What happens to your car when it goes to a panel beater?

If you’ve ever been in a car accident, you’ll know how stressful it can be handing your car over to a panel shop for repairs.

What exactly happens once your vehicle disappears behind those workshop doors? The South African Motor Body Repairers’ Association (SAMBRA), an association of the Retail Motor Industry Organisation (RMI), has broken down the step-by-step process to help motorists understand what takes place – and why it can take a little time.

Non-structural vs structural damage
Juan Hanekom, National Director of SAMBRA, said repairs are generally divided into two categories. Non-structural repairs involve parts like doors, fenders, bumpers, and panels – in other words, cosmetic or body damage that doesn’t affect the underlying frame of the car.
These parts can either be repaired or replaced using bolt-on parts.

Structural repairs, on the other hand, are more complex and involve the vehicle’s chassis or framework. They usually require cutting and welding and need specialised equipment to ensure your car is restored to factory standards and is completely safe to drive again.

A job’s complexity ultimately depends on the severity of the impact and the number of car panels affected.
“For this reason, damage can be misleading,” noted Hanekom. “It is often the case that damage that looks severe is actually quite minor, and vice versa. This is why it is important for qualified professionals to thoroughly assess and evaluate the work required, which determines the process.”

How the repair process works
“Once an accident occurs and your insurance company requests a quotation, the repairer inspects your car, captures detailed photos, and prepares a repair estimate. This is negotiated with your insurer’s appointed assessor, and only once authorisation is given can the work begin,” explained Hanekom.

It is important to remember that the role of your insurer is to restore you to the position you were in prior to the accident.

When you book your car in, it will be thoroughly inspected. Technicians strip down the damaged areas to check for any hidden damage. If additional parts are required, these are ordered and scheduled.

From here, repairs progress step by step. For non-structural damage, this usually means replacing or repairing panels, applying corrosion protection, and then preparing the vehicle for painting. The car is masked, taped, and placed in a spray booth where it undergoes a multi-step refinishing process. Finally, it is reassembled, detailed, wheel-aligned, and quality-checked before being sanitised again and handed back to you.

For structural damage, the process is similar but typically includes more intricate repair techniques depending on the vehicle’s condition. In extreme cases this may involve chassis straightening, which uses specialised machines and measuring equipment to restore the vehicle’s underlying structure to its original specifications.

Why it matters
You may be wondering why all this detail is relevant and important.
“Accident repairs today are highly technical. Modern vehicles are designed with advanced safety systems and lightweight materials. Ensuring a car is repaired to manufacturer specifications is not just about appearance – it is all about the safety of the driver, passengers, and other road users,” explained Hanekom.

“That’s why reputable repairers, like all SAMBRA-accredited repairers, follow a strict, audited process, whether it’s a small dent or significant structural damage.”

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