saturn cars panel undentable?

[peter]

Are the side panels of saturn cars really immune to small door dents?

If so, why isn't this idea copied by other car makers?

 

[mikek]

I dont think they are immune, just more resistant. I was in a small fender
bender and the panel flexed in and out..great right? Well as the panel
flexed it also creased and wrinkled in the center of the impact and it had
to be replaced just as if it were metal. However it was a lot cheaper to
replace

 

[Bob Shuman]

They seem to do very well in minor accidents and don't dent like sheet
metal, but they still are prone to the paint chipping off. My son had a
friend back into his '96 SL and hit him in the front driver door. You
really have to look hard to see where it was damaged.

As to why others do not use these panels, I presume it is because of the
cost involved to re-tool.

Bob

 

[Art]

Actually now a days the sheet metal in cars is so flexible that there are
paintless dent removal companies like Dent Wizard who can fix minor metal
car dents cheap by pushing them out from the inside. If job isn't perfect
you don't pay. Only works if paint was not damaged. I've had car doors
fixed several times and they came out perfect.

 

[Jonnie Santos]

Yes, and I've wondered the same. And especially as the car gets older and
if you've kept the finish waxed, they really look nice.

 

[Philip Nasadowski]

Are the side panels of saturn cars really immune to small door dents?

Kinda sorta. instead of denting, hit them hard enough and they *crack*.

If so, why isn't this idea copied by other car makers?

Ever see a 10 year old Saturn? Body gaps you can stick a finger into.

Plastic doesn't dent, but over time it warps, shrinks, and distorts.

 

[Lane]

I have an 11 year old Saturn, and a 12 year old Saturn - neither of which
have warped, shrunken, or distorted panels. Body gaps look the same as when
I bought the 11 year old one new.

Lane [ lane (at) evilplastic.com ]

 

[werner339]

I hate those little dings you see on the sides of massive metal body
panels, even on new cars that have had a minor encounters with the
occasional shopping cart or another car door. My full size 95 Chevy van
has one ding on the side that detracts from an otherwise pristine body,
drives me nuts. My 94 Saturn, and my 99 Saturn have no signs of any dings,
despite 250,000 miles combined. I've had to replace broken panels on my 94
after getting hit on one side in a hit and run while it was parked, but it
was relatively inexpensive, and looks fine.

 

[Tim Delaney]

Kinda sorta. instead of denting, hit them hard enough and they *crack*.


Ever see a 10 year old Saturn? Body gaps you can stick a finger into.

Plastic doesn't dent, but over time it warps, shrinks, and distorts.

Well, my 9 year old SW1 hasn't warped, shrunken, expanded or cracked
(except for the fender where a deer's hoof punched through a fender on
a cold February night... at 20 below, they do crack when whacked hard
enough), and the original paint is still shiny. I don't baby it. I've
got over 350,000 km on it, it isn't garaged and I live in eastern
Canada where we get plenty of snow, salt, cold and damp weather. I
can't comment on how a Saturn performs in an extremely hot
environment. It doesn't matter what brand/quality of car you own: if
you don't take reasonable care of it, it'll look like crap after ten
years.

As far as body gaps are concerned, they don't appear to be much bigger
than those on my '84 Mercedes - I guess the size of a gap around doors
and the hood is important to some people - "Gee, that car's in great
shape for being nine years old, too bad it's got those unsightly gaps
where the doors are..."

The side panels of the car have taken plenty of whacks from
inconsiderate drivers, resulting in superficial scratches, which I
have buffed or waxed out for the most part. This is in pretty dramatic
contrast to a glance down either side of my old Benz or my wife's '97
GMC Safari, both of whom have significant cases of "shopping cart
rash".

I think GM is making a big mistake in eliminating the polymer panels
on Saturns, eliminating a major reason why I bought one.

Tim Delaney

 

[Dan Duncan]

Are the side panels of saturn cars really immune to small door dents?

Somewhat. My 1998 SW2 still looks great. My 2003 Subaru (parked
in generally the same places next to I assume generally the same cars)
has several noticeable dings down the side.

If so, why isn't this idea copied by other car makers?

Dunno, but Saturn is abandoning this practice as well. It's one
of many ways Saturn has jumped the shark.

-DanD