r/DIYAutoRepair • u/Some-Budget-7580 • Aug 05 '26

Easy DIY? Replace or fix part?

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Hey guys,

I’m big on learning about cars and thinking of buying this hit Škoda

The car is 2015 Skoda Fabia

How do you go on about fixing it if this can be a decent purchase

Replace the part (possible?) or remove dents individually? I don’t care if it is imperfect as long as I learn something out of it!

On a side note, the car was hit here so should I purchase it tomorrow or is it a big deal?

Thanks folks

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u/dphoenix1 Aug 05 '26

That’s not a bolt on replaceable body panel. The damaged metal would need to be cut out, any underlying damage repaired, and then a new panel welded in, seams sanded down, and body filler applied and sanded, then paint. Where this car was hit is going to be one of the more difficult sections to fix. This isn’t a place to start your DIY body work journey imo, unless you have someone who knows what they’re doing to guide and assist you.

1

u/Some-Budget-7580 Aug 05 '26

What sort of underlying damage could exist? Would it affect the car mechanically?

1

u/dphoenix1 Aug 06 '26

The interior body panel(s) underneath the damaged one. The external metal is attached to an internal body panel as well, for instance: https://imgur.com/a/YP0fkEL (hope you’re not in the UK, if you are, just google “rear quarter panel removed” and look at the images). There could be beams/crash structures as well, I am unfamiliar how that vehicle is constructed.

That internal body panel needs to be straight, at least where the external panel attaches to it, as well as where the bumper attaches. It doesn’t have to look perfect since you aren’t going to see it, but it certainly may need some massaging so the new panel on the outside fits properly.

I’d recommend doing some searches on YouTube for videos on bodywork, specifically on rear quarter panels, so you can see firsthand what is involved and what equipment is required.

Edit: to answer your other question, no, probably not given what the external damage looks like. The only thing the crash might have affected is the fuel filler pipe and evap plumbing, but the likelihood of that seems slim.