Looking for a good panel beater for my GOLF in Melbourne.

**DonkeyKong** · 21-09-2010, 12:26 PM

This morning a Toyota Hiace Van crashed into the back of my new GTI

. I am looking for a good panel beater that is specialising in VW.

Thanks.

**Rybky** · 21-09-2010, 01:08 PM

Won't it all be sorted out by the insurance companies?

**Corey_R** · 21-09-2010, 01:38 PM

Originally Posted by Rybky

Won't it all be sorted out by the insurance companies?

Many insurance companies give owners "repairer of choice" options so that the car doesn't automatically just get handed to whoever the insurer usually gets the cheapest price from...

**DonkeyKong** · 21-09-2010, 04:21 PM

I have two names in mind:
1. Charlie Battisti and Co. Fine Smash Repairs in Nunawading.
2. LP body work - Box Hill North.

**Buller_Scott** · 24-09-2010, 12:26 PM

yeah i had a bungle a few months ago, and i am with RACV, and i nominated to get the work done at LP body works in box hill....

excellent job, very happy with the service, car came back just like it was before i had the accident.

josh (another polo tdi owner) had a bungle too, and he too got his car repaired at LP body works in box hill. so far, at least within the confines of this forum, it seems that the folks who have dealt with them have had only good experiences.

they are independent, and they arent a ''recommended'' repairer. after the melbourne hail storms (which was when my crash was), i would have been able to drive into the RACV recommended repairer the day after the crash. with LP, they were so popular that i had to wait for 3 weeks before repairs started. they're pretty reputable.

**Drake** · 24-09-2010, 05:18 PM

Highly recommend LP body works they have excellent workmanship.

**DonkeyKong** · 27-09-2010, 03:29 PM

I had drove past LP body works this weekend and the place looks pretty run down while Charlie Battisti and Co is fleshy. Will decide on this next week.

**Buller_Scott** · 29-09-2010, 04:07 AM

Originally Posted by DonkeyKong

I had drove past LP body works this weekend and the place looks pretty run down while Charlie Battisti and Co is fleshy. Will decide on this next week.

run down? you cant really see it from the street.

if you're referring to the scrappy area down underneath- that's their quote garage. all the smashed cars there wait to be quoted the cost to repair. the interior of their actual workshop is clean, modern, and well.... yeah.

there are probably much more aesthetically pleasing smash repair shops that get much, much less business than LP bodyworks, though.

**svwnath** · 07-09-2011, 03:21 PM

I would call it utter stupidity to have scratched the driver side passenger door while reversing!

I went through several posts in the forum and found that many recommend either LP bodyworks or Charlie Battisti in Melbourne. If this repair could be covered within the excess that I would pay for my insurance, I would rather prefer to do it without going through the insurance (too greedy!!). Can anyone please let me know the cost of repairing a deep scratch (about 30cm long) with a small dent to the passenger side door handle? Also, any other recommendations for bodyworks around Melbourne would be much appreciated!