Nature's Wrath

[IndySilverC]

Good Friday in Indianapolis brought with it a terrible hail storm, and I got caught in it in my SilverC. You've heard the cliche about golf-ball sized hail? Well, I experienced it. My windshield is cracked in about a dozen places, and no top surface is without some hailstone dent damage, including rear-view mirrors, chrome trim, hood, rear deck lid, cabin top, the top edges of the doors below the windows, front and rear side panels.... every surface is now damaged.

I've already filed the insurance claim, and pictures have been taken, though they aren't very illuminating. Only a week ago I was obsessing over a minor dig in the plastic trim piece on the front passenger door. That seems pretty minor at this point.

I know this is covered by my comprehensive insurance, and the process seems to be going smoothly so far. Any tips on how to handle the repair work. Any methods to avoid? I fear that there are too many deep dents close together for them to be pulled out, and I have no experience with car body repair. I've heard from other autowners (non-300C) that they were unhappy with the resulting paint job, as it lacked the luster of their original, so the end result was spotty or mottled.

[Edit - for the glory part, read my later post]

I'm at work, but my heart really isn't in it...

ArgentC / IndySilverC

[vvv90]

Sorry to hear about it. My neighbor got his car damanged due to hail a few years back because he never parks in his garage. (Yes, it's full of crap.)

Check out this link. You would be VERY surprised what a good PDR technician can do.

http://autos.msn.com/advice/article....tentid=4018966

[bruno]

Originally Posted by vvv90

Sorry to hear about it. My neighbor got his car damanged due to hail a few years back because he never parks in his garage. (Yes, it's full of crap.)

Check out this link. You would be VERY surprised what a good PDR technician can do.

http://autos.msn.com/advice/article....tentid=4018966

Triple v,
Great article. I've had successful dent removal done on more than once occasion (not on my C). Did you know Amy's maggie received damage from a hail storm you had this weekend? Hope your SRT was garaged!

bruno

[HEMEEE]

Indy, I'm so sorry!!
Hopefully your repair job won't require repainting, but if it does, I will tell you that mine is also silver and I had to have a door skin replaced some time ago. Because the new skins come unpainted, it required paint plus they had to blend into the front fender and rear door... done at the dealership and they did a perfect job!

I hope it all turns out well for you!!

[GoofyTimL]

Sorry for the damage you sustained. Believe me we were watching the weather reports here! Our son & D-I-L and four other vehicles of post-college "kids" drove through that area on Thurs. night on there way here for the weekend. We ended up with 32 "kids" from all over (7th year for this sort of thing). They left yesterday and drove back through the tornado watch area on Indy again. We heard from them that all were safely home well after midnight and the last few hours had been quite stormy, but thankfully the worst had passed.

I know there are many in the midwest that suffered far worse than hail damamge, and our thoughts and prayers go out to them as well.

[vvv90]

Originally Posted by bruno

Triple v,
Great article. I've had successful dent removal done on more than once occasion (not on my C). Did you know Amy's maggie received damage from a hail storm you had this weekend? Hope your SRT was garaged!

bruno

Oooh that sucks. I didn't get any hail but considering the weather I'm not surprised it hit near us.

[mexi]

you are not alone....it got me too....not as bad tho ..... 1 dent on hood..5 on roof and 3 on the trunk.....i got lucky ...i cant realy see them unless i really try and get down at certain angles

[DUBSTER]

Sorry to hear about that bro!!!!!!!!!!

[Huggybear]

the insurance company i work for has been very busy these past couple of weeks because of the recent storms in Va,Tn,Il,In,Mo,Ks. Hail storms are the worst because they hit all of a sudden and can do some serious damage. I have had reports of hail baseball size, and even had to total out a few cars because of the extent of damage. PDR or paintless dent repair is a very good option for repair and is used for most hail damage to vehicles, and like the link stated it is a better option than using body filler and repainting. When your car is completed from the body shop it will look like new. As far as shop choice goes your insurance company will recomend shops to take your vehicle to, but it is up to where you want to go.

good luck with the repairs!!

[Glenn's HC]

Real sorry about the Hail . I can only pray that you will find a real good body shop that restores cars rather than does collision. A shop that restores knows how to get the dents out and blend the paint. VS. a general body/collision shop that deals with wreaks and panel replacement.