Ever wonder what happens after you drop your car off at a shop? Many of our customer's have plenty of questions about the repair process, so we've put together this simple step by step article of how we complete your repairs!
STEP 1: Vehicle Check-In
When you drop of your vehicle, or if your shop shuttles your vehicle to their shop, the first order of business is checking the vehicle in. Every shop is a little different, but most reputable shops will:
- Wipe down the vehicle (if dirty).
- Input the vehicle into their computer system
- Mark all dents on each of the panels and parts.
- Submit all damage discrepancies to the insurance company for a supplement *
This portion of the process usually takes between 30 minutes to an 1.5 hours to complete, depending on the severity of the damage on the vehicle.
STEP 2: THE REAPPRAISAL
The reappraisal process is when the insurance company sends an appraiser out to re-review the vehicle for the additional documented damages sent in by the shop of repair.
Depending on the insurance company, and the amount of available adjusters vs the amount of claims being appraised at that time, will depend on how quickly the insurance company is able to come out. The average time for adjusters to complete this step is 3 business days. However, many times adjusters are able to come out within 24 hours, and other times it may take up to 7 business days.
The most important thing to remember is that this is out of your shop's control, and that your vehicle's adjuster is doing the best that they can to get to your vehicle as quickly as possible.
Once the insurance company has reviewed the vehicle with the shop and approved the supplement amount. It is time to get to work!
STEP 3: REPAIRING THE VEHICLE
Once the adjuster has approved all supplements, It's time to get to work!
The shop starts by taking apart the vehicle so that they can access the dents from behind the panels. Then they begin to individually push each dent up from behind the panel until it is flat again. They do this on every panel until 100% of the dents are removed.
As much as a PDR shop loves to repair all customer cars with their skills, sometimes major body work cannot be avoided. If a vehicle needs any additional body/paint work, the shop will send the vehicle to the body shop once all PDR is complete.
Simultaneously, while the body of the car is being repaired, someone is calling to order all necessary parts needed to make the vehicle whole again. All new parts will be installed once all PDR, Paint, and bodywork are completed, which is the last step of the physical repair process.
In total, repair time on a vehicle varies. It can be as little as 2 days and as long as 2 weeks, depending on the severity of damage to the vehicle. Generally speaking a vehicle that only requires PDR will take much less time than a vehicle that requires additional paint/body work. The good news is, with a specialized PDR facility, your vehicle is less likely to fall victim to unnecessary body work.
STEP 4: CLEAN, Q.C., AND DELIVER!
Once the repair process is complete, a 5 Star facility will hand wash your vehicle and look it over to ensure that all repairs are completed with perfection.
Once this review is complete your shop will reach out to schedule a time for your vehicle to be returned. upon return it is important to inspect your vehicle and ensure that all repairs are done to your satisfaction.
This will also be the time to complete any payments necessary to close out the repair.
No reputable shop will require money upfront for repair, only once repairs are completed!
If your repair is paid for by your insurance company, than you will most likely owe $0, but may have to endorse the check made out by the insurance company.
And that's it! Your repair is COMPLETE! Always make sure you obtain an invoice marked PAID and you are good to go, back on the road!
DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE FEEDBACK!
Whether you decide to go to a big or small shop, feedback is always an important part of the repair process. Not only does it let a shop and it's employees know how they are doing, but it also helps (or warns) potential customers know what to expect with their repair too!3
Elevate Hail & Dent Repair always encourages our customers to provide feedback on their experience on any of our social platforms, because we believe public feedback holds shops accountable and keeps them transparent about the process.
Ready to start your repair at our Bedford or McKinney Shop?
Call 1-844-766-4245 or Book Online today!
