Tips For Saving Money On Auto Body Repairs

Automotive Blog

Whether you've been involved in a car accident or someone put a dent in your car while it was parked outside of a store, you need to have auto body repair work complete -- and it can be costly. Fortunately, there are several things that you can do to lower the cost of the repairs. Check out these tips to save money on auto body repair work.

Determine if Paintless Dent Repair is Possible

If you only need a dent or two repaired, it may be possible to have the dent repaired without damaging the car's paint. Paintless dent repair means that the dent in your car can be pulled out, without the need for sanding, body filler, or paint. Because there is less work involved, it's cheaper to have paintless dent repairs completed than it is to have other types of body work done. So, you can save a good amount of money by asking your auto body repair service if it's possible to repair the vehicle without damaging the paint.

Repair Small Scratches Yourself

If your car has been scratched, it might be possible for you to repair the scratch completely by yourself. Small scratches are simple to repair.

1. Determine your car's exact paint color. The color code is located on the door jamb.
2. Purchase a bottle of touch-up paint that has a color code that matches your car.
3. Lightly sand the scratch down, using 2000-grit sandpaper.
4. Rinse the area with soapy water to remove the dust.
5. Repeat the sanding and rinsing process, if needed.
6. Apply touch-up paint to the damaged area, and allow it to dry.
7. Apply rubbing compound to the area to blend the finish.

While you may need the help of an auto body repair service to repair large scratches, you can repair any small scratches around or near the larger scratch before taking your vehicle to the shop to save some money.

Replace Your Own Car Parts

It can be cheaper to replace a portion of your car's exterior than it is to repair it, and you can often find matching fenders, bumpers and quarter panels to purchase at your local junkyard. So, before you take your car to the nearest auto body repair shop, visit your local junkyard to find replacement parts and do the work yourself. Then, take your car to the auto body repair shop to have it painted so that the parts you've replaced match the rest of your car.

No one enjoys taking their car in for repairs, but sometimes it is necessary. While having repairs completed to the body of your car can be costly, you can save some money by repairing small scratches, replacing specific body parts, and asking the shop if dents in your car can be fixed without damaging the paint.

For more information, talk with the professionals at auto body shops, such as Acheson Auto Body and Service Center West.

21 December 2015