Car Body Repair

Types of Body Repairs

Panel Beating

Panel beating is a job carried out by specialist bodywork technicians who can utilise specific tools and techniques to reshape the metal on the body of a car.

If you are involved in an accident, it will often be the body that takes the brunt of the damage as panels on a car are designed to absorb impact and reduce the force of a crash by cushioning the blow.

Even though a car may have suffered a huge impact, it doesn’t always mean that the panels need to be replaced.

Panel beating involves using a huge variety of tools to manipulate the metal and get it back to its original shape.

Depending on the extent of the damage, the amount of time and money spent will vary, however the cost is likely to be less than replacing an entire panel.

Car Respraying

Getting a respray is a quick and easy job which most specialist body shops will be able to carry out.

Depending on the facilities at the body shop you choose, the time the job will take will vary.

Some specialists will have state of the art spraying booths and work with classic and high-end cars, these facilities will be able to deliver the highest quality of respray work as the paint and delivery system will be the best available.

However, the job is likely to be more expensive than a conventional body shop.

The time taken and cost of the service will depend on the type of paint and the size of the area that needs respraying.

Car Wrapping

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 happen to scratch or scuff your car, the wrapping will take the brunt of the damage and so 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 other shapes, 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 applied to your car before the wrap is applied.

Car Welding

Welding is an important part of bodywork car repair as it is essential for fitting different pieces of metal together.

Welding is a highly skilled job and should not be attempted unless you are a trained professional.

Many different parts of a car can be repaired with the help of a welding expert so do not think your car is written off if something falls out of the engine!

Rust Removal

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 can help remove rust which are effective at repairing damage, however its effectiveness will vary on the extent of the damage.

The cost of a rust repair will once more depend on the extent of the damage.

Scratches and scuffs

Getting a scratch or scuff is common for cars in the UK. However, they can be perfectly removed with the right technical knowledge, tools and materials.

It’s important to remember that even if you have suffered from extensive scratching or scuffs, a trained professional can remove them with precision.

Removing a scratch is far cheaper than having an entire body piece replaced like a bumper so always check with a body shop to see if they can remove a scratch before replacing anything.

On average it doesn’t take too long to have your body work repaired when it comes to scratches and scuffs.

It’s important that you get a car scratch removed as soon as possible as it may get worse over time and the value of your vehicle will reduce.

Having a scratch removed by an expert is the best option unless you are a trained professional, as there are a variety of materials and techniques involved in the process.

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 the paint to the car scratch, or car scuff, as part of the bodywork repair. The paintwork repair required for removing car scratches and car scuffs shouldn’t vary in time or cost greatly, from garage to garage.

Restorations

The bodywork required on 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 and have rust and scratches removed.

A full restoration may take years and they often do, 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 be required to be removed and fixed back into place during different stages of the work.

Dent Repair

Dent repair is one of the biggest parts of body work repair and is essentially the same as panel beating or panel bashing which is covered at the top of this guide.

SMART repair

SMART repair stands for; Small, Medium Area Repair Technology. It 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.

Before the technology existed, if a panel was damaged, the entire piece would have to be replaced meaning more money and time would have to be spent on car maintenance.

The advances in technology mean that the speed and effectiveness of body work repair is significantly improved.

According to YouGov research, 65% of cars in the UK are carrying damage which could easily be repaired using SMART repair.

What can be fixed using SMART Repair?

• Bumper dents
• Alloy wheel scratches
• Scratches
• Dents
• Exterior trim damage

Bodywork specialists near you

Finding a trustworthy mechanic can be a daunting process. Finding one that can do a good job and charge a fair price, is not always easy which is why we simplified the process.

We work with a network of 11,500 mechanics and garages across the UK so we can find competitive bodywork garages near you.To find the best bodyshop in your region;

1. Enter your car registration number
2. Give us a few details about your car and your requirements
3. We’ll send you a great selection of quotes from mechanics and garages in your area

You can then compare the quotes and read reviews from previous customers to find the best body work deal in your area, before booking online.