Can I fix major car body damage myself?
Major collision damage like structural pillar dents and smashed mirrors cannot be fixed at home without specialized tools like body pullers and welding equipment. Attempting these repairs independently usually leaves cars unsafe to drive and forces owners to pay a professional anyway after wasting money on parts.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
- 1Replacing the side mirror independently using parts from eBay, Amazon, or a salvage yard while leaving the body dents unrepaired.
- 2Using pliers, hammers, and wood blocks to manually pull or push the dent straight enough to fit a new windshield
- 3Filing an auto insurance claim to cover high professional repair costs
- 4Finding a budget-friendly body shop willing to do a minimal pull just to install the window
- 5Tarping the car to protect it from the elements
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Can I fix this by myself? This is a 2023 Kia Forte and after I was sideswiped on the highway in June. I looked up the part that is needed to fix the mirror but I do not know where to get it from. I didn’t know that a handful of dents and scratches would cost almost $2000. Please help.”source ↗
“its a 2014 Honda Accord, and a tree limb fell on it. needing to replace the rear windshield but this dent is right on the pillar. is this fixable or am i just gonna have to tarp it? and is there anything i can do myself to help it?”source ↗
“anything i can do on my own? or any idea what something like this would usually cost?”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 3Can you fix a deep car body crease yourself?
- 2Can a damaged plastic bumper cover be repaired with heat?
- 7How to assess car damage and talk to a mechanic remotely
- 2Mechanic refused to fix rusted control arm and subframe
- 2How to fix a paint scratch on someone else's car without a shop
- 3How to fix small rust spots on a car yourself