It's Not Like The Old Days

Today in auto body, we are faced with more electronics and fluff than ever. Technology advancements have created safer modes of transportation, often edging into luxurious high-tech heaps of steel. This shows no signs of stopping, which has created a huge onslaught of misconceptions when it comes to a “typical bumper job.” There are no typical jobs anymore. Gone are the days of a one day turn around, dropping your car off in the morning for a little repair and picking it up that afternoon is no longer feasible.

Due to the intelligence we are faced with each passing year, we are required to update our repair process. The downside this has for our customers is that the length of repairs for even the smallest jobs has increased. After initial drop off, we need to perform a full disassembly of the vehicle. We remove all parts from the affected area, which often requires us to unplug sensors and other electronics. After the tear down is complete, we can create a complete blueprint of the damage to your vehicle and have a full assessment ready for you or your insurance. This process alone can take hours and is all dependent on the extent of the damage and the complexity of the systems in play.

Once we have your approval to begin repairs, we will assess mechanical requirements of the vehicle. This is when we note any sensors, cameras or other electronics that may require recalibration before being roadworthy. When we’ve established any items required, we get to the meat of the repair, the body work. We get the parts painted, straighten any frame damage and anything else required to get your vehicle back in shape.

When our technicians have completed the repair of parts, and all parts are painted, they reassemble the vehicle. We then put our information gathered during the blueprint for mechanical work to the test. We recalibrate any cameras, sensors, or other systems in the vehicle and scan for any possible code errors. This will tell us if any of the damage to your vehicle is still hiding within the electronic systems of your vehicle, which allows things like your airbags to deploy at the proper time. A step as important as this cannot be overlooked, and we attempt to do it in a quick efficient manner. Sometimes, computers get the best of us, too.

Our last step to a repair is to quality check your vehicle. We have staff check all aspects, things like the paint match, headlights, blinkers and windows are looked over now to ensure they’re in proper working condition. With each vehicle that comes through our doors, we take our time to ensure that all manufactured requirements are met. This means that we are combing over our work, the electric systems, paint match and so much more.


Our goal, as always, is to make sure your vehicle gets returned to you in the condition it was prior to your accident. Sometimes that requires us to take our time and can result in longer than anticipated repair times. We aim to make sure you are safe, and happy. Let us know if you have any questions about the repair process, or any time stipulations you may have, we do our best to accommodate all our customers!

Does It Really Take That Long?

           It used to be that we drove around in giant metal machines, operating purely on fuel and combustion. Things always change, and in today’s world you’re driving around in a high-tech computer. People still view their vehicles as a machine, but a car hasn’t been “just a machine” for the last fifty years! In 1968 Volkswagen introduced the first computer controlled function in a vehicle; the electronic fuel injector. This advancement in the car industry was huge! The ECU is now a standard seen in all vehicles, emerging in the 1960’s and still used today. By 1986 we had our first auto-driven cars, in 2017 Tesla introduced self driving semi-trucks, and today we’re looking at vehicles that are almost completely self-sufficient.

                This loose timeline is just that, very loose. Imagine all the advancements between the 60’s and today. Now imagine the advancements technicians have seen, working on these vehicles day in and day out. The industry now requires certified technicians, who have undergone training through each manufacturer in order to understand the innermost workings of these computers and the machine themselves. This is all great, because we want our technicians to be the best at what they do. When you put it all together though, what does that mean for you, the customer?
                Time. The biggest thing all these computers have changed during our repair process is time. We no longer have the ability to do one day bumper jobs, because that Audi A6 you drive has three sensors in the front bumper that allow you to feel a little bit safer in your car, but also require us to calibrate them if we remove or have to adjust the bumper. Every vehicle newer than 2008 is equipped with sensors in the passenger seat that signal occupancy and when to deploy airbags in the event of a crash, and has to be reset each time you’re in any minor collision. These sensors are a wonderful safety feature, but in that effort to ensure safety we’re also looking at additional time in a simple repair.

                We do our best to get your vehicles returned to pre-accident condition as soon as we can, but we also want your vehicle to be safe, efficient, and in proper working order before we return the vehicle to you. So when you get frustrated at how long your repairs are taking, consider the type of vehicle you drive, and the computer systems you use each day. The more complicated and high tech your vehicle is, the longer the repairs will take. So, yes, it does take that long, but rest assured that we are doing everything in our power to get your vehicle repaired and back to you safe and sound.

Negotiating A Total Loss With Insurance

We can’t always help what situations we end up in, no matter how hard we try. Sometimes, we forget to brush our teeth. Sometimes, we get into a car accident and our vehicle isn’t repairable. If your vehicle is one of the unfortunate ones that does total out, there are steps you can take to ensure you’re getting the best settlement possible. When a vehicle totals out, it’s actually declared a total by your insurance company. A body shop like ours can’t deem a vehicle repairable or totaled, it can only do what the insurance company declares. In the state of Minnesota, a vehicle is declared a total loss once it reaches 80% of reparability. Once your vehicle has exhausted 80% of reparability, your insurance will declare it a total loss and will reach out to you to settle. The thing that most people don’t know here, is that this settlement is negotiable.

If your insurance values your vehicle at something lower than you feel is fair, you can challenge them. You have the right to seek your own appraisal of your vehicle, and should do so. This is the best way to know for sure if you’re receiving a fair value. Anything challenged with your insurance will need concrete proof, so make sure you document any and all upgrade receipts or appraisals you receive that could help your case.

Another thing you should know is that your insurance includes licensing fees in your settlement. Think about this for a second. When you go out and purchase a new vehicle, you have to pay to license it. So, if your vehicle is worth $5,000, and they give you a check for $5,000, you’re actually being shorted the licensing fees to purchase a replacement vehicle valued at $5000. There are numerous things you should be aware of, but this one is often overlooked by consumers.

Customers of larger insurance carriers like State Farm and Farmers need to be aware of the little things that are wrapped into the total loss of a vehicle. Your insurance carrier doesn’t mean anything personal by this, but they do cut corners to save themselves money. The relationship you have with your agent doesn’t transfer over to the claims department. Their goal is to resolve as many claims and total losses as possible, for the least cost to the insurance. If they save $100 on your claim, and save that same $100 on 100 other claims, they’re saving their employer $1000.

A car accident is a headache for anybody involved. It’s an unpleasant, high stress and oftentimes takes a physical toll. You do your best to keep a good standing relationship with your insurance, take care of your vehicle, and to drive safely, but let’s face it; accidents happen. Sometimes a vehicle is repairable, sometimes it’s not. The moral here you need to take away, as with anything, is to know what your vehicle is worth. If you know the value of your car, you should have no problems negotiating with your insurance.

That Bumper Is More Than Just An Eyesore

Car accidents most often occur within 25 miles of your home. That means they’re not from driving on the freeway, or a crazy person ripping through the drive-thru, they’re happening close to home while you or your neighbors are on auto-pilot. Let's say you’re driving down the back roads by your house on your way to pick up the kids from soccer practice and BAM! Just like that. You hit black ice and slide into a guardrail. Now, your bumper looks to have suffered some minor damage, there’s a decent dent and some ugly scratches, but it’s still attached. Safe, right? Wrong.

The bumper on your vehicle is aptly named because it’s main purpose is to keep you safe in the account that you hit or “bump” into something in your travels. The original bumper was essentially a hunk of wood bolted onto the front and rear of a vehicle. That wood was meant to cushion the impact of various accidents. New vehicles have beautifully sculpted metal and in some cases plastic covers to hide the extremely important internal pieces of a bumper. 

The main internal piece of your bumper is called an impact bar, or in some cases an absorber, depending on the make of your car. That impact bar/absorber is specifically designed as a (generally) one time use part that will absorb the impact of your hit. Underneath that plastic or metal shield is an entire slew of parts that when shifted from even a minor accident can mean the difference from experiencing a stiff neck, to serious injuries.

Now, with that being said, you’re likely not driving around with a bunch of worthless junk in the car. You’re driving around with your loved ones, your friends, and other precious cargo that you wouldn’t want harmed in the event of another collision. The best way to prevent injury in an accident is to maintain your vehicle at it’s top operating condition. Let us take a look at your car and potentially save you and your loved ones from more damage than is necessary. Our estimates are free and have no obligation of repairs. It’s better safe than sorry, so bring in your scrapes and bruises today!