When you take your car in for auto body work, the mechanic will have a lot of work to do. Each minute that the mechanic spends prepping your car to make the repairs is money that you will owe when the repairs are finished. So, is there anything that you can do to make the mechanic's job a little easier and lower the cost of the repairs for you? This blog is all about preparing vehicles for auto body repairs. Here, you will learn what prep-work you can do at home so that the repairs are completed more quickly and the cost is less.
If you have recently been involved in a rear-end collision, you might be in physical pain. Your vehicle likely has some damage too. Perhaps the damage does not appear to be serious. However, it is important to get your vehicle to a collision repair shop to make a final determination. Some rear-end collisions can leave behind hidden damage. Car owners may make the mistake of dismissing the accident as minor if they do not get a professional inspection of the vehicle. The wrong assertion could mean that serious damage goes undetected. In some cases, the hidden damage might be severe enough to warrant a totaling of the vehicle due to value vs. collision repair costs. The following points identify some damage that a collision repair service could identify.
Alignment and Suspension Issues
This issue will be most noticeable when/if you drive your vehicle again. If you follow the correct protocol and get your vehicle inspected and repaired at a collision repair shop, they will check these critical areas. They will test drive the vehicle to ensure that the repair is successful. A misaligned vehicle or one with suspension issues will shift to the side when driven. Uneven tire wear is another consequence.
Electrical Damage
If you have a modern vehicle, it likely has some type of electric wiring in it even if it is a base model vehicle. Electrical damage can be hard to detect without a professional inspection. Many of the sensors that operate windows, backup cameras, sound systems, and the heating and cooling system are located in the trunk area. The sensors and wiring are sensitive. Even if everything appears to be working, an electrical malfunction could happen later. It will be hard to prove that the accident triggered the malfunction. This is why you need to rely on a collision repair service immediately after the accident. The insurance company will not go back and pay for settled claims.
Trunk damage
Some damage to trunks after a rear-end collision extends beyond what can be seen with the naked eye. The damage might appear to only be a minor fender bender. However, a closer inspection could uncover that the trunk is stuck closed. It is also possible the trunk might not close correctly, which could allow water to enter the area when it rains.
Transmission Damage
If your transmission is located at the rear of your vehicle, there is an increased chance of damage to it from the rear-end collision. Transmissions are among the most expensive parts to replace on a vehicle. Sometimes the issue is obvious if a vehicle leaks transmission fluid after an accident. Other times, it will only be apparent when the vehicle is driven. A collision repair shop is the best resource to use after a rear-end collision.
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