Oh! I see. Still, it's already at a shop, and if I move it somewhere else, I'll have to pay for the time they spent taking it apart. Thanks again.

 

Buy nearly new instead of new and get a total respray.

 

Well, I heard back from the body shop. The damages come to $11,000. The minimum to total it was $14,000, so it's gonna be repaired. I'm getting all OEM parts, so if the shop does a good job, I'll be satisfied. Though waiting 3 weeks for completion is gonna be a drag.

 

That's awesome.

Hell of an expensive prang though. If they're insurance approved they'll know what they're doing. Insurance companies don't like throwing cash at repairs.

 

May I ask what year is your Fit?

I never understand why bodywork is so expensive, seems like a good business to be in. I mean you gotta weld stuff and it's not easy at all, but is it really that much harder than engine work to justify the labor cost? Or is it the materials?

 

Most body shops have about the same or lower hourly rates as other automotive repair shops. The welding is the easy part of body work. It's the detail and finish work that is time consuming. It was mentioned that the OP he is getting OEM parts. Have you checked the cost of OEM body parts recently?

I'm not a body mechanic but I have attempted some body repair. Before painting the panels must be straight and smooth so you cannot tell any body work was done. You cannot just bump it out with a hammer. Try it sometime and see how easy it is. After painting over something you thought was smooth it's heart breaking to find you can still see where the bondo is and find bumps and ripples in the body panels you thought were perfect.

Have you checked the cost of automotive paint recently? It all adds up.


Clifton

 

My Fit is a 2013.

Here's a breakdown of the estimate. Parts and labor come to about half and half.

Parts 4,287.07
Body Labor 3,088.80
Paint Labor 1,214.40
Mechanical Labor 527.00
Frame Labor 315.00
Paint Supplies 828.00
Miscellaneous 180.00
Other Charges 190.00

 

Hi all. I just wanted to give a quick update. I picked my Fit up on Friday, and she's back to her beautiful self! The body shop did a wonderful job. You'd never think it was in an accident.

EDIT: Yes, the cap for the tow hook is missing. The shop is still waiting for it to be delivered.

 

nice, but i think ur missing ur tow hook cover

 

That shiny unblemished finish looks like a brand new car. Very nice. You must be thrilled you were able to save it.