We get this question all the time, “How much to repair my bumper cover?”.  When we give the answer, you could hear a pin drop…..

1. $500.00 to $ 700.00 repair  (ballpark)
2. $700.00 to $ 900.00 to replace  (ballpark)

****Depends on size of damage and/or Make and Model****

Why so much?

• Plastic is the hardest thing for us to paint.  With the temperature changes here in NM (snow 5 min sun the next)the cover will expand and contract with this change.  If you don’t account for this the paint on the cover will crack over time.
• All covers need to be removed for paint.  This allows us to get the clear coat in all areas that the factory did.  This means no clear peeling later.
• Repairs are harder on plastic than metal.  More steps are needed and must be done correctly or it will not bond.

Be careful of companies that will bid low and “melt” or “burn” the clear coat together.  Yes they could do it “cheaper” but that is exactly what you will get.  When they “melt” the clear coat together, it will look good when you pick it up but six months later you will see it separate.  Sometimes looking worse than before they touched it.  We say “do it right or don’t do it at all”.  Plastics are all different so make sure the professionals at Mr. B’s with a lifetime warranty do the job for you.

Mister B’s Paint & Body Shop,  I still remember the night my dad (Raymond Benavidez) came up with the name.  We were sitting at the dinner table when he came in from work at Ed Black’s Chevrolet and said “This is the new name for our business”.  And now it was just about finding a location.

We leased our first building in May of 1978 where Zuni and Central meet.  Our “pitch” for directions was right across from the Terrace Drive in.  I was 7 years old and my brother Robert was 10.  I remember our business being sponsors of Mile High Little League, YAFL, and AYBL.  All the families were great supporters of our business. We were at this location for less than a year when it was time to expand.

We moved to our current location in December of 1978.  Ed Pennybacker from KOAT 7 did a report on “bad meat” being sold here in Albuquerque, and their business had to shut down.  We were able to purchase the building and for the first time became a building owner.  Our new “pitch” for directions was right across from the Lovelace Hospital on Gibson, and in between the Gibson and Truman Gates for Kirtland AFB.

In 1980 we had to expand again adding a new office and some storage space.  We did have to get our building rezoned and we almost lost everything.  Because our shop was the cleanest on the block (This was because my dad made sure that my brother and I were always cleaning) we were rezoned correctly and all was good.

Our last expansion was in 2005 when we purchased the Chinese restaurant next door.  Performance Tool and Equipment built us a state of the art facility with a new office, vehicle lifts, and a new heated paint booth.  With help from great business partners like Professional Paint Supply, RM Refinish, and ASA of Central NM, we continue to thrive in collision repair.

We are also a direct repair shop for 4 insurance companies- State Farm, Allstate, USAA, and ITT Hartford and work closely with all other companies on your behalf.

We remain committed to providing professional collision repair for Albuquerque and the surrounding communities.  We are still family owed and operated with the best customer service (because my mom will get on us if we don’t).  We specialize in collision damage and see it as “Family helping Family”.  We continue to add products like waterborne paint, and 3 phase spot welders to keep us up to date with the industry.  We thank you for letting us serve you and do appreciate your return business.

Three years ago we at Mr. B’s asked BASF to take us into the new age of waterborne paint.  BASF gave us Onyx!  

Why waterborne?

• Environment- We know that we can’t stop global warming all alone, but we can do our part to help the world have cleaner air.  In places like California, it is mandatory. Here in New Mexico it is optional, and we were the first in New Mexico to spray Onyx.
• Paint Matching- New vehicles are rolling off the lot using waterborne paint, and because the pigments sit different, we can match the factory color.
• Warranty- BASF stands behind their product 100% and this helps us offer a limited lifetime warranty on most everything we refinish.

This is what separates the great shops from the average shops.  We take pride in the products that we use. This ensures that your vehicle is back to where it was before the accident.  

For more information visit: www.basfrefinish.com/Onyx

This is a great video on how and why air bags work.  We get questions all the time on “why did my air bags not go off?”.

New Vehicles are designed to determine in a split second

• Speed of the vehicle’s deceleration during impact
• Direction of the impact
• Weight of each passenger in a air bag seat

This helps families stay safe in multiple kinds of accidents.  Make sure you have your shop check seat belts, and that all the system is working correctly.  The light on the dash is very sensitive and will not go on unless there is a problem.  If your light is on, you should have this checked by a professional to make sure system is working correctly.

And always remember that if a child safety seat was in use during the time of an accident you should always have this replaced.  Insurance companies will always pick up the bill.

Aftermarket parts:  New, not from the manufacture, non OEM

Aftermarket parts are used in the collision industry for multiple purposes.  Parts consist of hoods, fenders, lights, radiators, A/C condensers, bumpers, mirrors, and many others.  Since they are less expensive they are used to cut the cost of repairs.  This could sometimes be a good thing, and sometimes bad.  Aftermarket parts are sometimes written into your insurance policies, making it mandatory that they are put on an estimate.   It is still your right to either pay the difference for OEM replacement, or if you are the claimant, to use your policy.

Aftermarket parts are made to duplicate the OEM parts usually at a lower cost.   Most times they are made overseas, and by multiple companies.  There are three levels of Aftermarket parts, and price varies

• Certified: Certified by an outside company like CAPA or Diamond Standard for fit and finish 
• Non Certified: Non certified for fit and finish. Mid level part
• Value line: Lowest price most of the time not a good fit,                       mostly used by builders

When do Aftermarket parts work best?

• Age of vehicle is over 3 years old
• OEM parts are no longer available
• Looking to cut down the cost of repairs
• Most have a good warranty sometimes better than OEM

Downfalls of using Aftermarket parts

• They do not always fit the best.  If the little details concern you on your vehicle, they are not for you.
• Decrease in value of your vehicle.  Your vehicle may decrease in value because of an accident, but it will decrease more if these parts are used.

In short: Aftermarket parts have come a long way in our industry and are in higher demand now more than ever.  They have their place in our industry and you must make sure that the right company is putting them on.  Make sure of the level of part you want put on your vehicle, and ask about the warranty.

With airbags getting smarter, the cost of every element adds up.  

Some vehicles such as Mercedes, and Land Rover would still have to be sent to the dealer after installation to reset the light and make the system work correctly again.  

Between multiple scan tools, seat belts, and multiple air bags, the cost could be high. The most important thing is the amount of lives that have been saved grows everyday and they can return back to their families safe and sound.