Quotes to repair the same dent or crushed panel can differ a long way. Asking each panel shop the same questions shows what is being fixed and what is being replaced.
Quote sheetSmash repairs
Questions to ask each business, with a column for each of three quotes
Ask each business
Quote A
Quote B
Quote C
BusinessIts name, and who you spoke to.
01Will you look at the car before giving a price?A quote from photos may change once the panel is off.
02Which panels will you repair, and which will you replace?Ask for each one listed on the quote.
03Will the new parts be from the car's maker, or another brand?Ask what the price difference is.
04How will you match the paint?Ask whether the panels next to the repair are blended in.
05Will you call me if you find more damage underneath?So nothing beyond the quote is done until you have said yes.
06How long will you have the car?And what can hold up parts arriving.
07Is a loan car offered while mine is with you?Ask if there is a charge for it.
08What warranty do you give on the paint and the repair, and for how long?Ask what it covers, and for it in writing.
Ask each business the same questions and write the answers side by side. Printed, the sheet fills one page, with a column for each of three quotes.From smashrepairs.net.au, a concept page.
What changes the price
Ask each shop which panels it would repair and which it would replace. Pulling out a dent and refinishing the panel costs differently from fitting a new one.
Parts and paint come next. Ask each shop which parts they are pricing and how much of the car around the damage will be painted.
Before you book the car in
Take clear photos of the damage from a few angles in daylight. They help a shop give a first price and show the car's state on the day it went in.
Empty the car of anything you will need while it is away, and note the odometer reading when you hand over the keys.
Shows whether a business's ABN is active or cancelled, its business type and its GST status, and the Register says the public can use it to check a business before buying.