Why the Panel Matters as Much as the Damage
Most people assume the size of a dent is the main thing that decides the price. Size does matter, but the panel it sits on often matters more. Some panels are flat and easy to reach. Others are curved, sit close to other parts of the car, or need to be partly removed before a technician can even start work. The shape and position of the panel affects how long the job takes, which tools are needed, and whether paint is involved at all.
Bonnet Dents
Bonnets are large, mostly flat panels, which sounds like it should make repairs cheap. In reality, bonnets often have strengthening ribs underneath the surface, and they sit at eye level where any imperfection is easy to spot. A shallow dent with no paint damage can often be sorted with paintless dent removal, which keeps the cost down. Once the paint has cracked or chipped, though, the whole story changes, since bonnets usually need a wider blend area to avoid a visible line where the new paint meets the old.
Door Dents
Doors are one of the most common places for dents, usually from car park knocks or another vehicle’s door swinging open. The good news is that door panels are often flat enough for paintless techniques to work well, keeping costs on the lower end. The tricky part is that doors have wiring, locks and window mechanisms hidden behind the panel, so if the dent is deep or sits near an edge, a technician may need to remove trim before starting, which adds labour time.
Wing Dents
Wings, sometimes called front fenders, tend to curve sharply around the wheel arch. This curve makes them harder to access from behind, which rules out paintless repair for many wing dents. Wings also sit next to headlights, bumpers and bonnets, so colour matching has to be spot on or the difference will be obvious from a few metres away. This is one of the reasons a small dent on a wing can sometimes cost more than a larger, flatter dent elsewhere on the car.
Bumper Damage
Bumpers are made from plastic rather than metal, so they are repaired differently altogether. Small scuffs and light dents can often be filled and refinished without replacing the whole bumper, but cracks or damage near sensors and parking cameras usually mean a full bumper repair or replacement is needed. Bumpers are also curved and moulded around lights and grilles, so blending new paint in neatly takes a steady hand and the right equipment.
Approximate Cost Guide by Panel
The table below gives a general idea of how panel type affects the price. These are broad ranges only, and a proper quote will always depend on your specific car and the extent of the damage.
| Panel | Paintless Repair (No Paint Damage) | With Paint Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Bonnet | £70 – £160 | £250 – £600+ |
| Door | £60 – £150 | £200 – £500 |
| Wing | Often not suitable | £250 – £550 |
| Bumper | Not applicable (plastic) | £150 – £450 |
Why Paint Work Changes the Price So Much
Paintless dent removal is popular because it avoids paint altogether, which keeps costs down and repair times short. As soon as paint is involved, several extra steps are needed, and each one adds to the bill.
The first thing a technician checks is whether the colour is solid or metallic. Solid colours are single layer and much easier to match, since there is no pattern of tiny metal flakes to line up. Metallic and pearlescent finishes have multiple layers, and even a slight difference in how the paint is mixed or applied can leave a patch that looks slightly off in certain light. This is why metallic repairs often cost more, even when the dent itself is small.
The second factor is how much of the panel needs to be blended. A skilled technician can sometimes fix a small area and fade the new paint into the old so the join disappears. Larger areas of damage, or a panel that has been repaired before, may need the whole panel resprayed to get an even finish. This takes longer, uses more materials, and pushes the price up.
Finally, the shape of the panel plays a part here too. Flat panels are easier to spray evenly. Curved panels, especially where they meet another panel at an angle, are harder to get right, and a slightly rushed job will show up as a visible line once the car is back out in daylight.
Getting an Accurate Price for Your Repair
Because so much depends on the panel, the paint type and how the damage sits, the only reliable way to get an accurate price is to have the car looked at in person. A good technician will check whether paintless repair is possible, look closely at the paint finish, and give you a written estimate before any work starts. If you would rather understand your options first, our team is happy to talk you through it. You can get in touch for a free, no-obligation quote and we will tell you honestly what your car needs.
It is also worth knowing your rights if a repair does not go as planned. Citizens Advice has a helpful guide on what to do if you have a problem with a car repair, covering everything from negotiating with a garage to what counts as reasonable care and skill.
Get a Free Quote
Whether your dent is on the bonnet, door, wing or bumper, the team at Infiniti Motor Group can assess the damage and give you a clear, honest price. We are a fully insurance-approved bodyshop based in Barking, working across East London and Essex, and we handle everything from paintless repairs to full panel resprays under one roof.