No one wants to even think about the hassle of dealing with a car collision, but the unfortunate truth is that most of us will need to consider auto body repairs to our vehicles at one point. When it comes to getting a reliable and honest cost for your car repair, there are a few things to consider. From insurance to the extent of the repairs and who you will trust to complete the work, drivers have plenty to consider when dealing with auto body repairs. That is why the team at Grandcity auto body in Vancouver has prepared this brief guide concerning five common auto body repairs and understand what’s the average auto body repair cost.
5 Common Auto Body Repairs (With Cost) in 2023
1. Cracked or Broken Windshield
Damage of any kind on your windshield usually causes at least minor concern. The small cracks or nicks in the windshield now can quickly turn into major issues that compromise safety in the vehicle. Certain cracks that are large and noticeable can actually earn you a fine, so it’s important to fix them right away. Usually, the cost of this type of repair depends on the extent of the damage. For a small crack or chip, the repair costs can be as low as $10 to $150, or for a complete windshield replacement, you could be looking at a range of $100 to as high as $1500 depending on the vehicle.
Comprehensive auto insurance coverage should be sufficient to pay for the brunt of these glass repair or replacement costs, with a deductible ranging from $100 to $300 depending on your insurer. You can also purchase a full glass rider on your policy, which will cover repair costs with no deductible.
2. Average Dented Bumper Repair Cost
Bumpers are made to be hit in order to mitigate the damage caused to the rest of the car. That doesn’t mean that they’re indestructible. A dented bumper isn’t as pressing as a cracked or broken windshield, but it is important to get repairs done as soon as possible. To simply repair the dent while preserving the bumper, you are likely looking at a cost between $150 to $600 depending on the make, model and year of your car. For a complete replacement, you can expect to pay in the ballpark of $2500.
With collision coverage in your insurance, you should have the repair costs for the bumper covered, even if you were at fault. Without this coverage, you will have to pay out of pocket for repairs, but this can sometimes be preferable to high deductible costs that raise your premiums.
3. Auto Body Paint Repair Cost
Is The Cost To Paint A Car Expensive?
If you’ve been the proud owner of your car for a few years (or decades!), you have probably started to notice that there is a fair amount of wear and tear showing inside and outside of your vehicle. While this is certainly to be expected, it is rarely welcome. Things like nicks, scratches and fading on your car’s exterior can negatively impact its resale value and just doesn’t look very nice at all. Fortunately, you can always put a new coat of paint on your vehicle to help keep it looking good as new, but before you do, it is important to know what is involved in a new paint job, and what a reasonable repair paint price would be for a new paint job.
Types of Paint Jobs and What’s Involved
There are a few different ways that a team of autobody professionals can help improve the look and increase the value of your vehicle with a new paint job. Each car paint job may vary in price, but they will all do a lot to keep your car looking its best. The first type of paint job that most autobody shops offer as their least expensive option is usually referred to as a Basic finish. This involves a single-stage enamel paint that matches your vehicle’s existing colour and gives it a new, glossy finish designed to increase durability. This type of car paint repair job is ideal for car owners looking to quickly recover the colour and finish of their car’s exterior while removing any scratches or marks, though it may not last as long as some other paint finishes. Another single-stage application option that is available at most autobody shops uses urethane paint rather than basic enamel paint. The urethane finish gives the car an even greater level of durability and typically comes with a longer warranty. Both of these paint repair options are relatively inexpensive paint repair cost compared to others, while still providing a quality finish that will last.
Consider Two-Stage Applications
Car owners looking for more of a long-term solution to prevent fading and scratching may want to consider some two-stage application options. With even a basic two-stage option, a car will receive a new gloss finish along with a more accurate colour match and a urethane sealer for extended durability. Because of the enhanced durability, this type of paint job provides for your car, you can typically expect a longer warranty than the one you would get with a single-stage paint job. Finally, for car owners looking to give their car the full paint and finish treatment, a full paint job will include everything described in the two-stage job, as well as light chip and scratch repair, a full sanding and priming of areas commonly known to rust, a durable urethane sealer and an extended warranty.
Scratches, scrapes and minor dents can all cause some pretty unsightly damage to your paint and the protective finishing coat. The cost of these repairs will vary significantly depending on a number of factors like the age of your car, the extent of the damage, the availability of the matching paint colour and the specific rates of the auto body shop itself. A typical Vancouver auto body shop will likely charge between $300 to $900 for repairing basic paint coverage, but higher quality, custom jobs can cost significantly more, ranging as high as $2500 to $7500.
Most insurers won’t provide specific coverage for auto body paint damage alone, so you will likely have to file a claim under collision coverage. Instances like a falling tree that damages your paint may be covered, but filing a claim for this type of damage can lead to higher premiums in the future, on top of the deductible payment.
4. Suspension
Your vehicle’s suspension is one of its most important components when it comes to comfort and safety while driving. A damaged suspension is nothing to ignore, so if anything goes wrong it is important to get it checked out at your local Vancouver auto body shop before the problem gets worse. For a complete repair of your suspension, you can expect to pay in the range of $1000 to $5000. Simply replacing individual components such as the shock absorbers or struts will cost anywhere from $200 to $5000 depending on the vehicle and the required parts.
Typically this type of damage is caused by regular wear and tear on the vehicle and it won’t be covered by your insurance provider. Damage that was caused by something other than wear and tear, such as a collision or running over a neglected pothole on a public road, however, will be covered. Depending on the deductible and the future premium costs, it might make more sense to pay for these repairs out of pocket if you can.
5. Auto Body Dent Repair Cost
A dent is one of those eyesore problems that might not require immediate attention, but it can still be unsafe to drive with a major dent, so repairs will be necessary eventually. How much does dent repair cost? The dent is small, you may only have to pay a couple of hundred dollars to have it repaired. Larger dents, however, require more extensive repairs and can end up in the range of about $1500.
Collision insurance will almost always cover the auto body repair costs if the dent was caused by an accident, whether it was your fault or not. The insurance cost will also include the damages to any property you may have hit as well, so remember that before you file a claim. If you are able to pay out of pocket, you can actually save money in the short term, as well as down the road for premium increases.
For an honest and upfront assessment of the type of repairs you require, be sure to bring your vehicle to Grandcity’s Vancouver auto body shop. We will give you a competitive estimate along with a friendly service you can rely on to get the job done right. To arrange an estimate for your repairs today, contact us, or bring your vehicle to Grandcity Auto Body today!