How Auto Body Shops Identify Unseen Damage After a Collision

A dented bumper, scratched paint, a broken windshield—the aftermath of a car accident is often accompanied by a visible reminder. However, it is important to know not all damage following an accident is visible. This can be especially true in newer vehicles that include automated driver assistance systems (ADAS) as these sensors and components are often not visible.

After a collision, when assessing the damage, you may want to bring the vehicle to a professional to determine if the damage is cosmetic or if there is unseen damage that could impact vehicle performance or safety features.  

Unseen Technologies

Many newer vehicles include a variety of sensors to guide driver assistance technology. Often sensors are located in the front and rear bumpers as well as throughout the interior and exterior of the vehicle. These sensors work together with onboard computers to allow features like parallel parking assistance, rear cameras for assistance backing up, and even collision prevention measures. Following an accident, it is important to confirm that your systems are fully operational.

Fortunately, auto body shops have various ways to detect this unseen damage, and one of the most important is diagnostic scanning.

A diagnostic scan is performed after you drop your car off at the shop, before repair work begins. To perform a diagnostics assessment, a repair technician connects your car to a scanner, which reveals if any Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC) appear. This scan runs through all the various programs and features that help your car run, and it flags any problems or miscommunications between those systems.

This scan gives auto repairers visibility into seen and unseen systems.

If you’re in an accident, it is important to remember to think about unseen damage as well. You can always play it safe and contact a local collision repair professional to determine the extent of the damage. Carwise is happy to connect you to local professionals, many of which offer photo estimates online. Use the shop finder tool on Carwise to search your zip code for a customer-reviewed auto body or glass repair shop nearby: https://www.carwise.com/auto-body-shops/.

Finding small dents in your car can be incredibly frustrating. Taking it in for a repair at an auto body shop and contacting your insurance company seems like a hassle since you can still operate the vehicle.

what is paintless dent repair?

You may be concerned about repair costs, or increases in your insurance premiums. However, there is an inexpensive option known as paintless dent repair (PDR). While PDR is often used for hail damage, it can also be used for large and small dents anywhere on your car’s paint surface. Furthermore, it leaves the paint job on your car intact, so you don’t have to worry about panels appearing mismatched after the repair. This process maintains the original paint and parts which, in turn, minimizes costs while helping your car retain its value for potential resale.

Paintless Dent Repair or Paintless Dent Removal (PDR) is a technique used by auto body shops that remove dents and dings, leaving the original paint in place.

To ensure that your car dent is repaired properly, you should leave it to the professionals. With Paintless Dent Repair (PDR), auto body shops can remove many types of dent damage including hail or door dings.

Paintless Dent Repair is a process of accessing the back side of the damaged panel and then massaging and shrinking the dent with unique and specialized rods that have different configurations. PDR is faster than conventional repairs and does not use traditional auto body methods like sanding, body fillers in order to maintain your car’s original finish.

WHAT CAN PAINTLESS DENT REPAIR FIX?

Paintless dent repair can work well in the following situations:

• From small to large dents

• On newer cars, typically with model years of 1990 or later

• When cracked or broken paint is not present

• When the dent isn’t close to a panel ‘s edge

• When the panel has not had previous auto body repair

PDR is so effective for hail damage that insurance companies will setup temporary facilities to rapidly assess and repair damage.

ADVANTAGES OF PAINTLESS DENT REPAIR

Paintless Dent Repair advantages include:

• No repainting or body filler needed

• Does not cost as much as a traditional body repair

• Can be quickly fixed in most cases

• No possibility of paint overspray on other parts of the vehicle

• No risk of incorrect color matching

• Vehicle retains original paint

A vehicle with original paint retains a higher value than a car that has been repainted. No matter where the damage is located, it is always best to keep the original paint on a vehicle for as long as possible.

Paintless Dent repair and Hail damage

The calm after a storm is not so smooth when it has resulted in hail damage to your vehicle. In many cases though, getting the damage fixed is not so difficult.

CALL YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY AFTER YOU GET AN AUTO SHOP QUOTE

The first thing you should do after the storm is get in contact with both an auto body shop and your insurance company. An auto body shop will help you figure out your hail damage repair options; your insurance company is likely aware that a hailstorm went through your area and can let you know your insurance coverage, as well as repair options.

GET YOUR CAR FIXED WITH PAINTLESS DENT REPAIR

More often than not, your car can be fixed using a technique called paintless dent repair (PDR). This is used when there are dents in the metal, but the paint job has not been damaged, which is often the case with hail damage. PDR is relatively inexpensive, as many auto body shops offer this service in-house, work with insurance companies after a storm to ship cars to PDR companies, or can refer you to a specialized PDR technician. In areas where hailstorms are common, many insurance companies and collision repair shops will set up temporary PDR spaces to provide quick repairs at minimal cost.

WHERE CAN I FIND AN AUTO BODY REPAIR SHOP THAT DOES PAINTLESS DENT REPAIR?

If you want to ensure that you have a flawless Paintless Dent Repair, find a good auto body shop to get your car back to pre-damaged condition. A quick search on Carwise.com will help you find the right shop.

Not all shops offer PDR in-house, as it is a specialized repair process and requires technical training. At Carwise, we can help you locate an auto body shop that offers PDR near you. If you live in an area prone to hailstorms, use Carwise to find a shop near you before a storm hits.

Sources:

MSN Autos

The calm after a storm is not so smooth when it has resulted in hail damage to your vehicle. In many cases though, getting the damage fixed is not so difficult.

Call your insurance company after you get an auto shop quote

The first thing you should do after the storm is get in contact with both an auto body shop and your insurance company. An auto body shop will help you figure out your hail damage repair options; your insurance company is likely aware that a hailstorm went through your area and can let you know your insurance coverage, as well as repair options.

Get your car fixed with paintless dent repair

More often than not, your car can be fixed using a technique called paintless dent repair (PDR). This is used when there are dents in the metal, but the paint job has not been damaged, which is often the case with hail damage. PDR is relatively inexpensive, as many auto body shops offer this service in-house, work with insurance companies after a storm to ship cars to PDR companies, or can refer you to a specialized PDR technician. In areas where hailstorms are common, many insurance companies and collision repair shops will set up temporary PDR spaces to provide quick repairs at minimal cost.

At Carwise, we can help you locate a body shop that offers PDR near you, and help eliminate the hassle in locating the right PDR technician for your needs. Finding car repair technicians specialized in PDR and other specialties is a breeze with Carwise.

Paintless dent repair is a repair option worth considering for auto body shop managers. Whether or not your shop is in an area that gets hit regularly by hailstorms, PDR is a relatively inexpensive way of repairing dents in vehicles. While it is likely that your future and existing customers will appreciate a less expensive option to repair dents, it is important for collision repair shops to evaluate their own cost benefit of setting up PDR in-house.

Setting up for Paintless dent repair

The major factors in considering setting up PDR in a body shop include:

• Access to a PDR-trained technician
• Owning the correct PDR equipment
• Having a well-lit space specifically for PDR repairs in the shop
• The amount of jobs that could use PDR

In many cases, it boils down to the last point — demand. If hailstorms rarely occur in your area, your shop may specialize in other repairs. It may even make more sense to outsource PDR to another company, in which case will need to consider the cost of transporting cars offsite.

Overall, setting up PDR in your shop can attract a lot of customers. Here at Carwise, your body shop’s profile page can indicate whether or not you offer PDR to those in your area requiring PDR services. Weigh your options, and consider if PDR is right for your shop.

Fender Bender also has an article about setting up in-house PDR.

The explosion of mobile technology has made staying connected easier than ever. And as that technology continues to expand its reach, car manufacturers are working to meet consumer demands for connectivity inside the vehicle. Which features are important to consumers, and what impact will those features have on customer satisfaction and safety?

Connected Car Examples

Below are some popular connectivity options now available in many new vehicles:

• Vehicle-to-driver communication
• Voice-activated controls/features
• Internet-enabled navigation
• Personal assistant service
• Vehicle internet connectivity
• Vehicle mobile applications

According to Nielsen research, approximately nine in 10 are satisfied with their drivable tech. And when it comes to shopping for a new car, the majority of consumers who plan to purchase a new car in the next two years say they’re very likely to purchase a connected car with built-in features. Most drivers of connected cars say it makes driving fun and feels “revolutionary”. Many also felt it improves safety on the road and makes them drive better.

While connectivity features can help in some cases with accident avoidance, they are not a replacement for safe driving and cannot guarantee your safety. In some cases, connectivity features can even create a distraction for the driver, increasing the risk of an accident. As always, it’s important to practice safe driving and only use connectivity features like internet and navigation while the vehicle is parked.

In the event of an accident, your connected car will need the attention of a high-quality collision repair shop. To learn more about finding a quality collision repair shop, visit carwise.com

Sources:

Staying Connected Behind the Wheel

Technology puts Consumers in the Driver’s seat with Connected cars

Online auto body shop review websites like Carwise.com are important for your business. They not only help you communicate with your existing customers, but they can be a key component of a successful auto body shop’s marketing strategy. An online auto body shop review is a reflection of your reputation, plus online reviews can draw in new business to your shop.

Review websites are the next best referral tool to word of mouth.

Here are the top reasons why auto body shop review websites are important:

1) Reputation. 88% of consumers read online reviews to determine if a local business is a good business.

2) Referral business. Personal recommendations are the only other referral process more trusted than auto body shop review websites.

3) Reviews help you in the search engines. Reviews give you a huge boost on SEO, improving your online presence and search engine rankings in Google, Yahoo, Bing and other search engines. If you want better exposure in the search engines, auto body shop reviews matter a lot!

4) Stay ahead of the competition. 90% of auto body shops don’t share reviews. There is a huge opportunity for your shop to improve your sales and referral business if your competition is not participating in online reviews.

5) Carwise vs. auto body reviews on other websites. The subject of fake reviews has had a lot of news coverage and is on the mind of the average consumer. However, Carwise.com is different than other online review sites, because all auto body shop reviews are 100% REAL. They are the opinions of verified customers who’ve had their vehicles repaired at the shop they reviewed. Unlike other online review sites that allow anyone to write a review, Carwise.com eliminates the possibilities of fake auto body shop reviews up front by requiring reviewers to complete a verification process to ensure they are actual customers of the auto body repair shop that is receiving the repair review.

Check out Carwise.com today to see the opinions of real people who have had their vehicles repaired at these facilities. They rate these shops on a number of factors that make a difference to the customer experience.

Sources:
SearchEngineLand

Getting into a car accident and then being surprised by a high estimate for the auto body repair costs makes a bad situation even worse. Considering how expensive auto body repairs can be, it is very important to know how to handle a car accident before and after it happens – especially if the cause of the accident was your fault.

Helpful Auto Body Repair Tips

When taking your car to an auto body repair shop for the first time, you should know a few things before arranging to have any work performed. You should also know what to look for after getting your car back from the auto body repair shop.

SELECTING A GOOD AUTO BODY REPAIR SHOP:

• You can read online ratings and reviews on Carwise.com to get a sense of the quality of the auto body repair shop based on real customer feedback.

• When doing preliminary research on an auto body repair shop on a review website, pay close attention to the reviews that are well-written and more through. Even the best companies receive one-liner bad reviews from time to time.
• According to a Harvard study, 16% of Yelp restaurant reviews are fake. The auto body repair shop reviews on Carwise.com are 100% real customer reviews from real people who have had their vehicles repaired at these auto body repair facilities.

Anticipate auto body repair costs

Knowing that an auto body repair can be quite expensive. Before filing the claim check to see how much your current collision deductible is on your auto insurance policy. Most deductibles can range from $250 – $1,000, if you chose to file a claim, know that you will be paying the full deductible amount. . Keep in mind that if you do file a claim your insurance premium will most likely increase at your next renewal. Therefore you may want to get an estimate from a qualified auto body shop before filing the claim.

Read auto body repair shop review and recommendations

There are several review sites on the web, but few specialize in auto body repair. Using Carwise.com you cannot only find an auto body repair shop near you but also read ratings and reviews from actual customers that had their cars repaired at those facilities. With this research available, you can use your best judgment when selecting a shop to repair your vehicle.

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE HAVING YOUR CAR REPAIRED BY AN AUTO BODY REPAIR SHOP:

• You should never drive a damaged car because it might not be safe.

• Your vehicle is one of your biggest investments. To find a good auto body repair shop, you should go to a review website like Carwise.com so that you can protect your investment by getting it repaired properly.

• A signed copy of the written estimate should describe the condition, what needs to be repaired, the affected parts and the estimated labor charges.

• The estimate should also state that the auto body repair shop will contact you for approval before they perform any work that might exceed the time or cost on the written estimate.

• Don’t be afraid to ask questions about your auto body repair. A professional auto body repair shop will take the time to explain the entire process.

• If you bring your car to an auto body repair shop within the Carwise network, you can view your car’s detailed repair status updates via the Carwise website or mobile app. Many of the Carwise network shops also can send you frequent repair status updates via text messages or email, eliminating the hassle of calling to get updates.

Visit an auto body repair shop

Call or visit auto body shops in your area. The best time to call or visit an auto repair shop is after the morning rush. Visiting an auto body repair shop when they are busy may not be the ideal time to get the full attention of the shop staff.

Get everything in writing

Most states require that auto body repair shops give you a written estimate. Make sure you have the opportunity to review the estimate before the shop begins your repair. When you pick up your car, make sure you compare the written estimate to the final bill to verify that everything matches. Don’t be afraid to ask the auto body shop about any discrepancies.

Verify your insurance coverage for a rental car

You’ll need to know what your insurance policy will cover when it comes to getting a rental car while your vehicle is in the shop. For example, if you need a bigger vehicle like an SUV or van to fit your lifestyle, you should be aware if your insurance only reimburses you for the rental of a compact car. By checking your policy in advance, you can reevaluate as needed to avoid future problems and fees.

Certifications are signs of a reputable auto body shop

When selecting a repair shop, look for certifications. A certification usually means that the auto body repair facility is committed to the continuous training of their staff on proper repair procedures. Certifications also show that the auto body repair shop has the information, knowledge, and skills required to perform complete, safe and quality repairs for the ultimate benefit of the consumer. The most common certification programs are offered by I-CAR and ASE.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW AFTER GETTING YOUR CAR BACK FROM THE AUTO BODY REPAIR:

• The auto body repair bill should describe all the work that was done. It should list every repair, which parts were used, labor charges, and the odometer reading of the car before bringing it in.

• If there is a discrepancy between the itemized bill and the written estimate, don’t hesitate to ask the auto body repair shop about the differences.

• In some cases, you might not notice any problems until a few months later. For example, you may notice uneven tire wear on your car. This might be a result of the front suspension not being aligned and repaired properly. A good auto body repair shop will stand by their work and fix the problem under the warranty.

• Remember to always keep your paperwork and receipt so that if you discover issues later, you can bring it back to the auto body repair shop to assess what is causing the problem.

Sources:
Today.com
AOL Autos
i-Car.com

Harvard University

FTC.gov