Unlucky day for my 9 months old Ritz

falcon009 · 20th June 2010, 19:38

June 19th happened to be an unlucky day for my Ritz. My car was parked in the open parking area as assigned in my apartment complex. Some stupid person seems to have inflicted a dent in my car's back door. The dent, although it doesn't appear to be major, really shoots my BP each time I notice it. I went to the nearby MASS as soon as possible. I have a couple of queries before i finalize my decision:

1. The MASS people told that the whole door needs to be repainted, which will account to around 3400/-. Will the robustness of the door decrease as a result of the repainting?

2. I was advised to claim insurance for the damage. Is there a limit to the number of times i can claim in a particular year? My insurance is Maruti Insurance (Royal)

3. If i leave the dent as it is, will it accelerate the rusting process in the long run? As you can see from the dent that the colour has come off. Although the dent doesn't appear to be a major one from the angle i took the picture, it has deformed that part of the door.

MutantX · 20th June 2010, 19:49

Hi Dude, no worries.(1) My advice would be to get your door repainted at MASS. Nothing would happen to the robustness of the door. This is just repainting that you are doing. Hence no issues.

(2) Check your insurance policy to verify if there is NCB protection enabled. Analyze the cause & effects. Usually the first year NCB is 10% (if you have taken a new insurance) which is much lower than 3500/4500 rs. There is no limit to how many times you can claim per polic year, but there is a limit to the total amount that can be claimed. Please read your insurance policy fine print.

My personal suggestion would be pay it out of your pocket without claiming for the insurance. Having a clean policy helps in the long run as your car will have a claimless past at the time you sell your vehicle.

As for question (3), I would suggest you get it painted. Leaving the dents as it is might just accelerate rusting, especially if you are living in costal area.

P.S.: Sctatches and dents even if small are visible only to the owners!

nirmaljusdoit · 20th June 2010, 19:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by falcon009

1. The MASS people told that the whole door needs to be repainted, which will account to around 3400/-. Will the robustness of the door decrease as a result of the repainting?

2. I was advised to claim insurance for the damage. Is there a limit to the number of times i can claim in a particular year? My insurance is Maruti Insurance (Royal)

3. If i leave the dent as it is, will it accelerate the rusting process in the long run? As you can see from the dent that the colour has come off. Although the dent doesn't appear to be a major one from the angle i took the picture, it has deformed that part of the door.

1. The prices quoted are correct. I got all my doors repainted at the MASS recently. (Pratham motors) There will be no change in the robustness of the door. However do ensure
- Inspect the painted panel in bright daylight before you take delivery. Defects will be easier to spot. - orange peel, blisters etc
- Check the condition of the weatherstrip & the fitment of the alignment of the door with reference to panel gaps etc.

2. Guess the insurance help desk will be best to answer your queries. I claimed it through Royal Sundaram & the dealership guys took care of everything It was quite hassle free. I did lose my entire no claim bonus.

3. If the bare metal is visible, better to get it repainted ASAP. Rust is a silent killer & spreads quickly.

Wish your Ritz a speedy recovery

prince_pervez · 20th June 2010, 20:28

Hey thats a sad thing to happen man! I feel for you. I under went the same agony a few years back. But since the damages were on the higher side (18K +) I claimed insurance and got a new door. For a 3-4 K job don't spoil the history of the car. IMHO!

manikjeet · 20th June 2010, 20:31

i say don't spoil the originality of the car its nothing big
get touching done

kannan666 · 20th June 2010, 21:25

Yes, a little bit of a touch up job (by an expert !) should be enough going by the pic instead of getting the whole door repainted ! I know how you must be feeling though, bad luck.

sachinj12 · 20th June 2010, 22:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by MutantX

Usually the first year NCB is 10%

If I am not wrong its 20%. I am pretty sure.

phamilyman · 20th June 2010, 22:45

+1 to sachin. its 20% i.e Not Worth Insurance!

As for manik - he's spot on. I guess its the first battle scar. Cars accumulate them over time. like laugh lines. They add character. Don't fret too much brother.

anjan_c2007 · 20th June 2010, 22:55

Sad to read about the dent and the scratch. Its frustrating that though we are not on the move these things happen.
I would also suggest that you do not claim the insurance for a small amount like 3.4K, as apart from spoiling the insurance record, it also affects your NCB for the next year.
Apart from the MASS there are very good painters who may charge upto 2K or so for the whole job. In the garage where I get my old car repaired, I saw a black Honda Civic getting its door dent repaired-I asked the mechanic about it and he said the Honda authorised dealer charges more so the owner has come here.
Around that time my Scorpio suffered a dent on its rear due to a minor hit.So I decided that the denting will be done by my mechanic.He did a splendid job.For the painting I was scared about shade matching, so I took it to the Mahindra A.S.S.

Unlucky day for my 9 months old Ritz-dsc04440.jpg

The dent

Unlucky day for my 9 months old Ritz-dsc04849.jpg

The dent gone and being touched up after the paint job at the Mahindra A.S.S.

PAVAN KADAM · 20th June 2010, 23:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by falcon009

June 19th happened to be an unlucky day for my Ritz. My car was parked in the open parking area as assigned in my apartment complex. Some stupid person seems to have inflicted a dent in my car's back door. The dent, although it doesn't appear to be major, really shoots my BP each time I notice it. I went to the nearby MASS as soon as possible. I have a couple of queries before i finalize my decision:

My advice.

Leave that dent as is, Dont touch them.

The damage is not as bad as what you feel. Get a matching nail polish, blend it along the white lines and leave it

Thats too small a damage to loose some Rupees and No Claim Bonus which is HUGE.....!

Insurance company might give you 98% of the overall cost, but your next premium will loose that 20% NCB, which is almost Rs 4000/-.

No point.. Live with that dent as of now.

falcon009 · 21st June 2010, 00:43

Hey guys thanks for pouring in with your valuable suggestions.. I was really looking for a touch up rather than going for the repaint of the whole door. As you can see from the picture that its hardly a half inch wide scratch. Also the white color visible i hope is the primer and not the metal. Any suggestions as to where i can get a good touch up done. I stay near the Sarjapur Outer Ring Road, Bangalore.

vinaydas · 21st June 2010, 06:53

My advice, Touch up will look bad. First try some rubbing compound on the spot and chances are 95% of the scratch will be gone.

mjothi · 21st June 2010, 07:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by PAVAN KADAM

The damage is not as bad as what you feel. Get a matching nail polish, blend it along the white lines and leave it

+1. It does n't look too bad. And follow masters idea here

Quote:

Originally Posted by PAVAN KADAM

Insurance company might give you 98% of the overall cost, but your next premium will loose that 20% NCB, which is almost Rs 4000/-.

You dont need to attend to these kinds of repairs immd because insurance will provide. Better use it when its really needed.

vigsom · 21st June 2010, 07:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by vinaydas

My advice, Touch up will look bad. First try some rubbing compound on the spot and chances are 95% of the scratch will be gone.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PAVAN KADAM

My advice.

Leave that dent as is, Dont touch them.

The damage is not as bad as what you feel. Get a matching nail polish, blend it along the white lines and leave it

Thats too small a damage to loose some Rupees and No Claim Bonus which is HUGE.....!

Insurance company might give you 98% of the overall cost, but your next premium will loose that 20% NCB, which is almost Rs 4000/-.

No point.. Live with that dent as of now.

Agree with Pavan and Vinay;just stay cool and do a temporary job as suggested.

We must understand that cars aren't going to remain without blemishes over time;don't allow your BP to shoot up.

I was also like you but have slowly changed.

mooza · 21st June 2010, 07:42

How about some fancy stickers (to match), for both the rear doors, as seen in so many of the cars (on some Eecos, for instance)

.

Fixing an aftermarket door cladding might help prevent future scratches, especially while opening the doors in tight parking spaces. I do not know whether this can be done on a Ritz without spoiling the aesthetics, though.

20th June 2010, 19:38	#1
falcon009 BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 88 Thanked: 4 Times	Unlucky day for my 9 months old Ritz June 19th happened to be an unlucky day for my Ritz. My car was parked in the open parking area as assigned in my apartment complex. Some stupid person seems to have inflicted a dent in my car's back door. The dent, although it doesn't appear to be major, really shoots my BP each time I notice it. I went to the nearby MASS as soon as possible. I have a couple of queries before i finalize my decision: 1. The MASS people told that the whole door needs to be repainted, which will account to around 3400/-. Will the robustness of the door decrease as a result of the repainting? 2. I was advised to claim insurance for the damage. Is there a limit to the number of times i can claim in a particular year? My insurance is Maruti Insurance (Royal) 3. If i leave the dent as it is, will it accelerate the rusting process in the long run? As you can see from the dent that the colour has come off. Although the dent doesn't appear to be a major one from the angle i took the picture, it has deformed that part of the door. Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

20th June 2010, 19:49	#2
MutantX BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Madras Posts: 868 Thanked: 93 Times View My Garage	Hi Dude, no worries.(1) My advice would be to get your door repainted at MASS. Nothing would happen to the robustness of the door. This is just repainting that you are doing. Hence no issues. (2) Check your insurance policy to verify if there is NCB protection enabled. Analyze the cause & effects. Usually the first year NCB is 10% (if you have taken a new insurance) which is much lower than 3500/4500 rs. There is no limit to how many times you can claim per polic year, but there is a limit to the total amount that can be claimed. Please read your insurance policy fine print. My personal suggestion would be pay it out of your pocket without claiming for the insurance. Having a clean policy helps in the long run as your car will have a claimless past at the time you sell your vehicle. As for question (3), I would suggest you get it painted. Leaving the dents as it is might just accelerate rusting, especially if you are living in costal area. P.S.: Sctatches and dents even if small are visible only to the owners! Last edited by MutantX : 20th June 2010 at 19:52.
	() Thanks

20th June 2010, 20:28	#4
prince_pervez Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Redwood shores, CA, USA Posts: 4,210 Thanked: 51 Times View My Garage	Hey thats a sad thing to happen man! I feel for you. I under went the same agony a few years back. But since the damages were on the higher side (18K +) I claimed insurance and got a new door. For a 3-4 K job don't spoil the history of the car. IMHO!
	() Thanks

20th June 2010, 20:31	#5
manikjeet Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: chandigarh Posts: 1,618 Thanked: 295 Times View My Garage	i say don't spoil the originality of the car its nothing big get touching done Last edited by manikjeet : 20th June 2010 at 20:33.
	() Thanks

20th June 2010, 21:25	#6
kannan666 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: KA-02 Posts: 1,002 Thanked: 128 Times View My Garage	Yes, a little bit of a touch up job (by an expert !) should be enough going by the pic instead of getting the whole door repainted ! I know how you must be feeling though, bad luck.
	() Thanks

20th June 2010, 22:45	#8
phamilyman Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 5,968 Thanked: 4,641 Times	+1 to sachin. its 20% i.e Not Worth Insurance! As for manik - he's spot on. I guess its the first battle scar. Cars accumulate them over time. like laugh lines. They add character. Don't fret too much brother.
	() Thanks

20th June 2010, 22:55	#9
anjan_c2007 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 8,305 Thanked: 20,493 Times View My Garage	Sad to read about the dent and the scratch. Its frustrating that though we are not on the move these things happen. I would also suggest that you do not claim the insurance for a small amount like 3.4K, as apart from spoiling the insurance record, it also affects your NCB for the next year. Apart from the MASS there are very good painters who may charge upto 2K or so for the whole job. In the garage where I get my old car repaired, I saw a black Honda Civic getting its door dent repaired-I asked the mechanic about it and he said the Honda authorised dealer charges more so the owner has come here. Around that time my Scorpio suffered a dent on its rear due to a minor hit.So I decided that the denting will be done by my mechanic.He did a splendid job.For the painting I was scared about shade matching, so I took it to the Mahindra A.S.S. The dent The dent gone and being touched up after the paint job at the Mahindra A.S.S. Last edited by anjan_c2007 : 20th June 2010 at 23:03.
	() Thanks

21st June 2010, 00:43	#11
falcon009 BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 88 Thanked: 4 Times	Hey guys thanks for pouring in with your valuable suggestions.. I was really looking for a touch up rather than going for the repaint of the whole door. As you can see from the picture that its hardly a half inch wide scratch. Also the white color visible i hope is the primer and not the metal. Any suggestions as to where i can get a good touch up done. I stay near the Sarjapur Outer Ring Road, Bangalore. Last edited by falcon009 : 21st June 2010 at 00:54.
	() Thanks

21st June 2010, 06:53	#12
vinaydas Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 1,399 Thanked: 148 Times	My advice, Touch up will look bad. First try some rubbing compound on the spot and chances are 95% of the scratch will be gone.
	() Thanks

21st June 2010, 07:42	#15
mooza Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,096 Thanked: 368 Times	How about some fancy stickers (to match), for both the rear doors, as seen in so many of the cars (on some Eecos, for instance) . Fixing an aftermarket door cladding might help prevent future scratches, especially while opening the doors in tight parking spaces. I do not know whether this can be done on a Ritz without spoiling the aesthetics, though.
	() Thanks