Serious question, do you still use body filler on quarter panels or go straight to metal finishing?

Back when I started at a shop in Kansas City, we'd slap on filler for every quarter panel dent, no question. The old guys taught me to get it close with a hammer and dolly, then just bury it in filler and sand it smooth. That was the way for years. But about 3 years ago, I started working with a guy who was a total metal maniac. He'd spend an extra hour with a shrinking disc and a planishing hammer to get the metal perfect, using maybe a skim coat of glaze at most. At first I thought he was wasting time, but the repairs held up way better, especially on cars that see salt. Now I'm split. The filler method is faster for getting the car out the door, but the metal work feels more honest and lasts. What's your shop's standard for something like a door ding that's pushed the metal in a good inch?

3 comments

3 Comments

graydavis1mo ago

See that's the thing, it's like EVERY trade has that same split now. You've got the fast way that gets the job done okay, and the right way that takes real skill. My plumber buddy says it's the same with solder versus push fit connectors. One is quick, the other LASTS. That metal guy you worked with, he's an artist. The filler is just covering up the problem, and it WILL come back to bite you, especially with rust. I've seen quarter panels bubble up two winters later because someone took the shortcut. Takes guts to bill for that extra labor time, but it's the only honest way to do it.

nora_walker571mo ago

Yeah it's the same with woodwork too. My uncle used to build furniture and he'd go on about glue versus proper joinery. Said glue fails when the wood moves, but a dovetail holds for a hundred years. People just want the piece to look okay on the day they buy it, they don't think about their grandkids using it. That metal guy's work is like those old joints, you're paying for the next guy to never have to fix it.

alex3071mo ago

So you still run into shops that just pile on the filler? I used to think that was fine until I saw how fast it cracks around the edges on a daily driver. @nora_walker57 has a point about it being like good joinery, that extra metal work is for the long haul. Now I'd rather spend the time with a hammer and a dolly to get the shape back, then just a super thin layer to finish. It just feels right.