Repair or replace: how we decide what to do with a damaged panel

If the metal can be worked back to its original shape without stretching it thin or needing a thick layer of filler, we repair it. If it's torn, sharply creased, rusted through or would take more labour to fix than a new panel costs, we replace it. Most decisions come down to those two tests, plus a few things about the car.

The condition of the metal

Steel has a memory up to a point. A rounded dent from a slow impact can be pulled and planished back close to flat, then finished with a skim of filler and painted. That keeps the factory panel, the factory seams and the factory corrosion protection.

A sharp crease, a tear, or metal that's been stretched (it won't hold shape and springs back) is different. You can fill it, but thick filler cracks over time and the repair never looks right along a body line. That's when a replacement panel is the honest job.

Bolt-on versus welded

Guards, bonnets, boot lids and doors bolt on. Replacing one is straightforward: fit, align, paint. Quarter panels, sills and roof skins are welded into the body. Replacing those is a bigger job with cutting, welding, sealing and corrosion treatment, so we repair welded panels wherever the metal allows, and reserve replacement for heavy damage.

Labour versus parts

A badly dented door might take many hours to repair. A replacement door skin or a quality used door plus fitting and paint might cost less. We work out both and quote the one that gives the best result for the money. On a private job we'll often show you both options.

New, used or aftermarket

• Genuine new: perfect fit, highest cost, sometimes a wait.
• Aftermarket new: cheaper, fit varies by brand; fine for many bumpers and guards.
• Quality used (second-hand genuine): a genuine panel from a wrecker, often the same colour. Good value on older cars.

We'll tell you which we're quoting, and why.

What's behind the panel

A replacement is also an inspection. When a guard comes off we can see the inner guard, the headlight mount and the bonnet hinge. If something's bent back there, it gets fixed before the new panel goes on, otherwise the gaps will never be right.

Resale and insurance

Buyers and inspectors look for filler with a magnet or a paint-depth gauge. A well-repaired panel with a thin skim is fine. A panel full of filler shows up and knocks the value. On newer cars that's an argument for replacement; on an older car it may not matter.

Insurance assessors apply their own rules on repair versus replace times, which we work within on claims.

Aluminium and high-strength steel

Some newer cars use aluminium bonnets and doors, or high-strength steel in structural areas. Aluminium needs different tools and doesn't take repair the way mild steel does; high-strength steel often can't be heated or re-worked and must be replaced. We'll check what your car is built from before we quote.

The short version

• Shallow, rounded, paint intact: paintless dent removal.
• Rounded dent, paint broken: repair, fill lightly, paint.
• Sharp crease, tear, rust, stretched metal: replace.
• Welded panel with moderate damage: repair if at all possible.
• Labour would cost more than a part: replace.

Send photos through the quote form and we'll tell you which column your damage is in. More on the panel beating page.