Auto body repair warning

The SA Motor Body Repairers Association (Sambra) has issued an urgent alert to motorists that repairs may be delayed in the country due to the current shortage of motor body repair components.

Sambra represents almost 1000 motor body repair businesses across SA and accounts for over 80% of all insured repair claims in the country.

Richard Green, national director of Sambra, said the group has received notifications from several Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) advising that these supply constraints will continue for many months to come.

Green added that Sambra members will do everything in their power to inform clients accurately when dealing with authorised repairs on the state and timing of the repair required.

'The situation is however totally out of our control.

'The supply constraints have affected the production of alternative parts in the same manner and we are finding that there has been a knock-on effect on the quality of available alternative parts,' he said.

Green said the further dramatic increases in the cost of international cargo container logistics that increased four-fold over the last 12 months, have exacerbated the supply crisis.

He said Sambra will continue to liaise closely with insurers and OEMs on the status of certain critical parts and wherever possible we will repair rather than replace the part in question.

'Developments in repair technology have advanced substantially over the recent years, significantly improving the ability of our accredited Sambra members to repair metal and plastic panels on a motor vehicle,' he said.

Green strongly suggests that motorists who don’t have hire car cover on their motor insurance policies include that as a matter of urgency, as it is inevitable that vehicle repairs will take far longer than normal while manufacturers struggle to restore the part supply chain.

Closer to home, Autodealer spoke to a number of panel beaters in the area and they confirmed that sourcing parts for clients' vehicles have become their biggest headache.

'Just about every single part of every vehicle from every manufacturer is on back order,' said one frustrated owner of a auto body repair shop in Empangeni who asked not to be named.

'The supply issues started about a year ago. 'Parts that were usually readily available and delivered to us in less than 24 hours, are now scheduled to arrive only in two months time and in some cases the wait is even longer.

Clients are not happy when you tell them their car can only be fixed in four months time'.