Car Repair Estimate in Concord, CA

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Photo Estimate allows auto body shops to provide a fast, online photo-based estimate to the end user. Using this feature, the shop collects end user information, vehicle damage information and how the end user would like to receive the estimate. This feature requires an iPhone or Android mobile device because of the photo capture steps.

A car repair estimate is necessary whenever your vehicle needs a repair or fix. Under the California Automotive Repair Act, auto repair service providers are legally required to prepare a written vehicle repair estimate. The car owner must sign the document before any work can commence. The insurer also needs a written estimate to cater for the cost of repairs. However, there is a lot of suspicion surrounding the process. A lot of that is because customers don't understand what goes on behind the scenes.

How We Give a Car Repair Estimate

Technology has made vehicle repair estimation quicker, today, our customers can get a repair estimate without having to come into our auto body shop in Concord. It is made possible by our photo estimator on our website. However, there is still a lot of work that goes into preparing an accurate estimate. Our auto body technicians take a closer look at your vehicle when we finally get to see it. Here is a breakdown of the in-person inspection to make sure the estimate is accurate and complete.

Car Delivery

For us to conduct a thorough damage analysis, we must physically see the car. Our clients have two options here. You can either drive the car to us if you live in the Concord area or have our team pick it up. The choice is yours. On receiving the car, we begin by analyzing the damage that was originally depicted in the photos you submitted via our photo estimator tool.

Car Inspection

Our technicians will locate the damage and conduct a series of inspections. The damage that occurs at the point of impact is known as direct damage. We also look at how the damage traveled due to shock. It also helps to have some information on how the accident happened. For our technician team to develop a proper repair plan, we will need to disassemble your vehicle to understand the full scope of work and identify all issues, on the exterior and interior. Other areas inspected include:

• The engine components if it was a frontal collision.

• Under the vehicle for any signs of fluid leaks.

• Car interiors such locks and deployed airbags.

• The wheels and tires.

• Any pre-collision damages.

• Pre-scan of the vehicle's diagnostics to check for any electrical or mechanical failures due to impact.

Damage Report

Every related damage is documented by entering the details in an inspection form. Parts are inspected for repairability. However, those that sustained significant damage are earmarked for replacement. It's necessary to disassemble the car to assess hidden damage that causes structural issues that may affect the functionality or longevity of your vehicle. The list of operations to be performed in each part is also included in the damage report. The information about the vehicle, mileage, and customer ID is filled at the top to avoid confusion. All the details from the damage report are used to write the final repair estimate.  We log everything in our system which will reflect in the final estimate and repair plan, even down to the details of how much gas is in your vehicle.

Writing the Car Repair Estimate

Will's Auto Body, Inc uses a computerized estimating system to write error-free estimates. The database contains each OEM part's price, labor rates, and the time it takes for each operation. We will contact you to determine what you prefer when it comes to different fixes. At the end of the estimate, there is a summary of labor and parts costs. The final total may include additional charges such as towing, storage, and tax. The estimate can be emailed to you and printed and delivered in hard copy.

What to Look for in a Car Repair Estimate?

By now, you appreciate the hard work that goes into writing an accurate repair estimate. However, all that hard work may not count for much if you don't understand the repair estimate's contents. Here are the common items you should look for when reading your car repair estimate.

Customer Information

Although most people rush to the totals, the customer and vehicle identification should be the first place you look. There is a reason why this section is found at the top of the page. All the other numbers don't matter if these details are incorrect. The information you can expect to find here includes customer name, address, vehicle identification number, mileage, year, make, model, and license plate number. Remember, your insurer may not accept the car repair estimate if any detail here is incorrect.

Suggested Parts

Parts can be one of the most disputed sections of a car repair estimate due to the cost. Parts are suggested depending on the extent of the damage. The worse the accident, the more parts you will need. Disagreements usually arise on the type of parts used. The four main types of parts used include

• Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Parts - These are parts specified by the manufacturer or for the manufacturer and are what we utilize at our auto body shop.

• New Aftermarket Parts - These are replacement parts that are not made by the original vehicle manufacturer and the least reliable.

• Remanufactured Parts - These are OEM parts that have been recycled or refurbished. Some shops consider these to be just as good as new OEM parts.

• Used Parts - These are parts bought from a salvage yard. They are usually the cheapest and are not reliable.

At our shop, you can always count on the best repairs because we only use OEM parts. This ensures long-lasting repairs, provides you with warranties, and you can have peace of mind that your vehicle was repaired with only the best parts that were designed specifically for your year, make, and model.

Labor Costs

The labor charge is how Will's Auto Body and other auto shops stay in business. Each operation to be performed is usually assigned time in the car repair estimate. The total labor cost is the total of each operation. Here are some common terms you may come across and what they mean.

• Overhaul - Removing an assembly, disassembling, cleaning, replacing parts, and reassembling the whole component. It includes reattaching/installing the assembling back on the vehicle.

• Overlap - This labor cost is incurred when additional parts are removed because they share the same welded surface or panel.

• Repair - The original part is retained, but it is fixed or aligned.

• Remove and Install - A part is detached from the vehicle, set aside, and re-installed later. This is done to provide access to other parts of interest.

• Refinish - Painting the part or assembly to match the rest of the car.

• Blend operation – Blending is refinishing the adjacent panels that come in contact with the replacement panels or any panels that are being repaired close to an edge. The entire blend panel is painted to match the existing color of your vehicle.

• Sublet – This is a service carried out by another company that we cannot provide in house. For example, wheel alignments or reprogramming of specific OEM components (such as a Mercedes headlight). When your vehicle needs one of these items replaced, the dealer is the only place that can properly program these parts for your vehicle.

Additional Charges

Although labor and parts form the major bulk of any car repair estimate, additional charges are depending on the operations performed. For instance, California charges a fee for the disposal of hazardous waste such as oil. This cost is passed to our customers in the repair estimate. Another charge that will incur almost anywhere is taxes. Both the labor and parts are taxed in California. You will find these charges itemized at the bottom before the total. Another cost that may make an appearance on your vehicle repair estimate is the flat fee. This is only done for services that can’t be broken down into labor units. For instance, wheel alignment may be assigned a fixed fee. Similarly, you may incur charges for towing and car delivery.

Request Your Car Repair Estimate Today

We hope you can now understand the lengths we go to ensure your car repair estimate is accurate and complete. We pride ourselves on putting the customer first and catering to their needs. As the world continues to deal with the pandemic, we recommend using our photo estimator tool to get things started. After uploading photos of the damage, we will assess the damage and generate a repair estimate. However, we will conduct a thorough assessment once the car is in our shop. Feel free to ask for help if you are having trouble delivering the car to our auto body repair shop in Concord. We are ready to take over the whole process, including dealing with your insurance. Request a car repair estimate today or contact us for more information.