How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Fender?
Ivan McCloud
Sep 19, 2022
Has your fender been scratched or dented while driving? No worries, we all make mistakes. However, scratches on the fender are just scratches, and a big dent is just a ding until your wife finds out! If the fender is scratched, there isn’t much you can do, so let’s talk man-to-man: how much does it cost to paint a fender?
In terms of cost, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. If there are only a few light scratches on one fender, the cost should not exceed $100. If the scratches are worse than that, the cost will increase. But if there is deep damage, you may need to spend more than $500.
Nevertheless, these estimates are just that—assumptions; the costs may decrease as well. Keep reading to find out why.
Should You Paint a Car Fender?
Generally speaking, yes, you need to paint your car’s fenders. If it has scratches, scuff marks, or other imperfections, you need to paint it to make it spotless. If the fender is severely damaged, you need to change the fender. Even if you replace the fender, the color of the fender may not match the color of your car.
So, you would eventually need to paint the fender. If you want to experiment with the color, you can paint yourself as a DIY project. But if you don’t want to risk your car, you can leave it to professionals.
Should You Paint Fender Flares?
When you buy a new car, you get factory-made wheels that are usually well-fitted inside the wheel walls. But you can’t just drive your car on factory wheels forever. So, when you think of switching to large tires, fender flares come in handy.
You can think of fender flares as extensions of your fenders that protect the fenders from dirt and debris thrown up by oversized tires. Flares give the car a stylish look as well. There are different types of fender flares; some flares have smooth surfaces, some have indented pockets, and so on.
Though you can paint any type of fender, the amount of work, amount of paint, and cost will vary. It is important to consider your tire size and the pattern on them as well, because some big tires with specific patterns tend to grab and kick up more dirt off the ground. So, this will surely test the durability of the paint.
That’s why we say that it’s okay to paint any fender flares, but make sure you understand what you are doing before you actually start painting the flares. If you don’t want to go through the hassle of painting, you can simply leave the flares as they are.
Professional Painting or Do It Yourself for Car Fenders?
You can use spray paint to paint your car’s fenders. Spray painting is quite fun and easy. You don’t need a lot of previous experience. So, if you don’t want to spend some bucks on getting it painted by a professional, you can do it yourself.
However, if you don’t want to risk the fender, thinking that you will be unable to match the color, you can get it painted by a professional. Furthermore, a professional will be able to complete the project more efficiently than an amateur. But you need to keep in mind that it will cost you a pretty penny.
So, both professional painting and DIY painting have advantages and disadvantages. You can go for any of the options, considering all the pros and cons.
How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Fender?
Scratches and dents are all unique, and so are their repair and painting costs! The cost can also depend on the size of the fender, the time taken to paint the fender, and labor cost according to the location where you live. Plus, there are ever-changing market prices, so it’s hard to estimate a number that will be suitable for every scenario, regardless of the time.
That’s why we recommend checking the cost of repair at your local body shop first. You can check multiple shops so that you can get a rough idea about the average cost, and then you can select a shop that will provide quality work at a comparatively lower price.
If rushing to a local auto body shop is not possible at the moment, or you want to check the price online before going to a body shop, we recommend first you estimate how much work is required, roughly.
Inspect the scratches and dents on the fender. If there are only a few scratches on one fender, and they are not very deep, the cost of painting should not exceed $100. But if the scratches are deep, you’ll need to spend more to get the fender repaired and painted.
In the worst case, your car fender can have some large dents and scratches. So, you need to get them fixed first, then get the fenders painted. This will surely increase the cost. Things are even worse when you need to install a new fender and then get it painted. So, if your car’s fender is severely damaged, you can expect the cost to be more than $500.
However, if your car’s fender is fine, but you want to give it a trendy touch, then the cost will be the total of paint and labor. By painting the fender yourself, you can further reduce the cost. But we don’t recommend this if there are large dents or scratches that need to be repaired before painting.
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How Much to Paint Fender Flares?
Like we said earlier, there is no one-size-fits-all solution in terms of painting a fender. This is exactly the same for fender flares. We also said earlier that there are different types of fender flares. Some flares will require more time to prep and more paint.
So, the price can only be determined depending on the flare size, type, labor cost, and some other conditions. After you get all the information, you can calculate the cost easily.
How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Car Front Fender?
This is the same as painting fender flares. If you want to paint the whole fender, you need to consider the size of the front fender first because this will determine how much paint it will need and how much time it will take. The cost will now be determined according to the price of the paint and labor costs.
On the other hand, if there are some scuff marks or small chips on the fender, and you want to paint just those specific areas, the cost will be determined according to the total work required.
How Much Does It Cost to Paint Match Fenders?
If you want the fenders to match the color of the car, you need to buy matching paint. And to match the color, we would recommend leaving it to a professional. So, the total cost would be the cost of the paint plus the labor cost. Nevertheless, if you are confident enough, you can paint yourself and save on labor costs.
How Much Does It Cost to Repaint a Fender?
It depends. If you want to repaint yourself, you just need to pay for the paint. A professional finish, however, requires the cost of both paint and labor. And as you might already know that labor costs will vary from place to place.
So, our suggestion would be to ask some local auto body shops to get some rough ideas about their labor cost. This will help you calculate the total cost of repainting a fender.
Learn How to Paint a Vehicle Fender with Spray Paint:
How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Car Fender?
Both the fender and the installation cost will determine this. The price for purchasing a new fender will surely be different from an old one. Plus, you need to consider the installation cost, as it may vary from place to place. So, if you calculate both, you will get the cost of replacing a car fender.
Final Thoughts
Fenders make a car look complete and trendy. If your car’s fender has scratches, small chips, or scuff marks on it, and you want to paint it, this article will give you some rough ideas about the cost. Our recommendation would be to calculate the cost according to what we discussed in the article, and get the fender repainted before your wife finds out!