Welding is an important aspect of manufacturing and repairing anything that is made of metal. It can be considered as one of the basics because that’s what joins two metal pieces together.
Similar is the case for a car, or any vehicle in that case. Your car might need welding in some cases such as repair, modification, etc.
What is welding?
Welding is basically the process of joining two parts together. It is done by heating them, which causes them to melt and thus forming a joint between the both parts when they cool down. Usually it is done on metals and thermoplastics.
We can see just by the definition, the significance of welding in the automotive industry.

Welding on cars
Whether you want a broken part fixed, or build a chassis, welding is needed. Is welding on a car expensive? We’ll get there. Before that let’s see where it is used in cars.
Keeping in mind that these uses are from a car owners perspective and not a manufacturer’s, we’ll only go through such applications of welding on a car. The two reasons why you would need welding are repair and modification.
- Cracks in panels, rust, hole or puncture in the car body, etc. Maybe a panel is broken, there’s a hole in some parts, in such cases you’ll probably need welding to fix it. In short, for certain repairs to your car, welding is needed.
- Let’s say you need to add a certain part to your car such as a spoiler. That’s just an example, but you get the idea. Maybe you want to modify the frame for any reason. Maybe you want to build a custom chassis or restore a vintage car. Most of these things will require welding. Therefore another main use of welding in cars is modification.
Types of welding used in cars
There are mainly two types of welding used in cars or automotive in general, TIG and MIG.
1 – Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) Welding
Tungsten Inert Gas Welding, also known as Gas Tungsten Arc Welding is one of the types of welding used in cars.
For the electrode that creates the welding arc, tungsten is used in this type of welding. In TIG a filler metal is used in between the two parts to create a fusion or a joint.
2 – Metal Inert Gas (MIG) Welding
Metal Inert Gas Welding, also known as Gas Metal Arc Welding is another type of welding widely used in cars. This type of welding also uses a filler material but in this case, it comes directly out from the welder (machine).
A wire is fed through the welder directly to be used as a filler. It is used for most auto-body repairs, especially quick repairs. The reason being, it is quicker than TIG and relatively clean. TIG however, is more precise.
What are the factors that affect the overall cost of welding?
To know the answer for ‘is welding on a car expensive‘, we need to evaluate the factors that affect it’s overall cost.
- First major factor is the type of work. The type of work that needs to be done will determine the type of process to be used and the tools and materials to be used. Different welding processes would cost different. For instance, TIG welding will be more expensive than an arc weld. The process will completely depend on what repair or modification needs to be done and what materials will be used. That brings us to materials. The material, usually metal in this case will be included in the cost. What material will be used and how much it costs in your area, the size of the material, etc. will be a major factor. Bigger materials will be more costly.
- The person doing the welding work for you will be one of the main factors. Of course, their labour charges will be a factor, but even more than that, their experience will matter too. Hiring an amateur welder might cost you less in terms of labour charge, but they might sometimes get confused on how much to charge for what type of work and end up being more expensive than you thought. Professional welders know exactly what they’re doing, what tools and materials to be used, and how much time it will take. Moreover, they will most likely consider long term sustainability and do the work accordingly, whereas an amateur will just get the work done for the time being. If you consider long term, hiring a professional is more worth the money you put it.
- Next, the time taken to do the welding work adds up to the overall welding cost. The hourly charge will depend on who is doing the work for you. The time taken for completion will depend on the work itself. On average, a small repair will just take about an hour or two. It is better to ask the person beforehand about the time taken to do the work you need. On average, good welders will charge you anything ranging from $100 to $300. Those are the average prices, it might be higher or lower depending on your area and who you choose.
- Lastly, the location of welding will affect the overall cost as well. If you drive the car to the garage or service station where the work is to be done, it will cost you normal prices. If you decide to call the person at your home, the cost will be higher than usual.

Is welding on a car expensive?
So, let’s see the conclusion to the question ‘is welding on a car expensive‘. A small repair can cost your anything from a $50 to $300. It highly depends on your location, the person doing the job for you, and the repair or modification required.
Whether it is expensive or not is subjective, but we can say that it isn’t cheap. It costs a decent amount of money, which can even be expensive for some people.
To get the lowest cost possible and good quality welding service, it is best to check the rates online and ask for quotes from different places nearby your house.