Silver Audi R8 rear carbon-fibre diffuser and wheel detail, repaired and back on the road

Prestige and luxury vehicle repairs, done to the marque's standard.

Aluminium bodies, sensor systems and factory finishes. Repaired properly, photographed at every stage.

Audi R8 — carbon detail and wheel

Prestige & Luxury Repairs

Stow Smash Repairs repairs prestige and European vehicles at our Artarmon workshop, on Sydney’s North Shore. Aluminium panels get their own tools and a bay steel dust can’t reach. Radar and cameras are recalibrated after every bumper repair. Matte and pearl finishes are repainted in PPG waterborne to sheen, not polished into ruin. Genuine parts, manufacturer methods, and photographs of every stage.

Navy Lexus SUV in a bright modern collision repair bay at Stow Smash Repairs — Lexus 4WD, repaired to factory standard

The Marques We See Every Week

Porsche, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Range Rover and Lexus make up most of our prestige work. Volvo, Alfa Romeo and Genesis round it out. Bentley, Maserati and Ferrari come through when their owners want workshop doors they can trust.

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How We Do It

Close-up of a white Mercedes-AMG C-Class front grille and headlight after repair

Bare aluminium panel on a dedicated workstand in a separated bay at Stow Smash Repairs

Sensor array and diagnostic tablet during recalibration on a navy Lexus SUV

Navy Lexus panel checked for colour and finish under daylight

Mercedes-AMG GT repaired and ready for delivery at Stow Smash Repairs

01 / 05Repair to the method, not the habit.

Step 01
Repair to the method, not the habit.
Modern prestige bodies specify how each section may be repaired, sectioned or replaced. We follow the manufacturer’s procedure, not what worked on a Commodore.
Step 02
Keep aluminium separate.
Aluminium work-hardens and won’t spring back like steel. It gets dedicated tools in a separated bay, because steel dust embedded in aluminium corrodes.
Step 03
Recalibrate the systems.
Radar, cameras and parking sensors live behind the panels we repair. Recalibration after refit is on the checklist, not an optional extra.
Step 04
Match the finish, not just the colour.
Pearl and tri-coat are blended across adjacent panels. Matte is repainted in matte clear and matched to sheen. Nothing matte ever touches a polisher here.
Step 05
Photograph everything.
Every stage is shot and kept. You see what was done, and the next buyer of your car can too.

Electric Vehicle Body Repairs

Electric vehicles bring the same aluminium and sensor questions as any modern prestige body, plus a battery that sets its own rules. High-voltage systems are isolated before structural work starts, and battery casings are inspected after any underbody impact. If your EV took a hit, don’t assume a driveable car is a safe one. Send photos and we’ll tell you what it needs.

Your Rights With a Prestige Car

The insurer wants a budget repairer for my prestige car.: You can nominate your own repairer in NSW, and with a prestige car the difference shows. Push back with a proper quote in hand. Insurance & Claims →
Genuine parts only. Can I insist?: Your policy’s PDS decides what the insurer pays for. On safety-critical and structural parts we argue for genuine, and we price the gap so you can choose to cover it. Nothing is fitted without you knowing what it is.
Diminished value after an accident.: A well documented, properly repaired car defends its value. That’s what the stage photography, the jig printouts and the genuine parts invoices are for. Poor repairs cost more at resale than they saved at the shop.

What It Costs

Why do European car repairs cost more?: Aluminium panels, bonded structures, sensor recalibration and paint systems that take longer to match. That’s the cost, not a badge tax. We itemise every line so you can see where the money goes. Why European Repairs Cost More →
Dealership body shop vs independent prestige repairer.: The dealer books your car in and often subcontracts the body work anyway. We are the workshop, with sixty years on one street and the photographs to prove every job. Same standard, straighter conversation.

Common Questions

Does a non-dealer repair void my new car’s warranty?

No. Australian consumer law is clear. Your warranty stands when repairs are done properly by qualified people. The dealership line about voiding is a sales tactic, not the law.

How is aluminium panel repair different for BMW, Audi and Range Rover?

Aluminium doesn’t behave like steel. It won’t spring back, it work-hardens, and it needs its own tools in a bay where steel dust can’t reach. Ask any shop how they separate the two before leaving a car there.

Do I need ADAS recalibration after a bumper repair?

Behind a modern bumper sit radar and cameras that must be recalibrated after repair. Skip it and your emergency braking is guessing. It’s on our checklist, not an optional extra.

How do you repair matte or satin factory paint?

Matte can’t be cut or polished. One buff and it’s glossy in patches, permanently. Repair means repainting the panel in matte clear and matching the sheen. That’s specialist work, and the honest reason it costs more.

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