Door damage to CLK (One for Dent Guy?)

[flango]

SWMBO has just come in with a face as long as a wet weekend in Dartmoor. As you know she has been using the CLK since we sold the Puma which as yet we have not replaced, mainly due to my work commitments. Anyway my first words,you've bumped the car answer NO but it will need bodywork

Anyway long story short on inspection, it looks as though the window channel has dropped inside the door, when the door was then closed the check strap contacted the channel which has pushed outwards and put an outward protruding dent in the drivers door about the size of a 10p piece. Now the channel and check strap I can sort no problem, but what about the dent? looks just like a T*T on the door although paintwork is not broken, now I know inward dents can easily be removed but what about outward dents? Is this possible using the same techniques or am I looking at panel beating and having the door painted?

DentGuy would welcome your professioanl opinion, if you think its possible no problem driving down for you to sort even though you are quite a distance away, really need someone I can trust not a BS merchant who tells me it can be done then makes an a*rse of it. If anyone else has experienced anything like this, I would love to know how you resolved it.

Thanks
Ian

 

[The Dent Guy]

Protrusions can be rectified with PDR - but its possible that it could be stretched, even though the paint isn't broken.

Are you sure the paint hasn't cracked very finely?

Photos from different angles and one close up would be an advantage.

 

[flango]

Protrusions can be rectified with PDR - but its possible that it could be stretched, even though the paint isn't broken.

Are you sure the paint hasn't cracked very finely?

Photos from different angles and one close up would be an advantage.

Will post some pics this weekend as I'm currently away with work.

 

[del320]

SWMBO has just come in with a face as long as a wet weekend in Dartmoor... Anyway my first words, you've bumped the car...

Thus spake the concerned hubby.

Well seen where your priorities lie...

Good luck!

 

[flango]

one month on

Well one month on from my OP and with all the work on the garage have not had time to sort the CLK, so this weekend I thought I'll be our first customer and get it on the ramp and have a good look at the door, seeing as I need to have it sorted for the Scottish GTG at Peebles later this month.

Stripped away the door card and had a look inside damage is unbelieveable, check strap snapped in half, full door seal completely cut to shreds and the window channels are so mangled as yet I have not got a clue what I am going to do with them as you can't get at them to straighten them for the 1st skin behind the door card. Looks like I need to do some major surgery and neatly cut away some metal to get to the channels to either straighten or renew them, then I'll have to mig the metal I've cut back, time consuming and awkward, guess another option is another door but that means swapping the locks and everything accross another pain. What ever I do it's a definite bodyshop job to sort the outward crease that appeared.

So all in all major work and now under time pressure as well, looks like I'll need a few days off work to sort this one.

Will post some photo's as I go along, as this ever happened to anyone else?

 

[219]

Sounds like another door would be the easiest option - if you manage to get a good used one you could paint it off the car before it is built up and have the correct colour inside as well as out . Perhaps less work than wrestling with mangled internals ?

 

[del320]

I hope you're taking it out of her housekeeping, Ian.

 

[flango]

Sounds like another door would be the easiest option - if you manage to get a good used one you could paint it off the car before it is built up and have the correct colour inside as well as out . Perhaps less work than wrestling with mangled internals ?

I think you might be right Derek, going to have a ring round tomorrow and see what there is, hopefully back in action for the GTG

 

[Will]

Sounds like another door would be the easiest option - if you manage to get a good used one you could paint it off the car before it is built up and have the correct colour inside as well as out . Perhaps less work than wrestling with mangled internals ?

That's exactly what I'd do.

No faffing about - you can still use the car as it is, and then just swap the door and bits over in a morning

Will

 

[flango]

That's exactly what I'd do.

No faffing about - you can still use the car as it is, and then just swap the door and bits over in a morning

Will

Unfortunately the car is unuseable as you cant close the drivers door as the window fouls the b pillar. Agree might be the best course of action but I must admit it I think it then detracts from the cars originality particularly as it has the Brabus K1 tuning pack and for a 12 year old car it is mint or maybe I'm just being a little OTT but think I would like to keep it as original as possible or am I being foolish ?

 

[Will]

Unfortunately the car is unuseable as you cant close the drivers door as the window fouls the b pillar. Agree might be the best course of action but I must admit it I think it then detracts from the cars originality particularly as it has the Brabus K1 tuning pack and for a 12 year old car it is mint or maybe I'm just being a little OTT but think I would like to keep it as original as possible or am I being foolish ?

Originality or not, a badly damaged door that's been repaired will always be worse than a replacement door in perfect nick. It's only a door - could have been any one off the production line at the time!

IMHO you're more likely to notice the door that's been repaired compared to a good replacement one

Will

 

[flango]

!st photo's

Couple of shots I took on my phone today.


Window at an angle contacting with B Pillar

Looking all lonely at the back of our new workshop.

Once I get the door sorted I'll give her a full service and then fit the new exhaust all in time for the Scottish GTG !!!

 

[Dieselman]

as this ever happened to anyone else?

Years ago on a new Volvo. The check strap mechanism jammed due to the door edge flexing and the only way to close the door was to slam it which tore the door between the hinges...

New door under warranty..

 

[flango]

Years ago on a new Volvo. The check strap mechanism jammed due to the door edge flexing and the only way to close the door was to slam it which tore the door between the hinges...

New door under warranty..

The beauty of a new car and warranty

 

[Adam230K]

Sorry to hear about that mate, hope u get it sorted.

 

[flango]

Sorry to hear about that mate, hope u get it sorted.

Thanks Appreciate that

Best regards
Ian

 

[flango]

Now had a good chance to look at the door and get a second opinion, my Brother in law and the MB mechanic that works for him reckon its repairable and to avoid putting on another door, so I'm going to leave it in their capable hands only trouble is my local stealer is useless and cant get me the door seal as it's on back order and he reckons no other MB dealer in the North has them either, so guess I'm in their hands as long as it arrives when we need it and before the Scottish GTG

 

[flango]

Update

Well door is now repaired thanks to a very intricate rebuild of the window channels and mechanism, and a very patient mechanic and expert welder, new check strap installed and the window is perfect. Have been talking to a few contacts today and have a PDR guy coming to look at the door tomorrow, apparently this guy trains most of the PDR franchises and is supposed to be well on top of the game so fingers crossed it can be done, if not then it's off to the bodyshop at the weekend. Got my hands really full now CLK to service and new exhaust to fit after paint has been sorted and before the Scottish GTG and also SWMBO's new Explorer to Fully Service when we get it at the weekend,so hopefully no suprises with that?

Who says life is dull?

 

[flango]

Just had the phone call to say my door has now been fixed by the PDR guy he was working on it all afternoon yesterday and this morning and says there now is no mark at all, also as a bonus he took me a small ding out of the Explorer whilst he was there. I have not seen it yet as I am away with work but looks like I should be good to go for the Scottish Meet at Peebles guys !

 

[The Dent Guy]

What !

Crikey - a whole afternoon and a morning .... i cant believe it.

Was this chap a trainee???

From your description I'd say 5 to 10 mins work. And really bad maybe half an hour ...... 1 hour absolute tops if its unthinkably bad and you really take your time.

I hope he made a good job and it didn't cost you the earth.