My 2018 FTYPE had a collision 2 days before Christmas. A guy side swiped me and did some cosmetic damage - nothing major. The hood and panel between the wheel and door are dented plus scratches of course. Can these panels be repaired - can aluminum be repaired? Or will it just be bondo'ed or something similar over? I've had different answers and quotes from different body shops of repair vs replacement.

Ignoring the argument of the correct way to repair the car - I already know that answer!

 

Any collision center or I-Car Certified facility worth their salt can repair (or tell you if it has been stretched beyond repairability) with no trouble. MANY cars have aluminum these days and a shop that wants to stay in business will have no issue.

The question will become, how much time and how badly stretched the panels are to determine whether they should just be replaced.

Good luck
DC

 

Plus you could be waiting a looong time for replacements!!

 

I'm assuming it's covered by insurance. Chances are the adjuster will try to find used parts first, and try to factor the paint and prep hours needed for said parts. I'm not sure how it is in your state, and every insurer has different "rules". But in Massatooshitts that's the usual way.

 

I had a side strike by a passing pick-up within weeks of getting my new car.
Damage was significantly less than yours - more like a graze.
Still cost the insurance about $2K to fix for filler and paint.
Fortunately, looks like new!

 

Reminds me of another good point for the OP. Most reputable repair facilities try to use as little body filler (think BONDO) as possible. You typically quench the metal by heat/freezing to shrink it, and also work it with dolly and hammer until you get it as close as possible. Then a very thin "skim coat" is typically used to get the final finish perfectly level/smooth. Also glazing putty may be used to fill in any tiny pinholes or pores that may be in the skim coat. After that a filler/sandable primer is used and sanded glass smooth...then a base coast and clear coat are applied, and the panels are blended with progressively more clear and less base/color coat until it is indistinguishable with the eye.

OP damage looks pretty minor and should turn out perfect after repairs...Nothing to worry about

DC

 

I'm not worried. I just have 2 different quotes with 2 different paths. One place said replace the hood and side panel and respray the door. The other place said fix and respray the panels ... no replacements needed. Of course there is a cost difference (3k vs 6k) but I don't care about that (he has insurance). I just need to decide if I want to fight the insurance company for the 6k option or is the 3k option good enough. And the other variable is waiting for parts.

 

If you use an approved Jaguar body shop they will insist on replacing the parts as this is Jag's preferred method. If you are going to do repair be sure they have a dedicated aluminum area. The shop that did my side scrape years ago was also Porsche, Rolls , Bentley, Aston Martin approved. There is also another Jag /LR shop that the dealer uses that has the same rules. Our Maserati shop is a little more flexable as there is far less aluminum.

 

I would go with the repair. Replacing all the parts is not always best. Especially with the minor damage. And none of this is structural, so no need to worry. And depending on the laws/legislation in your state, the companies may have a right to choose repair/or replace as long as the finished product puts you back to pre-accident condition. Also...Repairs can be blended into adjacent area that is smaller. If you replace entire panels...there is a lot more sanding of undamaged panels and blending and painting going on. Just FYI. Obviously your call and your car.

And then...there is the wait for new parts!

Good luck.
DC

 

FYI, found on the Jaguar USA website:


https://www.jaguarcollisionrepairnetwork.com/