Re: A Bear of a story, and looking for a good Denver body shop

[quinn@hns.com]

Bob Cotton wrote:

> While staying with a friend in the Yosemite Valley, I awoke the next
> morning to find that a bear had attempted to gain access to my
> car [snip] The roof behind the sun-roof was caved
> in, and in front of the sun-roof was dented as well. [snip]
>
> Initial damage estimates say that *every* panel on the car is
> scratched, save the drivers door. So a complete repaint will be
> necessary. The roof will be replaced (and probably the sun-roof also).
>

Word of warning here ... I too had roof damage to my 1990 90Q20V. The
car was only 3 months old at the time, I happened to be driving under
a freeway overpass, when a maintenance worker dislodged an 8 foot
plank which fell and hit my car directly aft the sunroof!  (What are
the chances?).  The construction company insurance covered having the
roof replaced, but the dealer body shop (Rockville Audi, MD) convinced
me that they should repair it instead - saying that there could be
rust, body twist and electrical problems from cutting off the roof (and
disturbing the wiring harness to get at the pillars to be able to do
it).

So I agreed to this, but the job was not satisfactory.  On a warm day
the roof looked perfect, but on a cold one, the contracting metal/filler
made the roof bow down in a "W" shape.  Also, the paint job was obvious
around the rubber moldings of the windows.  They mask-taped the rubber,
but it left a visible ridge of paint when the tape was removed.  I sold
the car not long after.

Moral: Don't let the body shop convince you to repair (instead of replace)
the roof unless they can guarantee that the above won't happen.

Good luck,

-Mark Quinn