Automotive Collision Center Inc.

Posts Tagged ‘auto body repair’

Getting your vehicle repaired after it has been involved in an accident or it just isn’t operating correctly is important. In many instances the vehicle can’t be driven until the necessary repairs have been completed. Yet many people are wary about this type of service because you don’t really know the quality of the work that you are getting. If you need to get your vehicle repaired it is important to do some checking before you take your vehicle to anyone.

If the vehicle is drivable you should attempt to get at least three written estimates. Body shops and repair shops will do this for you free of charge. They will give you an itemized list of the necessary repairs and the cost of them. Make sure you ask about the length of time it will take for them to complete the work as well. Once you get home carefully review all of the estimates. You should see the same items on there in the category of materials and likely some price differences for the labor.

If you notice that one of the estimates for vehicle repairs is much more than the others you may want to ask them why. It could be that they offer better quality products and your car will look nicer or run better when they are done then if you let one of the other businesses do the work. However, it is also possible that they are attempting to scam you and the estimate contains pricing for work that really doesn’t have to be done.

Find out how long a particular shop has been in business. Longevity generally means they have a good reputation for doing quality work. Ask about the experience of their employees so you can get a good idea of what their level of expertise is. You can check online with the Better Business Bureau as well to find out if the repair service has any complaints filed against them.

Most quality vehicle repair service centers will stand behind the quality of their work. You want to choose a shop that has a policy in place that they will guarantee the work for a specific amount of time. This way if you aren’t happy with it or the repairs don’t hold up you won’t have to pay for them again. Even if the cost of the initial repairs were covered by an insurance company you don’t want to have to deal with poor quality work on your vehicle.

Ask your friends, family, and co-workers for recommendations as well. Chances are some of them have had to use a vehicle repair or collision service at some point. They can tell you who they went to and the quality of the work. Ask them if they would go back to that business in the future for such needs as well.

You really can’t avoid having to go to a vehicle repair or collision shop if the need arises. However, you can do your part to ensure you are getting quality service at an affordable price. Most of us rely on your vehicles too much to simply trust the work to just anyone.

Automotive Collision Center Inc.

8201 Washington Blvd. Jessup MD 20794

410-799-2000

 www.mdaci.com

Auto Body Repairing Painting

If you have been in an accident, or just want to revamp your old vehicle, then you should seek out an auto body shop that specializes in repairing and painting. An auto body shop employs trained mechanics that can do a variety of services to bring your car to perfect working condition. Whether you are seeking to make the exterior of your car shiny with a custom paint job or need work done to your engine, these professionals can help.

An auto body shop can offer many different services for your needs. Some specialize in customizing vehicles by using special painting techniques, while others use repair kits to hid damage. Your classic car or new truck can get a whole new look with a new acrylic paint kit in powder blue, fire red, or midnight black. Also, you can do work to the interior of your car by replacing the old vinyl. If you have been in a collision, these mechanics can also fix your bumper’s tip to make it look like nothing ever happened.

Whatever work you are seeking, it is important to do some research about what services your car may need beforehand. Start by going online and searching by what it is that you would like to repair on your car. For instance, if you have a worn out paint job, seek out what is involved with getting a new top coat applied. Make sure to know what you are seeking before heading to an auto body shop.

Auto body repairing and painting services provide detailing and repairing services to vehicles and cars, utilizing exterior paint, acrylic, wax, and powder coating. Auto body repairing and painting shops may also offer interior cleaning, custom paint jobs, car repairs, car painting, paint techniques, custom color combinations, and body repairs. Any vehicle can be detailed and painted, from a car or van, to a truck or SUV. Some auto body repairing and painting services specialize in a few different makes and models of vehicles and cars, while others offer services on a wide range of vehicle makes and models. Auto body repairing and painting services can be part of an auto dealer business, or an independent service. Some services may also provide custom automobile restorations, custom car painting, paint tips and techniques, custom paint jobs, acrylic paint jobs, custom color combinations, and vinyl work. Restorations or custom jobs can include painting, customizing, new upholstery and seat covers, auto body work, electronics and sound system upgrades, and accessories. You can find auto body repairing and painting services by checking your local phone book or trying a directory search online to find a shop near you. Be sure to choose an auto body repairing and painting shop that specializes in what you need. If you’re looking to restore your vehicle or auto, shop around at a few different automobile restoration shops to get price quotes and ideas on interior and exterior restoration. If you simply want your vehicle spruced up a bit with detail work and paint, contact an auto body repairing and painting service. Whether you want a wax, body repairing, custom paint job, vinyl restoration, tips and techniques, auto painting, powder coating, exterior paint, body service, or truck and car repairs, auto body repairing and painting services can help.

If you are looking to have auto body repairs or auto body painting done just call us at 410-799-2000

Visit uis at www.mdaci.com

• Approved shops are beholden to tightfisted insurers. Auto insurers contract with providers to repair vehicles for a pre-negotiated rate. And your car could be the victim of cost cutting. “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 and consumers.
• 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. Mechanics routinely blame missed deadlines on delays in parts delivery.
• A rented car will cost you. If you need a minivan while your car is in the shop, make sure you have minivan-size coverage, for example Toyota Prius Minivan
• Your car needs a shop that speaks its language. Insurers won’t necessarily recommend these shops, but they should be willing to pay the tab.

Nearly all shops will guarantee their work, and parts makers guarantee their parts, making the insurance warranty all but worthless.

Automotive Collision Center 410-799-2000

8201 Washington Blvd. Jessup, MD 20794

www.mdaci.com

So you’ve decided to get an estimate from a local body shop. These days, most body shops will use a computerized estimating software to write your estimate. If the shop you have chosen does not use a computer to write your estimate that should be cause for concern. This is not meant as a jab at those long time owners and technicians and I am not implying they are “backward” or “luddites” or ignorant. Its more for accountability. Computerized software is now standard in our industry and insures a more uniform, unbiased and accurate appraisal for how long things take to repair. For instance, I was talking to a shop owner just a couple days ago who was remembering with fondness the good old days when he would routinely get 15+ labor hours to repair frames on cars that nowadays he only gets 4-5 hours on. The truth is however that 4-5 is the more accurate and fair rate (depending on the job of course it could be more or less). And since consumers and insurance companies are billed by the hours on an estimate the old days of falsely inflating hours are gone.

When it comes to auto body repair the vast majority of line items on an estimate will be one of 5 things:

1. R & I. This is shorthand for “remove and install” and means to take something off your car and then to re-install it later. Parts that are not damaged may need to be temporarily removed to access another part that was damaged or more often so the panel it is taken off of can painted properly. For instance, say your electric motor for your window stops working. The interior trim panel will need to be temporarily removed for to gain access to the motor to see if it can be repaired (not likely!) or replaced. Or perhaps a molding needs to be removed from your door before it is painted only to be put back on later when the paint dries. One caution here is that if panels are being painted and you’re not being charged for R & I the shop may be taping them up which can actually cause peeling or flaking months or years later. So don’t be surprised if for instance a headlight needs to be removed to properly paint a fender. You should actually be more concerned if its not. FYI: R & I times are typically set to industry standards by estimating software and are not discretionary.

2. Repair. Repair (aka ‘Rpr’) is the most discretionary item on an estimate and typically the amount of time it takes to repair something will be underlined or asterisk-ed (*) to indicate this. This is where an insurance adjuster might say a dent will take 3 hours to fix and a technician might say it will take 4. There’s no hard and fast rule here and this needs to be negotiated between insurance adjusters, shop estimators and possibly even the technicians doing the job. My dad who has been in the industry almost 40 years taught me a long time ago that a dent which is about the size of a man’s fist should take about 3 hours to repair. From there you can adjust up or done for various things like a body line that runs through the dent (add an hour) or the dent has no creases and is accessible from the inside and therefore can be mostly popped out (subtract time). The reason these times are so important is that insurance companies are paying shops based on the number of hours on the estimate.

3. Replace. Replacing parts, sometimes shorthanded to ‘repl,’ is not a discretionary item on an estimate and is governed by industry standards or what shop folks call “book time.” If the book/software says it takes 3.5 hours to replace that bumper then that is what the insurance company will pay. No more and no less. It is pretty well standardized with only slight variations depending on which software is used and then it only differs by very little.

4. Sublet. Sometimes there are things that an auto body shop will send to someone else (typically a mechanic who takes care of more under the hood items) to perform and this is categorized as sublet. Popular things for shops to sublet out are air conditioner recharging and 4 wheel alignments when the suspension is damaged. The reason this is sent out typically is that the equipment and space required for these operations are not cost effective for a body shop. And when it comes to deeper engine repair, oil and paint don’t mix! Oil and grease can quickly ruin a paint job. So, shops that say they can do “everything” typically can’t do everything well.

5. Miscellaneous. Under this category will go small charges like “hazardous waste removal” (about once a month we pay someone to pick up and dispose of our hazardous waste in the safest way possible) and “car cover for overspray” which pays for paper, tape and plastic to cover the vehicle during the painting process so paint over spray doesn’t go all over the windows or adjacent panels.

An auto accident can cause you a lot of anxiety. This is especially true if you suffer injuries and/or damage to your vehicle. Treating any injuries you experience is your first course of action. After that, you want to tend to damages to your vehicle. This article provides important information about auto accident property damage claims.

Overview of Auto Accident Property Damage

When your car becomes damaged in an auto accident, the insurance company of the responsible party will usually pay for the damages. Regardless if the responsible party is you or another driver, the type of auto insurance will determine your course of action.

Basic Liability Insurance: Basic liability insurance typically covers damage to another individual’s vehicle as well as injuries suffered by anyone in the vehicle. Many states require that all drivers carry at least this form of auto insurance with a minimum amount of coverage. Auto insurance coverage is based on certain limits. Basic liability usually does not cover expensive vehicles. If the responsible party in your case only has basic liability coverage, you may have to seek other means, such as filing a civil case, to recover damages to your vehicle. If you are the responsible party and you only carry basic liability insurance, you do not have sufficient coverage to pay for your property damages. In this case you will have to pay for the damages out of your own pocket.

Collision Insurance: Collision insurance is usually an elective form of automobile insurance. The amounts of coverage for this type of coverage are usually higher than basic liability. In addition, if you caused the auto accident, this type of insurance covers property damage to any car (including your own).

Recovering property damage resulting from an auto accident is not always an easy task. Unfortunately, you can run into roadblocks when working with an insurance company to recover property damages. Hiring an attorney may be ideal to obtain a fair settlement.

Important Considerations of Auto Accident Property Damage

The most important decision you will have to make when having your automobile repaired after an auto accident is the company that will perform the repairs. It is a good idea to obtain a minimum of two estimates for the damage to your vehicle. Depending on the insurance company you work with, they may have a body shop that they work with. In this case, you should ensure that the repair shop makes the repairs that your automobile requires. You can accomplish this by simply requesting a copy of the repair report.

Types of Auto Property Damage

When there is property damage in an auto accident, the insurance company will generally assign a claims adjuster to the case to determine how much you should recover for damage to your vehicle. After receiving an estimate from an auto shop, the claims adjuster will decide if the insurance company will pay to repair your car or pay you’re a lump sum for the total loss of your vehicle.

Repairs: If your car can be repaired, the damages will usually include charges associated with making those repairs. If you modified your car before the accident, you will probably not be able to claim these costs unless you can prove that the modifications increased the fair market value of your car. The auto shop has the option of using parts that are new or used. If they choose used parts, you want to be sure that the components are Original Equipment Manufactured (OEM).

Total Loss: An auto body shop may determine that your car is considered “totaled.” This doesn’t necessarily mean that it cannot be repaired. A determination that a car is considered a total loss can also indicate that the repair costs are close to 75% more than the fair value of the car. In this case, the claims adjuster will usually consider the option of paying you cash value for your car. If you’re interested in keeping the car, the insurance company may allow you to buy it back as part of the property damage settlement. The amount you will pay for the car in this situation is equal to the amount that it would render in a salvage auction.

The ideal situation is that your automobile is towed to an auto body shop. If your car is otherwise towed to an auto storage facility, you will have to pay for the storage costs. You may be able to recover this cost in your property damage claim.

While your car is being repaired you may need to rent a vehicle. This cost may or may not be reimbursable through the property damage claim. If it is not and you have coverage, your auto insurance may recover the cost.

Steps to Take When Your Vehicle Sustains Property Damage

The initial steps to claim property damage are not dissimilar to claims following an auto accident. The main difference with this claim is that you should attempt to provide as much evidence as you possibly can of the property damage.

1. Swap information with the driver of the other vehicle(s). At a minimum, it is recommended that you obtain their name, address, driver’s license number, and license plate.
2. Obtain evidence of the damage to your car. This includes taking pictures and keeping any components that fall off your car.
3. In auto accidents involving significant property damage, you must call a police office to the accident or report the accident within a certain number of days. The exact property damage amount and time limit varies from state-to-state.
4. Notify your insurance company. If you have sufficient coverage, you may be able to recover charges for towing your vehicle to a auto body shop. You may also be able to use your auto insurance to pay for a rental car while your car is being repaired.
5. If your insurance company does not commence claim processing, contact the insurance company of the responsible party and start a claim for property damage to your vehicle.
6. If applicable, obtain a copy of the police report.
7. Contact an attorney if you are unable to receive a fair deal when working with an insurance company.

Your Rights

Automobiles are often integral parts of our livelihood. If you’re like most people, you rely on your vehicle to get you to work. When your vehicle becomes impaired during an auto accident, you want the process to repair your vehicle to be as speedy as possible. If you’re communicating with the insurance company of the responsible party and the process isn’t moving along as fast as you like, you have the right to use your own insurance company and get reimbursed from the responsible party at a later date.

In many cases, insurance companies are associated with a particular repair shop. You have the right to request a detailed report of the repairs that the repair shop performed. In addition, you may feel it more advantageous to use a auto body shot other than the one recommended by the insurance company. State laws do not usually require that victims use the insurance company auto body shop. In most cases, it is to your advantage to use the recommended body shop because it will probably hasten the settlement of your case. If, however, you have a friend or relative that owns an auto body shop, you may trust their services more than you would a stranger.