Professional repair of paint damage: What is the cost of paint repair?
Scratches, rust spots or stone chips: The protective layer of paint on a car is exposed to a variety of environmental influences that sooner or later make minor damage all but unavoidable. It is difficult to make general statements about how much it costs to make the traces of contact with the garage door or another vehicle invisible. Even damage patterns that appear similar at first glance can necessitate quite different repair costs – depending on the age, type and model of the vehicle affected.
But the cost of repairing paint damage depends on a variety of factors even beyond that: For example, effect paint or metallic shades are more complex and expensive to repair than standard solid paint, as the complex appearance is more difficult to restore. The substrate also plays a role: aluminum and steel sheets must each be processed with their own tool sets to prevent rust spots and dust explosions. When dealing with plastic bumpers, other materials are again required.
You can find a suitable repair shop for your paint damage using the FairGarage repair shop search function. In addition to pure car paint stores, many body stores also undertake the repair of scratches, grazes and chipped paint spots. Depending on the damage to the paintwork and the job, the repair costs for the paintwork repair vary considerably. You will receive a concrete cost estimate after the paint damage has been professionally assessed on site.
In the event of an insurance claim, the specialist workshop takes over the entire process with the liable motor vehicle insurance company.
In this article you will find the following information about repairing paint damage on a car:
- Are there inexpensive alternatives to classic paint repair?
- How the costs are made up?
- Do car insurance companies cover the costs?
- Can you repair paint damage on the car yourself?
- What should be considered when repairing paint?
- Damage assessment on site or by cell phone
Are there low-cost alternatives to classic paint repair??
Last but not least, not all paint damage is suitable for every repair method in terms of depth and location: If cost-effective Smart Repair solutions are possible, the repair shop bill will be less expensive than for a more complex addition or complete painting of a component. However, if the paint damage affects various components, is larger than a DINA4 sheet or is located on a horizontal body part such as the hood or roof, the more cost-effective paint repair with the spot repair methods is often not possible without affecting the appearance remains.
What are the costs of paint repair??
Once you have found a suitable way to repair the damage to the paintwork, the question remains as to how the costs due will be made up. As a rule of thumb for paint damage repair, the material costs account for about 40 percent of the repair, and the necessary working time for about 60 percent. The longer the specialist has to be active, the more expensive it is.
Do car insurance companies cover the cost of repairing paint damage??
If the vehicle was damaged by another road user, his liability insurance will cover the damage. If the car door is scratched during an attempted theft or as a result of vandalism, the driver needs a partial comprehensive policy that also covers damage caused by natural hazards such as hail or storms. If the policyholder himself is responsible for the damage to the car's paintwork – for example, if he has touched a garden fence or a pillar – the comprehensive insurance will cover the repair of the damage.
If a claim has to be made against your own insurance company, it is advisable to check the extent to which the annual premium could become more expensive due to changes in the no-claims bonus before starting repairs – in some cases, it may make more sense to pay the repair shop bill out of pocket. However, some companies offer their customers so-called parking damage protection – if minor damage can be repaired using Smart Repair, the previous no-claims bonus class is retained.
Can you repair paint damage on your car yourself??
Even though, according to the Internet, superficial paint damage can supposedly be improved with simple methods such as touch-up pens or polishes in a do-it-yourself process: Without the appropriate experience and craftsmanship, drivers should refrain from carrying out repairs themselves. After all, in addition to visual impairments, if the repair is not carried out properly, you also risk consequential damage if, for example, rust spots occur due to a lack of professional sealing.
What should be considered when repairing the paint?
To repair paint damage professionally, the original color must be determined beyond doubt. In addition, depending on the substrate (such as steel, aluminum or plastic), other materials are used. In addition, it is not always clear whether a scratch has injured the complete paint structure and the substrate is thus exposed to environmental influences without protection. If you want to be on the safe side and avoid multiple repairs, we recommend professional damage assessment by experienced workshop personnel. Especially in the case of minor damage to the paintwork, the estimate provided by the company is a very good indication of the expected repair costs.
Claims processing on the spot or by cell phone
Some bodywork& Paint shops also now offer their customers the option of recording the damage digitally: Drivers receive a link on their smartphone that guides them through the necessary process. They are able to scan the vehicle registration document and take pictures of the damage in question, so that the repair shop already has the most important information before the customer comes to the yard with his car. This speeds up the further process.
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