Oh-My-Freaking-Dent.

[SweetPeamywonderbug]

Hello everybody, I would just like to let you all know that I was in my first fender-bender today. I'm fine, well mentally no, and SweetPea is semi okay. So here is what happened.

You ever heard a noise that was so horrible that you NEVER want to hear it again? I got to heard that noise this morning while pulling my precious SweetPea out of a little drive up coffee stand. I misjudged the space, turned too soon and swiped the curb resulting in lots of crying, paint scrapes and a giant dent in SweetPea's fender and(whatever it's called). Poor girl even got the tire and wheel scraped. SweetPea sorry that your owner can be a moron and has vision problems...

Anyone ever done this to there bug? Not in the exact same way but dented that thingy below the door.

[peanutsmom]

That is almost in the same spot as Smurfette's. Her previous owners did it. It's fixable and I'm sure there is someone who can help you good luck and cheer up.. Oh but smurfette's boo boo is on her passenger side

[dnyed]

That is such a common area, the running board. Three of the five I have owned suffered this fate. It's not "repairable", per se, but is a welded body part. So, until you get something worse (God forbid), you are stuck with this.

You'll find a plethora of New Beetles with this badge of honor.


It's amazing, you'd think a much larger car would be more vulnerable to this. Sheesh!

[SweetPeamywonderbug]

Originally Posted by peanutsmom

That is almost in the same spot as Smurfette's. Her previous owners did it. It's fixable and I'm sure there is someone who can help you good luck and cheer up.. Oh but smurfette's boo boo is on her passenger side

Originally Posted by dnyed

That is such a common area, the running board. Three of the five I have owned suffered this fate. It's not "repairable", per se, but is a welded body part. So, until you get something worse (God forbid), you are stuck with this.

You'll find a plethora of New Beetles with this badge of honor.


It's amazing, you'd think a much larger car would be more vulnerable to this. Sheesh!

Thanks to you both. I'm starting to feel better. And @peanutsmom my dent is on the passengers side too! I have a tendency to cut corners a little too sharply. But I have learned and will never get coffee from that place again.

[dnyed]

Passenger side, too. Welcome to the club.....

(Mine came with this, BTW)

[VA bugn]

Also, be careful if there is ever a need to change a flat tire. The running board is a touchy area, and will cave in if the jack is not properly placed. Sorry to see that dent Hope you can get it fixed.

[dnyed]

See the dimples at the front and back of the running board? That is where the jack placement is.

[peanutsmom]

I love the "badge of honor" that is so cute!! Gonna tell hubby that one..

[kcfoxie]

I thought I'd done this to Patches today, but it was the lower control arm that scraped the concrete as my driver wheel came off the pavement... somehow my 98 has both side skirts intact. I'm sure I've jinxed myself now.

[Tico4Life]

As you can see that's as common as the bud vase Below is a pic of our vert with the "badge of honor" it came with from the PO.

[digitalputty]

Very sorry that SweetPea was hurt. That sound IS horrible. One of the many sounds that I hate hearing while in my little pod.

It took me 7 years to get a dent like that. I parked carefully, avoided curbs, even warned other NB people about parking too close to the curb or other things. Then, one day ... while taking a friend to the hospital ... it happened. I was so worried about my friend that I dented the driver side rocker panel while quickly backing out of a parking spot. I cringe still walking up to my Zoomer.

Sadly it is kind of like a mini New Beetle club. Everyone has them (sadly) ... and denting it is kind of like the test to get in.

[mrchaotica]

My wife did that too (same cause, same spot). I could deal with all the little scratches and dings on a 10-year-old car before, but that was the last straw that made me get it fixed and repainted.

[JP]

i got the same thing on my bug on the drivers side from previous owner as well, he ran over a parking spot hump you know those yellow ones in the parking lots it looks great....

[Connelly]

Although Ive never dented my running board people always stand on the passenger side for some reason & scuff it up.

Needless to say I'm not friends with those people anymore :P

[MichelleRoze]

That is my BIGGEST fear! I am so far very lucky that Probie doesn't have that badge of honor *knock on wood* and hopefully he never will. Everyone that sees Probie is like "OMG your rocker panels are in PERFECT condition!!!" I didn't realize how big of a deal it was until I went to a few gtgs and just about every bug had this "badge of honor". So I've vowed to be VERY careful as to not get this.

So sorry this happened, but as MrChaotica said, it is repairable, just a pain in the rear to do. Sadly, as I understand it, that is part of the frame and has to be cut out and replaced But it looks like you're not alone in this venture. So if it doesn't bother you tooo much, I'd just leave it for now.

[bug_dude]

Poor SweetPea! You might be able to get the dent fixed through your car insurance if you have full coverage on SweetPea...might make your insurance rates go up, though

[SMG]

Originally Posted by peanutsmom

I love the "badge of honor" that is so cute!! Gonna tell hubby that one..

There's nothing honourable about smashing your car into a curb lol....

Anyway, take it to a body shop and get it fixed up. That looks awful and it's an invitation for future rust which will look even worse.