​​How Long Do Car Repairs Take?

You could be dropping your car off at an auto repair shop after an accident, or because you are planning to sell it and want to get it professionally assessed and repaired before that. No matter the reason, predicting how long the repairs would take exactly is always difficult. 

Every car repair job takes a certain amount of time, which depends on some variables. This includes – whether there is a need for replacement parts or not, if the existing parts can be salvaged, how long it takes to communicate with the insurance agency to get an auto repair estimate, etc. Besides, there are some common guidelines around how long it usually takes to repair different parts of a car that can help you get a rough idea about when to expect your car back after a car repairs Croydon service.

Car bumper repairs

It is usually the bumper that gets damaged first after a collision or a car accident. The decision to either repair or replace the bumper depends on how serious the damage is. If the bumper can be repaired, the repair work may involve;

• Adding filler to the bumper’s impact site
• Heating the filler
• Sanding the excess to smoothen the surface
• Welding the cracks
• Repainting the area so the damage isn’t noticeable

Typically, one can expect minor repairs such as bumper repairs to take a day, while bigger car repairs Croydon may need three or more days for restoring the car’s condition. And in case the bumper is heavily damaged, it is better to replace it with a new one. 

Repairing faulty headlight, brake light, or rear light

A faulty headlight or brake light is amongst the simplest car parts to repair, as it takes no more than a few minutes. Mechanics often advertise it as a ‘while-you-wait’ sort of task. Assuming that the mechanic has got the correct lights on hand, and it is only the light that is faulty with no underlying issue in the electrical system, the job in this case should take approximately fifteen minutes. However, if the headlight or brake light has shattered from an impact, it might take more time.

Exhaust repairs

When it comes to exhaust repairs, the amount of time it takes largely depends on how serious the damage is. For example, getting a muffler replaced should not take more than an hour, and the same amount of time is required for repairs concerning the mid-pipe. However, repairs related to the down-pipe are more severe and might take 2-3 hours.

Panel scratch repairs

With small scratches on the car panel, you can expect your car back from the auto repair shop on the same day as the process of repainting can be simple and quick. However, deeper panel scratches have to be filled with primer before the repainting process. The surrounding panels also have to be prepared for the process of painting by removing handles or mirrors. The process may take around 2-3 days.

Panel dent repairs

Small panel dents are easy and quick to repair, with PDR (Paintless Dent Repair) equipment removing them in a day. However, large dents on the car need specialist equipment, & in some cases, the car panels might also have to be replaced. These extensive repairs may take almost two weeks.

Car repairs can take anywhere from a few hours to several days, depending on the type of repair and the complexity of the problem. Check more about how long car repairs take, and find out ways to give you solutions. You can use these time estimates for different car repair services to determine how long car repairs Croydon takes.

At Kinghams Car Repairs Croydon, all repairs are carried out in line with the manufacturer’s recommendations. Call us on 0208 629 1420 or send an email today to get a free quote.