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So, right off I'm going to admit it was an incredibly stupid mistake. I was in a parking lot. The person in front of me was sitting there so I attempted to go around not realizing I was right next to a curb.
The good news is, no damage to the wheels or tires. The bad news is, I bottomed out on the passenger side near the front of the door. As you can imagine, I ended up with some nice scrapes and a quarter sided hole on the underside of the car. Nothing is visible without getting down on the ground and looking for it. My questions:
1) Does it really even matter?
2) Is the hole likely to get bigger/worse?
3) Is a home repair worth considering?
4) If not, is it worth the price of a professional repair?
Thanks in advance. I appreciate any advice (other than learn how to drive lol)
It sounds like you have damage to the rocker panel under the door. I doubt it will get any worse. Unless the panel is totally butchered with a massive several inch hole the best solution is to take it to a body shop to have it patched and painted. Unless it is impossible to avoid you do not want to replace that panel as it wraps all the way around the door and is glued to the frame. Replacement means removal of the door, rear quarter, maybe the front fender, some interior parts, etc. A big job compared to a patch. Depending on where you live expect to pay somewhere between $400 to $600 for the repair. Applying the patch requires some knowledge in working with composite panels.
When I ordered my Grand Sport added the Stage 2 Aero option to get full length carbon fiber side skirts to prevent rocker panel dings. The heavy GM plastic "protecton" for the rocker panels on my 2014 Z51 was "dinged" in several places by rocks thrown by the front tires within a 1 month before I installed side skirts. Sold it 3 1/2 years later and they looked perfect with the heavy, dinged and discolored edge GM plastic removed soon after I added the skirts.
Unless you're into dings being esthetic!
Dings, also known as patina, are a part of the thing.... I drive my Corvettes a lot, as you've probably noticed from previous posts - got 84K on my '15, last C4 I traded was at 186K.... C6 was 128K... approaching 800K miles in Corvettes.... I put 10K a year on my old Ferrari, yes, it too has patina.... I might have the front ends resprayed at some point, but, likely not....
Personally I would do a home repair, fill, sand, rattle can paint and clear coat acrylic. You can buy all of it at Autozone and the correct AC Delco paint in a spray can on amazon. Install skirts, you will never know its there. Even if you have never done it, its in a location where you won't see it anyway, so go for it. My 2 cents.
I wonder if a set of side skirts might cover that up?
Based on the pictures the OP provided this is a great way to go for multiple reasons. First, side shirts will be far cheaper than having it repaired. Second, side shirts will cover the damage. Third, by addding side skirts you add a great looking mod.since they look awesome on a C7.
I was a professional painter. My c7 is black, because I bought it used. Ifn I could have afforded to buy it new, black woulda been my second-to-last choice over white. But the painter in me makes me OCD. So... here's my advice. If that was my car, I'd choose one of two methods to "repair" it myself:
1) Clean the entire lower portion of the rocker panel with a light rubbing compound. Clean that with a good car wash soap. Dry.
2) I'd go to an auto paint supply house and purchase a roll of 1" and 2" masking tape.
3*) I'd meticulously mask as closely as I could to the specific damage areas so that I could paint just the damages and the area BELOW the body line that runs just below the horizontal door seam. 1" tape to butt "exactly" against the damages, 2" tape to meld the 1" masking tape high enough to cover the rocker panel. If you understand and performed what I've written to this point, you should have the damages exposed but bordered with 1" tape and 2" tape overlapping the 1" tape so that you've got ~2-1/2" masked border above your damages. Stripe another layer or two of 2" tape so that the entire rocker panel is covered. Then mask from wheel to wheel with paper and cover all the entire lower (from about below the knee) panels from wheel to wheel.
Then (because hopefully your pictures show a black car) I'd spray the entire area with a can of gloss black paint. Spray sparingly; EXACTLY when you can't see the white fiberglass from any angle, you're done. (If you spray too much, you'll build a paint edge that might bother you.
Give your psyche a month of looking at this repair. If you can live with it, you're done for not much money. If you can't, take the car to a pro and pay the freight.
There's a second way to "blend" the repair so's a paint edge might not build up... substitute this method for #3* :
3b) Buy the narrowest roll of masking paper available. It's been a loong time since I was in the bidness--I think 9" was the narrowest available in my time... whatever is cheapest will work; even butcher paper, wax paper, aluminum foil, etc., but masking paper is the accepted norm... use one LOONG piece of paper that will run from wheel to wheel--run a strip of 2" tape along the edge of the paper so that you have 2" tape on paper with exposed tape that you can stick to the car. Now, sticky side against the car, tape side HIGHER, paper side lower, stick the 2" tape along the horizontal body line below the door seam--so that the paper hangs down and covers the damaged area when you're through applying the 2" taped edge to the car. If you've done this correctly, the 2" edge will run the length of the body line. Starting from the left, lift the paper just enough so it curls back to the door panel and use a 3-4" strip of 1" tape to tape the paper to the door. Move ~12" to the right and repeat, over and over until you get to the rear wheelwell. The goal is to have the 2" tape "roll" down from the horizontal body line and then back up towards the door--this way, you won't creat a sharp edge where the painting stops. After you've rolled the paper and taped it to the door panel, use more paper and paper farther up the fender, door, and quarter panel, to guarantee that as you spray "up" from below, you don't overspray the panels. You'll have to cover at least 2 feet of paneling--to about door handle height. If you understand and performed what I've written to this point, you should have the entire rocker panel exposed but bordered along that lowest body line so that you've got ~2-12" masked border rolled along the body line. Now you can feel free to spray with the same goal--stop as soon as you don't see white fiberglass. However, this method of masking will help reduce the possibility of a sharp and built-up paint edge. The disadvantage is, you'll be spraying your canned paint on undamaged virgin paneling.
Either way, give yourself a month or so and figure out if you're satisfied. If not, take it to a pro.
I wonder if a set of side skirts might cover that up?
That's actually a great idea. I've been thinking about getting them anyway. This may be the kick I needed to buy them.
Originally Posted by gmarcucio
At the very least, I would get some fiberglass patch and patch it, take your time and sand it and spray it with touch up paint. Hell, you can't really see it and even if you do not do a perfect job I would think anything is going to look better than a hole! Another idea, would it be completely hidden if you were to install side skirts to cover it up?
I'm worried that knowing might start to bother me but the side skirts idea is growing on me.
Originally Posted by Jmhornz71
Buy some touch up paint for the mark that you can see then drive it it will be fine
If I did this, you'd never know unless you got on the ground to inspect. It's a good option and the least expensive.
Originally Posted by Bill Dearborn
It sounds like you have damage to the rocker panel under the door. I doubt it will get any worse. Unless the panel is totally butchered with a massive several inch hole the best solution is to take it to a body shop to have it patched and painted. Unless it is impossible to avoid you do not want to replace that panel as it wraps all the way around the door and is glued to the frame. Replacement means removal of the door, rear quarter, maybe the front fender, some interior parts, etc. A big job compared to a patch. Depending on where you live expect to pay somewhere between $400 to $600 for the repair. Applying the patch requires some knowledge in working with composite panels.
You really think I could get it repaired that inexpensively? $600 isn't so bad really.
Originally Posted by dvilin
If it was my car I would have it professionally repaired.
It's not a terrible idea but I don't want to drop 5 grand on a cosmetic fix I'll never see. If it's $600, I could live with that as a stupid tax.
Forget the skirts, which aren't necessary on the narrow bodies, and it looks much better without. A little filler and touch up paint, and you're good to go
Side skirts are a good suggestion as I would not drive a C7 without them.
But suggest buying a filler designed for composites. Then sand and paint, then add side skirts! This is my 2014 that I added full length side skirts. Protected the rockers from rocks thrown by the from front tires.
PS: If you're not a DIY person, look for a body shop who will fix by filling and painting just that section of the rockers. They could install the side skirts for you as well.
Best idea..thanks JerryU and great looking ride.
OP try the repair yourself if so inclined or get a local shop to fill that hole and add the skirts ....you can pick them up from a vendor here or a nice used set in the classifieds..good luck !
Dings, also known as patina, are a part of the thing.... I drive my Corvettes a lot, as you've probably noticed from previous posts - got 84K on my '15, last C4 I traded was at 186K.... C6 was 128K... approaching 800K miles in Corvettes.... I put 10K a year on my old Ferrari, yes, it too has patina.... I might have the front ends resprayed at some point, but, likely not....
I sell mine after 4/5 years and let others put on the patina! I don't drive that many miles but fairly aggressively and those stone chips don't help when selling!
I'm going to do some research on doing basic repair myself and probably add side skirts. Personally, I like the look of the side skirts. There actually are some aerodynamic benefits even for the narrow body design. It preserves some of the down force that's created by the car.
I sell mine after 4/5 years and let others put on the patina! I don't drive that many miles but fairly aggressively and those stone chips don't help when selling!
Every car I've ever owned, other than the Ferrari, is a depreciating asset.... I just drive 'em, maintain 'em, and let the trade or sale fall where it may..... obviously your mileage varies...
02-09-2019, 12:12 PM
. I drive my Corvettes a lot, as you've probably noticed from previous posts - got 84K on my '15, last C4 I traded was at 186K.... C6 was 128K... approaching 800K miles in Corvettes.... I put 10K a year on my old Ferrari, yes, it too has patina.... I might have the front ends resprayed at some point, but, likely not.... 
I sell mine after 4/5 years and let others put on the patina! I don't drive that many miles but fairly aggressively and those stone chips don't help when selling! 