Why does auto body repair cost so much in Escondido?

Why does auto body repair cost so much in Escondido?

Question: I have a simple dent on my Honda Accord. The paint isn't even scratched or damaged. My local shop in Escondido wants to charge $700 to repair, match paint, and everything. Is this normal?

Answer : $700.00 seems a bit high for one small dent repair in the Escondido market. The price should probably be about half of that if paint can be kept on one panel. Keep in mind that prices vary depending on the area that you live in. However our shop is right here in Escondido and our labor rates are pretty average for Escondido per labor hour, but Insurance companies will only pay $36 per labor hour. When we do a repair through their Direct Repair Program, we have to stick to that rate. However we can charge our normal hourly rate that is stated in our shop for a customer paid job like a small dent repair. So, labor price depends on your area and on whether or not you are using your insurance company to pay for the repair.

Another factor that might impact your quote is the price of materials and for paint. Even the color makes a difference. Although most paints generally cost the same, some shops here in Escondido charge more for red than they do for white because it takes more coats to spray red believe it or not. It is more translucent and you can sometimes see variances in the primer or sealer underneath if not sprayed properly. Our cost on materials continues to rise also. The Escondido shop that gave you an estimate might have raised the price on their materials to cover the costs as well.

If you don't mind taking a few short cuts or if the shop really wants your job at a lower price, there are things that they can do and that some insurance companies insist we do. For example, they could only charge you for partial panel paint and just blend the repair into the existing panel, and only clearcoat the entire panel. That brings materials and labor price down considerably.

If it is a quality shop, they may just be a little bit higher than other body shops in Escondido.

If there is no damage to the paint you might ask if it can be repaired through PRD or Paintless Dent Removal. Keep in mind this only works for some dents and only in some areas. If the dent is on top of a panel bracing and we cant get to the underside, we won’t be able to work the dent out. Same thing goes if it is a really wrinkled dent, but those usually have some paint loss as well so it sounds like your dent is too large even though the paint wasn’t damaged.

Is the panel an easily replaceable one such as a trunk or a fender? You might want to call around to some junk yards or even look online for a replacement panel. You could take that panel in to your local Escondido auto body shop and ask them to paint it, them make the swap yourself if you have access to the right tools and some mechanical skill. While this will take you some time, your own labor is free.

Hopefully this helps you get a feel for why auto body repair costs what it does. If you need a second opinion on any auto body repair quote that you received in Escondido feel free to bring your car into us for an estimate.