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7 things body shops won't tell you
7 Things
Auto Body Repair Shops won't tell you.
Whether the accident is your fault or the other driver’s make sure you go to an appropriate repair shop – and ask for what you require.
1. That fender bender will be a major expense.
If the accident is your fault and you have the typical $500 deductible for a collision, kiss your money goodbye. A survey of repair shops in the Washington, D.C. area by, a nonprofit consumer information group, shows that replacing a fender on a 1998 Buick LeSabre can cost as much as $982. A new front bumper on a 2006 Mercedes-Benz E-Class can go as high as $1,350.2. Approved shop are beholden to tightfisted insurers.
Auto insurers contract with providers to repair vehicles for a pre-negotiated rate (think of it as managed care for sick cars). And your car could be the victim of cost cutting. Some practices, such as requiring how hourly labor rates and making the shop pick up the rental car tab if a repair takes too long, could tempt shops to cut corners – by, say, neglecting to align the wheels or using a plastic filler in a dent rather than replacing the sheet metal. “Insurers have wired the shops to give them so many discounts that, to stay alive, the shops often do the bare minimum,” says Erica Eversman, of Vehicle Information Services, which provides consulting and forensic experts for both insurers an consumers. In the state of California and many others, it is the consumers right to chose a repair facility, not the insurance company. By law the insurance company is obligated to cover all costs associated with the loss.3. Not all replacement parts are created equal.
Original-equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts are designed to match precisely and may be safer. But insurers prefer that shops use generic or salvage replacement parts because they’re cheaper. If you cause an accident, you could be bound by wording in your policy to use aftermarket parts or pay the difference for OEM parts. But if someone hits you, tell the shop to use OEM parts. Parts other than OEM can have many negative affects to your repairs. Quality fit and finish, safety, resale value of the vehicle and delays in repairs.4. Due dates are hard to pin down for Collision repairs due to hidden or supplemental damage.
With today’s complex vehicles it is nearly impossible to foresee the multitude of parts both small and tiny that can be damaged due to an accident. In most cases due to the shape and design of parts it shops may not be able to diagnosis a damaged part until the part is refitted on to the vehicle. No reputable shop can quote repair times of cost over the phone. If a shop is reputable and has been in business for some time they may not be able to start repairs immediately. Quality shops will have specialized technicians for each repair and this can lead to delays waiting on a specific technician for your vehicles repairs. Lesser shops will have general body men who do everything.5. A rented car will cost you. Renting a car for three weeks could cost $1,000 or more.
Even if you have optional rental-car insurance (which costs $1 or $2 a month), your daily reimbursement may be limited to the cost of a compact car. If you need a minivan while your car is in the shop, make sure you have minivan-size coverage. Review your insurance policy prior to having an accident so you won’t be surprised later.6. Your car needs a shop that speaks its language.
Many European cars use aluminum and UHSS (ultra high strength steel) that require special equipment to repair. Plus, replacement parts for late-model European vehicles have to be fit with especially high degree of precision. Shops should be certified and or trained by the manufacturer to do the work, meaning they must have specialized training, equipment and material – and charge higher rates. Insurers won’t necessarily recommend these shops, but they are bound by law to pay to return your car to pre-accident condition.7. The insurer’s warranty isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Insurers sometimes dangle warranties on the parts (for as long as you own the vehicle) to entice you to go to shops in their network. But the body shop’s guarantee is the one that’s important. Nearly all shops will guarantee their work, and parts makers guarantee their parts, making the insurance warranty all but worthless.