Collision Repairs: Four Tips For Mitigating The Costs Of Collision Repair Services
Of all the costs that come with owning a vehicle, collision repair costs are the highest. The more damaged a car gets after an accident, the more the collision repair costs. Remember, you might need to buy new parts to replace the damaged components, plus pay for the auto mechanics and technicians' labor which gets charged by the hour.
Thus, car owners have often pondered on different ways to minimize the total costs of collision repairs. Fortunately, here are four tips on how you can significantly reduce collision repair costs.
Auto Insurance with Minimal Deductibles
Unfortunately, most car owners only get compulsory auto insurance covers, i.e., cover against bodily injury liability and third-party property damage liability. However, there is optional auto insurance coverage for collision. Collision auto insurance can cater to your vehicle's repairs costs after an accident. However, you still have to pay a small deductible.
A deductible is the amount of money you pay towards the total cost of your collision repair. Fortunately, auto insurance companies allow you to choose the amount value of the deductible. Thus if you select a small amount, you can significantly minimize the amount of money you spend towards collision repairs. Therefore your insurance provider covers the bulk of the costs.
Sourcing the Auto Repair Parts by Yourself
Collision centers and auto repair shops often have the parts you need for collision repairs in their inventory. However, there is a catch. They want to supplement their income by selling the parts. Thus, auto shops buy the parts from dealers or directly from the manufactures and sell them to you at a profit.
Hence, if you opt to buy the auto parts directly from the manufacturer, you can save money, especially if you require many different components.
Used and After Market Parts
If you need to conduct collision repairs on a budget, you can significantly reduce the costs of the parts by opting to buy used or after-market parts in place of OEM parts. OEM parts get highly recommended for collision repairs, but they are more expensive than used and after-market parts.
If you want to use brand new parts for the repairs, after-market parts are relatively cheaper than OEM. However, if your budget is exceptionally tight, second-hand parts are an excellent option for repairs. Contrary to popular belief, you can get second-hand auto parts that are still in good condition. If you are lucky, you might even find second-hand parts that are OEM for a fraction of the price of new OEM parts.
Comparing Labor Costs
When taking your vehicle to a collision center, the most unpredictable cost is that of labor. Labor gets charged by the hour, but it is difficult to determine how long the repairs will take.
However, different collision centers and auto repair shops charge different rates per hour. Hence, before deciding on a particular shop for the repairs, compare the different hourly rates of various repair shops. The average hourly rate for an auto mechanic is between $17 and $22. If you get a mechanic charging $17, you get to save $5 per hour instead of hiring a mechanic for $22 an hour. If the collision repair takes a total of 100 hours, you get to save $500 in wages.
For more information, reach out to a collision repair service in your area today.
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