Common Collision Repairs
So what can you expect to pay for different types of damage? That’s a hard question to answer with generalities. Vehicle repair costs vary depending on the type of vehicle in question and the severity of the damage. So with a luxury car, you’ll be on the high end of these ranges, while drivers of older, cheaper cars can expect to pay lower repair costs.
Windshield Replacement
If it’s only a small crack, a windshield repair can cost you less than $100. But the average cost of a full windshield replacement is usually several hundred dollars. That depends on whether you need specialized glass, which could put you into the $1,000+ range.
Fender and Bumper Repair
More than most bodywork, the cost of this repair will depend on the extent of the damage. A few dings on your fender or bumper will generally cost you between $200 and $600. But front or rear bumper or fender replacement is probably going to exceed $1,000 in overall costs and could be close to $2,000.
Your repair costs will be especially inflated if your car has sophisticated sensor and camera technology that gets damaged inside the frame. Those electrical systems and computers can be pricey to fix.
Suspension and Alignment
A ding on your car might result in a few paint scratches that look pretty harmless at first glance. But the real danger is that the impact to your car’s body has damaged the frame, shock absorbers, alignment, or suspension. This is when some pretty high repair costs come into play, and you’ll want to think carefully about involving your insurance company.
Paint Damage
If you’re only repairing your car’s body rather than replacing parts, a body shop might be able to use a repair process called paintless dent repair to smooth out dents without requiring touch-ups to your paint job. But often, you’ll need some paint in addition to almost any collision repair.
If you have an older car and a few paint scratches don’t bother you, it might be worth your while to just let them be. New paint jobs can be costly, at least a few hundred dollars for the most basic. If your car is a victim of significant vandalism and requires a brand-new paint job, you’d better have comprehensive coverage because that could cost several thousand dollars.