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Best Panel Beaters in Dunedin

We assessed 15 panel beaters in Dunedin and ranked the top 5 on their public review record: rating quality, review volume and how recent the reviews are. The 10 listed below hold 479 Google reviews between them. No business can pay for a place in these rankings. Last updated 30 July 2026. How we rank →

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Before you hire

Panel repair quality is hard to judge until months later when paint fails or rust appears. Ask whether they use 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 Harrows Collision Repairs, Anzac Ave Panel Beaters, Clements & Stephens, South City Panel Beaters, and Collision City, ranked by Top5 score. Scroll for our take on each, plus what to ask before you book.

  • 1

    Harrows Collision Repairs

    ★ 4.8 73 reviews +1 Top5 Score 157 +2
    5★ 61 4★ 8 3★ 3 2★ 1

    Harrows Collision Repairs gets cars back looking better than expected, including fixing unrelated irritants customers mention at drop-off. They routinely send cars home clean and leave a small gift inside, a detail that turns up repeatedly across very different jobs.

    Reviews most often describe: Collision repairs needing insurance coordination and courtesy cars

    • ✓ Courtesy car arranged on request
    • ✓ Repairs finished on quoted date
    • ✓ Car returned cleaned with gift

    location_on 26 Wilkie Road, Kensington, Dunedin

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 2

    Anzac Ave Panel beaters

    ↑ 1
    ★ 4.9 46 reviews +2 Top5 Score 153 +1
    5★ 45 1★ 1

    Anzac Ave Panel Beaters fixes bumpers, rust, doors, and paint chips at quoted prices with no hidden costs added at collection. Roman regularly goes beyond the agreed scope, touching up extra scratches without charging for them.

    Reviews most often describe: Walk-in repairs and straightforward panel and paint work

    • ✓ Repairs completed same day or walk-in
    • ✓ Quote holds at time of payment
    • ✓ Rust repairs taken on and completed well

    location_on 10 Bow Lane, Central Dunedin, Dunedin

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 3

    Clements & Stephens

    ↓ 1
    ★ 4.8 56 reviews +1 Top5 Score 152 -1
    5★ 50 4★ 4 3★ 1 1★ 1

    Clements & Stephens turns around bumper, door, and bodywork repairs quickly, with same-day fixes handled on occasion for walk-in situations. Cars come back washed and cleaned, and courtesy vehicles have been provided without charge.

    Reviews most often describe: Bumper, door, and bodywork repairs in Dunedin

    • ✓ Car returned washed and groomed
    • ✓ Same-day repairs for straightforward jobs
    • ✓ Courtesy car at no extra cost

    location_on 315 Vogel Street, Kensington, Dunedin

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 4

    South City Panel Beaters Dunedin Central

    ★ 4.7 83 reviews +1 Top5 Score 152 +3
    5★ 74 4★ 2 3★ 2 2★ 1 1★ 4

    South City Panel Beaters coordinates insurance claims start to finish, with staff walking clients through the process and sticking to original quotes. They return cars cleaned inside and out, and have gone further by touching up minor scratches beyond the scope of the booked repair.

    Reviews most often describe: Insurance claims and repairs needing fast turnaround

    • ✓ Car cleaned inside and out after repair
    • ✓ Quotes honoured exactly as given
    • ✓ Insurance paperwork handled in-house

    location_on 750 Princes Street, Central Dunedin, Dunedin

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 5

    Collision City

    ★ 4.9 54 reviews +3 Top5 Score 149 +1
    5★ 49 4★ 4 2★ 1

    Collision City turns around bumper replacements and dent repairs quickly, with some jobs completed within a single day. They return cars cleaned inside and out, and courtesy cars are available while work is underway.

    Reviews most often describe: Dent and bumper repairs needing fast turnaround

    • ✓ Same-day repairs on some jobs
    • ✓ Courtesy car provided
    • ✓ Car cleaned inside and out on return

    location_on 29A Gladstone Road South, Fairfield, Mosgiel

    map Map Is this your business?

Before you book a panel beater in Dunedin

Drawn from 160 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 dents and scratches run $150 to $500, while a crumpled door or quarter panel sits between $500 and $2,000. Structural or multi-panel repairs can exceed $5,000, and a full respray costs $3,000 to $8,000 depending on vehicle size. Insurance jobs work differently, with your excess applied and the insurer assessing repair value, so get your own quote before lodging a claim.

Does my insurer have to use their preferred panel beater, or can I choose my own? expand_more

Your insurer can recommend a repairer but cannot legally force you to use one. Choosing your own repairer may mean paying any gap between the insurer's assessed value and your repairer's quote. One reviewer noted that once a local panel beater got directly involved with their insurer, the whole process ran smoothly, which shows the value of picking a shop experienced in handling insurance claims. If your insurer pressures you unfairly, the Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman handles those disputes at no cost to you.

Will my car be repaired with genuine parts, or non-genuine substitutes? expand_more

Insurers are legally allowed to authorise aftermarket or reconditioned parts unless your policy specifically requires genuine manufacturer parts. Aftermarket parts cost less but vary in quality, and some may not fit or perform to the same standard. Ask your repairer and insurer in writing what parts will be used before work starts, and if you want genuine parts, expect to cover the price difference yourself.

What are the warning signs of a panel beater you shouldn't use? expand_more
  • –Paint runs, orange peel texture, or mismatched colour on a finished job are signs of poor prep or rushed work.
  • –Returning a vehicle with new damage, loose battery terminals, or disconnected door mechanisms suggests careless handling.
  • –Quotes that change without explanation or without finding hidden damage during the repair indicate weak assessment practices.
  • –Repeated return visits to fix the same job, especially three or more attempts on a single repair, signal a workmanship problem.
  • –Ignoring quote requests or being dismissive toward customers at the assessment stage is a reliable indicator of how disputes will be handled later.
  • –Delays beyond the agreed timeframe with no proactive communication suggest the business is overcommitted or poorly managed.
What should you ask before approving panel beating work? expand_more
  • –Ask whether the shop will liaise directly with your insurer, including handling supplementary claims if hidden damage is found once panels are removed.
  • –Confirm the realistic completion timeframe and ask how they will notify you if that changes before you are without your vehicle.
  • –Ask specifically how they guarantee colour matching, including whether they test the paint blend on an adjacent panel before final application.
  • –Find out their process if you are unhappy with the result, including whether rework is done at no charge and how quickly.
  • –Ask whether a courtesy car is available, as some Dunedin shops do provide loan vehicles, which matters for planning your week.

Panel Beaters ranked 6 to 10 in Dunedin

They scored below the top 5 on the same public review record.

  • 6

    Castle Street Panelbeaters

    ★ 4.5 69 reviews +2 Top5 Score 146 +4
    5★ 53 4★ 5 3★ 6 2★ 1 1★ 4

    Castle Street Panelbeaters gets cars booked in and back on the road fast, often within a week from first contact. They routinely provide courtesy cars even when insurance policies don't cover one, and have been known to clean interiors and tidy up extras beyond the quoted repair.

    Reviews most often describe: Insurance repairs and quick turnarounds in Dunedin

    • ✓ Courtesy cars beyond insurance cover
    • ✓ Booked and completed within days
    • ✓ Interior cleaned before pickup

    location_on 200 Hanover Street, Central Dunedin, Dunedin

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 7

    Brownlie & Scoles Panel Beaters

    ★ 4.9 21 reviews Top5 Score 137
    5★ 19 4★ 2

    Brownlie & Scoles repairs and repaints damaged vehicles to a finish that holds up on late-model cars, and their verbal quotes stick through to the final invoice. They also go beyond the agreed scope when they spot minor damage nearby, sorting it without turning it into an upsell.

    Reviews most often describe: Car body repairs and repaints in Dunedin

    • ✓ Verbal quotes honoured at pickup
    • ✓ Repairs additional damage at no extra charge
    • ✓ Explains repair process before starting

    location_on 8 Otaki Street, South Dunedin, Dunedin

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 8

    Action Panelbeating

    ★ 4.5 32 reviews Top5 Score 136 +4
    5★ 26 4★ 2 3★ 1 2★ 1 1★ 2

    Action Panelbeating gets accident-damaged vehicles back on the road quickly, working around tight timeframes when clients need their car to keep travelling. They provide courtesy cars during repairs and coordinate insurance paperwork so owners can hand the job over entirely.

    Reviews most often describe: Accident repairs needing fast turnaround with insurance

    • ✓ Courtesy car available during repairs
    • ✓ Takes care of insurance process
    • ✓ Explains repair process after accidents

    location_on 7 Carroll Street, Central Dunedin, Dunedin

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 9

    Custom Panels

    ★ 4.3 33 reviews Top5 Score 134
    5★ 23 4★ 5 3★ 1 1★ 4

    Custom Panels gets vehicles through WOF rust requirements quickly, often fitting jobs in at short notice and coming in well under competitor quotes. When additional repair work is needed after an inspection, they have returned vans and utes to complete it at no extra charge.

    Reviews most often describe: WOF rust repairs and collision damage fixes

    • ✓ Short-notice bookings accepted
    • ✓ Additional rust work at no extra cost
    • ✓ Half the price of competitors quoted

    location_on 115 Glasgow Street, South Dunedin, Dunedin

    map Map Is this your business?
  • 10

    Paynes Panel-Beating

    ★ 4.6 12 reviews Top5 Score 127
    5★ 10 4★ 1 1★ 1

    Paynes Panel-Beating gets rust and loose panel jobs done at short notice, with fair pricing that reviewers specifically call out. They photograph completed work so customers can see exactly what was done before picking up the car.

    Reviews most often describe: Rust repairs and loose panel fixes on tight budgets

    • ✓ Short-notice rust repair bookings
    • ✓ Photos of completed work provided
    • ✓ Loan car available during repairs

    location_on 25 Gladstone Road South, Fairfield, Mosgiel

    map Map Is this your business?

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About this ranking

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. See how we rank for the full method.

How often are rankings updated? expand_more

Every category and city is recrawled on a rolling cycle, about once a month. This page was last checked on 30 July 2026.

Can a business pay to appear in this list? expand_more

No. Top 5 and Also Recommended positions are merit-only and cannot be purchased. Verifying a business is free. A subscription adds a website link on the card, a public profile page, and competitor and ranking history in the owner's dashboard, none of which affects ranking position. 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. At the last update, the smallest review count among the 10 businesses listed here was 12. Check where you rank or read how rankings work.