When your car is damaged due to a collision or accident, your primary job would be to obtain repair estimates from the collision repair shop. It is the first and crucial step in the process of getting your car fixed. While getting a repair estimate you should concentrate on cost, timing, and quality of work. Most of the mechanics offer a free estimate for your car repairs. They would perform a thorough check of your car and tell you how much would be the potential cost to replace the body parts. It might take some time for them to give you the estimate as they spend around 30 minutes to diagnose the problem in detail.
What should you expect from the preliminary estimate?
You can expect the preliminary estimate within 30 minutes. Your car information (VID) and the contact details will be noted down by the auto body shop. The technician would give you in writing about the visible damages, the parts that require to be replaced, the approximate time needed to get the repair done, and the cost of the labor.
Tips to get repair estimates
The following tips can help with the entire process of getting estimates smoothly:
- Perform effective research– Before getting the estimate, research the auto repair shop. Obtaining the research from a well-established repair shop would make sense. Good repair shops would have a history of doing quality work before.
- Don’t decide only on the price– The estimates can vary from one auto shop to the other. If you get a higher estimate, do not assume that they are overcharging. Lower estimates can result in unsatisfied results.
- Do not allow the insurance company to delay the repairs– Do not wait for the insurer to send their adjuster to assess the damage caused. Obtain your estimate and get the repair done even if the adjuster doesn’t arrive. This will speed up the work and you can get your car back to the road faster.
Every car owner looks out for an honest estimate, outstanding service, and repair expertise. Therefore, before you allow work to a particular auto shop, look out for the reputation and read the reviews online from the other car owners.
