Crunched my Prius, Guesstimates on Repair?

$1,300.

 

We had a very similar hit, albeit even lighter. The bill was $1120 (Canadian).



This was "doing it right", ie: extending out the paint, blending. They spot-weld nails onto the depression, to aid in pulling it out. Then knock them off and smooth the area.

 

Wow the cost of paint and body work amazes me.

Seems like the smallest of dent or scratch creates instantly $1000 dollars or more of damage.

When people get in semi major wrecks? I'm surprised anyone cars ever get restored.

At least get some online reviews for the body shop you pick. You want to make sure they can do the job right. They all say they can as they are giving you an estimate. Just make sure there aren't like a million disgruntled past customers.

 

You'd be amazed at how much time it takes to make something like that look right again. Sand, pull out dent/crease, fill, allow to cure, sand, fill, allow to cure, sand, blend, mix color coat, spray, apply second color coat, apply third coat, clean gun and nozzle, allow to dry, blend/buff color coat, mix top/clear coat, spray clear coat, clean gun/nozzle, apply second clear coat, allow to dry, blend/buff clear coat. Even a "minor" repair like this takes forever. All of this is, if you're good at it. If you're a novice, like me, it takes longer.

 

yup, it's all labor, and these guys make decent money, as they should. the fact that they can blend and make it look decent saves a ton of time. (money)

 

Well I'm not saying they don't earn their money.
But I am saying, it seems in this day and age, ANY scratch, or dent, results in about a minimum of 1000.

Doesn't seem like there is much middle ground anymore, it's either touch up paint or open up your wallet.

 

I will.
How much training and experience does it take to become a proficient technician ? A month ? Three ? Six ? A year ?
What fraction of the populace can be trained to do the work ?

I suspect that car body work is ripe for economic disruption, but I don't really care. I have never been inclined to repair a dent in my life.

 

I have been inclined and let me tell you, it is no easy task. The mere patience that it takes is agonizing.

 

My grandfather was a paint and body guy back in the day and I have a stepbrother who is presently making north of a buck twenty a year banging on high dollar cars in the Louisville area.
He's always flying to this school or that one getting factory certifications, and IMHO he's earning every dime of his annual salary.
You certainly don't need an advanced degree to do body work, but there is a little more skill involved than some people appreciate and a considerable amount of talent along with some pretty expensive equipment where frame mending is involved.
You also have to work in an industrial environment and wear a bunch of PPE all of the time.
Even if I had the talent for that work (I don't) there is NO WAY that I would deal with dealers, customers and insurance companies who are perpetually trying to screw the others out of a buck!
If you're the guy or gal driving the spray gun all of that is probably above your pay grade, but that also means that you have the option of hooking into another shop owner's air system.
Talent goes where the money is.
You can always buy spray paint and hammers at WalMart.

Like SB, I tend not to repair small dents and scrapes, but I also can understand and appreciate where somebody who spends north of $50,000 on a car would want all of the paint and panels to be in good shape. You have to PAY somebody the market rate for that.
Right now the market says that a thousand bucks doesn't get much paint and body work.


$700.00 for the above repair is a good quote.
Would I do it?

Eh....maybe.
Maybe not.

 

looks good to me!

 

i used to try my own body work as a teen, i think there is some type of artistry involved and i'm sure training helps. like anything else, some are better than others, and they all have their good days and bad.

 

I think it pretty much HAS to be blended, for the newly painted zone to be unnoticeable. And even then, close up, you might see differences in texture, orange peel or whatever they call it.

With blending, even if the patched area is purposely OFF, blending can make it seamless.

Overview:

Demo: