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Estimates vs. Damage Reports Most collision repair facilities today offer “Free Estimates” to any potential customer. This used to be an effective way of starting the repair process, thirty years ago. The problem is that automobiles and light trucks are a lot more complicated and expensive today than they were back then when this practice became widely accepted. Because of this the repairs that are necessary when these newer vehicles get damaged have also increased in complexity and cost. The way today’s average estimator deals with this additional complexity is with supplements to the original stimate. When this happens the cycle time is dramatically effected. One repair process evolves into two or three repair processes. Parts are ordered two or three times for a single repair, and the repair itself is often put on hold two or three times. The vehicle being supplemented sits idle waiting for parts, supplemental approval, or just for the repair technician to find the time to get back to the repair itself. At Express Autobody we’d prefer not to give our customers estimates. Instead, we’d like to perform a comprehensive damage report, a blueprint for the repair process, in other words, a complete repair plan. This damage report won’t be created while the damaged vehicle sits in the parking lot with the owner waiting in our customer lounge. Instead, the vehicle will go into our assessment bay where it’ll be driven up on a platform so the underside of the vehicle can be studied. Access panels will be removed for inspection and re-installed. Measurements will be taken with our “Laser Quick Check System.” Pictures will be taken and all of the necessary identification information will be noted including the VIN #, any trim codes, the color code, and the production date. The parts necessary for the repair will be itemized and the availability of these parts will be checked before the repair is scheduled. If any of these parts are not readily available then they will be ordered in advance. When we order these parts we’ll not only supply the vendor with all of the pertinent information about the vehicle, we’ll give them pictures so they can be certain to get us the correct parts the first time. If possible, insurance approval will be done in advance. By working off of a comprehensive damage report we can eliminate the time spent writing supplements, waiting for additional parts, waiting for additional insurance approval, waiting for the paint department to “cut in” or paint the additional parts, and waiting for the technician to get back to the repair. If you would like to schedule a comprehensive damage assessment for your vehicle please e-mail us, call 930-5900, or fill out this form and fax it to 512-869-4534. Comprehensive Damage Report Information Form Name___________________________________________________________________ Address_________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ Vehicle year/make /model __________________________________________________ Area damaged____________________________________________________________ Insurance company _______________________________________________________ Have your already filed a claim? Yes__________ No__________ If you’ve filed a claim, what is the claim number?______________________________ (This information is optional. If you’re not comfortable providing it, leave it blank. We ask for the claim number to prevent the creation of multiple files on a single repair.) When would be a good time for you to bring in your vehicle?______________________ Would it be possible for us to keep your vehicle for a full day?______________________ (Please note: we bring you to work and pick you up at the end of the day, or if you’d rather, we can pick your vehicle up at your place of work and deliver it to you before the end of the day.) In order to better suit your needs, please rate the following areas of concern with a 1 being the most important, and a 5 being of little or no importance to you. This will allow us to better choose what standards of repair to apply when we write the damage report. (Note: it’s OK if you mark almost every area with a 1. Most of our customers do.) _____ Vehicle safety. Restoration of all of my vehicle’s built in safety features. _____ Vehicle depreciation. Minimize the effect this damage will have on my vehicle’s value by performing a repair that will be difficult or impossible to spot. _____ Appearance. Have my vehicle looking as good as or better than it did before it got damaged. (Note: oftentimes we’re able to make a wrecked car look better than it did when it was new, but doing so will allow a sharp-eyed person to spot that the vehicle has been repaired.) _____ Time. Repair my vehicle in the shortest time possible. _____ Cost. Please keep the costs of my vehicle repair to a minimum. _____ Environment. Use only the most environmentally friendly products on the repair of my vehicle. _____ Other. Please specify any areas of concern you may have in the repair of your vehicle. _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________
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