2023 Kia Forte GT-Line Repair, Part 1: Inspection and Disassembly After a Spray-Can Fix
Introduction
This 2023 Kia Forte GT-Line came into our shop in Aurora Black Pearl, and from across the parking lot it looked fine. Up close, it did not. The owner had paid about $700 for a quick fix from someone working outside a proper shop. The damage was "repaired" with spray cans: the left front door was flat and dull, the surface under the paint was wavy, and paint mist had drifted onto the panels next to it.
We see this two or three times a month at Ace Auto Body Inc. in Hackensack, NJ. In this five-part series, we show how we fixed this car the right way, step by step. Part 1 covers the inspection, the plan and price, and taking the car apart, because that is where a repair is won or lost.
The Forte the day it came in. From a few feet away it looks fine; up close, the gloss is gone.
Part 1 at a glance.
Why "Too Good to Be True" Repairs Usually Cost More
A job that normally costs about $1,500 at a shop sometimes shows up at a roadside stand for $500 or $600. In our experience, a price that sounds too good to be true usually ends badly. When a customer brings us someone else's failed repair, the second repair almost always costs more than doing it right the first time, because we have to undo the bad work before we can start the real one.
The reason is simple. It takes about the same amount of time to fix a car no matter where you take it. If the price is far below normal, the only way to make money is to cut time, and cutting time means skipping steps.
Before bodywork, a dented panel should go through panel recovery: working the metal back toward its original shape. Skip that and bury the dent in body filler, and the job goes much faster. But thick filler does not last. It can crack or shrink, and the damage comes back. A good shop will tell you how it plans to repair your panel. If a shop cannot explain it, get a second opinion.
Chart 1. What a too-cheap repair can end up costing.
Vehicle Inspection
Pearl black is beautiful when it is refinished correctly, and that is exactly why every mistake shows. Spray-can paint goes on as one thin layer. Factory and professional finishes put a color layer under a hard clear coat, and the clear coat is what gives the gloss and the protection. Without it, the paint stays flat and wears out fast.
Inspect From Several Angles, With a Moving Light
A black car hides flaws in flat light, so one quick look is not an inspection. We walk around the car, look at each panel from several angles, and move a light across it. A straight reflection means a flat panel. A wobbly reflection means the work underneath is uneven. We always check the panels next to the damage too, because overspray and color differences show up there.
Our first walk-around found four problems:
Chart 2. Where the damage is.
The Overspray on the LT Fender and LT Rear Door
These two panels were never damaged, but the spray-can job left mist all over them. Overspray feels rough, looks hazy, and does not match the original paint. We remove it with the right chemical instead of sanding through good factory paint. Then, after the front door is painted, we blend color into these panels: we fade the new paint into the old so the eye cannot find a line. On a pearl color, blending is a big part of getting the match right.
The RT Front Door
The right front door has a long scratch with a door ding beside it, so it needs bodywork and a full refinish. We told the owner that the right fender and right rear door may end up a shade different from the new door. To reduce that difference, we detail the right front door and fender after painting. The owner understood and agreed.
The scratch on the right front door, kept large so you can see it. The ding sits right next to it.
Parts Decisions and the Agreed Price
Before anything comes apart, we decide with the owner which parts will be removed and reinstalled (R&I), which can be repaired, and which must be replaced, and we agree on exactly which areas get painted. When a part has to be replaced, we explain the price difference between OEM (dealer) parts and aftermarket parts. Aftermarket parts usually cost less, but fit varies, and trade writers report they can take extra fitting time. In our experience the OEM part always fits, so that is what we recommend when the budget allows. The owner makes the final call.
Chart 3. Parts decisions before anything comes apart.
Our plan for this car:
Disassembly: Removing Parts Before Paint
If a part can be removed and painted off the car, we remove it, mark the areas that need repair, and prepare it for bodywork on its own. On this Forte, the bumper cover, the left fender, and the left front door came off.
Why We Remove Parts Before Painting
- Lower prep cost. Less is left on the car to mask, so we use fewer materials.
- Better edges. The gap between one door and the next is hard to cover when the door is still on the car.
- Complete coverage. Edges and tight spots get paint all the way, with no gaps.
- Far less overspray. Paint mist does not land on neighboring panels, and cleaning overspray takes a lot of extra time. This car's fender and rear door are the proof.
Shop Tips
- ✓Look at the car from many angles, with a light. One look in flat light is not an inspection.
- ✓Check related parts. Decide early which parts must be removed and reinstalled (R&I) so nothing surprises you mid-job.
- ✓Confirm with the owner. Always agree on what will be painted, what will be replaced, and what can be repaired.
- ✓Ask how the panel will be repaired. A good shop explains panel recovery first and uses only a thin layer of body filler.
- ✓Be careful with prices that are far too low. Repair time is about the same everywhere, so a very low price usually means skipped steps.
- ✓Ask for OEM when it matters. Explain the price gap and the fit benefit, then let the owner decide.
In Part 2, we look at the materials and tools we use and when each one is needed. Part 3 covers the bodywork on the removed parts.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Sources and Related Reading
Previous and Next Posts
About the Author
This series is written by the team at Ace Auto Body Inc. in Hackensack, New Jersey, an auto body repair and paint shop, with about 20 years of experience behind KJ Lee's work. We share real repairs from our shop, with our own photos, so car owners can understand what a proper repair involves. Read more on the About page.
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