Anybody here ever work in a bodyshop?

[T0Y0TA]

Hi. Just wondering if anybody here has any experience or knowledge in the area of automobile damage estimation?

[TurboMedic]

In order to properly estimate damage to a vehicle, you need to have access to Mitchell manuals and such so you can estimate labour cost as well as part replacement.....Sure, anybody thats worked in autobody can eyeball an estimate, but its going to be way out to lunch.....I can promise that....I spent 4 years in autobody and did estimates...

[gofastmerc]

Sure, I've had my ticket for 13 years, and have been doing estimates for for the last 6 or so. What do you need to know?

[20incheyes]

Originally posted by TurboMedic
Sure, anybody thats worked in autobody can eyeball an estimate, but its going to be way out to lunch.....I can promise that....I spent 4 years in autobody and did estimates...

When I use to own a shop it became a fun challenge b/w my partner and I to bet on an estimate before one of us actually did it :) The stakes would only be lunch or apres round at the bar but it wasn't rare we were off by under $100, it was much more rare if we were 15%+/- off the repair cost. Given we only worked on a few "boutique" car lines so after a few years I could tell you the cost of almost every part on certain cars, but paint/blend times are the challenge to this game