the Cost of Auto Body Repair

This service was for front and rear damage caused by being rear-ended and pushed into another vehicle at a stop light. The repair bill included $2,186.55 in parts (a 5% parts discount was later subtracted), $425.00 in paint supplies, $77.99 under misc (I was never sure of this charge), $3,462.60 in labor (this included mechanical, painting, frame, and body work), and $424.57 for sales tax. My portion of the payment was a $500.00 auto deductible, due at the completion of services to the repair shop. To summarize the four pages of itemized work (which I received with my receipt), repairs and painting were done to the frame, the front and rear fenders and bumpers, head lamps and fog lamps, the hood and grille, one rear quarter panel, the spare tire carrier, rear body and floor inside hatch, and the lift gate. The air conditioning unit was damaged, and my condenser was repaired and the fan replaced, along with an upper cooling tie bar, the shroud, and the radiator assembly and support.

The service, in my opinion was great. The repair shop, recommended by my auto insurance carrier, was friendly and punctual. I was assigned a representative at the shop, who would call with updates, schedule appointments, and handled all my questions with professionalism. My car was in the shop for several weeks, and fortunately, I was able to afford a rental car through my insurance. The auto repair shop made arrangements with a local car rental location, which sent a representative to the repair shop to deliver my rental car and sign all needed paperwork while I was dropping off my car for repair.

About a month after getting my car back, I was having issues with the hatch lock sticking. I took my car back to the same repair shop, where they fixed the issue without additional charge. The shop also provided a limited lifetime warranty on all repairs done there. Along with a detailed summary of all completed work, the shop representative walked me around the vehicle, showing me all the work completed, and reviewed with me the special car needed for 90 days after having the vehicle painted (in certain locations) so as to not void the limited warranty on the paint job.

Call around: I called a few shops, all recommended by my insurance company or my dealership, before making a decision. I wanted convenience and to be part of the process, as well as quality work.

Ask questions: Especially with an insurance claim, make sure you know your rights and responsibilities along the way. If something doesn't seem right, ask.

Get a detailed summary: This way, if something does go wrong down the road, you are able to receive recourse.