Can You Do Your Own Auto Body Work? In the Long Run, a Pro Is Likely Worth It
We get it. You’re in a fender-bender and get a dent, some scratches, or other collision damage. To save time and money, doing auto body repair yourself can be tempting.
But the real question isn’t “Can I do it?” It’s “Should I do it?” and, more importantly, “What is the long-term cost really going to be?”
At Stan’s Auto Body Shop in Bellingham, Washington, we help people all the time who’ve tried to DIY repair dents, door dings, and other types of damage. Our goal is to provide you with an honest assessment of the best way to repair your vehicle. That’s why we strongly encourage drivers to let a professional handle their collision repair.
In the long run, it saves you time, money, and a lot of headaches. Here’s a closer look at why.
DIY Auto Body Repairs Often Miss These Important Factors
Despite all of the YouTube videos, inexpensive repair kits, and other car repair resources for DIYers, these fixes often miss several important factors. These are the most common ones.
Hidden Structural Damage
Modern cars, trucks, and SUVs are complex machines. A new car will have an average of 60 to 100 sensors in different locations throughout the vehicle. Add in the growing number of cameras and safety features, and it becomes an intricate maze of wiring and connectivity.
For this reason, what looks like cosmetic damage could be masking more issues underneath, either to one of these systems or the car body itself. That’s why finding a how-to video on YouTube or purchasing a DIY dent repair kit may not cut it. In time, those hidden issues could prove problematic.
While a lot of effort goes into maintaining your vehicle’s appearance, the most important part is ensuring your safety. Further damage to the structural integrity of your car or truck could lead to issues with crumple zones or safety systems, letting important issues go unnoticed. Working with a professional will ensure you detect issues before they become a problem. This will assure you that your car will protect you when you need it most.
Perfect Paint Matching
Touching up your car’s paint job following a collision involves much more than finding the right shade of silver, white, or red. Even small changes in the paint’s color, shine, or application can be very noticeable if not matched perfectly. That’s why professional car painting is always worth the extra cost versus DIY car repainting.
Some of the common mistakes that make car repainting difficult to do yourself include:
Here at Stan’s, we’ve had to redo paint jobs from places that offer cheap car repainting. That’s why we recommend leaving the car repainting to the professionals.
Specialized Auto Repair Tools & Training
When you search online for “how to do auto body work yourself,” the results are often, at best, a shortcut. True, high-quality collision repair requires the right tools and training, which is difficult to match.
For flawless paint: Making your paint job invisible involves computerized paint-matching technology, temperature-controlled spray booths, and other high-quality equipment that only a professional has.
For minor dents: A pro can use advanced methods like paintless dent repair (PDR) to preserve your original paint while lowering the overall cost. That’s something a DIY dent repair kit can’t achieve.
Warranty & Quality Guarantees
A professional shop will stand by its bodywork, ensuring you don’t pay for a job that doesn’t pan out. At Stan’s, we place a full warranty on all of our labor, ensuring that you’re fully satisfied with our repair and repainting work.
The Potential Hidden Costs of DIY Auto Body Repair
We’ve said it once, but it’s worth repeating. The ultimate goal of a professional collision repair is to make sure your vehicle is safe to drive and that your systems will alert you when future issues arise. This peace of mind far outweighs any of the other costs when it comes to your vehicle.
However, there are other hidden costs to be mindful of.
Resale Value: The Ultimate Hit to Your Pocketbook
Aside from safety, this is the ultimate cost-benefit consideration. Could saving a few hundred dollars up-front with DIY auto body repair cost you a few thousand in resale value? Getting a professional opinion is the best way to be sure that your car takes the smallest possible hit to its resale value after an accident.
Lost Time & Frustration
Yes, you’re able to avoid the hassle of dropping the car off at the auto body shop. But the time spent researching how-to videos on the internet, finding the right materials, and waiting for them to cure could take days or weeks. And if there’s hidden damage underneath, it may still require a trip to a collision repair shop afterward.
That’s why taking your car to a professional right away can actually save you in the long run.
DIY vs. Professional Auto Body Repair: Is the Risk Worth It?
Ready to save time and money but still get a professional touch? Stan’s Auto Body Shop in Bellingham, Washington, offers free walk-in estimates – because we believe auto body repair shouldn’t be a hassle.
Our collision repair experts are available for estimates Mondays through Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Need to schedule an appointment instead? Contact us here.