Have you crashed your car and you are looking for a cheap auto body shop near me? Well, if that is the case, then you are at the right place because there will be a lot to cover on this topic where we are going to learn everything when it comes to the cheapest prices.
Doing the proper research when it comes to these repairs is a really important aspect because if you don’t do research and go to the first shop, you could get ripped off. Or possibly you could get really bad service.
There are body shops out there that don’t even deserve to be called body shops. They do a hack job that will look good at the beginning. But as months pass by, the Bondo will start to crack and the paint job will be ruined. So, this is why you need to invest your time into learning more about the shops in your area in order not to get bad service and pay twice for the same job. But you shouldn’t worry because we are going to help you out with that.
First, we are going to learn more about what is body damage and why fixing the damage on your car is important. Then we will learn how to estimate collision repair costs and also the factors that determine this cost. After that, we will discuss more about the cheap auto body shop near me. So, if you want to learn more, follow along.
What Is Body Damage
Now before we dive into more complex topics like the cheap auto body shop near me. Let’s first take a look at what is body damage in general. This chapter is dedicated fully to those who want to learn more about this type of damage. So, if you are one of them, follow along. If not, you can jump to the cheap auto body shop near me.
Nevertheless, body damage is not damage done to our body. But to the body of the car that we own. The body of the car simply is the chassis plus the outer panes such as the bumpers, hood, fenders, doors, roof, etc. You get the point.
In every collision, there is some kind of damage done to the body of the car. There is simply no collision with no damage because the moment you come into contact with another vehicle, there is damage to be done.
Even if the damage is a light scratch that can buff out with a buffer tool. Still, the damage could be problematic and needs to be sorted out if you want to return the car to factory OEM spec.
In order to do so, you will have to either be a really good body repair guy. Or to take your car to a body repair shop. Presumably, if you don’t know much about fixing metal damage, taking the car to the cheap auto body shop near me should be your top priority.
And even if you are not convinced to go this route, you should check the reasons that we will list in the following chapters that indicate a need for this type of work. So, let’s get into it.
Reasons Why Fixing The Damage Is Important
Now that we learned what is body damage, we can move on and list the reasons why you should fix the body damage and look for a cheap auto body shop near me.
These chapters will be really useful for the people who are still considering whether or not to go to a body shop and fix the damage that is done to their vehicles. If you are one of them, the following chapters are dedicated to you. If not, you can move on to the cheap auto body shop near me chapter where we list the cheapest places to get this job done. So, let’s get into it.
Why Find Cheap Auto Body Shop Near Me #1: It Will Look Good
Now before we start learning about the cheap auto body shop near me, let’s take a look at the first reason why you should do a body repair on your car.
And the first reason is the looks. The car will look as good as new and you will not get overly frustrated every time you see that scratched or dented panel.
Also, you will avoid people commenting on your car. Something that can be an even more frustrating thing to deal with.
For example, I purchased my car with a small misalignment of the front bumper and people didn’t stop commenting on it till I sorted out the issue. So, be really aware of these things because they can get on your nerves pretty quickly.
But when you fix it, you will be really satisfied since you brought the car back to factory OEM spec. Now let’s move on to the next reason before we dive into the cheap auto body shop near me.
Why Find Cheap Auto Body Shop Near Me #2: You Will Increase The Resale Value
The second reason why you should look for a cheap auto body shop near me and fix that annoying damage is the resale value.
If you decide to sell the car with damage on it, you could lose a ton of money. Especially if it’s some really expensive vehicle. You could lose $5,000 or even more on it because nobody will want to purchase this vehicle for a premium from you.
Everybody will haggle and try to get a good deal out of it. And you can also agree to sell it with a loss since the repair will cost you a good penny.
But if you find a cheap auto body shop near me, you won’t lose as much. You will be able to sort the problem on a budget. Without worrying that you will lose a ton of cash on this car and also make a slight profit.
Some damages that might seem scary can be sorted out with simple paintless dent removal. Or with a buffer and a small amount of polishing compound. So, you need to consider these things when you have a damaged car that you want to sell. Just look for a cheap auto body shop near me and find the best deal out there. And later on, we are going to help you out with that.
Why Find Cheap Auto Body Shop Near Me #3: You Will Make The Car Safer To Drive
Now let’s take a look at the last reason why you should start looking for a cheap auto body shop near me. And that is that you will make your car safer to drive.
Yes, that’s right. Damage isn’t always something that is visible to the naked eye. Sometimes, the damage could be much much worse.
Let’s give you an example. On both ends of the engine, there are frame rails that go from the firewall to the front of the engine.
So, what can happen is that if the car was into an accident, these frame rails could get tweaked. And when these frame rails get tweaked or bent. The whole geometry of the car is under question.
The car will not drive straight and you will struggle to maneuver this vehicle. Which in other words, translates into a real safety hazard that could get you in danger.
This is why you need to find a cheap auto body shop near me and make sure that everything on the car is perfectly straight. Because if it’s not, it has to be repaired, so the car is returned to the factory spec. But how you can estimate the amount of damage and not end up ripped off by some of the body shops near you? Let’s elaborate more on that next.
How To Estimate Collision Repair Cost
Now let’s learn more about how to estimate the damage that has been done to your vehicle before you start looking for a cheap auto body shop near me.
Why is this the case and why you should do it? Well, mainly because if you don’t do it, you could end up ripped off. You need to investigate deeper and start understanding more about the costs involved in this type of work and then be able to evaluate how much money you will have to pay to a certain body shop for a specific job.
Luckily, we will share this crucial information with you and help you determine what will be the possible costs. So, let’s get into it.
1. Front & Rear Bumper Repair Or Replacement Costs
Now let’s start with the estimates when it comes to the bumpers before we start covering the cheap auto body shop near me.
As you probably know, bumpers are one of the most frequently damaged components on our car. Why so? Well, because they are mounted the lowest and also they are the first components that come into contact from the front and from the rear.
They are designed in a way to absorb small impacts without even getting damaged. But sadly, sometimes they can get too much damage and crack.
So, when a bumper cracks, it could get fixed if the damage is rather small. But if the bumper is torn into pieces, it would need to be replaced completely.
Also, what is worth noting is that underneath the bumper there are a lot of other small bits and pieces that can also get damaged or cracked. So, what is the estimate for the bumpers?
Well, a repair job on a bumper can be anywhere between $300 and $800. While the replacement of a bumper can cost $1,500+.
2. Windshield Replacement
Now let’s discuss more about the second most common type of damage that is done on a car that will make you start looking for a cheap auto body shop near me. And that is the windshield damage.
Windshields can crack quite often. Especially if you drive too often on the highway. There are small rock chips that fly and some of them could impact your windshield and make it crack all over.
So, you will have to replace it with a new one (though there are ways to learn how to get your windshield replaced for free). The cost to replace it can really depend. For cheap cars, it will cost you about $250 to $500. While for more expensive cars, it could cost $500 to $2,000.
3. Car Door, Rear Quarter Panel & Fender Damage
Now let’s discuss another type of damage and that is door and fender damage. Let’s imagine that you got T-boned or somebody scratched your car from the side. How much money can you expect to pay for this type of damage?
Well, this really depends on the extent of the damage. If the panel is repairable and the dent could be pulled out, then you will pay the cheapest price.
Generally, front fenders are the cheapest. Then come the doors and the most expensive repairs are the ones on the rear quarter panels. These repairs could cost anywhere from $300 to $3,500.
5. Rear End Damage
Now before we start learning for the cheap auto body shop near me, let’s take a look at the next type of damage and that is the rear end damage.
When it comes to rear-end damage, we can assume that the bumper should be replaced. But in most cases, the trunk cover, as well as the rear tub and quarter panels, can be pushed in. And this is a rather expensive repair.
Since a lot of metal work has to be done to the car. So, prices for this type of work are $1,500+. They can even range from $10,000. And this is why a lot of cars get totaled once they receive an impact from the rear.
6. Hidden Damage
Another damage that we would like to discuss when it comes to finding the cheap auto body shop near me is the hidden damage.
This is the type of damage that is not visible. And in most cases, it is really serious. The pillars can be pushed, the front frame rails can also be tweaked. And this will require a frame machine in order so the body of the car can be perfectly aligned. And this will also cost you more than $1,000 in most cases.
Factors That Determine The Cost Of Repair
Now let’s discuss another interesting topic before we dive into the cheap auto body shop near me. And that are the factors that determine the cost of the repair.
As you probably know, not everything is fixed. Prices may vary because of a lot of different factors that affect the repair and the work that needs to be done so the vehicle is returned to the road. So, let’s cover these factors before we start learning about the cheap auto body shop near me.
Cheap Auto Body Shop Near Me, Factors Behind The Costs #1: Make And Model
The first important factor that you need to consider before you look for a cheap auto body shop near me is the make and model of the vehicle.
Not all make and models are the same. There are a variety of price ranges that really affect the cost of the repair.
And on top of that, the year of production is also another really important aspect when it comes to determining the price for a repair like this.
The newer the car, the more expensive the repair would be. Also, the waiting time for parts can be crazy high in some cases. Especially for new models that do not have the right supply of parts yet.
Cheap Auto Body Shop Near Me, Factors Behind The Costs #2: The Type Of Damage
The second factor is the type of damage. The bigger the damage, the more expensive the repair would be.
Let’s say that you have a small indentation. This could be fixed with a simple PDR job. But if the damage is too severe and the panel is pushed in a way that is not able to be pushed out easily, then this repair turns into a rather expensive one.
Especially when you have panel misalignment where you need to basically put the car on a frame machine and pull out the bent parts before replacing it. All this is rather expensive. So, when looking for a cheap auto body shop near me, make sure that you are aware of the damage.
Cheap Auto Body Shop Near Me, Factors Behind The Costs #3: The Repair Shop
The third most important factor that determines the cost to repair the damage to the vehicle is the repair shop itself.
Some shops are rather cheap when it comes to labor. While others can charge an arm and a leg for the labor.
And we think that both of these types are not the best that you can get. You still want to get a good deal and sort out the problem with your car. But you also want to sort it on a budget.
And extremely cheap shops often do a terrible job. So, this is why you should often go for a shop that does a good job for a medium budget. This means that the best shops are often those that are not too expensive. But also not the cheapest ones out there.
You don’t want to get ripped off by a shop for some simple work like painting a fender or a front bumper. Try to find something that is cheap enough and also offers good quality. And you can do this by reading reviews online and seeing how their business is ranked by customers.
You can open up google and find their location. There you have a review section and see how many stars they have. Also, beware of fake reviews since these are also plentiful. But what is the cheap auto body shop near me? Well, more on that we are going to learn next.
Cheap Auto Body Shop Near Me
Now let’s take a look at how you can find a cheap auto body shop near me. Well, the first thing that you can try is to simply browse the phrase “Cheap Auto Body Shop Near Me”. By doing this, you will get a ton of results.
But if you want to get specific results, you better browse “Cheap Auto Body Shop + Your Area”. By adding your area, the search engine will know where you live and will not ask you for your location.
Also, you can go to Groupon.com. And there are thousands of shops that offer their services on the cheap. You can get huge discounts on sites like Groupon if you are asking me. It doesn’t matter if its a bodywork, suspension work, or tire mounting and balancing. They will get you one of the best deals for your money. And on top of that, it’s free and anyone can use it. So, don’t be afraid to give it a try. However, if you can’t afford a body shop nearby, you can opt for a title loan serviced by LoanMart for financial assistance.
Tips for Low-Cost Auto Body Repair Facts:
- Vocational schools teaching auto body repair allow students to gain experience by repairing vehicles, usually only charging for parts and materials.
- Bartering for services with family, friends, neighbors, or business associates who own auto body repair shops can be a low-cost option.
- Considering starting a career in auto body repair to fix your own car or help others.
- Finding a low-cost backyard mechanic can be a solution for minor damage repair.
- Major auto body repair chains or franchises may offer deals and specials.
- Researching online can help you find low-cost repair options in your area.
- Consider buying used or aftermarket parts to save money.
- Keep in mind that the cheapest repair option may not always be the best quality.
- Check with your insurance provider to see if they offer discounts for using certain repair shops.
- Prevention is key – maintain your car regularly to avoid costly repairs in the future.
Conclusion To Cheap Auto Body Shop Near Me
In this article, we have covered quite a bit when it comes to bodywork. We learned what bodywork is in general and why repairing any body damage is really important if you want to make sure that the car is in perfect working order.
Then we learned more about the average costs for a certain type of bodywork that is out there. As well as how the cost of bodywork is determined based on a few factors. Lastly, we learned more about the cheap auto body shop near me and how to find one.
F.A.Qs
Now let’s answer some frequently asked questions.
How To Fix Small Dent In Car
You can fix it by calling a PDR guy. In other words paintless dent removal guy. He will pull out the dent and will sort the problem out for a fraction of the price. But if the dent is too big. You will have to fix it with bondo and repaint the surface.
How Much Do Bumpers Cost
Well, the price of these parts varies a lot. If you can harvest one from a junkyard, you will get the cheapest price. You will pay $100 to $400 and call it a day. But if you get a completely new bumper, you can expect to pay more than $1,000 in some cases if it’s a relatively new car.
How Much Does It Cost To Replace A Car Door
Car doors are expensive. They could cost between $100 and $500 if you get them from your local junkyard. But if you decide on getting one brand new, you can expect to pay more than $500 for it.
Where Can I Get My Car Painted
You can take it to Maaco and paint it there. They are well known for their cheap prices. But you will have to do the prep work at home before you take your car to the paint shop. Since they only to the painting.
How Much Does It Cost To Get A Car Painted
The cost of painting a car really depends. For example in Maaco, if you do your own prep work on the car, you can get it painted for $500. But if you really want something special, then this could cost you anywhere from $2,000 to $8,000.
How Much Does It Cost To Fix A Car Window
This really depends on the problem. If it’s a window regulator, then a new regulator will set you back about $150. If it’s the switch then you will be able to fix it for less than $100.