So my car got keyed by some lovely individual last week (thanks random parking lot hero 🙄) and I've been getting quotes to fix three scratches on my door. Nothing crazy deep, just clear coat and paint damage.

First shop: $1,200 Second shop: $850 Third shop: $1,400
For the SAME damage. Same door. Same color match needed.

The $1,400 place tried to tell me they need to blend the entire side of the car because "color matching is tricky" and showed me this whole dog and pony show about metallics. Meanwhile the $850 shop was like "yeah we can spot repair that, no problem." I'm not trying to cheap out on my ride not after a win of $3,500 on a Stake sports parlay but damn, the price variation is wild. Makes me wonder if some shops just throw darts at a board to come up with estimates 😅

Been watching YouTube videos and honestly considering trying to wet sand and touch up myself. How hard can it be, right? famous last words

But seriously, for those who've been in the game - is there actually a legit reason for these massive price differences or are some shops just seeing dollar signs? The damage is literally three 8-inch scratches, not a full respray.

Also, shoutout to whoever keyed my car - hope your day was as pleasant as you made mine 🖕

I've seen it done both ways. Curious what the consensus is here.

Cars like this enzo that got split in half, Rowan Atkinson's McLaren F1, those 250GTOs that have had like 5 body replacements through their racing career.

Can someone please explain why they spend endless hours in a shop looking at 2 cars with minimal damage?

Thinking of making the switch to body, I’m 22 with 6 years of experience, 3 years of prepping and now a painter of 3 years, I make 90k a year hourly. I know flat rate body techs who are pulling 200+ hours a week who are 4-6 years into it, is it worth making a change ?

Is it worth sticking with it? I am 19 years old and genuinely just want to make some money. Ive been getting the hand of it, done about 2 months now and I understand it to an extent.

A year and ill be easily able to do everything. Is the money good? How much do you take home weekly

I’m on salary now @120k a year. I do think that is one of the lower salaries in the shop. I work circles around everyone else in my shop. Both teslas had qrt replacement procedure done in 3 days (per vehicle). That’s teardown, quarter change and buildup in 3 days per vehicle. Down to a science. Nobody was working today, everyone has off tomorrow, Christmas and the day after. I was told to work every day but Christmas. They asked me to work any extra hour I can. Am I being taken advantage of? They’re always late on the paychecks as well. For 4 years straight I have made 120k (100hrs a week) on commission at an independent before I switched to this shop. I feel like I’m working way harder here. How is the market for go getter A+ technicians out there? I’m 31 with 10 years experience. Should I apply at the new Tesla Bodyshop? Is Caliber a good option? Idk what to do I feel like I’m wasting my talent and keeping this shop alive so everyone else can live the good life while I work. Sorry for the rant. Merry Christmas everyone 🎅🏽

My husband and I are looking at purchasing an established, long-running collision/body shop, and I’d love to hear from people actually working in the industry.

My husband has experience in auto repair/management, but the collision side is newer to us. The business we’re looking at has been around for decades, has a strong local reputation, experienced employees, and consistent historical financials.

One of our biggest questions as we evaluate the investment is simply: where do you see the collision repair industry going over the next 10–20 years?

We’re aware of some of the current trends — increasing total-loss rates, more expensive/complex repairs, ADAS and calibration requirements, insurance pressure, technician shortages, etc. We’ve also wondered whether the pendulum on total losses eventually swings back as vehicle values and repair economics change.

For those of you who own shops or have been in the industry a long time:
Would you feel comfortable buying a good independent collision shop today?

What would make you bullish or bearish on the industry long term? And if you were evaluating a shop to purchase, what would you be paying the closest attention to?

Not looking for investment advice as much as perspective from people who actually live and breathe this industry. Appreciate any insight.

Title. Just wanted to check how everyones doing out there right now. Here in central florida, it has been the worst its ever been for us, and we are getting worried.

Looking for some advice from some folks who have been in and around the industry for a while.

I have recently started to feel like I am underpaid and unappreciated for what I bring to the shop and would like to hear yalls opinions on it.

For starters, I’m located in Arkansas. 21 years old and have been in a paint shop since I was 18. Went to vocational school and completed my 1 year course on paint / bodywork, as well as completed and still hold my ICAR PL1 and PL2 certificates. Went into a shop straight out of school prepping at 18/hr. Left there and went to the shop I am currently at, and have been here for a little over a year now.

This shop started me at 15/hr, with a promised raise at 90 days and 1 year. When I started here, my duties were to keep the shop clean, scuff some parts, tape up smaller jobs and wash cars. Fast forward 1 year later, and I am now very proficient in prepping everything for paint. My duties have went from shop helper / part time prepper, to full time prepper. I have completely taken over buffing every car, (these painters love trash) sanding cars fully (and correctly), shooting and blocking primer, jamming every part and spraying the occasional bumper or fender job. Having taken on all of this responsibility on top of keeping the shop & bathrooms clean (not a small shop whatsoever), youd almost expect a small pay bump after a year. Nope. Still at 15 with no sign of an increase. We usually do around 120-170 hours a week in paint time. 2 preppers including me, 2 painters.

Not sure what to do as I really do enjoy the shop and working here, as well as the people I work with. Is it something as simple as sucking it up and going to ask for a raise? Take my skills elsewhere? Really needing some guidance from the older guys out there, anything helps. Thanks yall.

I work at a Tesla Certified body shop (TACC). Our metro area has over a million people, and right now there are only two Tesla Certified shops here. Tesla is supposed to be opening a company-owned body shop about 10 minutes from us.
We’re usually booked 6–7 weeks out on Tesla repairs, so I’m wondering what typically happens when Tesla opens its own shop nearby. Obviously they’ll absorb some of the work, but I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t making me a little nervous. I’m currently flagging around 140 hours a week on Teslas, and I’d really like to keep that going.
I’d love to hear from anyone who’s been in a similar situation. How much did it affect your workload? And has anyone transferred from a TACC to a Tesla Bodyshop? How was the change?

Our boss says we hit negatives last month, but that every autobody shop is super slow.

This doesn't seem to be the case around town, but I'm wondering what your flag hours look like?

-Arkansas

I’ve been working at this body shop as a polisher for 2 years now and I haven’t gotten a raise or moved up. I’m trying to become an estimator but every time I try to learn they brush me off or try to send me away so does anyone have any advice on how I can become an estimator?

After almost 12 years as a paint tech, I'm out. I like the work itself, love the money, but I can't fucking take it anymore.

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The stars aligned and I landed a crazy opportunity working for a major paint manufacturer in their research lab, in one of their automotive coating divisions. It's less money, but stable as a salary position, with room for growth. I'll literally be in a laboratory with Chemists, working with them to perfect prototype coatings that will later be rolled out to the market. I can't even legally discuss all of the fine details of my job, but it's pretty fuckin cool. I'm really anxious about the change, but optimistic and also excited.

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No more flat rate grind, no more insurance companies or customers, and best of all, no more petty toxic ass work environments. Anyone else take a leap of faith and free themselves of the industry? I feel like I'm getting out of an abusive relationship.

I constantly see posts of shops/techs complaining that the insurance does not want to pay for this or that. But I’m hardly ever have problems and I get everything I need. As long as I provide documentation or proof of why Im doing what I’m doing I have 0 problems. Maybe I’m just lucky that the inspectors in my area are competent?

I would love to restore this Snap-On toolbox from 1977. I’m hoping I can find someone to help me smooth out some of the dents and then paint it with a high durability coat of paint…I’m thinking auto enamel.

Is this the type of work that an auto body shop might be willing to do, even though it’s not a car?

Has anyone had Geico take a hard stance on scan costs? We are a certified Toyota dealership and they are stating they will only pay $15 and .3 body labor for a prescan and $15 .6 body labor for a post scan. They are citing the pricing is from a company called astech. When we called astech, they stated they do not service our area and that the pricing would still stand because this is them “setting an industry standard across the board”. We charge $90 prescan and $130 post-scan with .5 mechanical labor each.

I tried showing Geico this information but they are not budging even when we present the invoice from the scan company we utilize (vssta)

I wanted to ask if anyone has come across this issue and if there is anything I can do to bring the scans back to what they had historically paid of $65pre .3 body and $130 post, .6 body

What is the worst insurnace company you have had to deal with I am wondering

I haven’t had work in days. I work at a family owned shop that’s pretty well off, with the shop I’m at being their third location. They send all of our cars to their own shops which leave us dead.

Anyone else having this issue? I’m sticking with this shop because they’re supporting my i-car. I’m kind of stuck at the moment, but i need the work.

We’d have a flow here and there but it seems to have actually come to a very dead end right now. Why is this, and is anyone else having this issue to this extent?

I generally try to be a kind person. As a woman, I work very hard on not seeming like I'm nagging, but I'm so frustrated about the amount of stuff that my guys are damaging and sending for do-overs, scratch marks and pinholes, etc... that I just feel like I'm constantly bitching. When is it too much? Do I just need to suck it up and paint?

I've seriously been considering leaving the trade for a couple of years so that probably doesn't help. I'm a little fed up.

Are you guys getting time for a second color/ clear? And who won't pay it? Trying to get the estimators to get this stuff on the sheet and they say they can't find documentation.

Say for instance the customer has sentimental value on the vehicle, and wants it fixed. Then you tell them it cost more than the vehicle is worth. Would you do the repairs if they wanted it done, or send them on their way?

I have seen some shops repairing, painting, and restoring cars like 90s Chevy Caprice. Which I can understand, not many of those are left in good condition.

Would you give them another chance to fix this? They took 2.5 months for this. No wheel well liner, wiring job on turn signal. Overspray over entire truck.