How to manage collision repair
TROUBLE SHOOTER: After a crash, it’s vital to know how long your car will be in shop
Getting into any type of collision is frustrating. Because of the rarity for the average driver, there’s a lot of confusion on how to proceed, who to notify, which repair shops to use, part selection, and more.
One of the most common problems that drivers run into is gauging the length of time their vehicle will be in the shop. The collision repair business is extremely competitive, and many times staff will provide rosy projections of repair timelines to keep a customer from seeking another shop. When it comes to damaged vehicles that may still be safely driven, having an accurate estimate of downtime can be crucial to successfully navigating daily routines. Here are some factors to consider:
What you are driving
The length of time for collision repairs can depend a lot on the availability of replacement parts. Drive a mainstream vehicle and most parts are readily available from a variety of factory and aftermarket sources. Own a less popular vehicle and you may find your initial estimate of a week or so will turn into a month or more.
Size and type of the repair shop
If it’s a medium to small shop with less than a dozen work bays and only one paint booth, and if the parking lot is jammed with fresh crash victims, you may be in for a wait.
Good shop managers will always try to juggle workloads to match customers’ needs, but if your ride happens to be one of several dozen or more damaged because of a stretch of nasty weather, you may expect delays. Most private insurance firms work with preferred repair shops, which can speed up the appraisal and authorization process, which are steps that have to be completed before parts are ordered. But some shops can do their own appraisals and receive electronic approvals. If your vehicle can’t be driven to an insurance examination centre and has to be inspected by an insurance appraiser, it can add days to the whole process.
Type of damage
Unless it’s just one bolt-on panel, such as a fender or bumper cover, it’s likely to be a multi-week repair rather than just a few days. Cutting and reinstalling welded panels — door skins, quarter panels, roof panels, etc. — take time and patience.
Why does all this matter if you’ve got replacement vehicle coverage? All private insurance policies have limitations on rental car coverage in their rider clauses. Often these limits are as low as $300 per incident. If you choose a rental car that has a high daily rate, such as a minivan or pickup, you can easily run out of coverage before your vehicle is ready for the road again.
Competitive body shops will try to ease this pain by operating their own loaner fleet or getting lower rates from a rental agency, but that’s not always the case. Part suppliers will never provide assistance for extended rental car terms that result from back orders.
To get yourself back on the road as quickly as possible with the least amount of financial outlay, opt for the lowest priced rental car available and keep in touch with the body shop on a regular basis for updates. If they run into a back order, ask them to check alternative sources.
If another part is available at a higher price, point out to your insurance company that paying a little more for the part will reduce the amount they have to pay out for a rental car. If this doesn’t budge them, do the math; it might be cheaper to pay the difference out of your own pocket to avoid extra rental fees. If your vehicle is driveable, consider putting off the repair until the busy collision season winds down — after the worst of winter.