Repair Estimates

[Deano_1]

Hey Guys,

After looking at the damage I did to my truck, I decided to get a few estimates on getting this repaired. I have a two questions to those of you in the collision/body shop business or anyone with an opinion.

I have got three estimates and waiting to get the fourth one emailed to me. My question is why are these estimates so much different. One of the shops is a very small operation that is basically a small family owned business. The owner worked for a local car dealer for over 20 years before buying his shop. The other three shops are much larger organizations which I am sure have a lot more overhead. One of the places said they would have to paint up the side panel of the back door and up the top of both doors to the front of the truck to blend everything in. The labor rates vary from $48, $50 and $52 an hour for labor.

The total prices range from $777 (discounted to $650) for the small shop, $913, and $1,346. The more expensive place has almost twice the paint labor hours as the other two places and I am still waiting on one more. I know the one difference is, the smaller shop is going to sand the taillight and the other two are going to replace the lens.

My other question is, I know I'm not going to lay out almost $1,400 out of my own pocket, but should is it worth it to pay an extra roughly $260 for a larger operation or would the smaller shop be just a good. I do know the smaller shop does work for the car dealer I bought the truck from and in fact he was painting a new vehicle that was damaged in transit. My biggest concern is since the paint is kind of metal-flake on the body and basically a high gloss paint around the windows, will the smaller place blend everything correctly?

Sorry for the long message, but I just want to get this fixed.

Thanks
Deano

 

[custmsprty]

Are their any online reviews for the places you got estimates from?

As for the tail light you can easily find that part on line and replace it yourself and save yourself the mark up.

Also, it's hard to blend metallic paints, don't set your expectations too high.

I had a 2005 Pathfinder it was metallic red, I had rear quarter repainted and damage was similiar, it was never the same. They did a good job but you could tell it was repainted.

 

[atgonzales]

Deano

I know you paying for the repair but check with your insurance agent and see if they have any feed back on any of the companies or see what recommendation they could give you for a repair shop

 

[FUNX650]

I have a two questions to...
anyone with an opinion.

I have got three estimates and waiting to
get the fourth one emailed to me.

My question is
why are these estimates so much different.

You kinda already supplied most
of the answers to this question.
(See below)

•One of the shops is a very small
family owned business.

•The other three shops are much
larger organizations which I am
sure have a lot more overhead.

•The labor rates vary from
$48, $50 and $52 an hour

•I know the one difference is,
the smaller shop is going to sand
the taillight and the other two are
going to replace the lens.

My other question is,
I know I'm not going to lay out almost
$1,400 out of my own pocket,

but should is it worth it to pay an extra
roughly $260 for a larger operation or
would the smaller shop be just a good.

•Larger doesn't always equal better.
•Have you seen any of either one's
portfolio/prior work.

...will the smaller place blend
everything correctly?

•I'm sure they'll try their best to
not only cover (paint) your vehicle...
but also cover their reputation (arse)
as well.

•Make sure:
-Along with a written warranty on the
paint job...that you also have it written
into the repair contract that the blending
must be done correctly.

Good Luck!


Bob

 

[JeffsRealm]

I had some damage to my last F150, I hit a concrete planter my mother had put in the driveway. It was on the passenger side so never seen it when I got it and it was lower than the windows. So I got in started forward and it dug in and scratched and dinged the rear door and part of the rear quarter and dinged a rim.

Anyway I went and got several estimates. The prices were all over like you seen. $1200, $1800 and $2400. The funny thing is the $1200 guys were the ones I wanted to do it. They do a lot of show car restoration and they have a ton of cars they just fixed or fixed up showing proudly in their lot. They are smaller family guys as well. I actually would drive by their lot sometimes as they were on the way to the grocery and see what cool cars they had in there. When I went to get an estimate they had a 66 split window corvette in there they were restoring and it was gorgeous. Their on line reviews were outstanding all 5 and 4 star ratings. You walk into the lobby there and it was nice and clean and they had a TV on playing cars and coffee morning show. I never was in there and something car related wasn't there. They also could hook me up with a rental car delivered to me at the shop from enterprise, added expense but nice touch. The $2400 had a lot of bad reviews. So I went with the $1200 guys. Now they were $1200 I know because they asked if it was ok if the went to junk yard for parts they needed. It would be more expensive if they got brand new. This was for the rim. Also since they had to respray the whole rear quarter they needed to get the FX4 sticker on the trucks. Which they would get from aftermarket retailers rather than Ford Directly, again fine with me. They were friendly to talk to and we talked about cars and things and all kinds of stuff. Really friendly and you kind of trusted them. They let me go back inspect the shop and see what all they were working on. The $2400 guys were clinical and you felt like just a number, walk into a lobby, take a number with everyone else there. Fill out some forms and then some guy comes out takes a bunch of pictures and says they will email you a quote in few days.

Like I said I had seen the $1200 shop work before. I tell you it was flawless, you would never know my truck was fixed. Not only that they, completely detailed the whole thing inside and out, almost felt like I was driving a new truck. I couldn't have been happier. I paid them cash so it didn't go through insurance. I had a $500 deductible and well I figure my insurance would have gone up enough I would have payed the 700 and then some. I still continue to see them roll out fantastic work. Sometime the cheaper guys do the best work. Just do your research, read the reviews, and go with your gut feeling. If they do a good job then leave them a good review online. I rarely leave great reviews, most people just post bad. But sometimes when the work is so good and your happy, you have to just give them great reviews. So I added to their 5 star ratings.

I do understand not all small guys are like what I encountered, but sometime the small guys are actually the best. You have to trust what you know and feel about when you went there.

 

[JKDesign]

-Labor Rates make an obvious difference

-How much repair time (not paint time) is allotted for each individual damaged panel

-The more space to blend out the color the better

-Full panel clear time is important and in my opinion creates a better repair- i.e. no mid panel clear coat blends

-Items listed at the end of the estimate will make a little difference in price- things like Hazardous Waste Removal, Corrosion Protection, Cover Car for Paint, Mask for Primer

 

[Deano_1]

Thanks for the replies.

Two of the shops are very close in Body Labor, Paint Labor and Paint Supplies at around 5.5 for each category and the highest shop is almost double the hours in all categories. I spoke the service department from my dealer and they said they send a lot of work to the small shop, although I haven't seen any of his work. He did say he was a certified Mercedes painter if that is worth anything. I guess that can't be all bad if the dealer which is a very large Ford and Chevy dealer sends some of their work there. There isn't any mention of the warranty in the quote or if the whole panel is going to be blended. I will have to find that out. It is only the rear quarter panel from about the wheel well back to the bumper.

Thanks again,