Wheeler Dealers presenter Mike Brewer has revealed one car part that “cannot be fixed” no matter how hard mechanics try. The lead host of the popular classic car restoration series revealed that repairing damage to the spare wheel well is an “impossible” job.
It means any dents or scratches to the vital piece of bodywork are likely to remain in place for the long run. Although frustrating to owners, Mike admitted this could provide some extra clues for potential buyers and should be the first place prospective owners look at before finalising a deal.
Mike previously said: “An impossible thing to repair on a car. Let me tell you one impossibility to repair. You see the spare wheel well on the car underneath. If you open the boot and you look inside the spare wheel well, that was made in a factory, and that is printed so it was round... you can't, no matter how good you are, it doesn’t matter if you’re the best panel beater in the world, you can’t make that like it was in the factory. So I always look inside the spare wheel well.”
According to motoring experts at Bumper, owners desperate to solve bodywork dents can try and get them fixed at specialists. Small dents that don’t require any additional paintwork will likely set drivers back anywhere between £75 to £250.
However, large dents that require serious mechanical repair and repainting will cost significantly more, with owners likely to be forced to spend between £200 and £500. However, Bumper has warned that the total bill will depend entirely on the size of the dent and the location of the car.
Brand new replacement panels are expensive, with individuals charged as much as £1,800 for the work to be completed. Bodywork damage is likely to reduce the resale value of vehicles, meaning motorists will not get as much for the car when they come to sell it.
However, dents in the bodywork are unlikely to see road users pulled off the road and banned from driving. The RAC has confirmed that bodywork is checked during an MOT test, but garages will only intervene if there is considered to be extreme corrosion or sharp edges.
The RAC added: “So long as the door opens and closes properly, a dent in the wing won’t cause your car to fail.”