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5 Questions to Ask Your Auto Body Repair Shop Before a Collision Repair

Accidents happen. It’s a sad fact that auto accidents occur every minute of each day without fail, according to the National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA). So if you are one of the unfortunate many that are in one of these accidents, you want to get your car repaired as quickly as possible to get your life back to normal. 

More than likely, when your car has a serious body or internal damage that needs to be fixed in order to operate the vehicle again, you are going to take it to an auto body repair shop. If your car is salvageable, you want the shop to be high quality and reliable. Here are some questions you should ask your auto body repair shop before handing over your vehicle for collision repair work. 

Question #5: Does Their Work Come With a Warranty?

Sometimes a shop will provide a warranty on the specific parts they replace or repair. You ideally should know how long that warranty is good for and what it covers. This is in case you drive the car off their repair lot and something related to the work breaks down right away. Usually, those warranties are good for at least a year. Keep all the paperwork related to the warranty repair work where you can easily access them if you need to. 

Question #4: Do They Provide a Rental or Loaner Vehicle on Site?

You are going to need a vehicle while the auto body shop is repairing yours. For serious body and internal damage, it might be a few days to a week or two, especially if the shop needs to repaint your vehicle after the repairs are made. You’ll need something to drive while they have your car. It’s much easier to go with an auto body repair shop that provides this service for you. That way you won’t have to go to a separate car rental place to get a loaner while yours is in the shop. 

Question #3: Will Everything About the Repair be in Writing? 

The insurance company in order to pay for the repairs needs everything to be in writing, including the initial estimate. It doesn’t matter whether it’s your insurance company or the “other guy’s” insurance company when you weren’t responsible for the accident. Make sure your auto body shop details the exact cost and what is being worked on to repair the vehicle that was in the collision. 

Question #2: Is Their Auto Body Shop Certified?

Many technicians who repair cars go through extra certifications to work on new models of vehicles which have advanced technology, such as hybrids or electric cars. Ask the shop what kind of certifications they have to understand that you are getting experts in this field of collision repair work. 

Question #1: How Long Will the Repair Take?

This is easily the most important question to ask. You need to know how long you’ll be without your vehicle. Hopefully, a good auto body shop will be able to give you a pretty close estimate. At least with a leeway of 2-3 days at the most. Very busy shops might take a little bit longer, but at least you know if they have a large clientele, then they probably have a great reputation in the auto repair business. 

When Does a Bumper Need Replacement Rather Than Dent Repair?

Vehicle bumpers are designed to absorb the impact of a front or rear-end collision to keep you and your passengers safe, but they usually look worse for the wear after taking even a minor hit. Small dents and scratches on the bumpers of your car are easy enough to fix with basic auto body shop methods. However, extensively damaged bumpers are usually better replaced than repaired. Since the bumpers are designed as shock absorbers to lessen the force of an impact, repairing a compromised bumper could result in more damage during a future accident.

Damaged Connection Points

A molded bumper may appear to be a seamless part of your car’s exterior, but it’s a separate piece that is mounted to special hooks and welded connection points on the vehicle’s frame. This ensures that the force created by someone bumping into your car travels through the entire car evenly. If your bumper is loose and moves around when you push on it or while you drive, it’s likely missing one or more of these connection points. Attempting to simply reattach the bumper could result in it flying off later, even when you’re just driving normally. Removing the damaged bumper and discarding it gives the auto body shop a chance to check and repair all the connection points and other parts of the frame before they install the new bumper.

Cracked and Crumpled Surfaces

Cracks, holes, and crumpled areas that form ridges are difficult to address with repairs along. Dent repair techniques may smooth out part of a crumpled area, but the compromised material that can’t be smoothed out will weaken the bumper and make it react unexpectedly in the next collision. Cracks and holes weaken the entire structure and reduce the bumper’s ability to absorb shocks. While it is sometimes possible to patch very small cracks and holes with bonding materials, it’s not the best idea due to the compromised strength of the part. You’ll have more peace of mind and a more attractive car by simply opting for a replacement bumper.

Widespread Denting

Dents in bumpers are usually isolated to one corner, especially damage caused by single car accidents like bumping against a high curb or light pole. If the dent spreads across the bumper and is more than a few inches wide, or if there are multiple dents overlapping a large portion of the bumper, dent repair is less likely to work. Bumpers with widespread and severe denting also tend to be compromised under the surface. If the internal frame or foam filling of the bumper is broken due to extensive denting, the bumper won’t perform as expected in an accident even if dent repairs are used to make it look perfect from the outside.

Underlying Body Damage

Finally, the accidents that dent a bumper can cause serious frame damage. A bent, cracked, or twisted frame is a major safety hazard since the constant vibration of roadway driving slowly worsens the problem. Taking a damaged bumper off and replacing it after other repairs is usually recommended any time you have a serious collision, even if the visible external damage doesn’t look that bad.

Not sure if you need bumper replacement or just a minor dent repair? Talk to your local auto body shop today for a professional’s opinion.

5 Things to Do After You Have Been in a Car Accident

Car collision in the urban area
Car collision in the urban area

No one wants to think about getting into a car accident, but they happen every single day. Rather than hide our heads in the sand, we’re better off being proactive. Knowing these five steps can prepare you to deal with an accident and protect yourself from harm that can come long after the vehicles are off the road.

Check for Injury

This is always the number one priority. As soon as you can safely leave the vehicle, you want to see if anyone is hurt. That includes yourself. If there is any sign of injury, call 911 and get medical help. Everything else is secondary. If and when everyone is out of danger, you can move on to the next step.

Involve the Police

Whether or not there is injury, the police need to be involved. The official police report is the ultimate record of what happened. It determines who is at fault and who may owe damages to anyone else. Without a police report, you might as well assume that any damages or expenses won’t be covered by insurance. This isn’t always true, but it’s a good way to convince yourself to call the police.

Be Positive

This is a weird thing to consider. No one wants to put on a smile after a car crash, but it can make a huge difference. Striving to remain positive will help you remain calm and proactive. This can be an amazing benefit to anyone who is hurt, and it makes anyone else involved less likely to flee the scene or be nasty towards you in general.

Most importantly, losing your temper after a crash is pretty much always a mistake. It undermines your credibility and can make it much harder to deal with the aftermath of the accident.

On top of that, focusing on a positive attitude will help you avoid two crucial mistakes. As a rule, you don’t want to admit fault or discuss the accident with anyone other than the police and your insurance agent. As the old saying goes, anything you say can and will be used against you. When you focus on remaining positive, you’re less likely to want to talk about what went wrong.

Call Your Insurance Agent

Some experts would suggest doing this as step five. There’s an argument for that, but there’s a good reason to call your insurance company as soon as you reasonably can. Once everyone is out of danger and the police are on their way, it’s a good time to talk to your agent. They’ll help you remain calm and walk through the checklist of things you need to do. Some of that checklist is in the next step, but having your agent on the phone will help you hit everything that matters.

Most importantly, tell your agent immediately if anyone appears to be injured. They need to get the ball rolling on that as soon as possible.

Use the Rest of Your Phone

At this point, you’ve made some important phone calls, but your smartphone can do a lot more for you. For starters, you can exchange contact information with anyone else involved. You can also take a picture of their driver’s license and insurance information. Then, you can take a bunch of photos of the scene of the accident.

If possible, you want some pictures before the vehicles are moved. You also want a photo of any visible damage to either vehicle. Lastly, you can use your phone to take notes. If you think it’s important, write it down. It’s better to have too many notes than too few.

When you follow these steps, you’ll be in good shape, considering. From there, your insurance company can help you find the best mechanic or auto body repair shop to take care of the vehicle.

What to Do When Your Car is Totally Totaled

car-totalled
We all know that when a car is “totaled” it’s beyond repair – and you are probably lucky to escape without any medical costs or liabilities, too. But how do you really know that a car is totaled? What role does auto body repair play? What are the most important steps you should take when faced with a ruined car? Here’s what you should know.

Assess the Damage

Specifically, a car is totaled when it would cost more to repair it than to simple get a new vehicle (and finding a mechanic willing to take the project on is often difficult). However, don’t just take someone’s word for it that your car is totaled, especially someone who isn’t a professional. Instead, try to get the opinion (and an estimate if possible) of an auto body repair shop or similar business that you trust to make sure of the cost of repairs, and if they think it’s just not worth it. This information will come in useful later.

Document the Accident

Even when your car is totaled, it’s still important to document the accident as much as you can. Take out your phone and take pictures of your vehicle from multiple angles if possible. Write or type down exactly what happened as soon as you can while your memory is still fresh…especially if the accident involved other people or cars.

Contact Your Insurance Company

You should contact your insurance company ASAP and let them know about the damage to your car. Don’t tell them that it’s totaled or give your opinion on anything – instead, present them with the facts and let them assess the damage on their own.

At this point, the insurance company will make a determination about repairs. If they decide that the car is totaled, they will probably just send you a check based on the specific terms of your insurance policy, and the previous/current value of your car (this only applies if you fully own your car).

Here is where things get more complicated. If you still owe money on your car via an auto loan, then the insurance company will send the check to your lender instead. If you still have a balance after this, then you are usually required to pay it off even after your car is totaled.

Do Your Own Research

It’s worthwhile to check the insurance company’s statements to make sure they are accurate. Check for the value of your car from a reputable source and see what a professional says about repair costs. If your research doesn’t match up with what your insurer says, you have a big problem, and need to contact them quickly to talk about a resolution.

Consider What to Do With the Remaining Parts

A totaled car doesn’t just disappear; you still own it, usually under what’s called a “salvage title.” You will have to decide what to do with it, preferably before it is towed. You can choose to keep the car, which may be worth it if there’s a very expensive cosmetic repair but the car still runs. Or you can look for a donation service that will tow your car for free and then see parts to make money. Likewise, you can contact a salvage yard and arrange for a free tow that will usually net you some cash as well.

Understanding the Difference Between Collision and Comprehensive Insurance

car-insurance
Auto insurance doesn’t have to be confusing! Policies have various requirements depending on your situation, but auto insurance basics are easy to understand with a little research. Today we’re going to look at one of the most common questions people have when picking auto insurance: “What’s the different between collision and comprehensive insurance, and do I need to buy a policy that has this type of coverage?”

Collision Insurance

Collisions insurance covers damage primarily related to accidents. This type of policy covers damage that others may do to your car (accidentally running into you, backing into your car, etc.) as well as damage you may do to your car in accidents you cause in similar situations. It also covers damage done even when someone else isn’t involved, such as accidentally hitting a tree or mailbox.

Comprehensive Insurance

Comprehensive insurance covers a variety of other events that can cause damage to your car, but aren’t related to accidents – or, at least, don’t have clear liability. That includes weather damage from hail or wind and nature-related damage like rat nests or crashes into an animal. It also includes rare events like fires that damage your car, objects that fall on your car, and nearby explosions that damage your car. Perhaps most importantly, comprehensive insurance covers theft and theft-related damage to your car, making it a very popular option in areas that have higher levels of car theft or vandalism.

Insurance Requirements

Collision and comprehensive auto insurance are typically sold together, either bundled with a general liability plan, or sold separately as a potential add-on. However, you can usually add them individually if you only want one, depending on your policy and your needs. States generally don’t require collision and comprehensive insurance, only basic liability policies.

However, lenders are an entirely different matter. If you take out an auto loan to purchase a vehicle, then your lender will probably require that you also get collision and comprehensive insurance, to better protect the investment the lender has made in giving you a loan. The same is also true of leasing a car: Leasing company will almost always require you to get collision and comprehensive insurance.

If you own your car, then it’s your decision whether or not to get these extra types of insurance. Costs can be significantly higher: In some states, policies with collision and comprehensive are twice as expensive as policies without them! However, the extra cost may be worthwhile if it covers important repairs to a newer vehicle. If you have an old car – especially one that has seen better days – then this type of insurance is rarely worth the added cost to your policy. The exception is if you absolutely need a car for your livelihood and are worried about theft in your area.

The Benefits of Paintless Dent Repair

painteless-dent-repair
Nothing is more annoying than a dent in a new car – and the decisions you have to make afterward. Whether it’s a minor ding from a shopping cart or dents from a hailstorm, you have to decide if it’s worth it to pay for the repair…and if the result will look like right.

Fortunately, there’s a repair technology that can help with exactly this situation, and it’s called paintless dent repair (PDR). This is a process of apply pressure from inside the car panel as well as suction from outside, and it offers several advantages for small repairs!

Save Money on Paint

Locating and applying the right color of paint to your car can be an expensive process, especially for unusual colors. Painteless dent removal, when done correctly, will remove the dent and buff out any remaining marks without the need to use new paint. This can significantly lower the costs of repairs, which can really add up if you are dealing with multiple dents at the same time.

Speedier Repairs

Without the need to hunt down the right paint – or apply the necessary coats and wait for them to dry – PDR is very time efficient. Minor repairs can be done in a day! There’s no need to go without your vehicle for weeks at a time…which is much more convenient for the customer. Also, successful PDR restores the strength of the panel so there’s less change of damage in the future.

A Better Option for Unique Situations

If you have a luxury car, it may have a more unique paint job that could be difficult to replicate. Or maybe you’ve done some personal detailing on your beloved car that no one else could really repair. Paintless dent repair can help repair cars like these without the need to repaint, essentially restoring original quality. Likewise, if you have an older car then you don’t have to worry about the paint color not really matching between of sun damage and wear.

Environmental Benefits

No paints, glues or sealants are required when PDR go according to plan. This makes the process much better for the environment – and safer for the specialists working on your car, too!

Professional Recommendations

Not sure if paintless dent removal is a possible solution for your car damage? Ask the experts! Auto body shop mechanics that do PDR can examine the dents on your car and let you know just what repairs will look like, and how much they will cost. In some cases, some dents may be eligible for PDR while others (especially dents where pain has chipped off or the paint surface has cracked) will not be eligible. Professionals can explain this to you and give you a variety of repair options, reflected in your estimate, so you can make the best choices for your vehicle.