Car body repair shops
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What can car body shops repair?
If your car is damaged during an accident, there’s a good likelihood you will need the services of a car body repair shop. A car body shop specialises in all car parts besides the engine or brake system. This means that the car body shop garage will look at the structure, frame and aesthetics of your car. The main vehicle parts that a car body shop will normally repair include bumpers, dents, alloys and paintwork. Read more
If your vehicle has been involved in an accident, in addition to dealing with insurance matters you can look at getting your vehicle’s body work back in shape. WhoCanFixMyCar makes finding a car body shop near you simple and stress-free.
Car body shop average costs and prices
Compare quotes from car body shop garages near you so you can find a suitable body shop to restore your car to its former glory.
The cost of a car body shop repair can fluctuate depending on the amount of damage and the part that needs to be repaired or replaced. It might be a good idea to get several quotes to get a rough idea of what to expect. This is because the price will also depend on the labour time and parts needed. You can look below at the average quote for car body shop repairs on WhoCanFixMyCar for some of the top car makes and models:
Car Make | Average Price |
---|---|
Volkswagen | £396.96 |
Vauxhall | £410.91 |
BMW | £436.52 |
Volvo | £440.08 |
Ford | £387.77 |
Renault | £326.15 |
Audi | £493.18 |
Peugeot | £382.93 |
Citroen | £348.53 |
Mercedes | £467.65 |
Nissan | £492.31 |
MINI | £502.96 |
How do you find a car body shop on WhoCanFixMyCar?
Looking for a car body shop near you? Follow the steps below to retrieve quotes from car body repairs shops in your area:
Select the service you need
Let us know the required damage repairs
Request an instant quote
Compare quotes and book your job with a trusted car body shops nearby
Browse body shops
Car bodyshop
The average cost of a car body repair booked on WhoCanFixMyCar is around £361.73.
Car bodyshops can do anything from damage assessment, to removing scratches and dents, respraying and painting and replacing panels. Depending on the service, this can vary largely in price and can be as part of a repair service, or entirely for an aesthetic enhancement.
Can include- Visual assessment
- Car body repair
- Car body alternations
- Respraying
Car wrapping
The average cost of car wrapping booked on WhoCanFixMyCar is £428.92.
Car wrapping is a cost-effective way to change the design or colour of your car body without the need for an expensive full respray. A professional will wrap your car fully or partially in vinyl material to change the look and protect it from damage.
Can include- Wrap design
- Car wrapping
SMART repairs
The average cost of a SMART repair booked on WhoCanFixMyCar is £344. SMART stands for Small Medium Area Repair Technology and involves repairs to localised patches of modest car body damage like scratches. They are easy fixes that can be done quickly or by a mobile mechanic.
Can include- Paint repairs
- Scuff repairs
- Dent removal
- Wheel flaw repairs
Which car body shop service do I need?
With car body shop repairs, the required work will depend on the amount of damage caused by the collision and the parts of your car that have been harmed. The listed garages on WhoCanFixMyCar are equipped to carry out most of the below car body shop services.
Bumper scuffs and cracks
Car scratches or scuff marks
Car vinyl wrapping
Car accident repairs
Car restoration
Whether your bumper has been scuffed, cracked or scratched, you might consider getting your bumper repaired rather than replaced. Bumper damage will decrease the value of your car, as well as detracting from its overall appearance. Furthermore, a cracked bumper will significantly reduce the car’s ability to absorb impact in the future. The good news is, if the damage to your bumper is minor, you will most likely be able to get it repaired at a lower cost than you'd pay to have it replaced completely.
Specialist panel beating technicians can help if your car panel has been damaged. They will use specific tools and techniques to reshape the metal of your car. Often, when a car has been involved in a collision, you’ll find that the body work has taken the brunt of the damage as most cars are designed to absorb impact on the panels to reduce the force felt by the passengers or driver. If your car has suffered major impact, there might be a chance that you can get your panels reshaped without having to replace them. It’s important that they are fixed because dents and defects on the panels can deteriorate your car very quickly, so addressing the issue following an accident is vital. Cost will depend on the size of the dent and whether the panels can be repaired or need replacing.
Getting a scratch or scuff on a car is extremely common. This type of damage can easily be removed with the correct technical know-how, tools and materials. Removing a scratch is far cheaper than having an entire body panel or part of the car replaced, so it’s a good idea to check with a body shop to see if they can get rid of a scratch before replacing anything. It’s best to get a car scratch or scuff repaired as soon as you notice it, as a scratch can get worse the longer you leave it and may even lead to rust or other underlying damage. A car body shop can eliminate paint damage and make sure your car’s paint job looks as good as new. Once again, the cost and time taken to complete the work will depend entirely on the extent of the damage to the body work, so make sure to get as many quotes as possible to avoid paying over the odds. The mechanic will apply paint to the car scratch, or car scuff, as part of the bodywork repair.
Getting a respray is a common request which most car body shops will be able to carry out. Depending on the facilities at the body shop you choose, the time to complete a respray will vary. Some car respraying specialists have state of the art spraying booths and work with classic and high-end cars. These body shop facilities are able to deliver the highest quality of respray work as the paint and delivery system is usually the best available. However, the job is likely to be more expensive than a conventional body shop.
Wrapping a car can help protect the paintwork from weather, chipping and rusting as well as UV rays which can fade the paint on your car. Furthermore, if you have vinyl applied to your car and then happen to scratch or scuff it, the wrapping will take the brunt of the damage and protect the underlying paint. You can have your car wrapped to display specific graphics if you are interested in changing the aesthetic of your car. If you want a stripe on your car or logos, emblems, or motifs, you can make the request from a specialist who will provide you with a quote. Before a vinyl wrap is applied, all the lights, door handles, trims and badges will be removed from the body of the car. Special car wrapping surface cleaner will then be used on your car before the wrap is applied. The car wrap can then be applied with precision and care.
Car welding is the best way to address metal fixes and attach metal components to your car. This is why car welding is considered an important part of a car body shop repair, as it can prove an essential technical skill for fixing the different pieces of metal together. It’s most useful for larger structural jobs. Your car may need welding if you notice a cracked metal panel, a rust patch, cracked chassis, a cracked muffler, rusted oil pan or a puncture to the body of the car. Trained professionals at car body shops will be able to weld cars. After a collision, there can be many uses for welding on the car, as new parts can be created and existing ones can be repaired. The cost of welding will vary depending on the damage that needs to be fixed, the amount of labour required and the specific car body shop you visit.
When it comes to having your car fixed after an accident, estimating the cost is like asking how long a piece of string is. It all depends on the extent of the damage as each car will need a different repair to the next. It can be impossible to understand the extent of the damage to your vehicle after an accident; as such, it's vital that you get more than one quote since the cost could vary by hundreds of pounds between different body shop garages.
Rust removal can be a job completed without the need of a mechanic; however, it depends on the extent of the damage and the area which is affected. Rust forms when an anode, cathode and electrolyte combine. The metal in your car acts as the cathode and anode which reacts with water (the electrolyte). Even if your car is under cover, rust will form because of these elements coming together if the climate is humid enough. You can buy specific products online which help remove rust, however, their effectiveness will vary depending on the extent of the damage.
Paintless dent removal is a type of repair which has only been introduced into the automotive aftermarket in recent years. The work is self-explanatory; the process of removing dents, scratches and scrapes can be completed without the need for buffing or the removal of car paint during the process. A paintless dent removal is usually carried out by specialists who have the right tools for the job. Having a paintless dent removal carried out means that you will not have to pay for as much work as a regular dent removal, however, this will be dependent on the extent of the damage.
The bodywork required under a car restoration will be significant, as whole panels are likely to require replacement and the ones which stay as part of the original vehicle will need to be welded, as well as having rust and scratches removed. A full restoration often takes years, as mechanics and hobbyists use their spare time and money to build their own cars. A huge amount of car body work will be required on restorations as all the components will need to be removed and fixed back into place during different stages of the work.
WhoCanFixMyCar can suggest car body shops which will repair and refurbish your damaged alloy wheels. From small scrapes to large amounts of damage, they can help get your alloy wheels looking brand new.
SMART repairs (dent removal, etc.)
SMART repair (Small, Medium Area Repair Technology) is a type of service offered by mechanics which includes the use of specialised tools, paints and materials to provide your car with a good as new finish on an area which may be damaged.
You can consider a SMART repair for following jobs:
Bumper repair
Alloy wheel repair
Scratch repair
Dent Repair
Alloy wheel refurbishment
Bumper repair
Exterior trim repair
Is repairing your car after a collision necessary?
The general exterior of your car and its bodywork doesn’t just stop at its paint finish. Damage and corrosion to any of the following will cause an unappealing view of your vehicle and will also lower its value when you decide to sell it.
Polished alloy wheels
Door handles
Radiator grills
Diamond cut or powdered coated alloy wheels
A body shop can carry out repair and restoration work on any of these parts and components.
Get your car body shop repair done at home
Mobile car body repair workers offer a handy service that can be completed at the motorist’s home or workplace. Find mobile car body shops near you, who may be able to come out to your home to complete your repair.
Ratings of car body shops on WhoCanFixMyCar
What do car body shops do?
Car body shops typically do the following: assess damage (including for insurance companies), remove scratches and dents, replace entire body panels and glass parts, alloy wheel refurbishment, paintwork respraying and overall chassis realignment.
How do car body shops fix dents?
Body shops fix dents with skill, experience and a variety of tools, used to push and pull (or 'suck') dents out of body panels. Filler paste is sometimes used and smoothed down for a perfect finish.
Is car body shop work a part of warranty?
Car warranties do not cover body work. The main reason is because chips, dents and scratches are deemed as normal wear and tear. Car body shop work needed after an accident is usually covered by your insurance policy, but not by your warranty.
How much do car body shop repairs cost?
The cost of car body repair will vary hugely depending on the work required. Localised dents can be removed for well under £100, whereas any respraying work will cost at least double that. Quotes for accident repairs or chassis realignment will be much higher but may be covered by your insurance company.