I have a Mazda 3 hatchback. I put a 7" x 7" scrape on the panel above my rear tire when I turned too close around a stucco wall. In a few spots it looks like it removed the paint down to the metal. No dent.
This is the panel that extends in that thin strip up and over my doors to the windshield. The gas door is also part of this panel.
My expectation is that it needs to be buffed out and that the whole panel needs to be painted.
I have that pretty red with the sparkly fleck. I’m wondering if the Mazda people are the only ones that can get their hands on this paint color, so maybe I have to get it fixed at the Mazda dealership’s body shop?
Any wild guesses at what I’m looking at shelling out for this, just so I don’t have a heart attack when I get an estimate??
If it extends over the windshield, it’s not a “panel”, it’s part of the unibody frame. How much painting will be required depends on how old your car is and whether it’s garaged. If it’s less than a year old and/or doesn’t get parked outside, paint matching will be easy.
If the paint is faded, that panel and probably part of the door and rear quarter panel will have to be painted too. I would guess you’re looking at a couple of hundred bucks.
Garaged in Southern California. Parked outside at work (in the shade as much as possible) over the years. 2005 model. I have faithfully clay barred and waxed the car at least once every year.
And if it’s only a couple hundred, and not over a thousand like I fear, I will do the happiest jiggedy-jig all day long.
I had a 3"x1" scrape on a silver Honda. The body shop (not honda) quoted me $800 to repair it. Usually you have to repaint the entire panel if you have metalic paint.
Dealership’s auto body guy says $1085 to repair. No jig for me. I’m afraid to take it anywhere else. Can other people get their hands on the exact paint that Mazda used for my car?
Yes, absolutely they can. All that’s needed is the make, model, and year of the vehicle and of course the color. Get a couple of additional estimates at some independent body shops. Ask for references as well. Paint cost can vary greatly depending on the color and any metallic additives. The pretty red sparkly, unfortunately, is quite expensive.
Maybe you should just buy a new car. 
Yes, certainly - and there’s no reason you need the dealer performing this sort of work, anyway. Don’t take it to Maaco - just find a solid independent near you. There’s a thread in which people discussed ways of finding out if independent shops/mechanics were any good - I’ll see if I can find it.
That’d be great. Yeah, I should have known that gorgeous metallic fleck would someday be the death of me!
I too have the georgeous metallic fleck and one day I got a decent sized scratch on it on the fender above the passenger wheel. $2200 to fix. Apparently they needed an entirely new fender (which is well below $1000) :rolleyes:
I have no idea where the other $1000+ in fees came from. Thank God insurance paid for it 
Perhaps we’ve found a connection?