I knew it was too good to be true... I made it almost six months without a ding or a dent. But now I've got a ding in the passenger door and the paint is chipped. Someone hit my car with their door while I was at work...

I've already taken it to the dealer and got a $389 quote to repair. The guy basically said there were two ways to fix it, the cheap way (touch up) and the right way. I'm inclined to have it repaired the 'right way' but I also realize this stuff happens, especially when this car is my daily driver. My question is how bad/difficult will it be to touch up the paint with the ding being right on the crease. The photo makes the damage look larger than it actually is. It's maybe the size a pencil eraser.

This is my first new car and first Dodge Challenger, and man do I love this car!

Thanks for the advice,

I wouldn't count on a dealer to make a perfect repair. The best body shop guys work at shops that specialize in Mercedes, Ferraris, Range Rovers, exotics, plus they use the best ding doctor type guys (if it can be fixed that way). Go there and get it done perfectly the first time as well as get your car returned clean as opposed to covered in body shop dust. The best paint and body guys usually work at the higher end shops, this is one repair where the dealer is not the best option. $389 means they will paint the door and the high end shops do a better color match, they will guarantee it. I'm sure there are some great body & paint guys who work at dealers, good luck finding them without a recommendation.

The first ding hits the hardest. It all depends on what your plans are for the car. It seems to really bother you, I personally would spend the $400 and get it fixed, then track down the person who caused the damage and have them pay for it. They know they damaged your car, ask the office gossiper to plant a seed and the culprit will come foreward.

WOW, that s__cks! I thought it was bad when I had a dent from the parking ramp at the hospital. I agree with the other posters, get it done right. PDR and then repaint, you'll never know it happened. Sorry man, feel your pain.

If that white area is paint transfer, get some polishing compound like Kit Scratch Out and remove the other guys paint. Then have a good Paintless Dent Repair guy take care of it. Should look brand new. If it's metal showing I'd still have the PDR guy do it then either find someone to air brush touch up or do the best you can with brush on touch up paint. Since it's a daily driver chances are this will happen again someday so it will get mighty expensive to have bondo and paint done every time. Plus if they go that route they'll have to blend into the fender and quarter which means clearcoating over those adjacent panels. To me, that kind of cure is worse than the disease.

A good PDR tech can get that out - if the paint is chipped, then the shop can deal with the paint repair w/o using body filler.

I got a 4" vertical ding a couple of weeks ago on a Memorial Day road trip (never will visit SF again with the car) when some #&!@ dropped their door into my car on an inclined street where you park 90* to the curb.

It hit along the crease (and below it) and had some deformation in the metal just above the crease as well (thankfully the lower side vinyl stripe protected the paint), but had no chip/crack in the paint.

My shop's PDR guy got the ding out, and I had portions of spare stripe kit, so the old stripe (ding had scraped the stripe up) was removed, new one installed - never would know it had ever happened.

They had to remove the interior door trim and the window glass to get access, but it was top notch work they did.

I knew it was too good to be true... I made it almost six months without a ding or a dent. But now I've got a ding in the passenger door and the paint is chipped. Someone hit my car with their door while I was at work...

I've already taken it to the dealer and got a $389 quote to repair. The guy basically said there were two ways to fix it, the cheap way (touch up) and the right way. I'm inclined to have it repaired the 'right way' but I also realize this stuff happens, especially when this car is my daily driver. My question is how bad/difficult will it be to touch up the paint with the ding being right on the crease. The photo makes the damage look larger than it actually is. It's maybe the size a pencil eraser.

This is my first new car and first Dodge Challenger, and man do I love this car!

Thanks for the advice,
IMHO, whatever you do, get it fixed so you can't see it or it'll bug the sh** out of you and then the next one won't hurt as bad or get fixed as fast and then, another.....etc.

Had the same ding in my door from day one. They guys cleaning the car at the dealership must of hit one of the lift supports and I did not notice it because of the excitement getting the car.

Had the PDR guy come out drill a small hole in the door jam and now you can't tell it was ever there. He plugged the hole and even sealed the paint before putting the rubber plug in.

Cost = $60 bucks gave him a $20 tip for sealing the paint before putting the plug in.

Most PDR guys will not charge you if you're not happy.

Update: just found my old post with pictures

I asked but he said, the handle, lock mechanism and reinforcement would/could be in the way. TBH I would be more worried about the damage (if any) to the panel, glass and trim. It would have also took him a lot longer to remove the panel.

Here is a shot of the hole he drilled (can you see it - top black grommet over white factory sticker)
http://www.fpsadmin.com/images/rudedog/door-drillhole.jpg

Here is the fixed ding (sorry don't have a before picture) it was just below the body line under the handle. (was damaged from the dealership when I purchased the car but did not see it until I pulled into my driveway...)

http://www.fpsadmin.com/images/rudedog/door-ding.jpg