Car body repair is a fact of life for anyone who owns a car. From an ordinary door dent as the result of a run-in with a shopping cart, to a shattered windshield as the result of flying road debris, your car can be a magnet for dings, dents and other flaws. While a professional can best handle major body damage, you, the owner, can perform some of the smaller repairs yourself.
Car owners who live near the ocean experience first-hand the corrosive properties of salt on the body of a car. Owners who live in colder climates where the roads are treated seasonally with salt or other chemicals experience the same problem. On average, a body shop charges between $500 and $1,000 to repair body rust. This estimate varies depending upon the amount of rust, the type of repair (whether the car should be restored or simply have the rust removed) and the type of finish on the car.
You can usually remove a small amount of rust by yourself, which will save you some money on your car repair bill. Lightly sand the affected area with 80- to 100-grit sandpaper until you see bare metal. Then, clean and degrease the area thoroughly, and apply a coat of epoxy primer. Using a color that closely matches the color of your car, lightly brush and seal the affected area. Let it dry thoroughly, then sand lightly and reapply.
Every car owner is bound to find a dent on their car at some point. A body shop may charge $300 or more to fix even a small dent. With a dent pulling kit and a few household tools, you can easily repair this damage. Locate the center of the dent and drill a small hole into the affected area. Thread the dent remover through the hole, and gently pull until the dent pops out. Remove the dent kit and apply filler to the small hole. Once the filler has dried, sand, paint and finish the affected area.