Tag: car accident

A variety of car parts and tools sit on a black surface. — Not all car parts are created equal.

In collision repair, old parts that are damaged must be replaced with new ones. Customers generally prefer OEM parts, but don’t always know their options ahead of time.

There are three different kind of parts that can replace the damaged one. Each one being used can really affect the quality of the repair. The three types are: 1. OEM 2. Aftermarket 3. LKQ.

OEM:

The first kind is Original Equipment Manufacturer. OEM parts are created specifically for your vehicle by the original manufacturer of your vehicle. So, if you drive a Ford then the OEM part would come from Ford. Using OEM means that the part should function exactly as the part you are replacing, and provides a quality fit and function.

Aftermarket:

Aftermarket parts are made by anyone other than the car’s maker. They could be a direct replacement or something to change how the car performs or looks. There are a wide range of manufacturers for these parts, and therefore a wide range of quality. Non-profit organization CAPA (Certified Automotive Parts Association) tests and monitors aftermarket products. Aftermarket parts are the least expensive because they do not have to invest in research and development.

LKQ:

LKQ stands for Like, Kind, and Quality. These are recycled parts, and they vary greatly in quality and price. They are technically OEM, but can provide a lot of challenges due to previous damage or problems with paint matching.

Gloved hands work on a bare, lightly worn wheel hub. — Used parts can work just as well as parts from the car manufacturer, but some have problems with fit and functionality from one brand to another.

When choosing a part, technicians are concerned with the 3 F’s:

Fit: This concerns with how well the part will latch onto the car. Many parts must either click into place or be screwed in.

Function: The new part must do the same quality of work that the old part had before being damaged. A plus side is a new part can go above the quality of a new part if upgrading. The negative side of choosing a cheaper part might risk the quality of function.

Finish: This is to make sure that the part looks like it is a part of the car and not an added-on part that sticks out that sore thumb.

Most auto body professions prefer to work with OEM parts because they have met Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, and, frankly, they fit better. But if price is an issue, your auto body professional will know trusted aftermarket manufacturers to help keep repairs in budget.

Your insurance company, on the other hand, may mandate that they will only pay for a certain kind of part. You may still have the option to pay the difference for OEM parts if they will only pay for aftermarket parts.

As a consumer, always be aware of your options, and ask questions.

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A green clipboard with a repair checklist, a hammer and measuring tape sit on a table next to a damaged white car. — Seemingly minor damage may be hiding more serious damage beneath the hood.

When a car has been damaged in a wreck, some of the damage will be obvious, such as a broken taillight or a dented door. What is not immediately noticeable, and may be invisible unless you are a trained auto body expert, is any damage that may be behind the body of the vehicle.

Technicians are trained inspect for damage in the operating parts and the computer system within a car. They know if there is further damage beyond the cosmetics of the vehicle. This is why it is important to get an expert to estimate your damage and recommend a repair plan.

A dent may not be just a dent

Never assume that if a collision is minor the damage is simply cosmetic. For example, if someone backs into your car and puts a dent in your door, there could be further damage inside the door, such as the power windows not operating properly.

If the dents are much larger and more caved in to the vehicle, a technician should inspect the car for safety reasons.

Review the estimate

When you bring your vehicle in to a body shop, the location should give you a repair estimate. Most repair shops provide free inspection estimates for customers. This estimate explains the cost for parts and the labor to repair the vehicle. Be sure to review the estimate and ask questions before the work begins so that you have a good understanding of what needs to be fixed and where the costs are going.

AMM Collision has a simple way to get the estimate process started. Visit our new Smartphone Estimating Tool and you will get a repair estimate within 24 hours of submitting photos. This estimate is preliminary to give you an initial idea of the cost because it is based on damage that is visible in the photos. Once a technician takes a close look at the vehicle, they can determine if there is further damage underneath the body of the car.

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A family of deer approach a road in a wooded area. — Deer are common in the Central Texas area. Use these tips to avoid hitting them on the road.

Annually across the country, there are more than one million deer-related accidents. The Central Texas area is no stranger to these types of collisions and as a local auto body shop, AMM Collision repairs dozens of cars involved in accidents with deer each year.

Any time you are driving, it is important to keep your eyes on the road. Pay close attention when driving in hilly and wooded areas where deer may suddenly come out and run toward cars. This is common in the Hill Country, especially in the evenings when animals are hard to spot outside your immediate line of sight.

Here are a few tips to help you avoid hitting a deer.

Pay attention

Deer typically roam more often during dusk or dawn, so pay attention if you are driving during these hours. If you are not familiar with the area where you are driving, look for caution signs that alert drivers to wildlife in the area.

Remember, if you see one deer there may be more nearby. They normally travel in packs.

Make a bright path

If the roads are not well lit and you do not have oncoming traffic, use high beams to create a brighter path and give you a better opportunity to see a deer before you come upon it.

Keep control

If you see a deer, slow down and brake firmly, but never swerve. Swerving can cause you to hit another car or lose control. Instead, brake and honk your horn loudly, which can potentially scare the animal away.

The deer may move, but since you won’t know what direction they may go, swerving can make the situation worse.

If you hit a deer…

Using extra caution can help to avoid an accident, but it still may not be enough. If you do hit a deer, call law enforcement and the local game warden.

Don’t touch the animal if it is injured as it could hurt you. It’s best to have trained professionals care for an injured deer. If the deer is dead, it is OK to move it off the road, but it is against the law in Texas to take it with you.

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A person in a suit uses their smart phone on a white surface. — Do your research before going with the collision repair your insurance recommends.

After an accident, your insurance company may recommend an auto body repair shop for your repairs. Some may feel obligated to use the recommended shop, but the choice is always yours on which collision center you want to use. Here are some pointers on how to decide where you want to go.

Choose Certified

As you choose a body shop, remember that you want certified collision repair. This means the technicians at that repair shop have been trained by the manufacturers to make repairs to your specific model of vehicle.

Insurance guarantee

Choosing your insurance’s repair shop recommendation could have benefits. Some insurance companies will guarantee the repairs for as long as you own the vehicle. If there is an issue with the repairs, they will be fixed at no cost to you. This could be beneficial in the long run and shows your insurance company has confidence in their chosen repair shop.

Deciding on the recommendation

Most insurance providers have a list of preferred repair shops. Remember, your agent can’t make you use a shop on their list. You have the right to choose where you want your vehicle repaired.

Preferred repair shops normally meet criteria set up by the insurance provider, such as meeting their quick deadlines for repair and providing the services at a low cost. Efficient repairs should still maintain quality, and faster does not always mean the work is performed correctly.

If you choose to use the insurance recommendation, ask if that shop uses less expensive parts or parts from the manufacturer. Manufacturer parts (or OEM parts) often fit and work better than aftermarket parts, and therefore have a better chance of having your repair last. Some shops may cut costs by using cheaper parts because of low payments from insurance companies.

AMM Collision is a preferred body shop with most insurance companies, but we work with any insurance provider. At all of our auto body repair shops, we use manufacturer recommended parts for the highest quality repairs. Contact our team for a free estimate or download our estimating tool on your smartphone for a quick and easy process that will get you back on the road.

a man and woman look at a clipboard in a parking lot, next to a car. — There are a few questions you should ask when looking for an auto body repair shop.

As a driver in the busy Central Texas area, it can be overwhelming to find a quality collision repair shop that you can trust. Getting the best value for what you pay is also important since collision repair shops charge different prices.

It takes some research and plenty of questions to narrow down the right body shop that will meet your needs. As you search, keep a few steps in mind that will help you determine which is a quality auto body shop.

1. Location

Everyone wants to find a repair shop that is convenient to them: one of the biggest factors here is the location. It may be more convenient to go to the closest repair shop, but prices in that area may also affect the price of your repair. If it is in an area where property is more expensive, they may charge more per hour for labor to cover the overhead costs.

2. Ask about certifications

When inquiring about auto body shops, find out if the shop is certified by the maker of your car. The certification verifies that the shop has the equipment needed to repair your vehicle and the technicians are trained properly. Manufacturers will train techs themselves to make sure their repairs meet manufacturer standards.

3. Get recommendations

Talk to people you know to find out where they take their cars for auto body repair. One of the best ways to find a good shop is to go where someone you trust has also had a great experience.

A woman in a floral button-up shirt leans back and scrolls on her phone in the backseat. — Do a search for body shop reviews on Google and Yelp. Keep in mind not all reviews will be reliable, but it will give you an idea of the experiences other customers have had.

There are also plenty of reviews online via Google and Yelp, and possibly the auto body shop’s site. Also, the Better Business Bureau can let you know if a body shop has multiple complaints. If there are several good recommendations for the same shop from sources you trust, it’s likely that shop performs quality work.

4. Warranty

A reliable collision shop stands behind the work it does to a vehicle. Inquire about the warranty to body repairs and to paint on your car. Find out specifically how long the warranty lasts and what it covers.

5. Ask about estimates

When inquiring about estimates, find out if the repair shop offers free estimates, and ask if they use the insurance company’s estimate or their own.

You’ll want a repair shop that provides their own estimate based on the technician’s interpretation of repairs, rather than the insurance company’s estimate of what work needs to be done. The insurance company has an interest in keeping their cost as low as possible, sometimes causing them to skimp on what is needed.

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There is a lot of ground to cover on Texas roads. Naturally, there are going to be a lot of accidents in such a big state.

In 2016, there was a death toll of 3,794 in Texas car crashes, and around 14,000 serious injury crashes. That’s the equivalent of one person killed every two hours, and one injury every 2 minutes during the year of 2016.

With so many cars on the roads in this area, accidents will happen. Some of the reasons for collisions may not come as a surprise.

Collision in Central Texas

There are a number of causes for accidents and weather can always be a contributing factor. While some might think that speed is one of the top reasons for collisions in Harris County, there were 1,573 speed related accidents last year. DUI accidents were slightly higher with 2,941 crashes in 2016.

Distracted driving was one of the main causes, with 14,804 wrecks in Harris County last year. Failure to pay attention is the second highest factor for collisions in Texas’ urban areas. This can be texting while driving, talking on the phone, or any other type of distraction. Bexar County, or the San Antonio area, had the most distracted driving accidents with more than 26,000.

Steps to take after a collision

After an accident, assess if you have any injuries, and if you can safely get out of the vehicle. If you, your passengers, or anyone else involved in the accident has injuries, call 9-1-1 immediately. Law enforcement must be notified if there are injuries, deaths, or property damages. Exchange insurance and contact information with other drivers.

If your car isn’t drivable, you will have to call for a tow truck to transport your vehicle. Some collision repair shops will arrange this directly if you call them first.