Sunday, October 6, 2013

Everything You Need to Know About Auto Collision Estimation

Being in an auto collision is never a fun experience. Even if no one is injured, it can still be a stressful and annoying situation. It can also be costly. Auto repairs are expensive and getting more expensive every year. We want our cars fixed right, but we also want to get the best deal. To ensure you know the basics of what goes on when you take your care to a body shop for repairs, here is a brief checklist of what collision repair specialists do.

The initial step of auto collision repairs is inspection. A auto collision specialist is trained to recognize the extent of the damage and the type and amount of repairs to get the vehicle back on the road again. Auto repair specialists use both learned theoretical knowledge with practical experience to repair the car correctly. When you bring your car in (or it is towed in), here is what they do in the inspection process:

  • Use their intimate knowledge of the car's structure to evaluate and understand any core structural damage.
  • Find out and determine the car's history so old damage can be differentiated from the new damage.
  • Determine the point and intensity of impact to ensure less obvious areas of damage are detected.
  • Check the steel components of the body to determine welding and replacement needs.
  • Check all plastic components, such as door panels, for damage.
  • Determine if there has been any damage to the mechanical systems.
  • Determine if the suspension system has been damaged.
  • Analyze and determine the painting needs.

The second part of the process is the estimation. The following steps will be followed during this part of the repair process:

  • Check parts availability and pricing for all parts that need to be replaced.
  • Determine the total amount of labor hours needed to repair, replace, and paint.
  • Prepare a complete documentation for all repairs, parts, and costs for the customer.
  • Thoroughly explain all procedures, repairs, and estimates to the customer.
  • If there are repairs which may have more than one possible solution, explain the various options to the customer.
  • If some repairs will be done at a different location (some mechanical or suspension repairs may be done elsewhere), the reasons for this should be explained completely to the customer.

The auto body specialist should display a thorough knowledge of all repairs, and should take the time to answer any questions you may have. If the customer service seems poor, you may want to move on to the next body shop. You want your repairs done correctly, for a reasonable price, on time, and with a smile!

Jennifer Greenfield is a writer in auto body repair business. For more information on Final Finish Collision Centers, visit finalfinishcc.com at http://www.finalfinishcc.com.
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