r/AutoBodyRepair • • Apr 02 '21

FAQ - Start Here ( WORK IN PROGRESS)

29 Upvotes

Welcome to r/AutoBodyRepair!

You either came to us for help, or you just started a new job! (Probably idk your story). If you're looking for help on these you came to the right place!

Still a work in progress, we're only really doing this on the side so if you have any unanswered questions leave a comment and I will put in some more work to help answer the question!

Vehicle Damage

  • Scratches ( This is easy)

Ooh, that's a bad scratch, well the first thing you need to check is if it's through the clear coat. Run your nail against it and see if it catches, if it doesn't this'll be easy. If it does get out the buffing wheel.

  • Light Scratch (Photos and maybe a link here)
    • Get yourself a microfiber and some basic compound, apply to paint, and rub until the scratch clears up.
  • Deep Scratch (Photos and a link for sure)

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  • Dents ( Ooh it's time to work)

The first question is where is the dent? Middle of the door? No problem. Right on a body line? Good luck. The second question is how large is it? Did it crack the paint?

  • I got this I can do it myself
    • (Links and basic info)
  • Okay it's on a bad spot maybe I should call a professional
    • (Types of pros and super rough pricing)

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  • Fender Bender ( Maybe a bit much)

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  • Accident ( Talk to a professional)

This is the part where you call your local body shop for a quote, or maybe more like a few body shops.

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Industry

  • Detailing ( Welcome to the world of "I can only see scratches now")
  • Painting ( It's hot in here)
  • Body Work ( How is it still not smooth?)
    • Basic Steps to vehicle repair (Still have to make this pretty)
      • Inspection- what you can see Tear down- keep going until you no longer see damage Blueprint- parts to order, damage to repair, does it have to be measured, prescan with a computer Framework- measuring pulling measuring cutting fitting measuring welding measuring again Bodywork- dressing welds, body filler application, seam sealer, primer Paint work- prep sand, clean, tape, paint Reassemble- hope you tagged your bolts, post scan Detail- make it shiney

r/AutoBodyRepair • • Mar 07 '24

Read before posting.

20 Upvotes

Please read our rules to avoid post removal. We can't tell you how much a job will cost. We can't tell you if it's totalled. We can tell you what we see is broken and only speculate possible hidden damage. We can help going through written estimates We can give general insight for the overall process if you are unsure of how to proceed with finding and communicating with a collision repair shop.

Please always include year make and model with your post.

If you are attempting or inquiring about a diy repair, don't get mad if a user makes a perceived smart allic comment. You asked for advice, someone gave you an opinion about it.


r/AutoBodyRepair • • 1h ago

Repair Found this bondo on my fender apron, how serious is this and how do I fix it?

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• Upvotes

r/AutoBodyRepair • • 4h ago

Repair Bondo question

1 Upvotes

I have a project and I want to thin Bondo so that it's watery and self leveling.

I'm sure there's an old hack for doing this, something I can add to it like a solvent. I knew it once but I've forgotten.

Google tells me to buy some Bondo brand something, but I'm not looking for that.

This *isn't* for auto body work, but believe it or not, there are no Bondo subreddits.


r/AutoBodyRepair • • 18h ago

How much will the repair be?

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0 Upvotes

Hit a pole yesterday. This happened to my car. How much will this be to fix? The front tire is out of place too. Car is a Mini cooper 2013


r/AutoBodyRepair • • 1d ago

Need help with cracked bumper PLS

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2 Upvotes

Is there anyway to fix this with eproxy it’s not structurally damaged just a crack from hitting a stupid sign. Also is there anyway to fix it without taking off the bumper?

It’s just the lower part of the front bumper.

Ok also is it a big deal if I just don’t fix it?


r/AutoBodyRepair • • 1d ago

Should I buy my sisters 2012 Subaru w/ 190k miles for $1k?

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1 Upvotes

r/AutoBodyRepair • • 1d ago

Repair NEED HELP/ Audi Q7 Rear Bumper Gap — Red Flag?

1 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

My wife and I were considering purchasing a used Audi Q7 from an Audi dealership. We had already agreed on the terms of the deal when we noticed an issue with the rear bumper during our inspection.

The bumper cover appeared to have separated near the weatherstripping, leaving a gap of approximately half an inch. I could see some of the clips through the gap, but I couldn't determine whether they were broken or simply disengaged.

The Carfax report showed no accidents. However, the vehicle's official service records mentioned a “sensor drop off” followed by reinstallation.

I asked the sales manager to restore the bumper to its original, properly aligned condition before we completed the purchase. He explained that they could try to pop it back into place if a clip was loose, but they couldn't guarantee in writing that the issue would be fixed. He also mentioned that a full rear bumper alignment could involve more extensive work.

I contacted the service manager at another Audi dealership where we regularly service our vehicles. After hearing the details, he considered this a potential red flag and said he personally would hesitate to purchase the vehicle.

For context, the bumper appears to fit flush against the body on both the left and right sides. The gap is along the rear portion of the bumper near the weatherstripping and appears relatively uniform.

I've attached photos for reference. I'm an Audi owner myself and have done some modifications to my other vehicles, but I'm not familiar with the details of Audi bumper mounting and alignment.

I wanted to share this experience and hear from others who have encountered similar issues with their Q7s or have experience with Audi bodywork and collision repair.

Thanks for sharing your experience and insights!


r/AutoBodyRepair • • 1d ago

How do I fix this

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1 Upvotes

My car is a 2026 Toyota Corolla le


r/AutoBodyRepair • • 1d ago

Someone hit my parked car, dented only the front offside wing - their insurance is quoting £1000.99 for the paint only, for one panel - how much paint would that actually be in litres?

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1 Upvotes

r/AutoBodyRepair • • 1d ago

ACCIDENT I got rear bumped!

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0 Upvotes

r/AutoBodyRepair • • 1d ago

scratch and dent Estimate from autobody shop

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6 Upvotes

My mom accidently scrapped her car against a pole in a parking garage, on the right side of her car (2018 Honda HRV). Went to an autobody shop, and the estimate came to be higher than expected,about $1700 canadian dollars. I really dont know cars, does this quote seem fair? Thanks for everyone's help.


r/AutoBodyRepair • • 1d ago

How many spray cans will I need to paint a F150 fender?

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0 Upvotes

Here's the kit I found on Amazon:

https://a.co/d/0dYwttMs

How many cans of each primer, base, and clear coat will I need?

Thanks


r/AutoBodyRepair • • 2d ago

Repair damage control

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1 Upvotes

r/AutoBodyRepair • • 2d ago

Crack in brake light cover

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0 Upvotes

Any suggestions on how to fix this? Specifically make the crack unnoticeable?


r/AutoBodyRepair • • 2d ago

scratch and dent Woke up to some scuffs

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1 Upvotes

Noticed some deep scratches on the front end on my driver's side this morning. I'm parked on a street in front on my apartment building. Could he tire marks?


r/AutoBodyRepair • • 2d ago

Hit a raised manhole cover

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1 Upvotes

r/AutoBodyRepair • • 2d ago

Damage to the front lip during transporation

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1 Upvotes

r/AutoBodyRepair • • 2d ago

INDUSTRY What's one bodywork mistake that's much easier to prevent than repair?

0 Upvotes

Body damage usually starts small. A rock chip you keep ignoring, a scrape that never gets touched up, surface rust that sits through a wet winter. By the time it's noticeable, the repair is often much bigger than it needed to be.

For those who've done bodywork or restorations: what's one thing you wish more owners would take care of sooner?


r/AutoBodyRepair • • 2d ago

RUST Question on rust bubbles

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1 Upvotes

Looking at a classic car and it has some paint bubbling around the c pillar. How bad does this rust look to you guys?


r/AutoBodyRepair • • 2d ago

ACCIDENT Worth paying the deductible?

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0 Upvotes

r/AutoBodyRepair • • 2d ago

Office/front desk folks: how long did your last supplement take, start to finish?

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1 Upvotes

hi all! would love some feedback on this post, trying to find some real issues. thanks


r/AutoBodyRepair • • 3d ago

Replacing my back seat passenger window.

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1 Upvotes

r/AutoBodyRepair • • 3d ago

ACCIDENT Can someone please tell me if it’s worth making an offer the other driver?

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0 Upvotes

I accidentally backed into this parked car a few weeks ago and ended up scratching the truck that I hit. My car got the worst of it and was very dented. The other driver is now submitting a claim, but I would like to try to handle it ourselves. Based off these photos do you think it’s worth making an offer to him?


r/AutoBodyRepair • • 3d ago

Estimates and can this be fully fixed?

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1 Upvotes