Common Misconceptions About Collision Repair
What happens when you need to get your car fixed after an accident? Since it’s not something most people think about until after the fact, there are a lot of misconceptions about how repairs are handled. These 6 facts will help clarify some of those misconceptions about collision repair from how your car is assessed to where you can take your car to get it fixed.
1. Collision Damage is More Than Skin Deep
When your car hits an obstacle, that impact goes through the entire vehicle, bending or breaking body panels, frame components, wheels, and interior pieces.
For example, it may seem odd that Auto Body Xperts does wheel alignments, but it’s a necessary part of collision repair because even a minor fender bender can affect the position of the suspension.
2. Shop Estimates Can Vary Because of the Skill of the Appraiser
A skilled appraiser will be able to identify all the damage caused by a collision and provide an estimate that should be very close to the final repair cost. Get someone who doesn’t know what needs to be fixed, and the estimate may be lower but the appraisal won’t cover everything needed to completely fix the car. Even with an expert eye, some repairs won’t be evident until work has begun.
3. “Totaling” a Car Depends on More than the Severity of the Damage
A car is considered a “total loss” by the insurance company if the cost of repairs exceeds the value of the vehicle. An almost new car has to be almost irreparable to meet this criteria, while an old luxury car can meet this threshold quickly due to a combination of high parts prices and low resale value.
4. Metal Body Parts Don’t Have a “Memory”
You may have watched as-seen-on-TV devices and Internet videos that claim that with a special tool or some household items, a body panel can simply be popped back into place. In reality, when a body panel is bent, it stays that way, whether that bend was from a press at the factory or from an impact. To remove a dent from a panel, body technicians have to use a range of tools and techniques to gently bend and reshape the metal back to the shape it should be.
5. With a Quality Repair, a Wrecked Vehicle Can Be As Good As New
Manufacturers work directly with body shops and through associations like I-CAR to ensure technicians can bring vehicles back to their original specifications. When these repairs are done correctly, the vehicle has the same function, structural integrity and appearance as a vehicle that has not been involved in a collision.
6. You Can Choose Your Body Shop
Your insurance provider may suggest a shop to take your vehicle to, but they can’t make you go there. When you have work done, it’s in your best interest to find a shop that has the knowledge and tools to do the repair right.
If you want quality work when you have collision damage repaired, go to Auto Body Xperts. Our technicians and shop is I-CAR Gold Class Certified. That means our staff has the experience and the latest training to fix your car right the first time. We take pride in staying informed on the manufactures repair procedures so we can insure the repair is done correctly and safely.