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Panelbeaters or Motor Body Repairers in South Africa became regulated over the last couple of years. Mainly to set a standard and form a collective body to negotiate with the short-term insurers that has to write their cheques.
Panelbeaters also had to comply with the different makes of vehicles workshop standards. A four pound hamer somewhere in a backyard is not acceptable in the Panelbeating Industry anymore. If you visit the SAMBRA-member panelbeaters today, you will find a neat, highly skilled and professional workshop and staff.
They assess the vehicle’s accident damage immediately and get a quotation online with no mess, no fuss. Labour fees won’t differ much from one panelbeater to the next if they belong to the regulated organizations or associations, like SAMBRA.
SAMBRA keep their panelbeater-member in check because it is an embarrassment for the more than 1200 other members in South Africa, if a panelbeater delivers bad workmanship or rip a client off and belongs to SAMBRA.
Bad workmanship or unsavory practices in the South African Panelbeating Industry will always have a place, as long as the customers try and save a buck by having the repairs done cheaply. In most cases these cheap jobs become twice as expensive than should you have done it properly the first time.
References from people in the town where you want the repairs done, is normally a good start. In Rustenburg, it is well-known that the two best panelbeaters in Rustenburg are Pronto Panelbeaters and Prestige Panelbeaters. Both these panelbeaters have been operating in Rustenburg for more than 25 years.
Secondly, you can ask them, and the panelbeater will advertise the fact that their shop is approved by Toyota, Nissan, Kia, Ford, VW, etc. and that they are members of SAMBRA. Thirdly, your broker or insurance company must support you if work is done unsatisfactory.
Just a word to the wise, talk to your panelbeater as well before choosing an insurer because some short-term insurers like to dispute claims, don’t have assessors readily available to inspect your vehicle, want panelbeaters to use secondhand parts on your repairs and so forth.
Best way to avoid the whole process, is by not having an accident.
