Do you drill access holes like other Paintless Dent Repair companies?
This was done by one of the real value Real fast shops on a Jaguar trunk
Because of Eddie’s 37 plus years of experience and tool selection drilling access holes has seldom ever been require to repair dents and dings.
For less concerning customers that want it Real Fast. We will sometimes lower our quality so our repair process is streamlined from start to finish so we can compete with these Real Value PDR companies.
Conventional Auto Body ( Nail Gun) Repair vs Paintless Repair
Here is a step by step view of Conventional Auto Body ( Nail Gun) Repair vs Paintless Repair .
What are “DRP” (Direct Repair Program) shops?
The Insurance Companies have many different names for their DRP shops (service first, pro shop, blue ribbon shop, etc…) They will try to sell you on the many benefits of using these shops, but, you should be aware of
the reasons why your insurance company would like you to use these particular shops.
The Insurance Companies have many different names for their DRP shops (service first, pro shop, blue ribbon shop, etc…) They will try to sell you on the many benefits of using these shops, but, you should be aware of
the reasons why your insurance company would like you to use these particular shops.
DRP shops have usually entered into an agreement with an insurance company whereby the shop
will have agreed to:
- Provide substantial discounts to the insurance company
- Limit the scope of repairs as defined by an insurance company representative (hidden damage may be left un-repaired)
- Utilize parts and materials as dictated by the insurance company
- Back the insurance company in the event a dispute develops between the vehicle owner and the insurance company. In return for these concessions and support the insurance company “directs” repairs to that shop.
We are not saying that all DRP shops will do inferior repairs. We just want you to be aware of the underlying motives of an insurance company referring or “steering” you to a specific shop or group of shops.
Why does your shop want to follow manufacture repair recommendations?
We have $42M reasons…… “A Texas jury on Monday found John Eagle Collision Center’s incorrect repair liable for much of the severity of the crash of a 2010 Honda Fit, and awarded the couple injured and trapped inside the burning vehicle $42 million in damages.”
All could have been avoided by researching and following recommended repair procedures and not being bullied by the insurance company “Honda OEM repair procedures demand a shop tack-weld the front and rear corner edges of the new roof and then perform a combination of two- and three-plate spot welds and MIG plug welds. More than 100 welds are required by the manufacturer”
Why are you not on any insurance companies preferred list of shops?
There is a say……. “Never Trust someone that owes you money” Insurance-affiliated repair shops depend on insurance carriers for their business, so they sign an agreement they will keep sending them referrals if they agree to install after market/ Counterfeit or parts of of wrecked cars on your car and over look repairing some of the damage or replacing some of the parts . Our allegiance is to you our customers who have entrusted us to look out for their safety and investment.
What are LKQ, Aftermarket, Economy or Counterfeit parts?
There is extensive evidence to show that these “counterfeit parts” are substantially inferior in fit, finish, corrosion resistance, and crash integrity. It would not be an exaggeration to say the future safety of your vehicle’s occupants could be compromised if economy parts are used to repair your current damage. We strongly recommend against the use of non OEM parts. The use of economy parts is usually incorporated into the DRP shop agreements we referenced above. We have never read or heard any car manufacture that recommends anything other than new OEM parts in the repair of their cars as they are not engineered to the same high standards.
What are used or salvage parts?
These are parts that chances are was taken from a car that was in an accident that was not worth repairing. Or they could have been taken off of a car that was in one of the floods along the Gulf Coast. Ever seen how bad cars rust along the coast? We are all about our environment but we have never read or heard any car manufacture that recommends anything other than new OEM parts in the repair of their cars as there is no way of know the quality and safety of these parts. Are they twisted from the other accident? Are they even OEM parts? Is there future rust issues because it was in a flood? How was the part handled in the junk yard? Whats the warranty? Most do not have a warrenty worth the paper it was printed on…. The list goes on…..
Facts You Should Know
- No law requires you to get more than one estimate.
- You are not obligated to use any particular shop to obtain repairs.
You choose the shop and authorize the repairs. - You do not have to accept the Insurance Company’s appraisal of
damage. Check the “Appraisal Clause” in your policy on how to
resolve any differences. - You are responsible for the cost of repairs. Financial arrangements
must be completed before the car can be released. - There can be a big difference in estimates, as any shop can give
you a lower price by cutting corners, leaving things off the original
estimate, or simply missing on deeper problems. Our workers are
craftsmen, and will restore your car at a fair price without cutting
expenses.
Is Axalta a manufacture approved paint line?
Axalta has countless OEM approvals so you can be confident our paint meets or exceeds OEM criteria for collision repairs.
Axalta Coating Systems is a world-wide leader that has been developing, producing, and coating systems for more than a century.
Can you match the paint on my car?
By using the Axalta ColorNet system getting the right color match has gotten a lot easier. Now that we have the Acquire™ Quantum EFX color scanner and ColorProofing spray out cards that gives us the largest color library of formulas!
Aperture Refinish / Uniside Refinish
Today’s paint on all cars is thermoset which means it will always remain in a permanent solid state. So the new paint can’t be melted into the old paint. All automotive & paint manufactures do not recommend that repair shops attempt to melt or burn in the clear.
Soft edge tape and reverse masking is a short cut insurance company try to force shops to use as it reduces the claims cost.
Keep in mind insurance companies are not the ones repairing the car so they will never assume any liability when you are not happy.
Finish Sand and Polish / Color Sand and Polish
The process, which is required to adjust texture and remove surface imperfections after refinishing. 1st the areas are sanded with micro grit sand paper which is usually 1500 grit followed by 2000 grit until the desired leveling is achieved . Then the entire panel is DA sanded with 3000 and 5000 3M trizact paper. Then the sanding marks are removed with a white wool pad and micro fine compound, then a course yellow foam pad with compound, then polished with a soft black foam pad and polish. Then followed up by hand polishing with a blue foam pad and hand glaze to achieve a mirror finish. then the final clean up begins.
What are one time use parts?
These are parts the manufacture says needs to be replaced if taken off as it could be a safety issue or a cosmetic issue. It could be the mounts that the clips go into crack or bend. If this was an airbag cover it could mean the cover hits you in the face or the air bag does not deploy in the direction it was designed to be projected. It could be for a piece of glass that the tabs are cut off that could compromise the safety as glass is the structure of your car or could be for alignment issues It could be they have double side tape that is almost impossible to replace properly so they will eventually fall off or start to lift off or do not fit as snugly or all the before.
