Learning About Auto Service Procedures

Most people assume that owning a foreign car is going to be expensive when it comes time for repairs. However, this doesn't necessarily have to be the case.

There are quite a few things you can do to minimize the costs of having your foreign vehicle repaired. The following are four examples:

Look into the possibility of repairing your body with dent repair that doesn't require painting

Minor body damage can often be repaired through what's known as paintless dent repair (PDR). PDR involves repairing body damaging simply without doing any sanding or using body filler.

Sanding, placing body filler, and painting tend to be labor intensive body repair processes that can drastically increase costs. Always look into PDR before you get more involved repairs performed to minimize costs. 

Check the price of replacing a part versus having it repaired

Complete replacement of a part can in some cases be significantly less than repairing a part. Repairing a part often requires elaborate work, including sandpapering and retouching. On the other hand, replacement of a part just requires the new part to be purchased and installed.

When you take your foreign vehicle in for body repairs, you should ask about the possibility of saving through replacement rather than repair. Do your own research and shop around for the cost of replacement parts to get a good idea on the price difference. 

Try to save on labor where possible

The cost of labor is often the most expensive cost in an auto body repair job. There are often some ways to save on labor that can drastically reduce the overall costs of repairs.

One example is to make sure that you're not paying duplicate labor charges. Duplicate labor charges can occur when body repair mechanics need to remove parts to get to a damaged part. This can be time-consuming, and you'll be charged for labor by the hour.

Make sure that you have as much repaired as possible when parts are accessible rather than bringing your vehicle in on different occasions for similar repairs. 

Don't procrastinate having body repairs done

If you continue to drive your vehicle while it's damaged, existing damage could become worse. Driving a damaged vehicle could make it more likely that you'll get in another accident. Also, damaged parts could fall off or become further detached if repairs are not performed immediately.

It's therefore best not to procrastinate auto body repairs and get them done as soon as possible. 

For more information and help with your foreign car, contact a foreign car repair shop, such as August European.