A vehicle accident is one of the most unpleasant things we can experience. Apart from the potential for injury to ourselves and others, and the inconvenience of being without a vehicle while repairs are made, it is also very frustrating as we see the damage done to something we have paid a lot of money for. We can’t help but wonder if the car will ever be the same again.
Apart from the issues of medical recovery and the legal process that follows to get everyone’s bills paid by the appropriate party, getting our car back to normal after an accident is a very high priority for us. We just want it to look like it did before we heard screeching tires and breaking glass.
Making that process successful requires having a very carefully-orchestrated plan for getting the repairs done. Slacking off on any part of it can leave you with a vehicle that isn’t what it used to be.
Getting The Right People
Working on automotive bodies is not an easy trade. It requires years of experience after a long training process, as well as a desire to do things right from the very beginning.
After an accident, your car will probably be worked on by several people within the body shop. This is a good thing. People who specialize in certain areas will be much better than those who claim they can do it all. Many repair shops will have some work done by outside contractors, such as Van Isle auto glass, which specializes in the very tedious task of replacing the windows that are damaged in an accident. As specialists, they know how important it is to get the correct replacement windows and to install them exactly according to specifications so that they keep water out, minimize noise, and just look right.
Getting The Right Parts
Of course, a good installation is worthless if it’s installation of junk parts. Although there are cut-rate sources for almost every vehicle part you can imagine, those that are made or endorsed by the manufacturer of the vehicle are always best. When you wreck a nice vehicle, you need to fix it with nice parts.
To begin with, imitation parts are not as good a fit. They may bolt on, snap-in, or glue together well enough to pass the eyeball test, but in time they’ll leak, rattle, or crack. The materials are inferior, and often the steel parts will rust. You also want to buy them from a reputable source, since so many are counterfeit.
Consequently, the quality body shops will not encourage you to get off-brand parts. They aren’t getting a kickback and they aren’t being arrogant. They want the parts they use to be of the same quality that their own workmanship is. Stick with the name brand items and you’ll be glad you did.
Watching The Big Picture
Have you ever seen a car driving down the street that looked like it was pointing the wrong way? More than likely, it had been involved in a crash and fixed incorrectly. Accidents don’t just twist bumpers or crush fenders. They also twist frames, making the car sit incorrectly. A body shop that repairs the sheet metal without tending to the frame will send you down the road looking like you’re always halfway into a turn.
A good body shop will take a comprehensive look at the alignment of your car and make sure that it is squared up. They’ll check things like wiring, brake lines, and other mechanical components that could have been damaged. In short, they’ll repair the entire car, not just the appearance of the car.
Car accidents are dangerous, expensive, and inconvenient. No matter what costs you incur, you just want to get everything back to normal as soon as possible. But in the rush to resume your normal life, it can be very easy to go cheap or quick on repairs and end up with another wreck as bad as the first one.