03-02-2010, 07:48 PM
In my experience all the body shops and insurance adjusters us the same software to price a repair. I have found that I get the same estimates from different body shops. If you decide to go with the repair, find the shop with the best reputation you can.
I did damage to a car of ours which sounds similar. Backed into a horizontal section of a barrier by a pole, just above bumper height. Wasn't going very fast, but it crumpled the side of the car up to the bottom of the "c" pillar just behind the rear door. Did not damage the door or the door frame. The body shop I normally use gave an estimate similar to yours, but said the car was totaled because of its age. I got it repaired somewhere else for about 2/3 of the cost. In retrospect I should have pushed the first shop on it because my insurance would have covered it and I think they'd have done better work. But I was annoyed with them because of telling me it was totaled.
Bottom line: if you have confidence in the repair shop the repair should be fine. But I'd definitely have her ask about structural issues as others have suggested.
Good luck.
- Winston
I did damage to a car of ours which sounds similar. Backed into a horizontal section of a barrier by a pole, just above bumper height. Wasn't going very fast, but it crumpled the side of the car up to the bottom of the "c" pillar just behind the rear door. Did not damage the door or the door frame. The body shop I normally use gave an estimate similar to yours, but said the car was totaled because of its age. I got it repaired somewhere else for about 2/3 of the cost. In retrospect I should have pushed the first shop on it because my insurance would have covered it and I think they'd have done better work. But I was annoyed with them because of telling me it was totaled.
Bottom line: if you have confidence in the repair shop the repair should be fine. But I'd definitely have her ask about structural issues as others have suggested.
Good luck.
- Winston