Hi guys,

As you can see from the below photo, I had an incident with a pole which damaged my door and front RHS panel. I've been told if I get the wrong colour, I will need to get that whole side of the car painted so I am searching hard for parts in the right colour, but this isn't easy. My car is a 2008 Mazda 3 Sedan (Neo).



Anyway, I've found the parts in the right colour but off a Maxx Sport, so the door has a silver trim and door handle instead of black. Also, the quarter panel has a hole from where the extra panel on the Maxx bolts on to. Photos of the parts I've been offered:




1) I assume the door and quarter panel is the same for the Neo and Maxx (aside from handle and trim)?
2) I assume that the black trim and door handle from my current car will be easy enough to transfer over? (I will not be doing it, I will get a body repair shop to do it). Is this correct?
2) I assume it won't look great to use the panel from the Maxx and then patch the hole. I think I'm better off waiting to get the panel from a Neo. Thoughts?
3) The wrecker who has these parts has offered to install them for me pretty cheaply as well, however he seems a bit dodgy. Just wondering if the swapping over of the door is a pretty fool-proof thing to do (like swapping over a wheel), or whether I should pay double for a body repair shop to do it properly?

I'm going to sell the car after I fix it, so it doesn't need to be a perfect job.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers

 

It will all fit. What hole are you talking about?

 

Hi mate,
See photo below. My car doesn't have that extra trim panel running along the bottom, but the Maxx does. And on the Maxx it attached to the front panel with clips and there is also a hole in the panel.

Therefore, if I took the panel off the Maxx and put it on my car it will have a hole showing.



Photo of my car again:

 

100% understand now. Didn't expect the side skirt to have a clip go thru the guard.

Good excuse to buy some side skirts & smarten up your ride.

 

Thanks mate. The guy actually offered to sell me the side skirts and install them pretty cheaply but I don't know if it would look stupid having side skirts on a Neo.

Also, I'm going to sell the car straight away so no point spending more money than I have to, I guess...

Thoughts?