Pre-Purchase Inspection Is Important
The experts all agree: buying a used vehicle without an independent Pre-Purchase Inspection is a risky gamble that almost never ends well. We’d love to live in a world where everyone told the truth, and no one tried to hide damage to a vehicle that they are trying to sell. Unfortunately, that’s just not reality. Whether intentionally participating in a cover-up, or simply ignorant of the problem(s) that an older vehicle may bring to the table, it’s a fact that 90% of all used cars have maintenance items not performed*. Each year, over 400,000 totaled vehicles end up on sale and back on the road*. A pre-purchase inspection offers buyers peace of mind that cannot be found any other way. So what’s involved in a pre-purchase inspection provided by Auto Damage Experts? The first element of a pre-purchase inspection from ADE is a thorough, bumper-to-bumper visual inspection of the vehicle. We check the undercarriage, looking for any evidence of major collision repairs, flood damage, corrosion or any repairs that may indicate existing or future problems. It is often the case that we find evidence of previous repairs that the current seller might not even be aware of. When making a large purchase (such as that of a vehicle), knowledge is power – and many dealers or private sellers may not know exactly what to look for. We do. Next in your pre-purchase inspection, we visually check the brake, steering and suspension components. These are the elements of a vehicle that are 100% directly connected to your safety, and that of those who drive with (and/or next to) you. We’ll...
Pre-Loss Condition
Why a Post-Repair Inspection is So Important If you’ve been in an accident, you’ve probably taken your vehicle to a collision repair shop (body shop), with the expectation that they would repair your vehicle to the way it was before the accident. This state of repair is known to the industry as pre-loss condition. What you may not know, however, is that your expectation of pre-loss condition and that of the insurance company who is paying for the repair may be very, very different. And who is to say, after all, what pre-loss condition really means? And finally, how do you know that it has been achieved? We’ll answer all of those questions below. First of all – let’s get to the definition of pre-loss condition. According to USLegal.com, pre-loss condition is “a term used by insurance companies to describe the condition of a [residence] or vehicle prior to damage. It is the act of restoring the vehicle or [residence] to the condition it was before the damage was caused.” Sounds simple enough, right? Read on. If the body shop repairing your vehicle or the insurance company paying for the repair is solving for the least-expensive repair, they may cut corners by ordering non-OEM (original equipment manufactured) parts to replace the original parts that were damaged. Are aftermarket parts exactly the same as OEM parts? No, they are not. So… by using these less expensive parts, is the shop really restoring your vehicle to its pre-loss condition? No, they are not. And what if, as happens often in the collision industry, the body shop cuts corners with the quality...
SEMA Featuring David Smith Courtesy of SRCS
The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) is once again partnering with the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) to provide the highest quality industry-focused education available. The SEMA Show 2018 (Oct. 30-Nov. 2, Las Vegas, NV) promises to be the biggest and best assembly of automotive industry professionals yet, and SCRS is investing in the attendees by providing the 2018 Repairer Driven Education Series. As part of this series of seminars, David Smith of Auto Damage Experts has been asked to address the ever-increasing importance of Post Repair Inspections (PRI), and why body shop owners should embrace their role in the industry. Smith will educate shop owners and technicians on the rapidly evolving changes in technology and subsequent liabilities that affect the industry. He will train on what to look for in a PRI, and how to make sure that your shop receives an A+ rating every time. Industry statistics suggest that more than 60% of all repairs performed in America are found to have inadequate or unsafe work being delivered to the customer. At best, this clearly affects the value to the consumer… and could very well affect the safety of them and their loved-ones. “We are living in a period of time where the quality of repair is under greater scrutiny than ever”, says Smith. Shops, owners and even technicians are being named in lawsuits where proper repair procedures have taken a back seat to speed and cost-cutting activities. SCRS offers Smith’s seminar, “Why you should embrace post-repair inspections” as a vital element of providing the highest quality care for your customer, and at the same time,...
What if I Disagree with my Insurance Adjuster
After an accident occurs and your insurance company writes a low-ball estimate for repairs, you may find yourself asking, “What if I disagree with my insurance adjuster?” It is an all-too-common occurrence when, after an accident, an insurance company goes from being your protection, to being your adversary. You pay them every month of every year to take care of you in case of the unfortunate happening. And when you need them most, they cover your loss such a way as to say, “we care enough to do the very least.” One such instance recently came to our attention. A loyal guest of Nylund’s Collision Center in Englewood, Colorado was involved in an accident, and brought their 2017 Ford Focus RS to the shop for repair. The insurance adjuster came out and took a look at the damage they could see, and wrote an initial estimate for $6,008.84. Nylund’s then disassembled the vehicle and wrote a supplemental estimate for $11,747.38. That supplemental was sent to the insurance company, who – with an obvious attempt to ignore the proper repair – returned with their modified estimate of only $7,596.21. (A deficit of over $4,150 to repair the vehicle correctly.) This is a regular occurrence in the day-to-day operations of body shops vs. insurance companies all across the country. The body shops, (highly trained professionals whose sole job is to REPAIR vehicles correctly) have to fight the insurance adjuster (a highly trained professional whose sole job is to PAY for vehicles to be repaired) to come to an agreement of how much a proper repair actually costs. And day after day,...Call us toll free 1-888-868-9891
Start here to get a post repair inspection for a thorough vehicle value assessment.
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Start here to get a post repair inspection for a thorough vehicle value assessment.
Leave us a review on Google