Panel Repair - Perth Area

[msasso]

Hi Everyone

Was hoping to get some advice from people in the Perth area. I did do a search, but couldn't really find anything useful.

I got my '06 R32 about a month ago. car is/was in really good shape - bodywork near immaculate. Fast forward a couple of weeks and a friend opens the passenger door, wind catches it and into a post it goes . To make things worse my insurance company is charging a $1500 excess made up of basic excess, no other car being involved excess and new business excess. I did read the small print but wasn't planning on making any claims to be honest. Is this quite normal in Australia?

Anyways. Looks like it's going to be a cash job. My friend has offered to pay up but i just can't charge him the full amount. It's partly my own fault for not insuring the car adequately in my opinion. Got one quote so far for $1700. That's for a new skin on the passenger door + blending the adjacent panels. I'll obviously get a couple more.

Can anybody recommend any good panel repair shops in the Perth area? So far I have been to Paull & Warner Perth Smash and Vernon & Hanna Auto Smash Repairs. Anybody got any experience with these guys? First impressions were good.

Thanks!

EDIT: An advanced search in this forum pulled up a couple of posts on the subject. Lombardi bros get a few mentions...

[T Go]

Romano's Smash Repair's on Bannister Rd has a good rep....

[gareth_oau]

I originally recommended Lombardi, based on 3rd party advice. however, I think someone on here has previously got less than satisfactory service from them.

As Lombardi are more up-market, I'd suggest they might not be the best for 'cash' jobs.

[Hayman002]

have had a couple of small 'dings' and a meet with a kangaroos tail fixed by John Day Smash Repair in Welshpool, couldn't fault them...

[tanalasta]

Stay away from Lombardi. They are a reputable Italian, family business who used to pride themselves on immaculate work and had a full paint-shop and oven. Their repairs to some Italian pedigree vehicles were superb.

Come the March hailstorm in 2010 and they definitely took a turn for the worse when everyone tried to send cars their way. They overbooked their books. From experience, their last job was far from satisfactory. Clips broken, not replaced, parts refitted poorly etc... Very 'rush' and 'slap dash'. I won't go back.

[FJ Steve]

Can vouch for the work done by Niall and the team at

Straightline2ten
Unit 4 / 6 Cleveland street
Dianella

93703770

Has worked on many VWs and has produced exceptional results.

[easeup]

My last car (Subaru) had some major side panel work done at Freeway Smash Repairs on Donovan st in Osborne Park. Very nice blokes there and absolutely excellent work, with beautiful paint matching. Impossible to tell any work had been done. They were proud of the job and looked for ways to make it cheaper without reducing quality. I can't give a recommendation on VW work but for the Subaru they were excellent.

[msasso]

Thanks to all who replied!

I had two companies recommend that the door skin and adjacent panels be stripped and re-painted/blended in. I was told by the first one that because of the colour (black), PDR would leave a noticeable mark.

However, after doing some more research I went to Piero's on Charles Street, West Perth. Piero said he was pretty damn sure they could get the dent out using PDR but that if the couldn't, he would have to paint the entire side of the car or else you would see the repair. I dropped the car off the following Monday and it was back with me tuesday afternoon, minus the dents in the door skin (PDR) and polished.

They have done an amazing job and even in direct sunlight I can't see the dent. Needless to say, i'm happy!