Crumpled metal often weighs heavily on your wallet. However, there are ways to save money, according to a study by the comparis.ch site. Released Tuesday, the research shows that car owners are better off considering the price of a repair compared to replacing a damaged part.
Three times cheaper for a front door
The online comparator looked at around 7.3 million interventions recorded during automobile repairs in Switzerland. For example, if you find yourself with a smashed front door after an accident, it will cost you three times less to have it repaired than to replace the door, according to the average of the figures recorded in 2025.
The case cited as an example by Comparis for a front door puts the repair work at 135 francs on average, to which must be added 267 francs in painting costs. Against an invoice of 1134 francs to have the same part replaced. A clear difference, despite the constant increase in repair costs, as noted in a previous comparator study.
Most other pieces in the same boat
Similar discrepancies also appear for other coins. Replacing a rear door therefore costs more than eight times the price of repair work alone. For bumpers and hood, replacement costs about five to six times more. The difference exceeds a factor of four for a side wall and reaches around four for a rear light. For a front fender, replacement costs almost four times more than repair.
The analysis specifies, however, that these amounts do not constitute a direct comparison for identical damages. Repairing damage may therefore be impossible for technical, economic or safety reasons, particularly when a part is too damaged. Cases requiring replacement also often involve more extensive damage.
Many steps to take into account
However, Swiss vehicle data and calculation provider auto-i-dat sees considerable potential in repair rather than replacement. “Owners should always ask the garage whether a part really needs to be replaced or whether a repair is still possible,” insists Harry Büsser, car insurance expert at Comparis.
The specialist points out that a damaged door “cannot simply be removed and replaced like the door to a room in our house.” For this example, elements such as window regulators, cables, speakers, mirrors or even locks may have to be dismantled and then reassembled, recalls Harry Büsser. Owners should take this into account when the mechanic asks them if they want to replace or repair a damaged part.
A replacement increases turnover
Comparis points out that garages are more likely to push for replacement than repair. “As a general rule, the sale and assembly of new parts generates a higher turnover than their refurbishment,” estimates Harry Büsser. It is therefore all the more important that customers actively ask whether a repair is technically possible and economically sensible.”
