I have a customer who does auto body work professionally and also does side work. He agreed to fix all the dings and dents and repaint the car. He was in a tough spot and I pre paid and helped him with some rent for the garage . Win win.
I gave him the car last May and I was supposed to get back in August. The hood had been damaged from sap and then a bad attempt to buff it out. Literally every panel had some flaw and the front bumper had bad road rash and no grill. (I bought a used one on FB marketplace ) It was long painful wait. So many missed deadlines and missed cruises. I just came back from an hour long cruise.
2001 2.5 5 speed. 64k miles (I own it 2 years and have put on new roof, new fuel pump, new batteries, new passenger seat, front suspension maintenance and a wheel repair to fix a leak)
I know I will only be repaid in miles of smiles not $$$ but it's such a blast to drive.