Post-Accident Door Repair?

[LawnDart]

So I'm getting my 4Runner in to have my right rear door fixed, after a bicyclist basically slammed into my truck at an intersection, then fled (looked like a transient).

I have a crease in the door and bare metal showing but the window and all the mechanics work just fine. My gut feeling is they'll replace the outer door skin, and paint match.

For those who've had to go through the process of bodywork, what was done regarding the repair technique?

 

[TRDproMGM]

I've seen some pretty amazing PDR work and wouldn't be surprised if they could use PDR with a respray of that door and appropriate blend. The crease is always tough for PDR guys though... I'm no expert and my experience is only from working at Carmax through college in their restoration shop (10 years ago).

 

[4gin007]

I see in your sig you have 15 trd pro inferno red, I love those trucks. I would advise against settling for a door skin, the reason I say that is because its a half ass way to fix a door. The repair consists of removing the door skin, panel bonding, seam sealer and corrosion protection all of which are OEM standard right now. The actual job of replacing a door skin is not hard, Ive done many of them, but to do it right and match the OEM specs is time consuming. In the collision repair world time is money, the less time it takes to repair something the more money the tech makes. A lot of corners are cut when replacing a door skin, the corrosion protection and seam sealer being the two that are probably fudged the most, chances are it wont be nothing like OEM. When it comes to painting the inside of a door skin repair I can guarantee the painter will cut a corner, you know the weather rubber that goes all the way around the door shell, perfect place to cut a tape line and I bet you'll be able to see a difference in paint from one side of the rubber to the other. Next you have the outside of the skin. The tech is going to use a hammer and dolly to install the skin to the shell. That being said it can go one of two ways, if a great tech does it he wont have to put bondo around the edge where the hammer hit the skin, if a fair tech does it there could possibly be more bondo around the edge than the initial dent would have require to fix originally.

My suggestion to you, with out seeing pictures:
First ask for a new door, explain that you want the vehicle to remain in top condition, it is a trd pro.

Second ask them to straighten the dent. Based on the fact that the guy rode away from the scene Id say its repairable. If the intrusion beam is bent, that will require a replacement no questions asked, and the guy probably would've got knocked out on impact.

Sorry for the long text but Im not a fan of replacing door skins. Ive seen them hacked up all to many times.

 

[flyrv9]

A few years back my wife had our Tundra hit in the parking lot of a store. The driver was backing up and hit the pass side small rear door making a good sized dent. We took it to a body shop in Wichita recommended by a friend. They ordered a new door skin and replaced and painted it. I could not tell it had ever been hit - they did a great job. Even years later there is no evidence of the repair. I guess the secret is knowing who to take it to.

 

[3William56]

I just had a the door panel on the front passenger door replaced on my '15 SR5 Premium from someone backing into me in a parking lot. The door sounded hollow and tinny when opening and closing it after the accident and it still does after the repair. I took it to a reputable shop and even they noticed the sound. I guessing some sort of sound deadening came loose from the accident and was either not repaired properly or not installed properly after the repair. I'm not happy about it as I take very good care of my vehicles and this is very noticable. Sounds very cheap, and not solid at all.
I'll be taking it back to the body shop to get the problem fixed, but I would have preferred a new door. As it was, the repair was $2000 (insurance)...