Skoda Octavia: Should the entire panel be replaced or not

moralfibre · 5th October 2007, 16:39

This is the damage. There are two options. Mend the panel and make it factory finish OR replace the entire panel that includes: wheel arch, door frame top, B-Pillar, A-Pillar and a straight panel behind the front right fender.

Reason for the query, the accidents department in charge told me that the entire one piece panel is welded and is a part of the monocoque. Welding tools at the body shop in a dealership body shop differ vastly from what are used in factory assembly lines. This panel hasn't taken much of a knock to consider replacement but if we insist he can do it for us. He suggested that the panel be mended without taking it out. Please advise what would be right approach?

mithun · 5th October 2007, 16:43

I think the panel can be mended up. But it may not look gorgeous as a replacement.

Rtech · 5th October 2007, 16:46

Replace the door. Fix the panel. It's not bad enough to cut through. And if the service centre themselves are not confident of doing a good job, there really is no debate on this.

A good job fixing the panel and a good paint job later, you will not be able to tell the difference.

kunal2202 · 5th October 2007, 17:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rtech

Replace the door. Fix the panel. It's not bad enough to cut through. And if the service centre themselves are not confident of doing a good job, there really is no debate on this.

A good job fixing the panel and a good paint job later, you will not be able to tell the difference.

Bingo!!! i agree with Rtech!! and i have witnessed ppl doing wonders with crashed bodies.

quicksilver · 5th October 2007, 17:18

Replacement sounds messier compared to mending the panel in your case. I do not think the damage is going to be vey hard to mend. Like Robin says, replace the door and mend the panel.

An added advantage, you can claim full insurance for labour costs hence mending the panel may work out to be a better option if you are claiming insurance.

moralfibre · 5th October 2007, 17:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rtech

Replace the door. Fix the panel. It's not bad enough to cut through. And if the service centre themselves are not confident of doing a good job, there really is no debate on this.
A good job fixing the panel and a good paint job later, you will not be able to tell the difference.

Its not cut through, its just crumpled which is why the accident dept. incharge recommended repair. He is confident of doing a good job but warned me about the welding part. He says it can never be done to factory standards (at least the welding part) when done in a body shop of ANY dealership.
I saw a Skoda Rider with a changed panel and roof which looked horrible because I saw the welding spots all over. I'd suggest repair against replacement too. He has assured that we wouldn't be able to make out the difference.

Quote:

Originally Posted by quicksilver

Replacement sounds messier compared to mending the panel in your case. I do not think the damage is going to be vey hard to mend. Like Robin says, replace the door and mend the panel.
An added advantage, you can claim full insurance for labour costs hence mending the panel may work out to be a better option if you are claiming insurance.

Door is going to be replaced. Running board repaired and as you guys suggested, I'll ask him to go ahead with repair than replacement. I'll post pictures of a replaced side panel of a SMASHED Skoda Rider with a blown roof. I have pictures of the smashed panel too. It looked very messy to me.

Thanks for the suggestions.

viper · 5th October 2007, 17:49

Hi,

I agree with RT's suggestion. That is what I would do as well and had communicated to NC directly as well.

Viper

horsepower · 5th October 2007, 18:30

I think there is no need to replace the panel. Any good accidental repair workshop can make dent it back to the original shape.

V-16 · 5th October 2007, 18:39

I too agree with Viper and Rtech. Thats the way to go!!

shrivz · 5th October 2007, 19:17

No point welding a new panel, repairing it is the way to go!!!

Ram · 5th October 2007, 20:35

I did once have my Maruti 800's entire quarter panel with integrated C-pillar, roof section and A-pillar replaced for a silly 30 mm x 150 mm gash.

In the case of my Maruti 800, it meant buying a new entire sheet metal component (including A, B, C1 and C2 pillars), worth Rs. 6,700, cutting away and discarding some sheetmetal, plus tinwork and painting, plus the rubber gasket around the rear quarter glass. A total damage of Rs. 9,000+ in Jan 2006.

But then it was a tinfoil Maruti 800 not a Skoda Octavia.

Replacing is nevertheless the brute-force solution. It's throwing money at the problem.

Meant for countries where labor is too expensive and workers have more overpaid attitude than skilled craftsmanship.

But, surely in the country of the Taj Mahal, there would be master-craftsmen, brazers and tinkerers who could do an excellent job. It won't be in the overpaid megapolises, though, I suspect.

moralfibre · 6th October 2007, 01:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by ram

Replacing is nevertheless the brute-force solution. It's throwing money at the problem.

Secondly Ram, don't you think resale value of the car will go down for a replaced panel once someone gets into the service records? A replaced panel points to a major accident which this car hasn't been suspected to.

Ram · 6th October 2007, 07:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by moralfibre

Secondly Ram, don't you think resale value of the car will go down for a replaced panel once someone gets into the service records? A replaced panel points to a major accident which this car hasn't been suspected to.

I'd imagine, not too many people in India ask to see, nor get to see, complete service records.
And suppressing incriminating evidence is the done desi thing.
So why worry?

And I'm sure Skoda dealerships would have tons of good sheet metal, perfectly complete good doors, etc. from other crashed Octavias, that the unscrupulous ones might palm off as new.
Skoda quality being so good, it would be hard for the untrained eye to distinguish between pristine sheet metal and sheet metal from a good Octavia that was totalled on (say) the other side.

That said, I'm sure there are good dealerships and bad dealership to get accident work done.

All Skoda bodyshops were not born equal. Some time invested in finding the right bodyshop, will doubtless, pay off in the results.

Ram

kpzen · 6th October 2007, 08:19

MF
I'm not able to view the pic but i assume the talk is about replacing the quarter panel.

Quote:

Originally Posted by moralfibre

Secondly Ram, don't you think resale value of the car will go down for a replaced panel once someone gets into the service records? A replaced panel points to a major accident which this car hasn't been suspected to.

It depends on how the quarter panel is fixed by the bodyshop ppl. If they cut the quarter panel from the original joints n fix it there then it can be found out if the quarter panel has been changed or not.
Normal procedure is not to mess with the original joints unless there's damage near the pillar or the running board.

Vid6639 · 6th October 2007, 09:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by kpzen

MF
I'm not able to view the pic but i assume the talk is about replacing the quarter panel.

yup, me too. Cannot see the picture at all. MF can you please upload it again?

5th October 2007, 16:39	#1
moralfibre Team-BHP Support Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: MH-12 Posts: 8,451 Thanked: 13,967 Times	Skoda Octavia: Should the entire panel be replaced or not This is the damage. There are two options. Mend the panel and make it factory finish OR replace the entire panel that includes: wheel arch, door frame top, B-Pillar, A-Pillar and a straight panel behind the front right fender. Reason for the query, the accidents department in charge told me that the entire one piece panel is welded and is a part of the monocoque. Welding tools at the body shop in a dealership body shop differ vastly from what are used in factory assembly lines. This panel hasn't taken much of a knock to consider replacement but if we insist he can do it for us. He suggested that the panel be mended without taking it out. Please advise what would be right approach? Last edited by normally_crazy : 11th October 2007 at 11:58. Reason: Pictures added
	() Thanks

5th October 2007, 16:43	#2
mithun BANNED Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cochin Posts: 2,195 Thanked: 268 Times	I think the panel can be mended up. But it may not look gorgeous as a replacement.
	() Thanks

5th October 2007, 16:46	#3
Rtech Team-BHP Support Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 5,770 Thanked: 359 Times View My Garage	Replace the door. Fix the panel. It's not bad enough to cut through. And if the service centre themselves are not confident of doing a good job, there really is no debate on this. A good job fixing the panel and a good paint job later, you will not be able to tell the difference.
	() Thanks

5th October 2007, 17:18	#5
quicksilver BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Coimbatore Posts: 455 Thanked: 12 Times View My Garage	Replacement sounds messier compared to mending the panel in your case. I do not think the damage is going to be vey hard to mend. Like Robin says, replace the door and mend the panel. An added advantage, you can claim full insurance for labour costs hence mending the panel may work out to be a better option if you are claiming insurance.
	() Thanks

5th October 2007, 17:49	#7
viper BANNED Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 1,773 Thanked: 19 Times	Hi, I agree with RT's suggestion. That is what I would do as well and had communicated to NC directly as well. Viper
	() Thanks

5th October 2007, 18:30	#8
horsepower BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gurgaon Posts: 281 Thanked: Once View My Garage	I think there is no need to replace the panel. Any good accidental repair workshop can make dent it back to the original shape.
	() Thanks

5th October 2007, 18:39	#9
V-16 Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2005 Location: mumbai Posts: 4,594 Thanked: 950 Times View My Garage	I too agree with Viper and Rtech. Thats the way to go!!
	() Thanks

5th October 2007, 19:17	#10
shrivz BHPian Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Pune, MH12 Posts: 604 Thanked: 96 Times View My Garage	No point welding a new panel, repairing it is the way to go!!!
	() Thanks

5th October 2007, 20:35	#11
Ram Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Singapore, Mumbai, Nagpur Posts: 2,166 Thanked: 219 Times View My Garage	I did once have my Maruti 800's entire quarter panel with integrated C-pillar, roof section and A-pillar replaced for a silly 30 mm x 150 mm gash. In the case of my Maruti 800, it meant buying a new entire sheet metal component (including A, B, C1 and C2 pillars), worth Rs. 6,700, cutting away and discarding some sheetmetal, plus tinwork and painting, plus the rubber gasket around the rear quarter glass. A total damage of Rs. 9,000+ in Jan 2006. But then it was a tinfoil Maruti 800 not a Skoda Octavia. Replacing is nevertheless the brute-force solution. It's throwing money at the problem. Meant for countries where labor is too expensive and workers have more overpaid attitude than skilled craftsmanship. But, surely in the country of the Taj Mahal, there would be master-craftsmen, brazers and tinkerers who could do an excellent job. It won't be in the overpaid megapolises, though, I suspect.
	() Thanks