A damaged panel on an otherwise good vehicle is worth repairing properly. At KITH Bodyworks in Hackbridge, individual panel prices are fixed and VAT-inclusive for small and 5-seat cars. A door is £240 inc VAT. The front bumper is £240. The rear bumper is £180. The bonnet is £180. The boot lid is £300. The roof is £360. Quarter panels, front or rear, are £180 each. Trim and moulding repairs are £120 inc VAT. These prices cover preparation, primer, colour coat, lacquer, polish and refitting.
Panels are removed from the vehicle and placed on a paint stand before any preparation begins. Painting a panel on the car means the edges, inner faces and mounting points cannot be properly reached. Those are the areas that fail first when preparation has been cut short. A panel that has been properly prepared and painted off the car will last considerably longer.
Preparation is the stage that cannot be rushed. All wax, grease and contamination is removed. Any existing damage in the panel, scratches, chips, minor dents, is addressed before primer is applied. The primer is applied in multiple coats, flatted between coats, and sealed. Only then does the colour go on.
Colour matching follows the same computerised process as our other bodywork services. Factory colour code as the starting point, adjusted for the actual colour of the surrounding panels where fading has occurred. Under workshop lighting a match can look perfect but fail in natural daylight. We check under both conditions before the panel goes back on the car.
The multi-panel discount applies from the second panel onwards in a single booking. Each additional panel receives 20% off its individual price. Booking all damaged panels together in one visit is the most practical and cost-effective approach.
Panel prices increase for larger vehicles. 7-seat vehicles and SUVs add £40 per panel. 9-seat minibuses and crew vans add £80 per panel. Large panel vans and Lutons add £100 per panel. The additional charge reflects the larger surface area and greater material use on those vehicles.
