Panel beaters are trained people who repair the damaged exteriors of vehicles back to its original factory state. They may work on everyday vehicles such as cars and vans to more specialized areas such as motorcycles, trucks and buses. Panel beaters are associated with car or vehicle restorations and complete a trade apprenticeship before being certified.

Car restoration is the process of repairing cars and returning it to its overall "authentic" condition. It can be considered as renovating a car without updating or upgrading any of its parts, but by keeping it in line with how it would have appeared when first offered for sale. Besides repairs that are made to correct obvious problems, repairs are also done for aesthetic reasons such as dents, rusts, uneven paintjob.

A complete car restoration would not be complete without restoring the exterior of the car to the condition when it was put on sale. The repair and refinishing of the cars body and frame must go through a very careful inspection to bring the car back to its former condition. The frame should be check for any damage such as twisting and misalignment. These problems must be corrected, which is a very costly process. Many popular cars that are being restored commonly have replacement parts available from parts suppliers that specialize in that make of vehicle.

If the body and frame of the car has rust or was damaged, there are three options to be considered: repairing the damaged part if it is a minor damage, replacing the entire body or frame, or cutting out the part that was damaged and replacing it with a new one.
Due to the huge popularity of cars in the world, there is no question that car enthusiasts would seek the assistance of car dealers and auto parts shops as well as panel beaters for particular car repairs that would also enhance the appearance of the car or restore it to its original look.

The Motor Trades Association of Australia is the peak body that represents the interests of the retail, service and repair sector of the country's automotive industry which employs over 308,000 people. It is a federation of various states and territory motor trades associations as well as the Australian Automobile Dealers Association. It also represents a number of Affiliated Trade Associations that represent particular subsectors of the industry, ranging from vehicle repair to parts and recycling.
The Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association is concerned with the manufacturing, re-manufacturing, wholesaling, distribution and retailing of all vehicle parts, accessories, tools, equipment and services to all vehicles.

The benefits of car restorations and panel beaters

• Car restorations involve restoring an antique car to its former beauty. Cars begin to show wear and tear overtime and it is best to take care of them to preserve their appearance and performance. Panel beaters are trained it restoring the exterior of the vehicle to its original condition.
• Most car restoration experts are well trained and experienced in restoring cars. Despite the price of having your car restored professionally, it would usually mean better results compared to doing it on your own.