That one quarter panel repair that took me 4 damn days instead of 1

Had a 2017 Civic come in last Tuesday. Rear quarter had a dent about the size of my fist. Thought it would be a straightforward pull and fill job. But the metal was stretched way worse than I initially saw. Ended up spending two days just shrinking and smoothing before I could even start mud work. Then the primer reacted weird with the existing clear near the roofline. Had to strip that whole section back. By the time I sprayed color on Friday I was so over it. Did anyone else have a job recently that just fought you every step?

3 comments

3 Comments

wade8711mo ago

A 2017 Civic with a dent that size sounds like it was sent straight from the parts counter of hell lol. I feel your pain, had a Tacoma frame swap turn into a 2 week nightmare that almost made me switch careers mid-project.

uma_williams1mo ago

Wade871 you nailed it, those Civics are cursed I swear... I had a similar situation with a 2015 Outback last month. The factory clear just would not take the new paint, kept fisheyeing on me. Spent three days sanding back and re-priming, then the weather shifted and I couldn't spray for two days. By the time it was done I was ready to set the whole car on fire.

the_lee1mo ago

That sounds more like a prep issue than a curse specific to any model. A 2015 Outback's factory clear should accept new paint fine if you scuff it properly and use the right adhesion promoter. The weather screwing you over happens with any car in any season, that's just the job.