Bodywork input needed

[RandallNeighbour]

When I bought my 97 boxster three years ago, I noticed three small rust spots below the passenger engine fan opening. They haven't grown much, and are under the paint. Each is smaller than the size of a dime, about the size of an eraser head or a tad bigger.

On that same quarter panel (or is it a fender?) on the top of the rear wheel well I have four or five nice door dings from parking one night in a crowded CA hotel parking lot on vacation a couple of summers ago.

I'd really like to give the car to a restoration specialist and have them make the bodywork and paint pristine, but at $4000 or more, I can't justify it right now. So, I'm wanting to eliminate these dings and stop the rust.

I am wondering what you body shop gurus would suggest I do. Ding doctor for the dents and a spot repair and repaint on the rust? Let the body shop do it all? Supply a new panel and let them install it and paint it?

BTW, I plan to keep this car indefinitely and make it the fastest and most beautiful 1997 Boxster in the world.

[Grizzly]

Randall,

I'm a big believer in paintless dent repair, but in your case, a bodyshop will have to paint the full quarter and part of the door to blend the job anyway, so you might as well have them do the whole repair.

EDIT: You won't need to supply a new quarter panel for that. They'll easily fix the panel you have on there.