Picking up a few dents or worse on your vehicle is never any fun. If your vehicle needs to be taken into an auto body shop for repair, chances are you are already mourning the dollars that are about to come out of your emergency fund. But if you are willing to show a little initiative here, you may be able to mitigate the damage to your wallet. Here are three potential ways you could save some money at the auto body shop.

Inquire About Used or Recycled Parts

Just as there is a significant mark up on a new vehicle compared with a pre-owned one, there is also usually a mark up on brand new auto parts when compared to ones that are used or recycled. Tell the auto body shop you are on a budget and are OK with used or recycled parts being used. A good auto body mechanic will likely have contacts at a local junkyard and may be able to source the parts that you need for less money than order new from the car maker.

Inquire About Paintless Dent Repair

If the fix you need is to undo a dent, ask your auto body shop if paintless dent repair is an option. PDR is usually much less expensive than a traditional body repair. In these cases the mechanic can use special methods to try and fix the dent without having to use any paint, sanding or body filler. Not every dent can be handled this way of course, but if you let the mechanic know you are open to the option, it might save you a few bucks.

Ask About Labor Fees

Before you agree to terms with an auto body shop, ask them to break down the exact charges for everything from the parts to the labor to any other fees. Some Mom and Pop style auto shops might be willing to negotiate with you a bit on the labor fees if they know you are shopping around for the best deal. Also be sure to check the final bill after the repairs have been made and make sure everything matches up with the initial agreement.

If your car is badly in need of an auto body repair and you are short on extra cash, ask the shop about using recycled parts or paintless dent repair to fix the issue. Mention you are shopping around for the best deal and you might get the shop to cut a few dollars off of your bill. To get started, reach out to a local auto body shop, like Select Collision Group, today.

Share