Best Panel Beaters in Dunedin
We assessed 16 panel beaters in Dunedin and ranked the top 5 on public rating quality, review volume and how recent the reviews are. The businesses listed below hold 484 Google reviews between them. No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Last updated 7 September 2026. How we rank →
Before you hire
Panel and paint work, whether a minor dent or a full collision repair, is hard to judge until months later when paint fails or rust appears. Ask whether the panelbeater uses genuine or aftermarket parts, what paint system they use, and what warranty they offer on the repair. If going through insurance, confirm they are an approved repairer.
Top 5 Panel Beaters in Dunedin
The top 5 panel beaters in Dunedin are #1 Harrows Collision Repairs, #2 South City Panel Beaters, #3 Anzac Ave Panel Beaters, #4 Collision City, and #5 Clements & Stephens, ranked by Top5 score. Scroll for our take on each, plus what to ask before you book.
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1
Harrows Collision Repairs
★ 4.8 73 reviews Top5 Score 156 -15★ 61 4★ 8 3★ 3 2★ 1Harrows Collision Repairs gets damaged cars back to pre-accident condition, covering everything from bumper realignment and cosmetic bodywork to more involved collision repairs, within the timeframe quoted at the start. A courtesy car is regularly offered while work is underway, and staff follow up with customers directly, including on Fridays, to keep jobs moving.
location_on 26 Wilkie Road, Kensington, Dunedin
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2
South City Panel Beaters Dunedin Central
↑ 2★ 4.7 84 reviews +1 Top5 Score 153 +15★ 75 4★ 2 3★ 2 2★ 1 1★ 4South City Panel Beaters coordinates the full insurance claim process alongside the physical repair work, covering scrapes, collision damage, paint matching, and cosmetic bodywork. Staff like Wayne and Nick keep clients informed at each step, and cars are returned cleaned inside and out, which several clients noted as an unexpected finish to the job.
location_on 750 Princes Street, Central Dunedin, Dunedin
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3
Anzac Ave Panel beaters
↓ 1★ 4.9 47 reviews +1 Top5 Score 152 -15★ 46 1★ 1Anzac Ave Panel Beaters takes on bumper repairs, rust work, paint touch-ups, and door and trim fixes, often turning jobs around the same day or within minutes for people who arrive without an appointment. Roman is known for quoting a price upfront and sticking to it, and for occasionally refusing payment on small jobs entirely.
location_on 10 Bow Lane, Central Dunedin, Dunedin
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4
Collision City
↑ 1★ 4.9 54 reviews Top5 Score 152 +25★ 49 4★ 4 2★ 1Collision City returns cars from dent repairs, bumper replacements, scratch repaints, and scrape fixes looking factory-fresh, with multiple clients unable to spot where the damage had been. Courtesy cars are regularly provided while work is underway, and cars come back washed, vacuumed, and groomed as a standard part of the handover.
location_on 29A Gladstone Road South, Fairfield, Mosgiel
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5
Clements & Stephens
↓ 2★ 4.8 57 reviews +1 Top5 Score 151 -15★ 51 4★ 4 3★ 1 1★ 1Clements & Stephens works through insurance on bumper repairs, window fixes, door realignment, and collision damage, and makes the process straightforward for people who have never dealt with a panel beater before. Cars are returned groomed and washed as standard, and extras like Afterpay for excess payments and low-cost loan cars make the experience easier to manage financially.
location_on 315 Vogel Street, Kensington, Dunedin
Before you book a panel beater in Dunedin
Drawn from 186 customer reviews collected for this page. The first answer is what it costs.
What does panel beating typically cost in New Zealand? expand_more
Minor dent and scratch repairs in New Zealand run from around $150 to $500. Bumper repairs and moderate panel damage such as a crumpled door sit between $500 and $2,000.
Structural or multi-panel work can exceed $5,000, and a full respray ranges from $3,000 to $8,000 or more depending on vehicle size and paint type. Insurance claims work differently: your excess applies first, and the insurer assesses the repair value, which may be lower than a private quote you receive.
Does my insurer have to use their preferred panel beater, or can I choose my own? expand_more
You have the right to choose your own repairer in New Zealand, but your policy wording determines the financial consequences of doing so. If your insurer's assessed repair value is lower than your chosen repairer's quote, you may need to cover the difference yourself.
Some policies also state that the insurer's workmanship warranty applies only to repairs carried out by their approved network. If you feel pressured or financially disadvantaged when exercising your choice, the Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman (IFSO) runs a free dispute resolution service that can review your complaint.
Will my car be repaired with genuine parts, or non-genuine substitutes? expand_more
New Zealand insurance policies commonly allow the use of aftermarket or non-genuine parts, and this is legal unless your policy explicitly requires genuine manufacturer parts. The Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman (IFSO) has handled complaints where consumers were not told upfront that aftermarket parts would be used, so ask your repairer and insurer in writing before work begins. One review noted that sourcing rare genuine parts took time but produced a result better than the car looked before purchase, which signals that pushing for the right parts pays off even when it delays the job.
What are the warning signs of a panel beater you shouldn't use? expand_more
- –Paint runs, orange peel texture, or colour that does not match the surrounding panels after a completed job are signs of poor spray work.
- –Returning a vehicle with new dings, loose door mechanisms, or a battery terminal left disconnected points to careless workshop practice.
- –Charging more than the quoted price without prior discussion, or ignoring follow-up calls about a quote, signals poor business ethics.
- –Repeated attempts needed to fix the same defect, with the second coat applied directly over the first rather than properly prepared, indicates corner-cutting.
- –Rude or dismissive treatment when you raise a concern, including staff arguing rather than apologising, suggests the business will not stand behind its work.
- –A repairer who gives you no written record of what was assessed, agreed, or authorised leaves you with no recourse if the result is unsatisfactory.
What should you ask before approving panel beating work? expand_more
- –Ask whether the shop will liaise directly with your insurer and handle the claim paperwork, so you are not caught between two parties.
- –Ask how they handle hidden damage found once the panel is removed, and whether they will contact you for approval before proceeding rather than just adding to the bill.
- –Get a realistic completion timeframe in writing, and ask specifically how they will notify you if parts delays or new damage push that date out.
- –Confirm in writing what parts will be used, genuine or aftermarket, and clarify the cost difference if you want to upgrade to manufacturer parts.
- –Ask what their process is if you are not satisfied with the colour match or finish when you collect the vehicle, including whether they will redo the work at no charge.
Also recommended panel beaters in Dunedin
Ranked 6 to 10 on the same public review record.
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6
Castle Street Panelbeaters
★ 4.5 69 reviews Top5 Score 147 +25★ 53 4★ 5 3★ 6 2★ 1 1★ 4Castle Street Panelbeaters books cars in within days of assessment and turns around collision damage, scrapes, and paint repairs faster than the timeframes quoted. Clients have had cars returned cleaned inside and out, with staff occasionally going beyond the quoted scope to restore vehicles to a noticeably better condition overall.
location_on 200 Hanover Street, Central Dunedin, Dunedin
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7
Brownlie & Scoles Panel Beaters
★ 4.9 22 reviews +1 Top5 Score 137 +15★ 19 4★ 3Brownlie & Scoles repairs bumper damage, repaints panels, and handles bodywork on cars, trucks, and commercial vehicles, sticking to verbal quotes and sometimes completing additional minor repairs within the original price. Staff take time to walk clients through what needs doing before work begins, which reviewers with less repair experience found particularly useful.
location_on 8 Otaki Street, South Dunedin, Dunedin
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8
Action Panelbeating
★ 4.5 33 reviews +1 Top5 Score 137 +15★ 27 4★ 2 3★ 1 2★ 1 1★ 2Action Panelbeating steps in after accidents to get vehicles back on the road, managing the repair work and coordinating courtesy cars so clients are not left without transport in the meantime. Russell and Paul are both named by clients as the kind of people who communicate clearly, work quickly under time pressure, and leave customers feeling looked after from drop-off to pickup.
location_on 7 Carroll Street, Central Dunedin, Dunedin
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9
Custom Panels
★ 4.3 33 reviews Top5 Score 135 +15★ 23 4★ 5 3★ 1 1★ 4Custom Panels fixes rust failures, collision damage, and crushed bodywork, and has taken on jobs at short notice that other shops turned away or priced well beyond reach. When a WOF garage sends vehicles back for additional rust work, they carry out the extra repairs at no added cost.
location_on 115 Glasgow Street, South Dunedin, Dunedin
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10
Paynes Panel-Beating
★ 4.6 12 reviews Top5 Score 127 -15★ 10 4★ 1 1★ 1Paynes Panel-Beating fits in urgent rust and WOF repair jobs at short notice, covering loose panel reattachment, rust repairs, and window fixes for cars that need to get back on the road quickly. Mike documents work with photos throughout, and clients have received a loan car and a washed vehicle on pickup as part of the standard handover.
location_on 25 Gladstone Road South, Fairfield, Mosgiel
About this ranking
What the 10 panel beaters listed above hold, at the 7 September 2026 check.
We first assessed panel beaters in Dunedin in March 2026 and have rechecked the ranking three times since. Three different businesses have held first place; Harrows Collision Repairs has held it since May 2026. The same five businesses have been in the top 5 at every check. Across the 14 locations we assess panel beaters in, the 140 businesses listed have a median rating of 4.8, and one-star reviews are 3.2% of their total.
What has changed since March 2026? expand_more
- Jul 2026
Scoring method updated. Custom Panels returned to the list at #9. Paynes Panel-Beating returned to the list at #10.
- May 2026
Scoring method updated. New first place: Harrows Collision Repairs.
- Mar 2026
First check. Collision City #1.
Latest check, 7 September 2026: no change to the top 5. Months where nothing changed at the top are not listed.
How are the top panel beaters in Dunedin chosen? expand_more
We build this page from Google Maps results for panel beaters in Dunedin. Each one is scored on its public rating and review record. Businesses outside the area, or whose reviews describe a different line of work, are left out, and a business whose main Google category is a different trade is held back until a person has checked what it does. A business whose website no longer resolves and that has had no Google review for six months is treated as dormant and left off the page until either changes. Every category and city is rechecked on a rolling cycle, about every two to three months. A location with a subscribing business is rechecked every month, and the whole page updates with it. See how we rank for the full method.
What does a business subscription offer? expand_more
No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Claiming and verifying a listing is free. It adds a phone number to the card and a small trust bonus (+3 points) to its score, for confirming a real operator stands behind the listing. The owner also gets a dashboard showing how their score is made up. A paid subscription provides an enhanced card with more ways to reach the business, including a website link and a detailed profile page. It also refreshes this page monthly and adds ranking history and competitor analysis to the owner's dashboard. The subscription adds nothing to the score. Claim your listing or see what a subscription includes.
Why isn't my business listed? expand_more
We build this page from Google Maps results for panel beaters in Dunedin. The usual reasons for missing out are a Google Business category that does not match, too few reviews to score near the top, or an address outside the area we cover. Sometimes we miss a business that should be here. Check where you rank first. If you are not there and think you should be, get in touch.