dents in them and would need to be replaced. They also said that the would see if they could get the dents in the hood out, but there is a large dent right on the crease of the hood so it may need to be replaced which would increase the estimate even further.

[vce1232000]

With a quote like that $$$$$. you have option take the $$$$ and on your own if they try to total loss it. Or buy back the car after they declare a total loss and have a salvage history on your tittle.

[Danaldson]

If they declare it a total loss i wont be buying it back. Ill take the money and get something else.

With a quote like that $$$$$. you have option take the $$$$ and on your own if they try to total loss it. Or buy back the car after they declare a total loss and have a salvage history on your tittle.

[vce1232000]

If they declare it a total loss i wont be buying it back. Ill take the money and get something else.

Guess that option 3 then

[Theiceman]

usually you can buy it back at a tiny fraction. If you go through insurance I would take those wheels off and anything else unboltable, once they write it off you may not have the option.

[QuattriumMT6]

Makes me sad if it's a total loss. Car looks really clean. I see you have panda Recaros too.

[drewgold]

If they declare it a total loss i wont be buying it back. Ill take the money and get something else.

Sorry to hear about the damage, what a PITA. I was wondering if any Ziners in Calgary had damage, pretty epic hail storm from photos I saw.

Saw a pic of a Porsche that was in the NE. Had the windows smashed and the body looked like a golfball. Definitely a write-off.

Hope you get it all sorted, I have been so paranoid about getting hailed on, at the age of our cars, it doesn't take much to write them off.

[LINDW4LL]

If they declare it a total loss i wont be buying it back. Ill take the money and get something else.

Honestly in many cases the buyback price is so low that it's a no brainer to buy it back; especially in a case like this where the car is still 100% drivable. You either end up with an extra nearly-free and perfectly driving car, or some nice profit by selling it.

[Danaldson]

Makes me sad if it's a total loss. Car looks really clean. I see you have panda Recaros too.

yeah i just put those in. Theyre in great shape too. I still have the oem seats, Maybe i should put those back in before insurance gets the car?

Sorry to hear about the damage, what a PITA. I was wondering if any Ziners in Calgary had damage, pretty epic hail storm from photos I saw.

Saw a pic of a Porsche that was in the NE. Had the windows smashed and the body looked like a golfball. Definitely a write-off.

Hope you get it all sorted, I have been so paranoid about getting hailed on, at the age of our cars, it doesn't take much to write them off.

You should see my dad's Alpina. Its horrible. With my quote being 4500, his is easily going to be 20+ grand or more. Im curious is my insurance will decide to write the audi off?

Honestly in many cases the buyback price is so low that it's a no brainer to buy it back; especially in a case like this where the car is still 100% drivable. You either end up with an extra nearly-free and perfectly driving car, or some nice profit by selling it.

usually you can buy it back at a tiny fraction. If you go through insurance I would take those wheels off and anything else unboltable, once they write it off you may not have the option.

Oh i didn't know the buyback price would be low. It would be nice to get the wheels/seats and maybe even the air ride before insurance gets a hold of it.

[Chris@EPL]

Buy back should be 20% of the value

[QuattriumMT6]

I would definitely part out before surrendering it to insurance. No point in giving them free upgrades especially if you have OEM stuff lying around. My car was almost totaled and with the buyback cost I would have picked it up and made it my beater and picked up a better cruiser. Car is way too mechanically sound to give it up and I don't have any intention on reselling it.

[drewgold]

Insurance works a lot different in the US compared to Canada, the buyback and settlement never seem to be as easy here.

What company are you with?
And which body shop did you go to? If highly recommend Cosmos but they will likely be the highest quote in the city.

[Danaldson]

I would definitely part out before surrendering it to insurance. No point in giving them free upgrades especially if you have OEM stuff lying around. My car was almost totaled and with the buyback cost I would have picked it up and made it my beater and picked up a better cruiser. Car is way too mechanically sound to give it up and I don't have any intention on reselling it.

Insurance works a lot different in the US compared to Canada, the buyback and settlement never seem to be as easy here.

What company are you with?
And which body shop did you go to? If highly recommend Cosmos but they will likely be the highest quote in the city.

Oh yeah i would definitely take the valuable stuff form the car. I still have all my stock parts.

Drew I'm with state farm, and went to uber in calgary, a buddy works there.

[adam044]

I woulda been out there holding my mattress over my car to protect it. But that sucks. Hopefully it gets back to looking like new again.

[drewgold]

Oh yeah i would definitely take the valuable stuff form the car. I still have all my stock parts.

Drew I'm with state farm, and went to uber in calgary, a buddy works there.

I think State Farm is pretty good to deal with. If you have a buddy that works at a body shop, you could 'work' with them to either write off the car or get a quote that will avoid a write-off. All depends what you want to do and what makes the most sense financially. Hope it all works out.

[Danaldson]

I think State Farm is pretty good to deal with. If you have a buddy that works at a body shop, you could 'work' with them to either write off the car or get a quote that will avoid a write-off. All depends what you want to do and what makes the most sense financially. Hope it all works out.

dont i need to go through an insurance approved bodyshop in order for that to happen?I dont think i can bring them any quote can i?

[adam044]

dont i need to go through an insurance approved bodyshop in order for that to happen?I dont think i can bring them any quote can i?

It depends. Sometimes you do sometimes you don't. When I was rear ended before I was able to go wherever I wanted to go. This was with AllState I believe.

[dalmation53]

OP why would someone total a car for this? shit i would suck it up and get it fixed if is my car yes if is financed i'll let it go and buy another one. lol that's what i did. i sold my B7 for 10k and owed 13k. so i payed 3k out of my pocket and i can get a b7 for $4500 on ebay. and all my upgraded i did i removed and put stock parts. bam

[Danaldson]

OP why would someone total a car for this? shit i would suck it up and get it fixed if is my car yes if is financed i'll let it go and buy another one. lol that's what i did. i sold my B7 for 10k and owed 13k. so i payed 3k out of my pocket and i can get a b7 for $4500 on ebay. and all my upgraded i did i removed and put stock parts. bam

I dunno, the car isn't worth much, so why throw over half the value of car into removing the dents?

Tbh im not completley in love with the car, so if they do write it off i wouldn't be super upset. I've been on and off about selling this car for about a year.

[aluthman]

I recently bought my 06 back after being written off for $992. Totally worth it with the parts that were on it. Buy it back, buy as many good used parts as you can find and PDR or body shop what's left.

[dalmation53]

I dunno, the car isn't worth much, so why throw over half the value of car into removing the dents?

Tbh im not completley in love with the car, so if they do write it off i wouldn't be super upset. I've been on and off about selling this car for about a year.

then is even easier. let the car go.

[drewgold]

dont i need to go through an insurance approved bodyshop in order for that to happen?I dont think i can bring them any quote can i?

Co-operators let me choose. They're one of the few that will allow work to be done at an Audi dealer's in-house body shop or an Audi approved shop (Where the shop rate is almost always higher.)

[LINDW4LL]

Tbh im not completley in love with the car, so if they do write it off i wouldn't be super upset. I've been on and off about selling this car for about a year.

In that case, I'd take it to the highest end body shop possible. Maybe Audi? Obviously quotes will [generally] be higher as quality increases, and thus a higher likelihood of it being written off.

[Danaldson]

In that case, I'd take it to the highest end body shop possible. Maybe Audi? Obviously quotes will [generally] be higher as quality increases, and thus a higher likelihood of it being written off.

Hmm yes. I'll hold off on giving my insurance company my first quote then. I'll "shop around" for quotes.


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[drewgold]

Hmm yes. I'll hold off on giving my insurance company my first quote then. I'll "shop around" for quotes.


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FYI Cosmos is the only Audi approved body repair shop in Calgary, and consequently probably the most expensive. Their work is top notch though, mostly to Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, BMW and Audi work. Very high end.

[i3oricua]

I had to go through this in 2011. I wasn't given the option to total my car. If I remember correctly the damage was somewhere in $4500-$6000 and the damage looked much worse than yours. It took a month or more to get the damage repaired and it was paintless. They did have to replace the hood, it was not repairable. I'm going through the warranty repainting of it right now. Have an assessment scheduled tomorrow for the hood because the paint is doing weird things. If they end up replacing the hood for you I would shop around and see if they can order an aftermarket hood for around the same cost as an OEM hood or if you could pay the difference.

[Danaldson]

FYI Cosmos is the only Audi approved body repair shop in Calgary, and consequently probably the most expensive. Their work is top notch though, mostly to Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, BMW and Audi work. Very high end.

Kill call there tommorow then


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[HereInOhio]

I went through a few insurance claims for my family members. State Farm and Progressive. Most of the time you take it to their estimator (or they come to you) and estimate the value of the car based on comparables and blue book, just like a house appraisal. They also estimate the cost of the repairs. If they exceed the cost of the car (or 80% it may be) they total it out and give you what the car was worth. The buy back depends on the issues. Yours is cosmetic, my moms car was smashed to hell so the repair was more involved. If it doesnt get totaled they usually have you get three estimates and either average then or give you the middle. Obviously go to the highest places like the dealer, maybe a different dealer wirh an auto body shop or multiple audi dealers just different locations.


As far as the repair itself it really matters. Hands down I personally would go to the paintless dent repair but I got hooked up with three different guys from craigslist that are amazing and do it fir cheap. I want to say i had about 4-5 dents removed from two cars and one was a crease down a fender and I think he charged me $60. Another time my friend had him come out for the day and mess with several vehicles and I think it was under $200.

The other option is filling them and having the bodywork done but is essentially painting the whole car so even at a deal I would expect it to cost about $2000

Good luck.

[drewgold]

Ask for Loc and tell him you know me (Drew) and that you're a Eurodrivers member. He'll take good care of you!