repair-estimates

Why do Collision Repair Shop Estimates Differ Between Shops?

Chances are, if you’ve been in an accident or if your vehicle was vandalized or damaged by weather, you’ve been shopping around for repairs. You may have noticed that lots of the advice online recommends comparing estimates at different repair shops. But, if your car has the same damage, why would different repair shops give you different estimates? Which one should you trust?

There are a lot of reasons an estimate may vary from shop to shop, and understanding what they are can help you make an educated decision about which shop should repair your car.

The materials used can vary.

Different shops use different tools, different materials like paints, plastics, screws, welding, etc. and different hardware and software in their computer systems. All of these can add up to varied estimates.

Not all replacement parts are created equally.

There are several different options when it comes to materials used for replacement parts, and some are better than others, depending on your needs. The cost of these replacement parts varies too! Usually, your options are OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts, non-OEM parts, or recycled parts.

Different locations cost different amounts.

If you’re taking your car to the middle of town, rent prices or taxes or general overhead for your repair shop are likely to be higher, as is the cost of hiring employees who can afford to live nearby. Taking your car to a less expensive area means the shop will have lower overhead costs.

Experience and the need to get your business.

More experienced shops with loyal customers and an established reputation can afford to charge more because they have too many clients, while newer, less experienced or less established repair shops may need to take any business they can get at any price.

Estimate qualities aren’t always the same.

There are a lot of debates going on in the automotive industry at the moment about how to correctly estimate and perform repairs. Most of this is due to the rapid evolution of automotive technology, but the standard hasn’t yet been set. Some shops may perform a more thorough repair that requires them to dismantle your vehicle, some may have fancy equipment and use sensors, some may base estimates on photographs, and some may rely on insurance company regulations more than others. Some shops may tend to overestimate while others tend to underestimate. It’s always a good idea to ask questions so that you understand exactly how your estimate was done and how it could change as repairs start.

Working with the professional team at Clarkstown made the repair of my vehicle as smooth a process as possible. The car is fixed to perfection and from start to finish the Clarkstown team was respectful, knowledgeable, personable and efficient. It’s understabdable why geico refers its clients to you. Sincerely, Lynne K

Lynne K.

The agent was wonderful she put a smile on my face with my upvrade. She definitely has the personality for her job. Excellent customer service

Renee S.

Crew very professional and expedited my car .Good Good work!

John M.

From the time I arrived, Jorge made sure my car was taken car of. All the paperwork and formalities were taken car of immediatly. I dropped off my car and spent about 10 minutes total going over specifics with Jorge. They are extremely efficient and use technolgy to make the experience even better. During the repair process, they sent me text messages alerting me as to what stage in the process the car was in. I never had to call to check what was going on with my car. Obviously, the most import part of a body shop is the quality of the work. CIC did a great job. My car looked brand new as if I had the Audi factory do the work. Color matching was perfect and no signs of the car being recently painted. They are very accomodating and do their best to be the best in the business. Highly recommended.

David Mercado