...........

Got to work this morning - quick tea break inspection and found this:


Massively massively gutted - Just got my X1/9 sorted, Holiday paid for - getting on top of bills and now this..........

I hope karma catches up with whoever did that soon! Nasty place for a dent that Nello, shame! Insurance?

Absolutely gutted. The bonnet looks a little twisted by the hit from the front if you look along the grille though not enough to have caught the bumper below. Does not seem to have been a hard impact but enough to indent on that corner. The inside skin does not seem too marked though. Not sure whether to go via insurance on not - depends on price......

I wil be going to visit my neighbour opposite tonight as the car was left in the road yesterday whilst I took my X1/9 to Motormech though would have expected the person to have owned up there and then or at least left a number. Security are checking the cameras at work though from the angle where its parked and where the dent is it looks less likely it was done here

Thoughts and reccomendations for a repairer wanted around Coventry though I've already emailed Paul for advice...

I'm sure motormech had a silver bonnet last time I went there.


Might be the best option as not much you can do with that one.

Looked at the Ad johnny but it looks like it sold........Do you think that ones had it then?

Just been for a second look and the 'twist' in bonnet line is very marginal. I'm just looking at ground level head-on along the bonnet centre to grille centre - its slightly down on the impact side but only slight. Probably impossible to pull but surely it could be filled?

They had a silver one a few weeks ago in the doorway but maybe bonnet is gone.
I wouldn't repair that,unless you can pul the dent out with a weld slide enough to include the bare minimum filler.
Any more then 1mm thick and it will crack due to the resonance of such a big area.
Replacement would be alot cheaper if you can source the same colour.

Look at the last picture Nello.....

CLICK ME

Actually Johnny just looked at some photos from shows in the past and the 'twist' in bonnet line seems to have always been there. Its only slight but I'm a bit of a perfectionist with my cars - which is why I'm so gutted.....

Works security cameras have proved it did not happen here so its definately been hit outside my house yesterday - Where the hit is and where my neighbour is opposite line up perfectly with them reversing off their drive into the Coupe. I've seen his wife struggle before coming on and off the drive with other cars in the road. Her cars Silver!
Will be knocking their door tonight!

If I were you I would measure accurately the height of your car where the damage is on that road and do the same with there's.

Odds on he/she prob Didnt know they had done it.
There's no deposits on yours suggesting it was done at an angle and by plastic such as a bumper.
Gutted for you fella,its heartbreaking seeing someone damage your pride and joy.

Ouch!

Bad luck matey. There's some real scum out there. Hope you get it sorted out ok.

Gutted to see that Nello

Sickening.
I had a dent just like that on my coupe when i bought it (caused by the previous owner driving into his own gate post, knacked the bumper too), i managed to pop it out enough to use filler, using a builders cold chisel.

Thanks for the comments all..... Was it tricky to pull out jimbob?

I knocked it out from behind, was just able to fit a chisel between the skins. Took a lot of time and patience, but i just took the view that it was already kaput, couldn't get much worse.

Nightmare .

Be good if the culprit owned up.

Good luck

Oh no!

If it is the neighbour perhaps the plastic (?bumper) as suggested will still bear a mark.

I feel for you.. and now you have the expense and hassle of putting your pride and joy back in order

I've seen it happen 2 or 3 times over the past twelve months. Last time was in a busy car park - but I swear the old fella didn't even know he'd nudged the car behind, he drove off completely oblivious!

Quizzed the neighbour last night - His wifes car did have a mark in the back but he stated it was already there and TBH it could not have been the cause. Her Fiesta has a pretty much vertical sided bumper - If it had hit the Coupe it would have caught the bumper which is proud of the bonnet. Whatever hit it must have been taller with a more pronouced front end. I'm resigned to having to sort it all out myself and I'm not going the insurance route due to the excess and impact of claiming.
My only slight consolation is I've been considering getting the stone ships on the bonnet sorted for a little while now and the wife slightly scuffed the bumper a couple of years ago which I always noticed so will be looking into getting the whole nose of the car sorted. I had the lips done not long ago so the car will look factory fresh hopefully.....

Just off to look for any overtime going at work........

Just to update - car booked in next month for dent repair and full bonnet respray.... Fingers crossed for results - will post photos here.

Back! And although I'm not going to say I was pleased to get this done given the circumstances - the front looks really good now as the bonnet respray took away most of the stone chips as well!!! Thanks to John at PMS in Brum.......... (apologies for the naff moby camera)...

Welcome back Nello,
Looks good

Back to her best Nello!!

By far the best colour too....... irrespective of what the majority think!!

Looks great lad!

One smart motor. Mine could do with a respray.....

Found me camera!........bit better quality showing the good work - cheers for the comments - still lovin' it:

That looks particularly good with the colour-coded headlights

It was a long wait, almost 2 months down the line!

Cheers - that was more down to me having a terrific employer who makes me work Nights and weekends and going on Hol. The lights are standard LE - the last shot in the sun does make them look more Silver than the OE LE graphite but they are....