05/02/2026
What’s the difference between a cheap paint job and an expensive repair?
Some things are obvious.
Painting bumpers with grilles still fitted. Masking around trims instead of removing them. These jobs often look fine at first — but months later you’ll see peeling paint, rough edges, or premature wear.
What most people don’t see is that the real difference happens long before any paint is mixed.
Modern cars come with specific manufacturer repair methods for stripping, preparing, painting and refitting panels. Paint manufacturers also specify how surfaces must be prepared, dried and cured. Following those methods takes more time. Many bodyshops don’t follow them — because time costs money.
Insurance companies don’t care how closely those methods are followed. Their priority is getting the car back on the road as cheaply as possible. As long as it looks acceptable on collection day, the job is considered done.
That’s why two repairs can look identical at first… and age very differently.
At our Crown Collision, we follow manufacturer and paint system repair methods — even when it takes longer. Most customers will never see the extra work. Some will never know the difference.
But someone will!!!
Whether it’s when you trade it in, sell it on, or it’s spotted by someone with a keen eye in a car park….. And that’s all assuming the job doesn’t fail like the one in this picture.
