Panel beater Interview Questions

‘The first step is to remove all the trims from the vehicle to prevent them from being damaged during painting. I would then clean the surface using a degreaser to remove all grease or oil. Then I would use an orbital sander to sand down any dents or scratches. The last step is to wipe off the sanding dust and debris and apply a primer.’

‘I recently had a customer who was angry because he believed that we should have been fixing more of the damage for free because the cost had already exceeded our initial estimate. We had already explained that the total cost would be greater than the initial estimate because we had discovered additional damage. However, I remained calm, explained this to him again, and itemised the cost of fixing the additional damage.’

‘First of all, I would ask my manager if it’s possible to order the part from another location. If we weren’t able to do that, I would get in touch with some other panel beater services in the area and ask if we could buy the part off them. If all else failed, I would let the customer know that we weren’t able to source the part and that we would keep working to find a solution.’

‘Over the past five years, I have gained experience working with a range of panel beating tools and equipment. I have worked extensively with a variety of panel beating hammers and dollies as well as files and sanding tools. I also have experience using an air compressor to inflate tyres and a wheel balancer to balance a vehicle’s wheels. I’m always keen to expand my skill set and learn about new tools and techniques.’

‘It’s important not to rush the process of repairing a vehicle and ensure that everything is done properly. Taking your time minimises the chances of overlooking things, such as paint splatters or dents that you thought you had removed. I also make sure I do a thorough final check of the vehicle before returning it to the customer.’

‘In my five years working as a panel beater, I have mainly worked on hatchbacks, sedans and four-wheel drives. However, I also have some experience with small trucks and sports cars. I am keen to expand my skill set and work on other types of vehicles. Each vehicle brings its own unique set of challenges.’

‘I enjoy working with other technicians. In my previous role, I worked closely with a team of panel beaters, body painters and engine technicians. I always made sure that I communicated with the other technicians regularly and let them know when there were any issues or if I needed more time to complete the panel beating work, so that they could plan accordingly.’

‘Meeting deadlines is very important for me. When I have a long list of jobs to complete, I ask my supervisor which are the priority jobs and focus on getting those done first. If I am swamped with jobs and don’t think I’ll be able to get them done in time, I always let my supervisor know well in advance, so that they can assign some of my jobs to another panel beater.’

‘First, I would inspect the damage and work out what repairs are required. The next step would be to remove any parts that need replacing and install the new parts. Then, I would smooth out any dents or scratches using body filler before finally sanding down the surface and applying primer and paint.’

‘In my previous role, I worked on a heavily rusted Volkswagen Beetle. My co-workers said the vehicle was beyond repair, but I insisted that we could restore it using specialised rust removal techniques. After days of hard labour, we managed to bring the car back to its former glory and the customer couldn’t have been more satisfied with the final product.’