If you're like me, you drive your car everywhere. But after 15 years of reliable services, dents and rust now cover my car's hood, trunk and doors. I don't want to sell my car and buy a new one, so I decided to take it to an auto body and paint shop. Not only did the shop repair the dents and remove the rust, the technicians repainted it. If your car or truck looks less than stellar, take it to an auto body shop for repairs. My blog shows you where to look for the best auto body services and how to even perform your own repairs at home. Don't sell your car. Give it a makeover instead.
Your first auto collision repair can be challenging, especially when collision repair myths cloud your judgment.
Motorists often make expensive mistakes due to believing in misleading collision repair myths. Here is the truth about three common misconceptions about auto collision repairs.
1. Auto Collision Insurance Pays for Everything
Auto collision insurance can help you cover the costs of your collision repairs. But auto collision insurance only applies when the cost of the collision repairs exceeds your deductible.
Therefore, you first have to pay the deductible before your auto collision insurance covers the rest of the collision repair costs. It is advisable to opt for a low deductible on your auto collision coverage.
Having a high deductible has the advantage of getting you lower premiums. But, when you need collision repairs, you might have to cover the lump sum of the auto collision repair costs before the insurance kicks in.
2. Only Dealerships Can Provide the Best Collision Repair Services
Most people believe that car dealerships have the best auto collision repair services. But, this is not true.
These days, independent auto body repair shops have the same equipment used by dealerships to conduct collision repairs. Furthermore, auto body repair shops can source the OEM replacement parts if you only want OEM spare parts used.
Auto body repair shops are equipped and capable of conducting the same quality of collision repair services as car dealerships. Sometimes, auto body repair shops offer collision repairs at more subsidized rates than car dealerships. Thus, getting collision repairs from an auto body repair shop could save you money.
3. You Should Only Use OEM Replacements Parts
When your car gets into a collision, chances are some parts and components of the car will not be repairable. As a result, your auto collision repairs may involve replacing the unrepairable parts with new ones.
Nonetheless, you have to decide whether to use OEM parts or aftermarket parts. Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts are replacement parts manufactured by your car's manufacturer. On the other hand, aftermarket parts are auto parts manufactured by a different manufacturer.
A common myth about auto collision repairs is that OEM parts are better than aftermarket parts. But this myth is also untrue. Aftermarket parts differ from OEM parts based on their manufacturers and nothing else. Thus, aftermarket parts can serve and last as well as OEM parts.
Aftermarket parts cost less than OEM parts. Hence, using aftermarket parts instead of OEM parts can help reduce the cost of your collision repairs.
Contact an auto shop for more information about automotive collision repair.
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