How‌ ‌to‌ ‌Make‌ ‌an‌ ‌Auto‌ ‌Body‌ ‌Repair‌ ‌Estimate‌ ‌and‌ ‌Sell‌ ‌a‌ ‌Repaired‌ ‌Car‌

If you got into a car crash and need to decide what you’re going to do with your now damaged car, an auto body repair estimate will give you a pretty good idea of what the cost of repairs will be. A collision repair estimate done by collision repair technicians will give you a fairly accurate list of costs required to get your vehicle up and running again. But what if the cost of repairs is more than your car is worth? Read on to help decide if you should repair it or sell your old used car that’s been in a collision. 

What Factors Influence the Cost of Auto Body Repair?

There are many factors that influence auto body repair costs. Obviously, things such as the make, model, and year of the car will make a huge difference. A brand-new Mercedes will cost much more to repair than a 15-year-old Honda. The second biggest factor that will influence auto body repair costs is just how much damage there is. A small fender bender might require you to replace only one of the bumpers, which is expensive enough on its own, but if that crash happens just a few miles an hour faster, you might have to replace headlights (or tail lights), the hood or trunk, and even a quarter panel. Obviously, things can add up pretty quickly. 

One other major factor that affects auto body repair prices is how much technology there is in your car. An older car isn’t going to have as many technological bells and whistles, so repairing them will be cheaper. Another unexpected factor that goes into the cost of repairs is how much paintwork will be needed. Some car companies can ship pre-painted replacement body panels to your shop that will just need a little bit of labor to install. For others, you will need the replacement part installed and then have a paint job to match it with the rest of the car. Consider that paintwork is one of the more expensive parts of auto body repair costs.

One final thing that will affect the cost of repairs is where you take your car to get it fixed. Dealerships are notorious for charging more than your local repair shop, but that doesn’t exactly mean your local repair shop is going to be cheap. AAA estimates that labor costs vary from $47 to $215 per hour! 

Average Prices for Auto Body Repairs

Wondering how to make an auto body repair estimate? Take it to your local mechanic. There are online estimators, but these should absolutely not be relied on for an accurate estimation. The only way to get an accurate estimate is to bring your car to an experienced mechanic and let an assessor do the estimating in person on your very car. This is the only way to answer the question: how much does my auto body repair cost? With that said, there are some average statistics that will help you get an idea of what the range of costs can be for an average-priced sedan. Here are a few numbers are taken from numerous consumer reports in the USA. 

How to Sell a Car after Auto Body Repair

If you get into an accident, your best bet is to determine if you want to repair it before selling it or sell it damaged as is. If you do get into an accident and choose to get the bodywork done before selling it, there are a few ways to decide how to sell a car after auto body repair. Here are 4 tips for selling your car after auto body repair:

1. Be honest. Any private buyer who wants to buy a new car will likely ask you for a CARFAX report (or will get one themselves). If you lie and say it’s never been in an accident, it’s easy for the buyer to see through your lies with a simple vehicle history report. If they see that you lied, it’s unlikely they will go through with buying it. 
2. Sell it at an auction. After an accident, your car's resale value can lose between 10% and 50%, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still people willing to buy it. You are much more likely for a quick sale at a car auction or wholesale seller than with a private buyer.
3. Trade it in for a new car. This is unlikely to be your best financial option because trading it in means you’re going to be selling it to a dealership. Dealerships are notorious for price haggling and are good at giving you the least amount of money for it. 
4. Sell your unwanted car for cash. This will be your best financial decision, especially if you want to cut your losses and don't want to pay the cost of repairs before selling it. JunkCarsUS will give you the fastest, easiest, and most profitable service out of any junk car buyer in the USA. 

If Your Car Was Totaled Consider Junking It 

Whether it’s a simple fender bender that’s the final straw in your long string of costly repairs to your car or it’s totaled beyond repair, don’t worry, because at JunkCarsUS, we buy totaled cars. As you can see, the cost of simple bodywork repairs will quickly add up, and even taking your damaged car to a repair shop will sometimes cost you for the repair estimate before they even begin fixing anything!

If you have a junk car that’s been damaged in a collision, consider selling your junk car to JunkCarsUS. With over 12 years in the industry, we’ve developed a simple three-step process to get rid of your car quickly and easily!

1. Contact us. Call us at (855) 547-1550 or fill out an online application. Give us the make, model, year, condition, and mileage of your car, and we’ll give you a cash offer over the phone. 
2. Accept our offer. We are sure you’ll be happy with our offer because we offer the highest price guarantee out of any junk car service in your area. 
3. Arrange for free towing. We will send a trusted tow truck driver to the location of your damaged car at the time most convenient for you and will have your car off your property in no time. We can even provide same-day service!

That’s how simple our three-step process is! We even fill out the paperwork for you, meaning all you have to do is sign on the dotted line, and the transaction is done. So if you have a damaged car and don’t feel like paying for the costly repairs, give JunkCarsUS a call at (855) 547-1550 today! 

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