$3000 for replacing a bumper??? Damn I wish I got paid that much...

Infact its a whole lot less then that guys. Also we much prefer private work compared to insurance... Food for thought. If you have a big enough crash that the motor has to be removed the insurance company will pay a mechanic around $85p/h to remove the unit. If I was to do it they pay us a whopping $31p/h.. Thats right we remove a handfull of engines a year, mechanics do it all the time so they are pretty quick at it. Say it takes them 5 hours, thats $425. Ok they will pay us to do it in 5 hours aswell. Remember we are not as fast as the mechanic so it will most likely take us all day 8hours but they still pay us $31 for 5 hours thats $155. But it takes us 3 hours longer so its more like $19 an hour.. GET THE POINT. In truth guys panel shops are paid crap compared to other trades. $31 compared to $85.

That $31 is for everything though bumpers panels doors everything. If you get your washing machine fixed its a $60 call out fee. Same for a locksmith. Then its atleast $60 an hour.

Sorry for the winge but insurance companies suck massive balls.

Mike

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If it cant be fixed with a hammer it cant be FIXED!!

Yeah, i dont think people realise that it really comes down to good preperation on the body! Thats where the time and money gets spent! Any fool can put a glossy coat of paint on, but its the metal work that takes the time and money. Plus the little things like door gaps, and panel alignment.

The way i see it is, why go to a fair bit of effort to prep the car partially and put a semi decent paint job on it, when in 12mths time the thing breaks out in rust and looks like crap and has to be redone again?

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