Mr. Samurai

I recently took my car 2000 si to an autobody and dropped it off on saturday so they could give me an estimate. All I wanted them to do was to weld the radiator support/bulkhead and today they called me and quoted me 1200-1500 dollars to do it. I know its hard to weld the support nice and even but it sounds a bit unreasonable, even if they do have to take out the fenders, radiator, and ac. I mean i can do most of that myself. HELP. What i want to know is if im getting ripped off.

solsteeler

That seems a little high considering they are not replacing any parts. Then again labor rates are pretty high these days. Did they give you a printed estimate for the work? If so what did they put on there, I used to work for a body shop.

zigs

Yes that is a lot of money for very little work. You should take the fenders and headlights and such out yourself get a spot weld bit a regular drill bit will also work but takes a lot longer drill the old one off yourself and then just have a shop weld the new one on for you assuming you dont have a wire feed.

1.6L_of_PURE_power

Yeah don't pay that smack. Thats way too much for a support weld. Try to find someone who charges about half that.

Ricey McRicerton

Body shops are on 36 dollars an hour nowadays..seems like they would have to put a LOT of hours into that. Frame machine may run closer to 50 or 60 dollars an hour though.

Ronin Panda

yea prices are high..i charge $50 an hour...but for somthing like that id probally charge 2-300 bucks

maxrpm

Take it to a couple more body shops and see how much they charge. I was in an accident and took it to three places. One place wanted to charge me like 3000 and the insurance quote was 3100. I told him another shop was going to fix the car for 1600 and the shop said they could do that..... Shady shop to me so I never went back.

clm

That price sounds like it includes the labor to pull and straighten the unibody.

Mr. Samurai

Well I bought the radiator support and took out the front bumper and headlights, I looked at the frame where the fenders bolt on to but it looks straight but then again it MIGHT be bent but i really really doubt it. I told the body shop that I ordered a new bumper and new fenders and where already on the way, and at the time when i dropped of the car it was saturday and the guy who did estimates had already left. So i left it there over the weekend since my hood wouldnt close due to the latch being misaligned. If the costs were going to be that high i would of decharged(sp?) my ac and taken out the fenders and bumper support. *sigh* Any one know of any other place in the southern california area that might be able to help out a civic guy in need? thx alot guys.

distortedfuture

way too high.

mike93eh

bah do it yourself!! rent a wleder or hell..drill some holes and bolt the radiator support on.

mattjcali22

That is way too high for that. Look else where definetly.

Mr. Samurai

I just got off the phone with them and they said the lowest they could go is 1300 dollars. well i guess I'm not going with them anymore, so if anyone knows of a reputable body shop in the 909 626 area code please PLEASE let me me know.

grizzly adams

try another body shop. thats expensive labor charges.