Getting Estimates For Painting Vehicle - Share Estimates Before Or After?

[Marilyn Manson]

I'm getting estimates to have a deep scratch on the side of vehicle repaired. This will be an out of pocket repair in the ~$700 range.

Trim will need to be R&I, paint blending will need to be done across panels. etc.

Would you share estimates between shops at the time of requesting their estimate or wait until you get each one, compare and then ask the shops about any differences?

I have one estimate already, so I know how they will do it. Just wondering if it makes sense to share that estimate with other shops to see if they'll do the same work for less money. I'll know right away if they try to lower the price by leaving out steps (e.g. No R&I trim strip, etc.) so I'll be able to question them on that.

As Hamlet once said: "To share or not to share, that is the question."

[Wade Garrett]

I wouldn't share.

I'm also the cheapest SOB on the block. But if a skilled craftsman tells me $xxx is what he'd need to do a repair, I might ask him if that was his sharpest pencil price...but would not try to bargain or bludgeon him down.

[Marilyn Manson]

On Friday, June 17, 2022 at 2:18:26 PM UTC-4, Rod Speed blabbered...

...some crap that was so easily flushable.

[Ed Pawlowski]

I'd get the rices first and then see what each offers. They may lower the price but may also lower the quality along with it.

If you trust the lowest price shop, go with it. Bargaining over the price of a fixed item is easy, but when skills and technique are involved, you are asking then to possibly cut corners.

[Marilyn Manson]

Body shop estimates, including the one I already have, break everything down to the x.y (e.g. 0.3) level as far as labor hours and supply costs, all at a stated rate for each. The estimate I have has 21 steps, listing every part that they will R&I, the creation of the paint test card, masking, etc.

Adjusting for any difference in the hourly rates, I see a few things that could lower the costs if I share estimates - and even if I don't:

- Not R&I some trim - easily noticed and easy to question.

- Using less paint supplies and/or less paint hours - again, easily noticed and easy to question.

- Not charging for fixed cost items such as car covers and waste disposal.

However, I wouldn't consider it "cutting corners" if they choose to e.g. charge less than the book rate to R&I parts. Take 0.1 hours off each R&I and they save me an hour of labor cost. IOW there are things that they can do to lower the cost without cutting corners.

Granted, I know that this a relatively inexpensive, straight forward repair. The biggest lever is the hourly rate and that is probably the only to place that any serious difference can be made. FWIW, the first shop I went to used my ins co's rates for the estimate since they are lower than normal out of pocket rates.

[Marilyn Manson]

On Friday, June 17, 2022 at 4:00:35 PM UTC-4, Rod Speed spit something through the gaps caused by his missing teeth, but no one cares what it was.