Oftentimes, when we think of getting work done on our cars, it has to do with the engine. However, if you’ve recently been in an automobile accident or there are simply signs of wear and tear on the body of your vehicle, that can require some repair work as well. And sometimes, if you’re not careful, it can get to be quite costly.
There are some ways to get around having a high automotive body repair bill, though. If you’re interested in knowing about some of the proven ways to save money when it comes to getting the outside of your car worked on, here are five effective tips.
Check your insurance policy. Remember, the main reason why you bought automobile insurance is so that you could get some financial assistance in the case of an accident. So, the first thing that you should do is contact your insurance company to see what your policy specifically covers. More times than not, you’ll be able to file a claim. While you’ll have to pay a deductible on your repairs, you still won’t have to pay the full amount.
Shop around for rates. When it comes to finding the right kind of body shop to do the repairs, unless you are using one based on a referral, it’s a good idea to research 3-5 shops. Inquire about their quality of work, their turnaround time and their rates. Also, when it comes to their price, ask how much their labor fees are. As you’re comparing, keep in mind that when it comes to reputable shops, their mechanical rates tend to be higher than their body shop ones. If the shop you’re considering doesn’t have much of a difference between the two, you should keep looking.
Inquire about salvage parts. Depending on how extensive the damage is on your vehicle, you might need a totally new body part like a hood or door. One way that you can get around paying a lot for a body part is to purchase a salvaged one. Oftentimes, that can save you as much as 50-70 percent when you do. For tips on how to find salvage parts in your area, go to your favorite search engine and put “used car parts” along with your city and state in the search field.
Look into “paintless dent repair”. Say that someone referred you to a shop like MDM Auto Repair to fix your car. As you’re talking to them about what needs to be done to your vehicle, if the repair that’s needed is not too extensive, inquire about how much it would cost to do what is referred to as a paintless dent repair. Basically, this is when a body shop fixes your dent without sanding or painting your vehicle. It’s another way to keep more money in your pocket.
Consider doing the work yourself. Thanks to YouTube, there are a lot of videos that can walk you through how to do some body repairs all on your own. Although it is recommended that you leave the major work up to the professionals, a small dent is oftentimes something that you can do yourself, saving you a couple hundred dollars. For tips on how to do your own body work repairs, go to YouTube and put “DIY auto body repairs” in the search field.
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