Panel Repairs & Replacement Melbourne

Quick Info: Panel Repair & Replacement

• Minor panel repair: From $150 • Door panel with respray: From $400 • Bonnet repair with respray: From $500 • Quarter panel with respray: From $2,000 **• Panel replacement: **Door from $200, Quarter panel from $1,500 • Timing: Minor repairs 1-2 days, respray 2-3 days, replacement 5-7 days • Warranty: Lifetime on genuine parts • Service area: All Melbourne suburbs from our Somerton workshop

What Affects Your Price

Several factors influence pricing. Vehicle size and type matter significantly. For instance, luxury vehicles and large SUVs cost more than small cars.

Paint type also affects pricing. Metallic and pearl finishes cost more than solid colors. Additionally, parts availability influences final costs. Damage extent plays a major role too.

Important note: Paint costs appear separately from panel replacement prices.

When You Need Panel Repair or Replacement

Side Impact Damage to Doors

Another car clipped your door in traffic or a car park. The impact pushes the door inward. Paint gets scratched down to metal. Your door doesn’t close properly anymore.

Insurance covers most side impact damage. We straighten the door using hydraulic pulling systems. Then we check alignment precisely. Finally, we respray to match your original color. As a result, your door closes smoothly again with factory correct gaps.

Quarter Panel Collision Damage

Quarter panels form structural parts welded to your car’s frame. Side collisions crush these panels. Moreover, they can affect your entire car’s alignment. Rust around wheel arches also spreads into quarter panel structure.

This repair requires complex work. For example, we cut out damaged sections. New metal gets welded in place. We ensure perfect alignment. Then we blend paint across multiple panels. However, quarter panel work on modern cars with aluminum construction requires specialized techniques. Regulations mandate new parts only for aluminum.

Bonnet Dents from Hail or Impacts

Melbourne hail storms leave multiple dents across your bonnet. Additionally, minor front end collisions damage bonnets. Falling branches or shopping trolleys also create dents.

Small dents can often be repaired without full respray. In fact, paintless dent removal works perfectly for these. Larger damage needs the bonnet straightened and repainted. Severe damage where metal tears requires bonnet replacement. Fortunately, insurance typically covers hail damage under comprehensive policies.

Boot Damage from Rear Collisions

Getting rear ended pushes your boot lid inward. The impact damages the seal. Therefore, water leaks into the boot space. The damaged area rusts quickly in Melbourne’s wet weather.

Minor boot damage gets repaired by pulling dents and repainting. However, severe boot damage needs replacement. We fit a new panel and paint it to match.

Deep Scratches and Scrapes

Scraping concrete pillars leaves deep scratches along your panels. Tight drive throughs or narrow gates create similar damage. Paint gets gouged down to bare metal. Consequently, rust develops fast on exposed metal.

We sand the damaged area and apply filler where needed. Then we prime exposed metal and respray the panel. As a result, the repair blends invisibly with surrounding panels.

The panel structure remains solid with no tears or severe creases. Additionally, repair costs less than replacement. Damage affects mainly cosmetic areas like dents, scratches, or dings.

Furthermore, the repair maintains vehicle roadworthiness. Safety standards stay intact. Aluminum panels with only minor damage can also be repaired.

Our Panel Repair Process

Assessment and Quote

We inspect damaged panels thoroughly. This includes checking visible damage. Hidden issues underneath get examined too. We take photos and measurements.

As a result, you receive a detailed quote. The breakdown shows repair or replacement costs. Paint and labor appear separately. Quotes arrive within 2 hours.

Panel Repair Steps

Step 1: Straighten and Shape Hydraulic pulling systems carefully return bent metal to original contours. Hand tools help shape difficult areas. We cut out any rust completely. Then we weld new metal in place.

Step 2: Align and Measure

Our tram gauge measuring system ensures panels sit exactly right. Consequently, doors, bonnet, and boot operate smoothly. Panel gaps stay even across all sides.

Step 3: Prep and Paint

We sand the panel carefully. Primer goes on next. Then computerized color matching creates perfect paint. Paint gets blended into adjacent panels. Invisible transitions result from this technique. Finally, we wet sand and polish after curing.

Panel Replacement Steps

Step 1: Remove and Order

We remove the damaged panel carefully. Then we order your new panel. You choose genuine or aftermarket based on budget.

Step 2: Fit and Align

The new panel gets positioned using tram gauge measuring. This ensures factory accuracy. Perfect fit results from precise measurement.

Step 3: Join and Seal

We weld the panel in place. Some panels need bonding with adhesive. Others require riveting. The method depends on manufacturer repair guidelines for your vehicle.

Step 4: Paint and Blend

We color match the paint perfectly. Then we blend it for seamless finish. As a result, you cannot tell which panel we replaced.

Completion Times

Full replacement takes 5 to 7 days. Paint needs this time to cure properly. However, parts availability can extend timing. Uncommon or older vehicle models sometimes take longer.

Quality Checks

We inspect the completed repair under bright lights. Panel gaps get measured precisely. Additionally, we test doors and moving parts.

You see before and after photos. We demonstrate everything works properly. Finally, we provide your warranty certificate.