Picture the scene. I take my pride and joy out at 10.30pm with the girlfriend for a quick drink (us not the car). Park in a quiet car park next to an Exige S, thinking his car is more expensive than mine, my doors are safe. I reverse in, Exige is nose in parked. A good metre and a half lies between our two cars.

We are about to leave, as are the Exige couple. Slightly tipsy gf of the Exige owner manages to open door without hitting mine and get in. Ten before I know it there is an almighty crack, as the Exige door hits my passenger side. How it happened I will never know. But what I do know is I am left with a dent the size of a 5p about 2 inches underneath the door handle and about 2 inches to the right. You couldnt get to the back of the dent, as it is right where the inside of the door widens, if you know what I mean. The paint is not broken and there is no crease. Its not massive, but I know its there and the car feels 'dirty'.

Now I think I am lucky in that I am guessing there must be some strengthening at that point, as I felt the door hit the side and it was quite a big impact for a relatively small dent, but I am concerned this will make it harder to get out and very difficult to get to from behind.

The owner of the Exige was very sympathetic and offered to pay for the repair, so my my question is two-fold.

Firstly, do you think this will 'suck' out, as if not I'm guessing panel filling is expensive. Secondly, how much am I looking at?

Im in half a mind to buy a 'Ding King' repair kit and see if that does the trick for a tenner, and if necessary go to a bodyshop if it fails, but given the kind Exige man 'said' he would pay then I may as well get it done professionally. Any opinions....

 

Gutting! On the upside at least the culprit has offered to pay, that's a lot more than most people get from car park dents.

Post some pictures - seeing as you're not paying, I would just take it to a bodyshop and get some professional advice.

 

There is an old trick of the trade, even a thread about it on here some where, simply freeze the dent with nitrous oxide or similar then warm up fast with a hairdryer... you get a loud ping and then hey presto.


Searching for link...

 

Hump his girlfriend.

Else Dent Devils etc,might surprise you. Less worry about paint mismatch, cheaper for Exige owner so you'll not feel as guilty about humping his girlfriend the night before.

 

I have left a message for a 'Dent Man' based in Richmond to get in touch. He has recommendations in AutoCar and Honest John column in The Times, and for what it counts, he has some examples of work on his website and mine looks like his 'small sent' example. Will see what he quotes.

To Lloyd Six, I have seen the link and the video, but I think this dent is too small for that, and I fear that the area of damage is strengthened behind, so not sure how easily, if at all it would pull out. Luckily its not on any big curve or body line.

Lesson learned is that if you have to park and have decided to park next to an expensive car in the same trail of thought I did, then make sure you park on the drivers side! As chances are (s)he will understand...

Just fu**ing annoying tbh.

 

After cooling off and revisiting, the actual dent / tiny crease is about the size of a pea. Think I will buy some 'Ding King' and have a go, and failing that get it looked at. Will let you know how I go.

 

Its the other way round, warm it up first then quick freeze with something like you said.

Look on youtube loads of vids, looks well cool.

 

trust a boxster owner to have a tip involving a hairdryer!

j/k but remember don't inhale the nitrous it might make you trip out

 

Havent had a chance to get someone to look at it yet, but quotes have varied from

 

The problem with Elises/Exiges are that they are a bugger to get out of the passenger side, even more so when pished, as my missus proved last night!!

As with most Lotus owners, it was very decent of the chap to offer to pay for it.