Porsche Approved Bodyshop £2k vs Local Repairer? - Page 2 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

My 981 Boxster sadly was damaged whilst parked. The culprit did not bother to leave a note, and unfortunately there were no witnesses or CCTVs. I'm guessing a van or lorry might have reversed into it. The damage is relatively minor, a palm-sized dent to the rear quarter panel and a broken piece on the rear light. Need advice, please, as I'm not sure what the best option is. A Porsche Approved Bodyshop has quoted £1999 for the repair, including a new rear light (around £460). A local bodyshop (Kerbsafe) has estimated £320, excluding the light. To save cost, the broken bit on the light can be glued back, or failing that, a used replacement can be found for much less. I'm happy to pay £320, but £2k is astronomical and I would have to claim insurance and lose my potential no claims bonus. My questions: 1. Can a local repair shop (they have good reviews) be trusted with a Porsche / will they be able to paint match / would I risk more problems etc, or affect the resale value of the car? 2. I currently have a multi car policy from Admiral for a Taycan and this Boxster. The Taycan has a 4 year no claims, but the Boxster doesn't as we just acquired it. I'm worried that my overall policy price will go up significantly if I were to claim the £2k. Or is this not a concern as I don't yet have a no claims on it? What would you do? Many thanks!

I'd use the Porsche approved bodyshop and either pay myself or make a claim. I'd want an exact paint match done, including the correct process for prep/layering/painting as per Porsche specs and I'd want it to be hassle free and done once to a very high standard. Personally, there's no way I'd entertain risking a ridiculously cheap £360 paint job of being done right nor condone gluing of the rear light. It's clearly not a worn out daily snotter so why treat it like one?

Im with Twinfan on this one , the car looks to be very nice and I wouldnt want to use a body shop that suggested gluing a light back together however small the damage is , I guess I would be sticking my hand in my pocket coz I take your point about no claims etc

Isn't there a third option between the 2 you've listed? In my experience Porsche approved bodyshops apply a 'Porsche tax' to all quotations. You should be able to find a really really good bodyshop (perhaps local approved Lexus or similar) who will do just as good a job, probably for less money. I wouldn't glue a rear light lens, and would probably buy one second hand if it was in tip top condition.

Cabsi said: Isn't there a third option between the 2 you've listed? In my experience Porsche approved bodyshops apply a 'Porsche tax' to all quotations. You should be able to find a really really good bodyshop (perhaps local approved Lexus or similar) who will do just as good a job, probably for less money. I wouldn't glue a rear light lens, and would probably buy one second hand if it was in tip top condition. I agree on something like this, ideally it doesn't matter if there approved or not, even if they are approved they can still do a poor job. For paint I take my car to a local garage, the painter owns it himself and does resto's and general work privately, his finish is fantastic. So if you can find someone like this its ideal and as Cabsi said a 2nd light unit.

If insurance isn't paying I'd certainly be going nowhere near a Porsche approved bodyshop. Depends how fastidious you are really, you don't have to use a chips away type place, but then some are actually quite good (and some maybe not so much). No reason why a non approved repairer can't do a reasonable job imo. Ymmv, of course.

I have no wish to be a “Jonah” on this but if you claim on your insurance, you will possibly see increased premiums on both cars. Your NCB may not be impacted on the Taycan but your basic premium will likely increase as you will have made an insurance claim. Likewise, the Boxster premium will increase AND you will lose your NCB. Harsh but thats insurance for you. As far as the repairs are concerned, personally I would not entertain a “cheap” repair. Also, it may not be of cocern to you but you will lose the Porsche bodywork warranty if it is not repaired by a Porsche Approved bodyshop

Some of the best bodyshops out there are the small, backstreet independents. There's absolutely no reason why your dent cant be pushed/pulled and finished with the bare minimum of filler. Paint matching shouldn't be an issue either. Your car, your money, your choice...

Fwiw, I’d try a good paint shop and glue the lens. If the lens looks bad you can still buy another, but for buttons you may save £££ for a tiny tiny imperfection that only you’d know about! You may even find it invigorating to know the car isn’t perfect, and so get more joy out of it as you’re not wanting to keep it “perfect” all the time and actually driving it An occasional scratch or paint mismatch can be liberating!!!!!

Thanks so much. There is a wealth of insights here, certainly! WG said: I have no wish to be a “Jonah” on this but if you claim on your insurance, you will possibly see increased premiums on both cars. Your NCB may not be impacted on the Taycan but your basic premium will likely increase as you will have made an insurance claim. Likewise, the Boxster premium will increase AND you will lose your NCB. Harsh but thats insurance for you. As far as the repairs are concerned, personally I would not entertain a “cheap” repair. Also, it may not be of cocern to you but you will lose the Porsche bodywork warranty if it is not repaired by a Porsche Approved bodyshop Yes, this is my biggest concern. An unknown amount in possible increased premiums in the future is scary on the Taycan. Does anyone have further insights into this? I guess there is no way to really know, Admiral won't be telling me that my basic premium is now X% more this year because you claimed last year! There is also a £350 excess to pay if I claim. In an ideal world I would be happy to pay £500 for a Really Good Bodyshop and buy a used rear light on eBay. Does anybody have any recommendations of something within an hour plus of Oxford?

JayK12 said: I agree on something like this, ideally it doesn't matter if there approved or not, even if they are approved they can still do a poor job. For paint I take my car to a local garage, the painter owns it himself and does resto's and general work privately, his finish is fantastic. So if you can find someone like this its ideal and as Cabsi said a 2nd light unit. Yes, Silverstone OPC's Approved Bodyshop has some Google Reviews that gives me the chills. I certainly wouldn't be going there even if insurance paid for it!

Wherabouts in the country are you? I have used a bodyshop near Silverstone circuit. Its a husband and wife operation with the wife doing the painting. I had someone do my Golf 7.5R rear quarter in whilst staying at a country hotel in France with a huge car park. The repair was fantastic, reds a hard colour to match. I just couldn't spot the difference other than the finish was better than therest of the car with none of the usual orange peel you get as standard on VW stuff these days.

premedgrain said: My 981 Boxster sadly was damaged whilst parked. The culprit did not bother to leave a note, and unfortunately there were no witnesses or CCTVs. I'm guessing a van or lorry might have reversed into it. The damage is relatively minor, a palm-sized dent to the rear quarter panel and a broken piece on the rear light. Need advice, please, as I'm not sure what the best option is. A Porsche Approved Bodyshop has quoted £1999 for the repair, including a new rear light (around £460). A local bodyshop (Kerbsafe) has estimated £320, excluding the light. To save cost, the broken bit on the light can be glued back, or failing that, a used replacement can be found for much less. I'm happy to pay £320, but £2k is astronomical and I would have to claim insurance and lose my potential no claims bonus. My questions: 1. Can a local repair shop (they have good reviews) be trusted with a Porsche / will they be able to paint match / would I risk more problems etc, or affect the resale value of the car? 2. I currently have a multi car policy from Admiral for a Taycan and this Boxster. The Taycan has a 4 year no claims, but the Boxster doesn't as we just acquired it. I'm worried that my overall policy price will go up significantly if I were to claim the £2k. Or is this not a concern as I don't yet have a no claims on it? What would you do? Many thanks! If the paint is not damaged I would get a dent removal firm to remove the dent before I would even go to a paint shop, If it still needs painting it will ensure there is as little filler as Possible in the repair . How much is a second hand rear light as if you put a new one in one side you will probably see the difference with the other side. Does your car go to Porsche for service and warranty? If not why pay inflated Porsche prices, there will be load of Porsches out there not repaired at Porsche approved garages .

andygo said: Wherabouts in the country are you? I have used a bodyshop near Silverstone circuit. Its a husband and wife operation with the wife doing the painting. I had someone do my Golf 7.5R rear quarter in whilst staying at a country hotel in France with a huge car park. The repair was fantastic, reds a hard colour to match. I just couldn't spot the difference other than the finish was better than therest of the car with none of the usual orange peel you get as standard on VW stuff these days. We're in Oxford. Silverstone will be great, please let me know!

I know a bit late to the party, but I'm with TwinFan on this one. I've had a couple of paint and body repair jobs done by a (relatively) local Porsche approved paint shop over the last few years. They are not cheap, but they only use all the right materials and processes, and it tells in the results. The most recent of these was a crease in the door of my 981 GT4 caused by a parcel trolley getting rolled into it. It was tiny, but I could see it was on the "hard mounting" of the door hinge, so it was not going to be an easy one. £1000 was given as a rough estimate from photos. Once they got the car, they phoned me with the bad news that the door had been previously repaired, there were a couple of inclusions in the paint, and once they got it under proper lights there was a run in the repaint that had been badly flatted back and clear coated over. I had suspected something wasn't exactly right every time I washed that door. No-one else would have noticed (obviously including the OPC that sold me the car ), but as soon as they said, I knew they weren't having me on. I asked them to check over the rest of the car really carefully and let me know if anything else wasn't right. All was fine elsewhere, but the £1000 repair estimate had doubled to £2000. I think the final job came out a little under that, maybe £1800, but to me, 18 months on, worth every penny. The car is right, I know it is right, and I don't have to wonder why I'm not happy that there's a tar spot or 2 on the driver's door that won't polish out, and I'm not sure the paint looks quite right. Most of all, I'd be so ashamed and embarrassed if I ever found out I'd sold a car on to someone that had a repair bill double, all because I hadn't had a (probably much less expensive) job done properly. All 3 Porsches I've had so far have been exquisitely finished cars, so I don't have a problem with spending a bit to keep them that way. I do appreciate that it's not a luxury everyone can afford, but to me, it's worth it. Liam

https://www.kerbsafe.com/services/paint-bodywork/ Their process looks a bit amateur hour and they get many bad reviews. If not an OPD then at least find a paint shop that doesn't operate like a mobile locksmith. Buy cheap, pay dear.

premedgrain said: We're in Oxford. Silverstone will be great, please let me know! https://www.acpwbodyshop.co.uk/ Alan's moby is 07747 058824. Tell him Andy Gough recommended. They do some stunning restoration works, lots of classic and high end cars.

If you are in Oxfordshire, I would have a chat with JF Bodyworks in Wendlebury near Bicester. He does/did the paint for Theon Designs and did some work on my Cayman which 2 years later still looks great. Most importantly for you, he can do dents properly (ie. not just bash it out and slap an inch of filler over it).

My CGTS 4.0 has just been to Swindon OPC with similar damage to yours although there was no broken light. I am fussy beyond belief and they have done a fantastic job. Bumper off and all trim etc removed so no masking tape lines etc.

Boy0 said: My CGTS 4.0 has just been to Swindon OPC with similar damage to yours although there was no broken light. I am fussy beyond belief and they have done a fantastic job. Bumper off and all trim etc removed so no masking tape lines etc. Thanks! Did Swindon OPC refer you to Dick Lovett Bodyshop in Swindon?

My OPC is Cardiff so part of Dick Lovett. Sorry I should have said they advised me to contact their Swindon bodyshop directly.

Thanks Andy / LennyM. I'll see how much their quotes work out to be and take it from there. Boy0 - that's where I got the £2k quote. Thanks for the vote of confidence, at least now I know if I pay that much I'll get a really good job done!

I’ve only just found this thread so apologies for being late to the party. I’ve recently discovered a fantastic body shop in Stevenage who primarily specialise in Porsches. They’re based right next door to the excellent Porschacare, a great indy specialist. They did some work on my 997.2 Turbo recently and the quality was fantastic. Their prices are incredibly competitive and I’ll be using them very soon on some scratches on my 987.1. I can recommend them wholeheartedly.