Expert: John Scharnhorst - 5/9/2007

Question
I recently was involved in a car accident and the front right fender needs to be replaced along with the bumper. The right fender has damaged but it is not as bad as the left.  The left tire rim suffered some damage also.  Should I try to repair these myself or turn it over to the auto body shop?  It doesn't seem that bad.

Answer
Without seeing the damage or having any idea about your mechanical knowledge or ability I can't advise you on whether to attempt the repair or not. I can tell you however that body damage is almost always worse than it looks. From the sound of it you probably have more damage than the normal person would be able to repair. Sorry I can't give you a straight yes or no answer.