Bodywork repair estimate

Seth Brundle

My mam is looking to get some damage to her Pug repaired and went to a repair centre for a quote.
Apparently the quote came in over €1600 (incl VAT) - about €300 of which is for materials with the rest being down to labour costs.

The rear bumper appears to have a crack in it but surely this can be sanded/filled (as with the damage to the rear bumber & rear quater-panel).
(I can't get out to her's for a better look)

She is surprised at the amount and has asked if I could double check it for her.
Does the price seem high?

Toyotafanboi

The price is about right IMO for a main dealer or high end workshop.

You'd definitely get cheaper I'd say but to an extent quality would drop proportionately, but maybe that isn't a bit deal and she just wants the car looking half ways tidy.

Voodoomelon

I would say high to very high, but as above prices and standards of work vary wildly, but expensive jobs aren't necessarily top drawer and vice versa.
Your standard, middle of the road, very good work would be around the €1000-€1200 mark, €300-€400 a panel being the rule of thumb.

A lot of these guys work off cash, so factoring VAT etc you would likely be around the €1400+ mark with a place running by the book.

biko

You can get it done cheaper than that but it won't be perfect.
It really depends on what level of quality you ma wants for the car.

Take car to a few shops, let them look and quote.

Casati

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

The price is about right IMO for a main dealer or high end workshop.

You'd definitely get cheaper I'd say but to an extent quality would drop proportionately, but maybe that isn't a bit deal and she just wants the car looking half ways tidy.

Who gets bodywork done at a main dealer - don’t 95% of them subcontract body work out and simply add a large margin to the cost?? I don’t think the quality drops just because you pay less

Hooked

Having had various cars repaired or fresh parts painted over the years... the route to go is with a small, independent body-shop. Sure, the paint won't be an exact match - but will you even notice? Depends on the year of the car... and how particular you are.

I had a lad paint the bonnet, front bumper, boot spoiler, back bumper and various insets on my van most recently. 450 quid. But I fitted the parts myself. I had quotes for double that!

I imagine if you shopped around, and went to a small outfit/one man band... you'd easily halve that 1600 quote!

Cerveza

Plenty one man body repair working in a garden shed who would do that very right for some Johnny cash.

Toyotafanboi

Casati wrote: »

Who gets bodywork done at a main dealer - don’t 95% of them subcontract body work out and simply add a large margin to the cost?? I don’t think the quality drops just because you pay less

Lots of people do, for various reasons. Whether it be protecting a warranty, standardization of work, familiarity with the dealer, handling of the claim etc.

Some subcontract it, some don't. A lot of larger dealers operate their own body shops, some smaller ones would sub contract.

What I have found with dealers that subcontract is they buy they job for a trade price and sell the work for the same retail price that the bodyshop would sell it directly which means you aren't paying more than if you went direct to the bodyshop.

I think it's a common misconception that main dealers will fleece you on bodywork. They won't be the cheapest but the wont be any more expensive than a good quality independent, generally speaking.

biko

If you're in Galway then N&N Autobody is a good place to go to.

Casati

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

Lots of people do, for various reasons. Whether it be protecting a warranty, standardization of work, familiarity with the dealer, handling of the claim etc.

Some subcontract it, some don't. A lot of larger dealers operate their own body shops, some smaller ones would sub contract.

What I have found with dealers that subcontract is they buy they job for a trade price and sell the work for the same retail price that the bodyshop would sell it directly which means you aren't paying more than if you went direct to the bodyshop.

I think it's a common misconception that main dealers will fleece you on bodywork. They won't be the cheapest but the wont be any more expensive than a good quality independent, generally speaking.

My experience as a consumer is that main dealers will be 20%+ more expensive than if you go direct to a quality body shop. I’d advise the OP to shop around and price the job direct at body shops.

Paying less doesn’t mean having to get the job done at some back lane place that won’t be able to colour match. Also getting a car sprayed outside the dealer network will not affect warranty as long as parts used are a similar or better quality to those originally fitted.

Seth Brundle

Cheers folks.
I managed to get her a quote from Carcraft and she is delighted with the price.

Casati

Seth Brundle wrote: »

Cheers folks.
I managed to get her a quote from Carcraft and she is delighted with the price.

We got work done there before and its really top class - I would notice every detail and really struggled to find any evidence that the car was painted. Do you mind saying how much they were quoting?

Seth Brundle

She is saving about a grand!

Cerveza

She would have got genuine paint in the stealers.

sumo12

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

Lots of people do, for various reasons. Whether it be protecting a warranty, standardization of work, familiarity with the dealer, handling of the claim etc.

Some subcontract it, some don't. A lot of larger dealers operate their own body shops, some smaller ones would sub contract.

What I have found with dealers that subcontract is they buy they job for a trade price and sell the work for the same retail price that the bodyshop would sell it directly which means you aren't paying more than if you went direct to the bodyshop.

I think it's a common misconception that main dealers will fleece you on bodywork. They won't be the cheapest but the wont be any more expensive than a good quality independent, generally speaking.

And they also know the body repair history when you go to trade the car back in...

Seth Brundle

For clarity, the first quote was not from a main dealer. It was from a multi-branch bodyshop.
There was no guarrantee that the manufacturer's paint would be used nor that the body repair history would be sent to Peugeot.

ongarite

Spent a bit more to get aftermarket parking sensors fitted. Looks like there are none in the photos.

Could save it from happening again after fresh paint job..

L-M

Seth Brundle wrote: »

For clarity, the first quote was not from a main dealer. It was from a multi-branch bodyshop.
There was no guarrantee that the manufacturer's paint would be used nor that the body repair history would be sent to Peugeot.

I was going to say 1600 is extortionate but if you’re saying it’s 6/700 now it’s way too cheap.

Front and back bumper 250 each and then something similar for the quarter “while the gun is out”.

If it’s just the 3 panels €750 plus VAT should be achievable. Problem with silver is they might need to blend the back door.

Seth Brundle

She got the car back from Carcraft today and is delighted with both the quality and the experience received so fair play to them.

Bigserious1

Used Carcraft for my own car and recommended them to someone in work who just saved 50% on another quote with them too.

They were sound to deal with and we were both very happy with the standard of work so work a look anyway I think.

I've used carcraft on a few different cars and they are very good and very good on price.

When I first saw the pics you provided and people were saying 1600 was about right i couldn't believe it, I've had way worse than your pics done by car craft, the whole side torn off an Yaris and they did a great job for 600 quid.

I'm also quite picky about paint, I told them I wasn't happy before and made them respray a panel again and they did without any bother. Good lads down there