I had a side impact and the driver side of my car is damaged. I had only liability and it has been determined its my fault so am left to I need to fix this myself. I have the car at Toyota Dealership Sterling McCall in Sugarland but the estimate is very high. I have few questions - Does anyone know of a good bodyshop in Houston / Sugarland area ? I am looking to find doors from salvage or ebay and have seen some of $350 ? But still the central beam needs to be repaired ? Do you think this can work and help me save some $$$? After the accident I had the red triangle light come up so for now the car is immobile? Any recommendation for auto mechanics for Prius? I have tried searching the forum and have found Fred Haas Toyota has reference, but am also looking for cheaper options. Thanks much in advance for all those trying to help.
Anyone has recommendation for auto bodyshops around Sugarland / Houston area. Also any information on autosalvage body parts for a driver side front and rear door. I posted a detail of what am trying to do in this post - Prius BodyDamage Repair Ideas | PriusChat Thanks
I'm one of the people who has often recommended Fred Haas Toyota for normal maintenance and mechanical. Doubt I'd use them for bodywork, since I think they farm it out anyway, but I could be wrong. Another very good and trustworthy mechanical shop is HSC Automotive. Houston & Spring Auto Services | Honda Acura Toyota & Lexus They used to be mostly honda (their old name was honda car shop), but now also do toyota. They aren't necessarily cheaper than the dealer, though. HSC recommended Excel Frame & Collision to me, a body shop around the corner from their Dunvale location. Excel Houston Frame & Front End Collision Repair Center wheel alignment houston Very good work and very honest, reasonable pricing. I also used Apollo Body & Paint a couple of times and was satisfied with their work, but can't say I have warm and fuzzy feelings about them. Can't hurt to get a quote, though. They have locations in Missouri City and another one along I-59.
Thanks. I was going to try Apollo Paint and Body and will also give a call to Excel Houston.... The challenge is most of these body shops thrive on Insurance Company, when you are on budget they frown. I can understand everyone is in business of making money. thanks again for your response.
I was just at Fred Haas to get a price for selling my car. They had a huge banner on their building bragging about their collision repair service. Guess it can't hurt to ask. I did a non-insured repair at Excel. Another time, my wife rubbed her fender on the side of the garage. They simply buffed most of it out for her for free, when they could have easily talked her into repainting.
I just sent an email an email to Excel as they give free estimates over the phone and mentioned I was refereed from this forum. Hopefully you will get some credit.
that may be some money to fix. not totalled for sure but the rocker panel on the bottom is crinkled which tells me that there is a little structure damage which has to be pulled out. can you get any pictures of the underside where the rocker panel is crinkled? are yo able to get the doors to open and close. on drivers side as well as passenger side?
I'll be going to Sterling Mccall toyota tomorrow, that's where I have the car for now. I can get in and out from the passenger side. The driver side door is jammed. I believe the vertical beam between the door is damaged. Any suggestion on how I can get the car started. If I can drive it might be easy for me to hunt good deals at bodyshop.
What I hope there is not crinkle or bending underneath the rocker panel. it looks like its mainly on the side and top that has the crinkles. This is circled in the following picture Im not a body guy but to do it right from friends that have experience in this would be to possibly replace from the front A pillar to the rear quarter panel. Note my marks in the picture below. it is probably just the outer rocker that is crinkled but to just replace the B pillar and piece in those parts is not a good idea and ill show you why in the photos below. Someone had that done to my prius ( knew this when I bought it) from it being in an accident and its starting to rust right where the two metal pieces meet(they did not even weld where its rusting, just body filler). my friend knows a local body guy that restores totalled ford rangers and I showed him my car and this is what he recommended to do on my car. that may be what needs to be done on yours. he quoted me about 2k to do it the right way. see on mine they cut out the b pillar like an upside down letter 'T' as in photo below of my car and pieced it in with spot welds and body filler. Here pretty much to replace the whole side of my car. He said it would be the right way to do it rather than piece it together. as pictured below of my car I dont have that kind of money on me right now so im probably going to cut out the rust, fiberglass inside the rocker panel to prevent more rust from showing, and use fiberglass cloth inside the rocker panel and outside where the hole is to fill in the hole, then ill take it to a body guy and have him finish it off and paint it. and hope it will hold up. now for whats in the wheel well i dont know what to do there. im kind of afraid to go in after it.
You can get someone to piece it back together but it has to be done right, my car was obviously done half vast
