Heard a customer say 'just make it look good' for a quarter panel with frame damage

I was at the parts counter yesterday and the guy in front of me was telling his shop to just fix the visible damage on his truck, even though the estimate noted a bent rail. It made me think about how often we have to explain that a safe repair isn't just about the outer skin. How do you handle a customer who doesn't want to pay for the full structural work?

3 comments

3 Comments

noah_barnes1mo ago

That's wild they'd even think about skipping the frame work. The whole truck's structure could be off, not just a dent. How do you even start that conversation without sounding like you're just upselling?

price.jake1mo ago

Honestly, "the whole truck's structure could be off" feels like fear mongering sometimes. Most dents are just skin deep. A good body shop can pull and smooth things out without touching the frame. People throw around "structural damage" for every little fender bender. If it drives straight and the doors close fine, you're probably just paying for a scary word.

henry1011mo ago

Tell them to imagine their truck's frame is the skeleton of a house. You can slap new siding on a busted foundation, but the whole thing will sag and fail. I've had to walk away from jobs where the owner wanted a cheap cover-up, because my name isn't going on something that dangerous.