Carbon-fiber roofs
Many M models have a carbon roof, standard or optional. It's bonded in place, so damage usually means a replacement roof following BMW's procedure. Scratches in the clear coat can sometimes be refinished.
BMW repair guide
One badge, many recipes
BMW is a good example of why a brand name doesn't tell a body shop much. The 2016 to 2022 7 Series (G11 and G12) used Carbon Core, with carbon-fiber reinforced plastic built into a steel and aluminum passenger cell. The iX has a Carbon Cage that combines an aluminum spaceframe with carbon-fiber parts. The i3 and i8 had carbon-fiber passenger cells. Most other BMWs are steel-based bodies with aluminum used for parts such as hoods, fenders or front structures, depending on the model.
M cars add another layer: carbon-fiber roofs on many models, wider fenders and aero parts unique to each car. Then there's paint, from solid M colors to Frozen matte finishes that can't be polished. We identify all of this from the VIN before writing the repair plan, so the method suits your car rather than a generic BMW. Where a repair touches driver-assist sensors, calibration is done by a BMW dealer or a calibration specialist and listed in the plan.
Since 1977 · Aarau and Parma
BMW and the Agnelli family
BMWs were among the German premium cars the family workshops worked on in Aarau, Switzerland, where the business began in 1977, and later in Parma, Italy. Leonardo learned bodywork and paint from his father, Stefano. Round Rock is the family's first shop in Texas, and it's new: the BMW experience comes from the European workshops.
Read our family historyBMW · 01
Carbon Core, Carbon Cage and the steel in between
Before anything else, we work out which materials the damage reached. On a BMW, that depends heavily on the model.
01
Carbon Core (7 Series G11/G12)
Carbon-fiber reinforced plastic is integrated into the pillars, roof structure and tunnel. It isn't repaired like steel; damage there is assessed against BMW's repair information for that model.
02
Carbon Cage (iX)
The iX combines an aluminum spaceframe with carbon-fiber parts in areas such as the roof frame and side frames. Each material has its own repair rules and joining methods.
03
i3 and i8
Both have carbon-fiber passenger cells on aluminum chassis modules. Repairs to the carbon cell follow BMW's specific procedures, and some damage means replacing sections rather than repairing them.
04
Steel bodies with aluminum parts
On most BMWs, aluminum appears in hoods, fenders, doors or front structures depending on the model. Aluminum parts are worked on with separate tools in a separate area so steel dust can't cause corrosion.
BMW · 02
M cars: carbon roofs, wide fenders and their own aero
An M3 or M4 is not a 3 or 4 Series with a body kit. Many of its panels and parts are unique.
Model-specific panels
Wider front fenders, side skirts, bumpers and diffusers are often unique to the M version. We order parts by VIN so the replacement is the right one for your car.
Wheels and suspension
Large wheels and low-profile tires leave little margin at the curb. After a wheel impact, we check suspension mounts and alignment as well as the wheel.
BMW · 03
BMW Individual colors and Frozen matte paint
Frozen finishes
Frozen paints are matte. They can't be polished, waxed or spot-blended like gloss, so damage normally means refinishing the whole panel. We tell you which panels that involves before work starts.
Individual colors
BMW Individual offers colors outside the standard palette. The paint code and VIN give us a starting formula; the spectrophotometer and test cards confirm it against your car.
M colors
Bright solid and metallic M colors show any mismatch. We blend into adjacent panels to avoid visible edges, and we compare test cards with the car in daylight before painting.
BMW · 04
Radar, cameras and lighting in the bumpers
Sensors behind the paint
Radar units, parking sensors and cameras often sit behind or inside the bumpers. Paint thickness over a radar zone matters, so refinishing there follows BMW's guidance.
Calibration by a specialist
When a repair involves driver-assist sensors, BMW specifies when calibration is needed. We don't calibrate in-house: a BMW dealer or calibration specialist does it, and it's listed in your repair plan.
Headlights and brackets
Modern BMW headlights are complex units. After a front impact we check the headlights and their mounting tabs, because a broken tab can mean a new lamp or a repair kit, depending on what BMW offers.
Model guide
BMW models and what they're made of
A general guide to BMW construction by model family. Your exact car is confirmed from the VIN.
Sedans and coupes
- 3, 4 Series
- Steel-based bodies with aluminum parts depending on generation.
- 5 Series, i5
- Steel and aluminum; the i5 is electric.
- 7 Series G11/G12
- Carbon Core construction (2016 to 2022 models).
- 7 Series G70, i7
- Current generation; structure confirmed from the VIN.
SUVs
- X1 to X7
- Steel-based bodies with aluminum parts, varying by model.
- iX
- Carbon Cage: aluminum spaceframe with carbon-fiber parts; electric.
- XM
- Plug-in hybrid M SUV with a high-voltage battery.
M cars
- M2, M3, M4
- Model-specific panels; carbon roof on many versions.
- M5, M8, X5 M, X6 M
- Model-specific bodywork and aero; carbon parts depending on options.
BMW i
- i3
- Carbon-fiber passenger cell on an aluminum chassis module; electric.
- i8
- Carbon-fiber passenger cell and a plug-in hybrid system.
- i4
- Electric gran coupe based on the 4 Series Gran Coupe.
Materials vary with model year and options. BMW's repair information for your exact car is what the repair follows.
Good to know
Before you book a BMW repair
Frozen paint can't be blended
Matte Frozen finishes can't be polished or blended into the next panel like gloss paint. Expect a damaged panel to be refinished edge to edge, and ask about matte-safe paint protection film afterward.
Electric and plug-in BMWs
The i3, i4, i5, i7, iX, XM and plug-in hybrids carry high-voltage systems. BMW's procedures set how they're made safe and inspected after an impact; we explain what applies when we review your damage.
Inspection
What we check on every BMW
Photos show what's visible. These checks happen at the in-person inspection, before a repair plan is written.
- Model, options and paint code from the VIN
- Material of each damaged part: steel, aluminum or carbon fiber
- Carbon roof and its bond line on M cars after any roof or pillar damage
- Radar, camera and parking-sensor mounts in the bumpers
- Headlight mounting tabs and brackets after front impacts
- Suspension mounts and alignment after curb or wheel impacts
Repair cost guide
What BMW repairs cost: planning ranges
These are the ranges from our repair cost guide for a BMW. They help you plan; they are not a quote. Year, model, materials and hidden damage can move the final price, which follows an inspection.
| Repair | Planning range |
|---|---|
| Small dent, paint not damaged | $250 to $900 |
| Scratches, scuffs or a dent that needs paint | $700 to $2,200 |
| Bumper repair or replacement | $1,500 to $4,500 |
| Door, fender or quarter-panel damage | $2,000 to $6,000 |
| Major collision or structural damage | $10,000 to $30,000+ |
| Hail damage | $4,000 to $12,000+ |
| Full respray or color change | $9,000 to $20,000+ |
Factory repair procedures, mixed materials, specialty paint systems and driver-assist sensors often add time and cost. Final pricing follows an inspection; confirm tax and all inclusions in your written estimate. Ranges last reviewed October 2026.
Compare repair types in the cost guideHow it works
How a BMW repair works with us
- 1
Send photos
Photos of the damage, the year and model, and the VIN if you have it. We reply with a free first estimate. You can do this today.
- 2
In-person inspection
From January 2027, at our Round Rock workshop. On a BMW, we first match the damage to the model's material mix, because the same area can be steel, aluminum or carbon depending on the car. Structural damage is measured on our frame bench against factory dimensions.
- 3
Written repair plan
Repair method, parts and paint, written down before you authorize anything. OEM parts wherever the manufacturer requires them. Driver-assist calibrations are done by a dealer or calibration specialist and listed in the plan.
- 4
Repair and handover
Repairs follow the manufacturer's procedures. Color is read with a spectrophotometer and sprayed in our paint booth, and you review the finished car with us before you take it home.
Insurance claim?
In Texas you choose the repair shop, not your insurer. We are independent, not part of an insurer's direct repair program. We write the supplements and push for OEM parts where the manufacturer requires them. How we handle claims
Warranty and timing
Warranty terms are given in writing before any work starts. Parts lead times vary by model, so we confirm timing once parts are ordered rather than promising a date up front.
BMW repair questions
Does every M car have Carbon Core?
No. Carbon Core was used on the 2016 to 2022 7 Series (G11 and G12). M cars use other carbon parts, most often a carbon-fiber roof on many models, plus model-specific panels and aero.
Can a damaged BMW carbon roof be repaired?
Scratches in the clear coat can sometimes be refinished. Cracks or impact damage normally mean replacing the roof, because it's bonded to the body and BMW sets the procedure for removing and installing it.
Can you fix a scratch on Frozen matte paint?
Not by polishing, which leaves shiny patches. Light marks can sometimes be cleaned with matte-safe products, but a real scratch usually means refinishing the whole panel.
Do you calibrate BMW driver-assist systems?
Not in-house. When a repair affects radar or cameras, calibration is done by a BMW dealer or a calibration specialist, as BMW's procedures require, and it's listed in your repair plan.
Are you a BMW certified body shop?
No. We're an independent shop with no BMW certification or approval. We follow BMW's repair information and use OEM parts where it requires them.
Can I choose you if my insurer has a BMW-certified shop on its list?
Yes. In Texas, you decide where your car is repaired. We document the damage, work with your adjuster and write supplements if more is found during teardown.
