new wing for A3

G_M

I hit a low bollard and damaged my nearside front wing.

I've been to 2 bodyshops and both quoted around £60 for a new wing. One then quoted £650 for labour, the other £150.

I accept labour charges might vary, but can the hourly rate and/or time taken be that diferent?

Haven't been to Audi as I suspect they'd want far more again.

Rain_Shadow

G_M wrote: »

I hit a low bollard and damaged my nearside front wing.

I've been to 2 bodyshops and both quoted around £60 for a new wing. One then quoted £650 for labour, the other £150.

I accept labour charges might vary, but can the hourly rate and/or time taken be that diferent?

Haven't been to Audi as I suspect they'd want far more again.

Do those labour costs include paint and materials?


I would say the £650 was a bit steep to replace a panel and paint it (although I don't know if there is anything very tricky about A3 wings). On the other hand £150 is remarkably cheap. How old is the car?

Rain_Shadow

Do you know anyone who has used either place? I have one excellent bodyshop near me, I wouldn't go anywhere else.

Stevie_Palimo

The £650.00 cost could involve as above replacing then spraying and in most cases it is not just simply painting the part replaced and you need to blend it in with another area, I know a good bodywork guy near me and he charges around £100.00 per hour labour only but is very good and when he did my car after some !!!! keyed it you could not see any difference.

AdrianC

A3? DM, is that you?

Anyway, how old an A3? The simplest and cheapest solution may be to find a used wing in the right colour. I suspect the cheap quote is just giving the new wing a quick blow-over, while the steeper quote is blending the new wing across the bonnet and door, with factory-standard rustproofing inside.

Rain_Shadow

AdrianC wrote: »

A3? DM, is that you?

.

:rotfl: I love the idea that G_M is DM in disguise.

agrinnall

AdrianC wrote: »

A3? DM, is that you?

Definitely not DM this time, G_M is probably the most highly regarded (in my opinion at least) poster on the Housing board.

AdrianC

agrinnall wrote: »

Definitely not DM this time, G_M is probably the most highly regarded (in my opinion at least) poster on the Housing board.

<whispers> I know. It was a joke.

m0bov

Maybe they include a courtesy tea and cake

atrixblue.-MFR-.

How much is it to buy a salvage already colour coded wing? body shop should only charge hour to swap over.

G_M

Thanks all.

Car is 5 years old.
Both costs include paint, but I recall the expensive place talking about 'blending in' and stuff whereas the cheap one didn't mention.
Unfortunately I've no experience of any local bodyshop, either personally or friends.
Good idea re the salvage wing, though labour seems to make up the bulk of the cost.
Both places had coffee machines - no cake!

[STRIKE]DM[/STRIKE] G_M