I just got backed into while waiting at a stop sign to exit the 99 ranch mall in el cerrito.
Got a huge dent on the rear right side quarter panel.

Just want to know other good body shops near Berkeley/Albany/El Cerrito area other than Baron Von Frier. I wasn't very satisfied with them last time when they did PDR and bondo on my hood, although they have great customer service. I don't want to have any more bondo on my car and would just like to get that panel replaced this time.

Any recommendation is appreciated. Thanks

Here are some pictures for your pleasure

 

Dude, to replace a quarter panel, any shop is gonna have to slice the crap out of your car. After that, they'll have to strip off quite a bit of the stock paint in order to blend the color with the new panel. That's a lot of stuff your car will have to go through. Be careful what you wish for.

 

You could try Panel Craft in Berkeley. The guys at Tomas Sport Tuning swear by them.

 

Can they just replace the whole panel that extends to the front of the car?
I don't really want them to cut up the panel.

any other recommendation ?

 

You quarter panel is a really large piece and is actually structural for unibody vehicles like our WRX. It starts at the rear bumper then runs all the way up your C-pillar, over the two windows and B-pillar, and back down your A-pillar to the side mirror. On the bottom, it goes over the wheel well all the way to where is connects to your rocker panel (the metal area behind the side skirts).
The quarter panel is factory welded to all along your trunk's inner panel, along the inner panel of the C-pillar, at the rocker panel, all along the roof, and at the B-pillar. It's also welded to the A-pillar as well, which in turn is welded to the apron (structural piece behind the fender). Most all of these are structural parts.
So a smart shop would actually section the quarter panel, often at the C-pillar and/or the bottom of the wheel well, in order to prevent slicing through too many factory welds on structural pieces, and also to strip less factory paint off your car.
That's why unless a quarter panel is either completely crumpled or actually ripped/pierced, repairs are usually recommended as much as possible. For your car, I'd say it's totally repairable; the only tricky thing would be recreating the body (contour) lines. A smart shop would PDR the dents first, then have their body man take care of the remaining dents and the body line.
If you don't like the idea of bondo on your car, it might make you feel better to know that all cars come with some body filler on them, stock from the factory.

 

And a lousy bodyshop would skip all the above mentioned stuff and just Bondo that b*tch.

 

Baron Von Frier would not just Bondo that *****. I know Dave Perry personally, he owns Baron Von Frier, and I can tell you for one he does not cheap out on his work.

 

i just read your location. you sir, are a ***** lol

 

You might want to give Yeaman Auto Body in Palo Alto a shot. They have done quite a few jobs for i-club members with great results.

Here is an example of some of their work.

https://www.i-club.com/forums/ongoing-projects-31/heres-what-my-buddy-jeff-i-did-today-163858/

 

I know he won't just bondo the whole thing, but I really don't want any more bondo on my car after they put bondo on my hood. It just makes me feel like my car is missing something or something is wrong with it, you probably know what I mean since I assume everyone here treasures his/her car just like myself.

I know that a little bondo here and there won't make my car unsafe and stuff, but I just want to have it repair back to the way it was before, if that's not asking for too much.



Do you know if they open on the weekends and would they drive me to a rental place close by?

 

+ 1 for the ballz.. Treat the ballz nice and he spits out nice work!

 

+1

In the Berkeley Area, I can vouch for these guys. Talk to the owner David Habu, tell him, "Gus with the silver WRX says you do good work!"

 

I can tell you for 100% certenty, that if you take it to a TOP NOTCH paintless dent removal guy, they can get that out, without having to paint it.


Consider it.

 

No, Yeaman Auto Body does not open on the weekends. Yes, they can get you to a car rental place.

 

I think that PDR would have trouble with the body line, but it never hurts to talk to them about it.