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Automotive Body Repairer

Skilled Trades

Repair and refinish automotive vehicle bodies and straighten vehicle frames.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

Mechanical Engineering

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1File, grind, sand, and smooth filled or repaired surfaces, using power tools and hand tools.
  2. 2Inspect repaired vehicles for proper functioning, completion of work, dimensional accuracy, and overall appearance of paint job, and test-drive vehicles to ensure proper alignment and handling.
  3. 3Fit and weld replacement parts into place, using wrenches and welding equipment, and grind down welds to smooth them, using power grinders and other tools.
  4. 4Prime and paint repaired surfaces, using paint sprayguns and motorized sanders.
  5. 5Follow supervisors' instructions as to which parts to restore or replace and how much time the job should take.
  6. 6Sand body areas to be painted and cover bumpers, windows, and trim with masking tape or paper to protect them from the paint.
  7. 7Chain or clamp frames and sections to alignment machines that use hydraulic pressure to align damaged components.
  8. 8Cut and tape plastic separating film to outside repair areas to avoid damaging surrounding surfaces during repair procedure and remove tape and wash surfaces after repairs are complete.
  9. 9Position dolly blocks against surfaces of dented areas and beat opposite surfaces to remove dents, using hammers.
  10. 10Fill small dents that cannot be worked out with plastic or solder.
  11. 11Review damage reports, prepare or review repair cost estimates, and plan work to be performed.
  12. 12Remove damaged sections of vehicles using metal-cutting guns, air grinders and wrenches, and install replacement parts using wrenches or welding equipment.
  13. 13Remove small pits and dimples in body metal, using pick hammers and punches.
  14. 14Remove upholstery, accessories, electrical window-and-seat-operating equipment, and trim to gain access to vehicle bodies and fenders.
  15. 15Mix polyester resins and hardeners to be used in restoring damaged areas.
  16. 16Fit and secure windows, vinyl roofs, and metal trim to vehicle bodies, using caulking guns, adhesive brushes, and mallets.
  17. 17Adjust or align headlights, wheels, and brake systems.
  18. 18Replace damaged glass on vehicles.
  19. 19Remove damaged panels, and identify the family and properties of the plastic used on a vehicle.
  20. 20Apply heat to plastic panels, using hot-air welding guns or immersion in hot water, and press the softened panels back into shape by hand.
  21. 21Clean work areas, using air hoses, to remove damaged material and discarded fiberglass strips used in repair procedures.
  22. 22Read specifications or confer with customers to determine the desired custom modifications for altering the appearance of vehicles.
  23. 23Soak fiberglass matting in resin mixtures and apply layers of matting over repair areas to specified thicknesses.
  24. 24Cut openings in vehicle bodies for the installation of customized windows, using templates and power shears or chisels.
  25. 25Measure and mark vinyl material and cut material to size for roof installation, using rules, straightedges, and hand shears.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Body Man
  • Auto Tech
  • Body Tech
  • Frame Man
  • Body Sander
  • Body Worker
  • Metal Bumper
  • Metal Worker
  • Panel Beater
  • Auto Body Man

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. Typical entry

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationHigh school diploma

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

Mechanical Engineering StudiesDraws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
PhysicsDraws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Design & Technology (RBT)Draws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Additional MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
MathematicsDraws directly on Mathematics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Mechanical72%

    Mechanical Engineering StudiesPhysicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Customer and Personal Service65%
  • Production and Processing63%

    Design & Technology (RBT)Mechanical Engineering Studies

  • Mathematics60%

    Additional MathematicsMathematics

  • English Language59%

    English

  • Transportation59%

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicA little
  • Leading or coordinating othersHigh
  • Handling conflict situationsOften
  • Indoors, air-conditionedAlmost never
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentEvery day

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

2%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME)

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Matriculation

One or two years, heavily subsidised with allowance. Competitive, quota-based entry.

12–24 months

Related careers

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Automotive Body and Related Repairers

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org