1. Do you have a warranty?

Any good auto body repair shop should offer their customers a warranty for the repairs done. So, ask for the warranty they provide and the validity. Not only that, but you should also be aware of the coverage of any security they offer and the pros and cons of each. You can even probe further to know the terms and conditions of the warranty to be sure you are making a good decision.

2. Is it a certified auto body repair shop?

Most trustworthy auto body shops do not wait for you to ask about their certifications before showing them to their potential customers. If you ask if their facility is certified and they cannot show that it is, you are not sure of getting what has been promised. A good auto body shop with certified personnel will always want to give quality which is why you should only settle when they can prove that.

3. Does it offer rental cars?

Most car owners will still want to continue their work while their cars are repaired. If you would like a rental car to do that, ask if that offer is available and make sure you read the rental agreement thoroughly before signing. Also, you should inspect the vehicle for rent before taking it out. If you can, take good pictures for documentation purposes. Ultimately, make sure you aren’t going into another car issue when your car is being repaired.

4. How long will the repair take?

The car repair time frame depends on the damage done to the car. Yet, it is advisable to ask the auto body repair shop still when you should come for it. If you have an idea of that, you can plan well and know how much to spend on the rental car.

5. How vast are they with your car model?

If your car model is rare, you should be extra careful of the kind of autobody shop you trust for any repairs. Ask them if they have worked on your car model before and the ease of getting the vehicle’s spare parts. Please don’t force them to take your car as they might not have the expertise and repair parts to fix it.

6. Can they paint your car with the original color?

If you want to retain both the structure and color of your car, you should ask the shop if they can paint it exactly like the old one. It is also better to retain the former paint to decrease the accident area from being noticeable. Plus, if you want to sell, the paint will determine if it is will have good resale value or not.

7. Is the car protected while in the auto repair shop?

You don’t want to bear the loss or theft of your vehicle, so you need to ask this question. If the auto body repair shop assures you of taking responsibility, you can rest assured of safety for your car, which is paramount.

8. Will you get written estimates?

The written estimate is always a good defense for paying the proposed price. You won’t have to worry about paying more after the repairs are done if you have the written estimates. Plus, it also helps plan payment well before the shop finishes the repair.

9. What is their payment policy like?

Before you even ask for the payment policies, you should already see them listed in the reception office. But if it is not there, you can still ask, and they will outline it for you. Also, ask if they help with insurance claims and what you have to do in the process.

10. How soon can you wash the car after repairs?

Don’t assume the auto body shop has done everything and won’t make the mistake of forgetting to tell you when to wash. Instead, don’t forget to ask when to wash as some paints need to be extra dry before water comes on them. If the autobody shop tells you to keep it with them till it is dry, allow it and come back when it is fully ready.

1. Limit your speed

To avoid a debris-caused collision, you need to drive on such roads with limited speed. The impact of your fast speed is always higher and more felt when you come across the debris, leading to a collision. But, when you see debris and drive slowly, you will be able to move away and limit the possibility of causing a crash. Also, if you are at high speed because of the vehicle ahead, it will be hard for you to control the car at that speed if that car applies a sudden brake. Therefore, your best bet on a debris-filled road is to drive with moderate acceleration to give you an excellent strategy to respond well to different unexpected happenings.

2. Keep a steady focus on Stopping sight distance (SSD)

When you apply the brake, the minimum distance, it takes before the car stops is called the stopping sight distance(SSD). This SSD varies from car to car, so you cannot use another person’s knowledge of their vehicle to gauge yours. Once you have mastered the SSD of your car, use it when you come across any debris on the road. With the right speed and the proper application of the brake, you can be able to successfully maneuver your way around the debris and avoid a collision.

3. Leave enough space between other vehicles.

Going closely with the vehicle in front of you is never ideal and primarily increases possible collision. You might be driving slowly but still endeavor to follow the car in front with sufficient distance. This trick will help you think of the best way to respond if there is sudden debris the front driver encounters. Plus, the space you give will help you see the debris well and calculate what to do to avoid it or minimize the damage to your car.

4.Contact the appropriate authorities.

Road safety officers are unaware of some debris on the road, which means we have a duty to let them know. If we all do our responsibility of reporting both small and dangerous debris, we would be saving someone’s life. Your duty isn’t to try to remove the debris but to make the complaint, and the right person will be sent to make the road safer for everyone’s use. So, do well to report timely and to the appropriate authority.

1.  Consider walking instead

This doesn’t mean you will walk from home to the store or to work. But instead of looking for ways to park close to a mall and get sandwiched between other cars, park away from there. It might not be so far away, but it should be a safe place for your car such that you need to walk a little to get there. In fact, parking outside of the regular clustered parking lot will make going in and out faster as you won’t have to wait for the car behind or in front to move.

2. Create sufficient space between other vehicles

The mistake most drivers make is not positioning their car well when parking. If you park very close to another vehicle, you might deter them from opening their vehicle quickly, which might cause a dent in your car or theirs. So, leave room on both sides of your vehicle and also in front and back to allow the next driver to move freely.

3. Take note of vehicles with car seats.

Before you park next to another car, be sure the car doesn’t have a car seat. This car seat is common to those who have kids, and you can be sure your car will not be the primary thought of those kids. If you don’t want to bear the cross of those dents caused by kids unaware of what they are doing, then avoid parking close to such cars or give enough room.

4. Drive-in or out carefully

It can be easy to park into an allocated space in a parking lot, but it is vital to still carefully do so if you don’t want to bump into another car. More importantly, calculate your turns well so you won’t turn in the wrong direction and cause a hit when you are driving out. So, pull out with extra caution every time. If you don’t know how best to drive in a confined space, parking far away is still your best bet as you won’t have to worry about hitting another car.

1. Call the Police

When you see your parked car hit by another vehicle, your first call of response should be to call the police. The role of the police in that situation is to document the incident formally. The report they write on the accident is an important document required to file for an insurance claim.

2.  Contact the driver

After the police have been contacted, you also need to contact the driver. Most drivers leave notes to make it easy for you to locate them and get their insurance details. Some notes will already contain the details of their insurance company which makes it faster to contact the company that will fund the repair. Just make sure you contact the right sources to get the repairs done as quickly as possible.

3. Document the accident

The next thing is to do personal documentation. If you can, ask people around if they witnessed the accident. If you find such people who are willing to give out their contact details, document it well and thank them for their help. Then move over to your vehicle to see the extent of the damage. Check every dent you find and note them down. Also, pictures are essential so, take good photos and videos from different angles that will help you file a substantial insurance claim.

4. Contact the insurance company.

Once you know all the significant damages on your car and you have documented it well, your following line of action is to call the insurance company. Contacting the insurance company at this early stage will help you communicate the details of the accident more accurately as it is still fresh in your mind. But don’t call when you are unsure of what happened in the car or when you see the hit car.

What if the hitting car driver does not leave a contact note?

In most hit-and-run cases, the driver is not likely to come down to write a note. If that happens, the big question many people ask is, “who will foot the bill of the car damages?”

Well, the answer to this car issue is simple if you have a dependable auto insurance agent. Once the accident happens, contact them and ask what options are available for you.

If your insurance policy doesn’t have great options, you will have a limited solution to the issue. But if they do, you are at an advantage. 

Here you go- the tips you need to scale through if your parked car is hit. Hopefully, these tips above will help you have an easy experience, save money and time in the process when such an incident occurs.

1.  Global shortage of raw materials

It seems like every auto body shop seems to be short of raw materials, and this is because the shortage is global. Because of the pandemic that caused shutdowns everywhere in the US and other parts of the world, manufacturers have had difficulty producing raw materials. This is why it is difficult for the supplier to assure the autobody shop of timely delivery as they are not in the production end. The best way to address this issue is by proper planning and scheduling by the manufacturers to better balance demand and supply, which will ultimately prevent delays.

2.  Shortage of staff in the transportation industry

Once the auto parts are ready for delivery, the next thing that often delays is the transportation issues. The parts come from different continents, which means they have to pass through the sea and be cleared by customs. The delay begins when the number of personnel available to clear the goods is limited. There have been so many daily clearings of medical items for COVID purposes, which has made the short-staffed customs already stretched and unable to do the clearing speedily. With all this clearing traffic, the goods will take longer to get to the local shop you can readily access.

3.  Increase in international tariff

Over the years, the international tariff has maintained a steady amount, but with the trade relations affected by Brexit and other US and China issues, there has been a rise. This is why many shipping companies have also been forced to increase their rates. Some other shippers had to stop shipping because they couldn’t cope with the high tariffs leaving the number of shippers at a smaller number. Therefore, auto body shops have to pay more to ship goods that would come in after several delays.

What customers can expect

While all these factors are not excusable, they are yet still some auto collision centres that have been proactive in getting goods timely. The Maan auto collision centre has an affiliation with different manufacturers and therefore has access to auto repair parts that are not commonly available for other shops. Hence, we can assure you of getting your goods timely, and your repairs are done promptly.

Reason #1. You Can Extend  The Lifespan Of Your Tires.

Your tires will wear unevenly if you’re driving a car out of alignment. This can reduce the lifespan of your tires. It also means you’ll need to replace your tires sooner.

Reason #2. You Can Extend The Lifespan Of Your Suspension and Steering Systems.

Poor alignment puts stress on your suspension and steering systems. It can cause suspension and steering system parts to wear unevenly, which can lead to expensive repairs.

Reason #3. You Can Lower Your Fuel Costs.

There is a direct correlation between wheel alignment and fuel costs. A properly aligned car tends to get better fuel mileage than one that’s misaligned. This is because misaligned wheels won’t work together correctly. In this instance, your engine will need to work harder to move your car forward, which can lower your fuel efficiency.

Reason #4. You Can Enjoy A Smooth And Safe Driving Experience.

If your wheels are out of alignment, your car can pull to the left or right. This can make it difficult to drive, since you may need to constantly adjust to compensate. It can also result in a bumpy ride and take your attention away from driving safely.

1. Turn on the Hazard Lights

It wasn’t planned to have your vehicle break down unannounced, but you need to let others know if you don’t want to inconvenience them. The best way to tell other drivers that you are having issues with your car is to put your hazard light on to alert them. Other drivers will catch the signal and give you space to think of the next thing to do when you do that. Once you have done that, if your car can still move, try to pack it in a safe space on the road. If it won’t move, bring the vehicle to a stop and move to the next step.

2. Stay in the car

This is very simple to do, yet it can be challenging. You are safer if you stay in the car than trying to move to another place, especially if your car stopped on the highway. Just make sure you are not hidden from incoming vehicles. If you have to, turn on the dome light in the night to make your car seen clearly. Though you might feel scared, it is best to remain there until help comes than trying to go out of the scene and hit a vehicle.

3. Call a Tow Service

The next thing to do is let the towing service know your current situation. If you don’t have their number, you can look for it online and call the nearest one to you. But if you don’t have a smartphone, prepare ahead by putting the numbers of a towing company in your gloves box. When you have been able to reach them, they will help you move your car to the nearest repair shop to check what went wrong.

Bonus Tips

It is possible that your hazard light might be having issues at that exact point, and you can’t seem to switch it on. If that happens, still don’t panic but look for a flag in your car or a paper to help you signal to other drivers that you are stuck. You could even fix the flag on the window so it will keep doing the work of signalling while you take the next move. If you can’t get a tow number to call, call your mechanic. Also, when the tow service takes your car to a shop that you aren’t familiar with, you should have your own mechanic check the car for you instead.

If you are in a city where you don’t know any mechanic and you are not sure who to call, check for reputable auto repair shops around using your smartphone so you can direct the towing service to their shop.

Also, having a few snacks in your car will come in handy if you are in this situation. It might take a long time before your vehicle gets towed, and you need food and water to think straight. So, please keep them in your car when you leave for a long trip and change them when you get back home.

Do Dealerships Do Collision Repair?

The simple answer is Yes. More elaborately, dealerships usually have a sector that specializes in collision repair. It is more of an arm of the dealership that only does bodywork and can help get your car to its original state once it has been involved in a collision. But, dealerships often prefer to outsource this type of repair to a body repair shop as this takes lots of time. So, they can help but are more likely to outsource it and focus on other standard repair work.

Do Dealerships Do Body Work?

The number of dealerships that do bodywork outnumbers those that don’t do it. The majority that do bodywork only do it for the models they sell as they have the resources to get it done. While those that cant handle it outsource it to body workshops to take off the pressure of repair. Repairs with the dealership also come with the faster repair but with service fees to guarantee that.This service fee is why most dealerships pressure their service department to rush through their repairs, and as such, they would make more profit.

Are Dealership Mechanics Better?

The truth is, most technicians that have stayed in a dealership for a long time have had first-hand knowledge of a specific vehicle make and model. With this knowledge, they are expected to be better than those at an auto body shop, but that is not the case all the time. This is because those at the independent shops also have the same factory training given to dealership technicians. So, the independent shop technicians may be better and have more experience depending on the number of years in the industry.

One advantage that independent technicians have over dealership technicians is their exposure to different vehicles. They will not just be repairing the same make or model every day as customers with unique vehicles will come for repairs or maintenance. Plus, the body shop tends to get certified as a collision centre for a brand of automobile, which is also an advantage.

Collision Repair Shop vs Dealer

Three factors can help you decide the best place your vehicle will get a good repair service.

1. Price

The standard price at most dealership shops often surpasses that of the independent shop making the auto body shop an affordable option. Therefore if you go to the dealership, you shouldn’t expect to pay less as they have a standard non-negotiable price. So, if you want to save extra cash, going to an independent shop is your best option.

2. Experience

There is always an unending argument on the mechanics with more experience and knowledge. But as discussed already, the dealership mechanics are confined to working on a particular model or make while the independent mechanic has experience on different brands. So, no specific rule states that independent car repair mechanics will know less, which means they are not a lesser option. Also, most independent shops have taken several exams and passed, which makes them certified and knowledgeable.

3. Parts

Different car parts are available for both parties, but some specific parts are easy to get from the dealership than anywhere else. Since they focus on particular models of cars, they usually have some parts readily available than the independent shops. So, if there is a model that precisely needs to be repaired and the dealership is exclusive on it, then they are in the best position to have it fixed.

Car Warning Signs

These are the signs you should check for to know if it is time to hand the car over to an auto body shop or not.

1. Leaking Fluids

If you see signs of your car leaking transmission fluid or oil, it is best to take it for a checkup. You don’t need to bend to see it leak as it would be visible on the floor. Most people do not notice these leaks on time because they enter their car every morning without looking around. Be among the extra careful motorist and look for leaking signs often to avoid having an engine breakdown on the road. Plus, you will be preventing your car from overheating once you can address the issue quickly.

2. Loud Noises

As a driver, you will be sure of your vehicle’s sound because you use it frequently. Even if you don’t, you ought to be familiar with how the car sounds so you can know when it has problems that need fixing. If the sound of your car is different than usual, then it is time to go to the repair shop. You might not know why the engine has a different sound, but the auto body repair specialist will know, so let them check it.

3. Weird Smells

Your car’s cooling and heating system tends to expel a weird smell when faulty. If you notice the smell is unusual, you should take the car to an autobody shop as they will check to see if the smell can be hazardous and fix it completely. It is best not to manage such a situation if you want the best for yourself and everyone that uses your vehicle.

When is the perfect time to bring my vehicle in for repair?

If you use one of the modern cars with a dashboard, it will show signs that your car needs to be repaired urgently. Regardless, the three signs listed above should guide you when you need to bring your car for repairs.

The general checkup your car needs should be about twice a year to be well maintained. You don’t necessarily have to see the signs above before taking your car for a yearly routine check. Also, it would help if you were prompt to change your oil every year to get the best from your vehicle.

But if you use your car frequently, you shouldn’t wait till it is a year before you take it for servicing. Whether you know what the manual says about your vehicle or not, if your car goes through any of the following, then visit the auto body shop more often.

• Operates in cold, hot, snowy, and dusty weather conditions
• Drives more than 5miles often
• Used to transport heavy loads.
• Operates in traffic conditions

How Long Can My Car Go Without Maintenance?

If your car is newly purchased, it can go as far as 35,000 miles before needing its first service. This routine check will help you see if your car needs repair or not, and that is how best it can be maintained. If your vehicle is old, you should use the manual guide of your car to know when it is time for maintenance. Often, old cars need more monitoring as they have undergone years of depreciation. But, whatever years your car must have spent with you when an accident occurs, a repair should be done as quickly as possible.

You could also trust your service advisor to tell you when best to get your can checked.

How to Avoid a Car Accident

Accidents can happen anytime to anybody, and it is essential to know what steps to take when they happen. But, what if they can be prevented using some basic guidelines? Then it is best to know these procedures and follow them to help you stay above possible accidents.

Some of the things everyone driving on the road should take note of to prevent accidents include:

• Follow the road rules and don’t expect others will do the same
• Never pull into traffic at speed
• Do not drive without your hands on the wheels or one hand
• Always look out for pedestrians or bicyclists when driving
• Check to see if your car is in good condition before going into the road
• When reversing, look back and do not rely only on the side mirrors and cameras.
• Remember not to tailgate.

If you can follow these tips listed above, you will reduce the chances of getting involved in an accident and being a faulty driver.

Steps to Take After an Accident

Suppose you just experienced an accident; there are some steps you need to take whether you are at fault or not. These steps will protect your interests and also protect you.

1. Park and check to see if you or your passengers are great

It is standard procedure to stop to check if you or the people in your car are okay before driving. Driving away from the accident immediately it occurs is never a good move, no matter how minor the accident may be. The first best thing to do is to stop and be assured everyone in the car is fine before proceeding and contact the necessary quarters if someone is hurt.

2. Move to safety and keep the accident scene protected

If you can, move to a safe place at the roadside to monitor the accident scene and stay safe. But if there is no place to move to, keep the hazard light of your car on till the police show up so that you prevent any other accident. 

3. Contact the Police

There is never a too minor accident that shouldn’t involve the police. If you cannot reach the police, make sure you document what happened at the scene and file an accident report later at the police station. This is important if you need the insurance to take care of the bill, as some insurance companies only accept filing for a claim with a police report.

3. Create a record of the scene

The police will ask some questions about the accident, so you better be prepared to give them a good report. It will help if you note certain things as you will have to remember them.

• You need to be specific in your description of the police and only tell them the truth.
• You don’t have to force yourself to say something; if you don’t know, don’t guess or assume a number.
• You cannot be sure if you are hurt, but if you don’t feel any pain immediately, it is best to tell the police if you are asked how you feel.
• Take as many pictures as you can of the scene, whether or not the police have their records of it.

5. Exchange information with the other involved parties and keep a file

If you can reach the police and they come to the scene, they will get the information of everyone involved. Yet, you still need to get the information for yourself also. Plus, the police name and badge number should also be requested so you will be able to locate your accident report quickly.

Some of the other information to obtain is the names, addresses, phone numbers, driver’s license, vehicle models, insurance companies numbers of the concerned parties. Don’t also forget to note the accident’s location, date, and time.

6. Seek Medical Attention, If Necessary

The next major step is to go to the nearest hospital for treatment. If it is not a severe injury, you can go alone, but if not, ask the police to follow you, so you won’t have to drive alone. Just make sure you don’t allow any pain to go untreated.

7. Inform Your Insurance Company

Don’t wait till you get home before you notify your insurance providers. They should be aware of the accident scene to instruct you on what to do next to file a claim. It is important not to do this regardless of who caused the accident if you want to quickly get the help you need.

8. Get Your Vehicle Repaired

In places like Oregon and Washington, no particular law binds the insurance company to provide repair shops for their clients. However, some still recommend mechanics that they have worked with to help their clients make a good choice. But the recommendation is not a compulsory selection as you can choose to go with them or not.

Your best bet every time is to go for an auto body shop that understands you and is reliable. Some of the things to consider if you want a trustworthy shop are:

• Detailed written warranties
• Certified technicians
• Adequate accident resources and reporting
• Detailed estimates
• A rental car program
• Good customer feedback