Body Shop or Dealer?

[xtopherm]

Need a little advice. While out wheeling this weekend a Jeep behind me driven by an inexperienced off-roader got a little too close, came down a descent a little too soon/too fast and bounced up and smashed my taillight. (Fortunately, I do not have all that lane detection or LED stuff - just a regular incandescent assembly).

The plastic assembly is smashed to bits and ripped right off the body but luckily the only body damage is a tiny dent the size of dime and a little nick on the edge of the body opening that would be covered by the plastic assembly. The wiring harness is trashed, however, (all the wires are ripped out of the bulb socket plugs) and will need to be spliced or replaced.

Question is, if I am not overly concerned with the body damage, should I go to the dealer to get it fixed or to a good local body shop? Who is likely going to do a better/faster job getting the replacement assembly from Mopar, fixing the wires, getting everything ship shape?

The other driver is paying (with lots of apologies), so I am tempted to go to a body shop and get them to press out the little dent and touch up the nick for rust prevention as well, but I wanted to check to see if others feel strongly that the dealer would be the smarter choice?

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[viper88]

Some dealers will sub it out to their body shop anyway. I'd go with the body shop and have them take care of the dent also since the other guy is paying.

 

[Dagwood]

I have a body shop in my town that is awesome and I'll only use them but every town is different. The dealer may be best in yours. Look for local reviews and advice.

 

[Strommen95]

Definitely go with a reputable body shop.

 

[digitalbliss]

Most dealers don't do body work. Save the time and skip the dealer.

 

[Roky]

Need a little advice. While out wheeling this weekend a Jeep behind me driven by an inexperienced off-roader got a little too close, came down a descent a little too soon/too fast and bounced up and smashed my taillight. (Fortunately, I do not have all that lane detection or LED stuff - just a regular incandescent assembly).

The plastic assembly is smashed to bits and ripped right off the body but luckily the only body damage is a tiny dent the size of dime and a little nick on the edge of the body opening that would be covered by the plastic assembly. The wiring harness is trashed, however, (all the wires are ripped out of the bulb socket plugs) and will need to be spliced or replaced.

Question is, if I am not overly concerned with the body damage, should I go to the dealer to get it fixed or to a good local body shop? Who is likely going to do a better/faster job getting the replacement assembly from Mopar, fixing the wires, getting everything ship shape?

The other driver is paying (with lots of apologies), so I am tempted to go to a body shop and get them to press out the little dent and touch up the nick for rust prevention as well, but I wanted to check to see if others feel strongly that the dealer would be the smarter choice?

It depends on your relationship with your dealer, if it happened to me I’d go to my dealer, I know them, and have a great mechanic and service manager. I would be confident they would fix it right and with oem parts. And the body work is minimal you said so I’m sure they could handle that part to as they have a complete body shop as well. If you take it to body shop you can’t be sure the wires aren’t going to be twisted together and black taped. I’m sure they could handle the body work part of it. But I’d rather have a new wiring harness. But again it depends on which your most comfortable with.... just my opinion.....

 

[HealthRebel]

Need a little advice. While out wheeling this weekend a Jeep behind me driven by an inexperienced off-roader got a little too close, came down a descent a little too soon/too fast and bounced up and smashed my taillight. (Fortunately, I do not have all that lane detection or LED stuff - just a regular incandescent assembly).

The plastic assembly is smashed to bits and ripped right off the body but luckily the only body damage is a tiny dent the size of dime and a little nick on the edge of the body opening that would be covered by the plastic assembly. The wiring harness is trashed, however, (all the wires are ripped out of the bulb socket plugs) and will need to be spliced or replaced.

Question is, if I am not overly concerned with the body damage, should I go to the dealer to get it fixed or to a good local body shop? Who is likely going to do a better/faster job getting the replacement assembly from Mopar, fixing the wires, getting everything ship shape?

The other driver is paying (with lots of apologies), so I am tempted to go to a body shop and get them to press out the little dent and touch up the nick for rust prevention as well, but I wanted to check to see if others feel strongly that the dealer would be the smarter choice?

Go to a reputable body shop. Get everything fixed. Even if a little body damage is not a big deal to you, at some point when you get ready to trade or sell it, it may be a big deal to the next owner and THAT may cost you!

 

[Lou Bunn]

If you don't have a good bodyshop in your phone (not because I can't drive ok) ask around and get some opinions first hand. I am lucky, I use to work at a shop back during the Carter administration and one of the best workers there opened his own shop. We remained friends and that has turned out to be a very good thing, don't ask ok. I know he would get the same OEM parts and at a shop discount that we can't touch and do the work to his high standard.

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