Buying a Car With a Damaged Body: Know Your Costs

Here is a list of common auto body repair costs. With this guide, should you choose to move forward in the purchase of a vehicle that is in less-than-stellar condition, you can either have the current owner put money towards the repair costs to warrant their asking price or you can barter the expenses you'll put into the car to get your purchase price down.

Whether the paint is peeling on the car you're considering or there are rusted areas or deep scratches in the existing body, a paint job for an entire vehicle is a costly expense. The average cost to paint a vehicle is around $1,000 or more, although a basic paint job can cost much less if there is no other extensive damage to the car.

Paint matching can be costly as well, especially if the car you're considering is painted a custom shade that is difficult to match. Your auto body mechanic will give you a quote for paint restoration so you can forward this information to the seller.

Rust accumulates in areas where a car has been dented or severely scratched and can also be found in a vehicle's undercarriage. Rust is not only unsightly, but the red substance also continues to damage a car's body by eating away at metal and compromising the durability of the vehicle's frame. Rust removal costs an average of $500 to help restore a vehicle to better condition and can double if rust damage is extensive.

Repairing a dent in a car is cheaper than you'd think: the average cost for removing a minor dent starts at around $50 per inch. If a dent involves deep scratches or the vehicle is rusted where dents have occurred - which is common if a dent causes paint to wear away and expose the metal components of a car's body - expect the price to go up.

Some dents in fiberglass parts of a vehicle, such as in the bumper or fender, are more costly to repair because once these areas of the vehicle are damaged they require full replacement. If a car you're considering has any front or rear-end damage, get an estimate from an auto body repair specialist prior to buying the vehicle. Bumper and fender replacement costs vary depending on the type of vehicle.

If the current owner of the vehicle has insurance on the car still, ask if the person is willing to claim the windshield on their auto insurance to have the unit replaced. Some insurance companies don't make vehicle owners pay a deductible for windshield damage repair as long as they have comprehensive coverage on the car in question.

Otherwise, the cost to repair or replace a windshield is relatively inexpensive, costing hundreds of dollars for windshield replacement. Older vehicles are typically cheaper to perform windshield replacement on than newer ones, so keep this in mind as you shop for cars.

While buying a vehicle with auto body damage is often cheaper than a similar car in better physical condition, you can save more money by researching your potential investment costs to help offset your car purchase price. Allow our team of experts at Coats Auto Body & Paint to give you a quote for auto body repair services today.