How long do smash repairs take?

A bumper scuff is usually one to two days. A single panel with paint is two to three. A multi-panel collision repair is a week or more, and anything waiting on parts or an insurance assessment takes longer. Those are the honest ranges for most of the work we see at Moss St; the exact time comes with your quote.

Why repairs take as long as they do

A panel repair isn't one job, it's a sequence, and some steps can't be rushed:

1. Strip: remove the bumper, lights, trim and anything in the way.
2. Repair: pull and work the panel, or fit the replacement. Check behind it for hidden damage.
3. Prep: fill, sand, prime, sand again. Each coat has to cure before the next.
4. Paint: mask, colour-match, spray colour and clear in the booth.
5. Bake: the booth bakes the paint hard.
6. Reassemble: refit everything, align panels and gaps.
7. Polish and check: de-nib, polish the blend edges, wash, final inspection.

Paint and primer cure times set the floor. Even a small job needs a day for prep and a day for paint, which is why "same day" is rarely honest for anything that needs colour.

Typical time frames

• Bumper scuff or scratch respray: 1–2 days
• Cracked bumper repair and respray: 2–3 days
• Paintless dent removal (a few dings): often same day
• Single panel repair and paint: 2–3 days
• Panel replacement and paint: 3–5 days, parts permitting
• Multi-panel collision repair: 1–2 weeks or more
• Hail car (PDR): a few days once booked; longer with panel replacement

These assume parts are in stock and there's no insurance wait.

What makes it longer

Parts. A genuine bumper or guard for a common car is usually a day or two away. A panel for an older, rarer or European car can be weeks. We'll tell you when we quote, and we order before the car comes in where we can so it's not sitting.

Hidden damage. When a panel comes off and there's bent metal behind it, the job changes. We stop, call you (or the assessor) with the extra and the new time frame, and carry on when it's approved.

Insurance. On a claim, the assessor has to approve the quote before work starts, and any extras after. That can add days at each step. Private jobs skip that.

Paint complexity. Three-stage pearls and tricky metallics take longer to match and may need blending across more panels.

The queue. After a big hail storm or a long weekend, every shop is full. We'll give you a realistic booking date rather than an optimistic one.

How to keep it short

• Send clear photos first so we can quote and order parts before you drop off. Use the quote form.
• Decide early on private versus insurance. Our guide helps.
• Drop the car off in the morning so the day isn't lost.
• Tell us about any previous repairs on the same area.

Will I get a courtesy car?

Ask when you book. Insurance policies sometimes include a hire car; private jobs are case by case.

We'd rather quote three days and hand the car back in three than quote one and call you with excuses. Call us on 0402 106 456 if you've got a deadline and we'll tell you straight whether we can meet it.