the Cost of Auto Body Repair

The car was in accident and the police cited the other driver. She had ran a stop sign and hit me on the front end of my car. I needed the right front fender replaced, headlight and parking lights. Also the hood was ajar and not able to close completely. The car was drivable but there was definitely a rubbing noise. I was unsure if there was any mechanical damage or damage to the steering system or frame. The insurance estimator inspected this before finalizing the estimate, but did allow the body shop to come back if they found something.

The body shop worked quickly once they received the parts. I had to leave the car there while they waited on parts. My insurance provided rental coverage. They did a good job looking for mechanical problems beyond those which were visible. They gave me an option to use new parts at an additional price, as my insurance would not pay for this. When asked the difference and given the year of the car, they said there was really no value to it. They did not appear to be trying to make extra money.

Use a shop that you either know or has a relationship with your insurer. Also, if you are nice to the body shop you can ask them to buff out any other marks or scratches you have while they are painting and finishing the car.