Replace drivers side outer door panel?

Grateful for any advice as to my options to repair my 2023 ORP that I managed to scrape against a concrete post...

It's not horrendous, but some of the scratches are very deep and I can make out some denting to the panel as well. I'm sure someone could make it passable but will likely always be visible (and remind me of my stupidity) - is it possible to replace just the outer panel, or is it effectively a new door? Any ideas of cost and whether it's an easy home job, or likely needs to be done by a professional?

 

That appears to be beyond the scope of a DIYer. A good shop can get the dents taken care of, but my money's on having to repaint the entire door in order to not look patched.

 

Most collision shops no longer replace door skins due to the labor involved. They just replace the whole door. That said, I highly doubt you need to do either. Take it to a good collision shop and see what they say.

 

From earlier this year when I had repair work done for one of my less-than-shining moments behind the wheel. All OEM at my local Toyota collision center. They did a first class job and perfect paint match. Of course, there was a lot more on the invoice as it involved the entire drivers side, front to rear, but here’s what repairing the whole front door cost.

 

If you update the location in your profile, you're likely to get better responses (insurance, body shop rates, etc. are all state or location specific).

To show dents in a picture it is best to take them from an angle; however, that pic looks like it is minor damage to the panel, but no damage to the handle or the shell. That repair looks like 2.5 - 3 hours of labor on the skin, with remove/install (R&I) of the handle, belt moulding, trim panel (to get to the handle), and mirror.

If you're using insurance, they will probably pay for a few other things. The repair will go to the door edge, and the shop may want to paint/blend/clear the fender. I would try to get them to paint/blend within the panel, pay an extra .5 hrs for tint or a let-down panel. If you can keep the paint/clear out of adjacent panels, you'll be better off.

You'll have repair labor, R&I labor and paint/materials. You're looking at a $700 repair, more or less, depending on where you live and if they can keep the repair to the skin. There is no reason to replace the door shell, or R&I or R&R stuff above the belt moulding.

That repair could be done by a monkey with two left hands that holds the paint gun in his teeth.

Also, once you wash that really well, use plenty of soap, hot water and scrub it pretty hard with a cotton washcloth or something similar, you'll see, it's not that bad. I know you think it is, but it isn't. Most of that is clear coat scuffs, not scratches.

 

Thanks everyone for all the replies, super helpful and very much appreciated. And apologies for not including my location - I'm in Santa Monica, Los Angeles if anyone has any recommendations.

The excess on my insurance is too high so sounds like I'm probably best going to a good repair shop.

I will also get a quote for a replacement just to have the option - if I hadn't purchased the car new I would definitely go for a repair but I'm still trying to justify the bad decision of buying new, so the idea of a perfect replacement vs an almost perfect repair is appealing, I must admit... Especially if it's close to the price @Lucky Linski shared vs $700 for a repair.

@Acesandeights really appreciate the optimism as well - I will give it a good wash this weekend and then get quotes for both options.

Thanks again all, I'll report back with what I end up doing and the costs in case useful for others in future.

 

Much better.pic. Your labor rates will be higher than where I live, add 30%.

 

There’s a cohort of guys on this forum who believe that dents and scratches are wear and tear and a badge of honor. You could just leave it the way it is.

 

I like that...! Just need to fabricate a better story than "I forgot about the concrete pillar I parked next to"

 

Hmmm. Stories about bears are in vogue right now. Try to work a bear into your story.

 

Or, you could follow in @Stoney Ranger's footsteps and camouflage your door ding with some of these:

 

I suspect I may be viewed as a member of that motley cohort.


But in my eyes, damage from a concrete pillar falls outside of the badge of honor category. It’s tragic, unfortunate, and an eye sore. That said, if any of the sheet steel is bent, it could be fixed by a dent repair place. It’s amazing how they can make some dents disappear. The rest is paint.

By the way, I’ve spent a week buffing the trail pinstripes off from the last few seasons. It looks brand new, but it feels like I erased history, which makes me feel like I done a bad thing. I’m not sure what that says about me.

Well, it *almost* looks new, but not quite. I dragged the door across a root ball a few inches, which left some deep claw marks, down to the steel. Oddly, the root ball scratches didn’t feel like a badge of honor at all. It just felt sad, just like that concrete post scratch. Maybe because it happened unexpectedly and due to inattention, and it because it didn’t “need” to happen.

Take heart @moohead17 , all is fixable. Just a matter of finding out the best and most economic way to do it.

 

Because one is accidental and the other is deliberate?

True for either category, in my opinion.

 

Weirdly, I guess that’s what it comes down to. Kind of like the space shuttle…the ceramic heat shield tiles and the sides looked like crap after it came back, but you touch it up as necessary. Not for beauty, but for function.

I didn’t realize that I enjoyed looking at the wear I’ve accumulated over the last few years. I kind of came into focus after I buffed it all away. Interestingly, the Shuttle being displayed at the Smithsonian in DC was not touched after its last flight. It being displayed exactly as it was after it’s last re-entry. I think that must say something about that maybe I’m not so crazy.

And if somebody backed a forklift into it, and damaged it accidentally, yeah, it would suck…Space shuttle or the 4runner.




(I’m glad you still see dead people. )

 

Update: I used Hermans Auto Body in Santa Monica to do the work - they repaired/repainted the door and blended it into the bumper etc. It looks absolutely perfect and only took 5 days so I would highly recommend them. Cost was $1400 which was more than I was hoping but it was worth it IMHO to get the level of service and work. My local Toyota dealer quoted $8k to do the same work - $3k just to do pre and post-repair testing

 

Glad to hear your door is fixed to your liking. I guess be thankful the post wasn't taller and took out your mirror also...?

 

100% @glwood54, it could have easily been a lot more costly so I'm grateful for that...!

 

I think those low posts and ballard's are actually put in place by body shop owners...

I did the same to a brand new truck. My wife to a year old Mercedes. $1500 and $3000, respectively, after $1000 deductible on both.

Body work in Houston is crazy high...

 

To the guys who have worked with me on my projects for the last 30 years, I do not look at you in this light, I appreciate the skills and how you apply to your trade!

 

Huh?

 

Toyota has a lot of Tundra engines to pay for under warranty. I'm not surprised they wanted you to help subsidize their warranty repairs with a charge of 8k.

 

After pics?