How Long Does Bodywork and Painting Take at a 4S Shop?

[KeeganFitz]

Bodywork and painting at a 4S shop generally take 1 to 2 days. If the painting area is large, it usually requires 3 to 4 days. Additional Information: Introduction to Vehicle Paint Surfaces: 1. The vehicle's paint surface consists of four layers, from the inside out: the electrocoat layer, primer layer, basecoat layer, and clearcoat layer. 2. The clearcoat layer is the outermost layer of paint. This layer protects the basecoat layer and enhances the gloss of the vehicle's paint surface. Minor scratches typically only affect the clearcoat layer and can be removed through polishing. However, frequent polishing is not recommended, as it reduces the thickness of the clearcoat layer and diminishes the paint's gloss over time. 3. If the scratch is deeper and damages the basecoat layer, repainting is required to repair such scratches.

[StBentley]

Last time my car got scratched and was sent to the 4S shop for bodywork and painting, the technician said the exact time depends on the extent of the damage. For minor scratches, they can get it done in one day—drop it off in the morning and pick it up in the afternoon, mainly involving simple repairs followed by painting and baking. But for major jobs like a dented door, it takes at least three to four days: body shaping on the first day, applying filler and waiting for it to dry on the second day, and spraying primer, color paint, and clear coat on the third day, with each layer requiring baking, followed by polishing at the end. That time, I waited three full days, and it might take longer when the shop is busy, so it’s recommended to schedule an appointment before sending it in. Oh, and if special pearl paint needs color matching, it might take an extra half day—pearl white metallic paint is the hardest to match.

[LaJayce]

When my old Accord’s rear bumper got scratched, the 4S shop said it would take two days to fix. I dropped off the car in the morning—they first removed parts to inspect internal damage, then spent the afternoon hammering out dents and applying rustproofing. The next day, applying three layers of paint was especially time-consuming: 40 minutes to bake the primer, two hours for the base coat to cure, and UV lamp baking for the clear coat. Reassembly and adjustments weren’t finished until afternoon. Summer rainy seasons slow drying, extending timelines, while dark paint patches show obvious reflections, requiring extra polishing steps. Avoid Monday rushes—bringing a book to wait in the lounge works well.

[Rex]

My auto repair friend says the turnaround time for bodywork and painting can vary greatly. A palm-sized dent can be done in two days: body straightening, sanding, and rust removal on the first day, followed by spraying, baking, and polishing on the second day. However, if the frame is damaged and requires alignment, plus tasks like removing and reinstalling radar sensors, it will take at least two extra days. The more severe the metal deformation, the longer the body straightening takes. Their shop uses infrared baking booths, which are three hours faster than traditional baking lamps, and imported water-based paints cure half a day quicker than oil-based ones. He suggests asking the dispatcher directly for a schedule when getting your car repaired.

[VanMaddox]

Last week, a stone chipped a dent in my front fender. The 4S shop said such minor damage usually has a 24-hour turnaround. If I drop off the car before 9 AM, the body repair technician can reshape it in two hours, and the body filler application would be done by noon. In the afternoon, the paint booth handles three coats of spraying plus baking, and by around 4 PM, polishing and washing would be completed for pickup. However, large flat panels like hoods are prone to orange peel texture, and rework sanding can delay the process. Red and yellow color schemes often show the most color variance, requiring multiple paint mixing attempts.