Hail Repair - Anything I should know?

[davevickery]

We got hit by some hail recently and my van got some dings. It doesn't look that bad thanks to the westy top and the square shape - mostly small dings along that ledge that sticks out on the sides. In total there are probably 30-40 very small dings and one dent on the slider where it cracked the paint. You can see the dings in the right light at the right angles, but you could miss them if you weren't looking for it.

Geico came out and did an estimate and gave me a $2K check. I visited a shop and they thought it will probably be double the estimate. The guy said that happens a lot with hail as the adjusters aren't very good at estimating hail damage. He told me they can get the claim adjusted when they do the work. I was originally hoping I would be able to get just the most noticable dings fixed and touch up a few pre-existing things, all for the $2k. But apparently not.

They said it doesn't work that way, they can do everything in the claim or I could take the $2K and try to get whatever work I want done. But $2K isn't enough money to do very much, so that isn't an option. BTW, the slider needs conventional repair and repaint because of one dent/crack. The rest I guess they do PDR.

They said I could pay for the additional work but it sounded too expensive to me as I pointed stuff out. It seems dumb to leave a smooth dent in the sliding door that was already there or not do minor touch ups while they are doing some painting anyway. But I guess they can't substitute pre-existing damage for new damage.

Does this sound about right? I haven't gone through this before and wonder if there is anything that would be good to know ahead of time?

[Corwyn]

Pictures or it ain't so.
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[dobryan]

This is just me, but I'd take that $2000 and upgrade something else and live with the dings.
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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD

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[IdahoDoug]

That's interesting to know that the fiberglas westy top can handle hail better than the sheetmetal.

After hail comes through, most shops are swamped, and so are the PDR folks. PDR folks travel to areas after a hailstorm and make a killing - sometimes a years's worth of income in a month. So it may be nobody's hungry and the hail damage repair folks are in the "high profit quote or I'll pass on the work" mode. A month from now the same work might be $1500. On the other hand, if it was damaged to a level higher than the check by quite a margin, you might consider NOT cashing the check (cashing may mean you've accepted full claim and cannot ask for more) and talking to your adjuster to get a proper estimate done now that the work load of the hail damage has eased.

I've also had folks tell me that mild hail damage will look quite a bit better simply by parking it in the hot sun for a few days as the metal memory works a bit. That's about all I know about vehicle hail damage, other than I'm so glad it has never happened to me. We don't get much hail up here.

Got caught in only quarter inch hail on a bike ride once and could not believe how much it hurt - nowhere to hide. My buddy and I could hardly talk due to the pain as we huddled there on the side of the road in a weird state of disbelief until it was over. Later we ran into another buddy who was covered with welts. He'd been in a fast downhill section when it hit and in the 150 feet it took him to stop, the added speed of his bike made it much worse.
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[kalispell365]

I saw that hail storm between you and Laramie, Insane! Several car lots there took a huge beating. Im sorry about your van, the front range doesn't get much bad weather but when it does...look out!
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1983 Diesel Vanagon Westfalia chassis with Subaru 2.2l

[Syncrozilla]

Hi Dave, unfortunately it's pretty common for insurance companies (especially Geico, they are the bottom feeders of the auto insurance industry) to write a very low initial settlement check. By law they need to pay you what it takes to properly repair the van. Take it to the shop that you think will do the best job for you. Give them the check from Geico. Tell them that you want the best possible job and that if they have any problems getting paid form Geico to let you know. If any problems arise you might need to call them up and remind them that as the insurer they are responsible to cover the costs of properly repairing the van. If they flat out refuse something that the shop says is necessary to do the job tell them that you will be filing a complaint with your states department of insurance or the insurance commissioner (every state has one). You are entitled to have your car properly repairs and the shop should get paid a fair price for ALL the work they do. Don't give in! You paid for the policy, now they have to uphold thier end of the contract. Good luck!
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[Wolfram]

Hail: we have just arrived in the CO Springs/Denver and soon Boulder/Ft Collins area. Couldn't believe how many "Hail Repair" signs and Hail-proof Siding, and car dealers with hail damage minor dent specials (on new cars).
Assumption: there is a lot of hail on the Front Range?

And we were worried about tornados when we went through the Mid West!


Geoff
88 Westy
Currently beside Clear Creek in Golden CO.

[Wolfram]

Hail: we have just arrived in the CO Springs/Denver and soon Boulder/Ft Collins area. Couldn't believe how many "Hail Repair" signs and Hail-proof Siding, and car dealers with hail damage minor dent specials (on new cars).
Assumption: there is a lot of hail on the Front Range?

And we were worried about tornados when we went through the Mid West!


Geoff
88 Westy
Currently beside Clear Creek in Golden CO.

[Terry Kay]

Seek out and locate Dentbusters in your area.

They do hail repair without requiring paint work.

Seen the process---it's truely amazing.
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T.K.

[SCM]

[raoul mitgong]

Surprised the hail did any damage Dave, must have been a real bad one. Hope it gets worked out.

Wolfram, I get a couple major hail storms at my house every year in NW Denver. I'd say it is common here. This spring I had larger than golf ball sized hail. My subaru looked like a golf ball from all the hail it received over the years but the steel on the vanagons have been bulletproof.

-d
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86 Tintop Syncro (Crow)
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91 Westy (Only the top 12 inches of this van (a burn victim))

[insyncro]

Clausen makes a product, a polyester primer, called All You Need.
It can be used to spot fill dings from hail damage in 2 or 3 building applications and sanded flat.
It works great

After purchasing and using my paintless dent removal systems from Wurth, I will say that if the person knows what they are doing, many small dings can easily be dealt with, at a low cost and with excellent results.

Wish I was closer.
Hope this helps.

[Gnarlodious]

I have always wondered if there is some resilient UV resistant coating that resists hail better than a hard rooftop. Is that a reasonable solution for hail prone areas? Because I would be willing to paint my roof with such a product.
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Vanagon ’83 diesel AAZ w/Giles injection, 5spd 4.57R&P+TBD and a '78 diesel Rabbit

[Farfrumwork]

Sorry about your van Dave - bummer

I'd do what others are suggesting and get geico to own-up to the repairs.

[davevickery]

So you can't really see all the dings in photos but the storm lasted at least a half hour and totalled (for insurance purposes) quite a few cars in my area. It was bad enough that I didn't want to go out in the middle of it to try to cover up my van and car.

The body shop wasn't concerned about getting a supplemental from Geico for the full amount needed and they sound like they will do a thorough job. They don't tape off for example so will be pulling windows and anything near where they have to paint the slider. And they are painting it just because a small crack in the paint. They guarrantee their work for the life of the van, etc.

But good point about maybe not fixing it. I just wish the adjuster amount had been higher, I would have more options. Now the only thing I can do is have it fixed properly but not address anything that was already there.

I went to 3 places, the PDR guy said he wouldn't even be able to do it. Both shops are scheduled out into September, so I have time to decide. I have appointments at both for now. Maybe the sun will smooth out some of the dents by then.

Seem dumb not to fix it though since it is basically free money and not fixing it only gives me a couple grand. I loose my comprehensive coverage too if I don't fix it. I wonder is some Rhein's and RMW bumpers would be better than the dings?

I guess the advice to just find the best place to get the work done is the best. It would be nice if they would do a few extras for free since they are getting the work, but this place seemed very by the book.

[raoul mitgong]

Can't tell from the photos, but if it wasn't that noticeable, I would be tempted to put that check (or hopefully a bigger check) from Geico toward a Propex, SS exhaust, Bumpers, a parts van...
-d
_________________
84 Westy with a 2.1 (Groover)
86 Tintop Syncro (Crow)
86 Tintop Syncro to Westy project (Tom Servo)
91 Westy (Only the top 12 inches of this van (a burn victim))

[davevickery]

Deleted

[Dampcamper]

http://gerry.vanagon.com/files/auto-insurance-madness.html
Detailing the saga of dealing with his insurance company, succesfully.
Get at least three comparable values. High ones. Good luck.

[fleet_maintenance]

I'll google this after I hit submit but I seem to remember something about hail damage removal using the following "at home" technique for dents where there is no cracking in the paint:

(this involves using dry ice. pretty sure it's readily available. proceed with caution)

Park in the sun, the more direct the better. Allow the sheet metal to get as hot as it is going to. Apply (using the appropriate tools (duct tape covered BBQ tongs, perhaps??)) small pellets of dry ice onto or against the dings.

Seems to me the dry ice causes the metal to contract, quickly, and pulls the dent back to original plane.

IDK, I may have dreamt this, but I vaguely remember it from somewhere.

Time to check google...

[davevickery]

Deleted