Cars, travel and occasions · 10 guides
Auto Body & Collision Repair: problems and fixes, explained by Manasa
Manasa Velpula is the only auto body & collision repair member of BNI Preston Center. These guides are written for a Dallas–Fort Worth reader who has the problem right now: what is happening, what to check, when to call, and what it costs.
- Why two dents can cost very different amounts: what drives a collision repair bill Two cars with similar dents can leave the shop with very different bills. Here is what actually sets the price of a collision repair and how to read an estimate line by line. The three things every repair bill is built fromParts: usually the biggest swingLabor hours and what they actually pay forPaint is more than a can of color
- The car still drives, but is the frame bent? Signs of structural damage after a wreck A car can look almost fine after a collision and still have a bent frame. Here are the signs you can check in your driveway, the ones only a measurement will find, and what happens next. What frame damage is, and how to spot the warning signsWhy a modest hit can still move the structureChecks you can do in your drivewayWhat only a lift and a measurement will find
- Six things Texas drivers believe about wrecks, insurers and body shops that are not true Much of what people believe about wrecks and repairs comes from a friend's story or an adjuster's phone call. Here are the six myths we hear most and what is actually true. Why so many people get this wrongMyth one: the insurance company decides where your car is fixedMyth two: the first estimate is what the repair will costMyth three: if it drives fine, the damage is only cosmetic
- OEM, aftermarket or recycled: choosing the parts that go into your collision repair Your estimate lists the parts, but rarely explains them. Here is what OEM, aftermarket and recycled parts are, when each makes sense, and what to ask before the order goes in. Three kinds of parts, and the short answerWhat the labels on an estimate really meanWhere the choice of part matters mostWhere an alternative part can be the smart choice
- How long will my car be in the body shop? The stages of a collision repair, explained The hands-on work is often the shortest part of a collision repair. Here is what happens at each stage, where the waiting comes from, and how to keep things moving. The honest answer on repair timeEvery stage, from drop-off to pickupEstimate and approval, the part you cannot seeTeardown, when the real damage shows itself
- Hail dented your car in a North Texas storm: coverage, repair options and first steps A hail storm can leave dozens of dents in a few minutes. Here is which coverage usually applies, how the damage is assessed and repaired, and what to do in the days after the storm. Coverage and repair, in briefWhat hail actually does to a vehicleWhat to do in the first few days after the stormWhich part of your policy pays for hail
- Before you hand over the keys: how to choose an auto body shop you can trust Most people pick a body shop because it was the first name they heard. Here is how to choose one on purpose, with the questions to ask at the counter and the warning signs to notice. Judge the shop by what it can show youThe choice belongs to you, not the adjusterSeven questions to ask at the counterReading the estimate before you sign anything
- A work truck is wrecked and a crew is waiting: building a fleet repair plan in advance When a company vehicle is damaged, most of the lost time comes from decisions nobody made in advance. Here is how to set up a fleet repair plan that gets trucks and vans back to work faster. The fleet plan in one paragraphWhere the lost days actually goChoose the repair shop on a calm dayGive every driver a one-page accident checklist
- A dent, a scratch, a scuffed bumper: what you can fix yourself and what you should not Some small paint damage is a reasonable weekend job. Some of it turns into a bigger repair the moment you pick up sandpaper. Here is how to tell the difference. Some of it, yes, and here is where the line isFirst, figure out what kind of damage you haveJobs a careful owner can reasonably take onDoing a light scratch without making it worse
- The fender is crumpled and the insurer is already naming a shop: what to do after a wreck The other driver's insurer is calling, your bumper is held on with tape and you are not sure who decides where the car gets fixed. Here is how the process actually works and how to come out of it with a car that is right. The day after the accidentWhy collision repair is more than what you can seeWhat to do in the first days, before any repairWhen to stop and get a professional estimate