After a collision, you may think that the damage to your vehicle was not bad and get more than a bit surprised when the bill to have the repairs turns out to be quite high. Unfortunately, even a small dent can involve more work than you realize unless you are familiar with auto body work. If you do not have collision insurance coverage on your vehicle and you were found to be at fault, the bill is going to be on you. You could put off the repair, figuring that it really isn't important. However, if the paint was chipped, it could lead to rusting and further damage over time. Here are a few tips to helping lower the bill so you don't go broke.
Paintless Repair
If the paint inside the dent is intact, you need to ask the body shop if they can do paintless repair. Some shops can carefully pull out a dent without messing with the paint. This may not always be possible, but it never hurts to ask. They will let you know if the paint broke during the repair and ask you how you want to handle it before just going ahead with the paint job. Go look at the work done. If the paint was barely broken, you may be able to do the touch up yourself and save from having to pay the professional.
Buy the Parts Yourself at a Salvage Yard
Quite often, the price for any parts that are needed is the expensive part of the repair. You may be able to find the parts at a salvage yard. As long as the vehicle was not damaged the same way yours was you should be able to use it. Even if it needs to be painted to match your vehicle, the money you save could be worth it. You need to ask the repair technician for a detailed cost for the repair so you can then determine which route to go.
Do Some Repairs Yourself
While you may not want to have to pull out a dent or paint your car, you can probably replace a fender or light yourself. If you can't do it yourself, ask a friend. It might cost you some beer and a pizza, but it will be less than paying a professional.
Of course, you should always have a professional look over the vehicle to make sure there is no damage to the frame or parts that will affect how the vehicle runs. Once you have the inspection and estimate done, it is up to you to decide how to proceed without emptying your bank account.
For more information about collision repair, contact a company like Exoticar Paintworks Inc.