THE REPAIR PROCESS
HAIL DAMAGE REPAIR
- INITIAL INSPECTION: WHEN A CAR FIRST ARRIVES, THE VEHICLE
UNDERGOES A THOROUGH CLEANING AND INSPECTION OF ALL DAMAGE.
HAIL RELATED AND UNRELATED PRIOR DAMAGE ARE MARKED WITH
GREASE PENS AND ALL DENTS ARE MEASURED AND COUNTED. THE
ORIGINAL INSURANCE ESTIMATE IS CHECKED FOR ACCURACY.
- SUPPLEMENTATION: IF THE INITIAL INSPECTION REVEALS DEFICIENCIES IN
THE ORIGINAL ESTIMATE ;THEN THE INSURANCE COMPANY IS CONTACTED
AND A RE-INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE IS REQUESTED. THIS IS PERHAPS
THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THE PROCESS! MOST ORIGINAL
ESTIMATES ARE SHORT BY AS MUCH AS 200% IN FACT, MOST INSURANCE
COMPANIES INTENTIONALLY WRITE THE FIRST ESTIMATE "LIGHT"!
A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF INSURED CLAIMANTS ACCEPT THAT FIRST
ESTIMATE, AS THE FINAL AMOUNT THE INSURANCE COMPANY IS WILLING
TO PAY; AND THEN NEVER GET THEIR CAR FIXED. THIS RESULTS IN
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN SAVINGS FOR THE INSURANCE COMPANY.
- DISASSEMBLY: ONCE A VEHICLE IS READY FOR REPAIR, THE REQUIRED
PANELS AND COMPONENTS ARE CAREFULLY REMOVED AND LABELED
FOR REASSEMBLY. FOR EXAMPLE, HEADLINERS ARE TYPICALLY
DROPPED DOWN TO ALLOW ACCESS TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE ROOF
PANEL.
- PDR REPAIR: AFTER DISASSEMBLY A HIGHLY TRAINED PDR TECHNICIAN
METICULOUSLY MASSAGES ALL DENTS BACK TO THEIR ORIGINAL SHAPE.
THIS IS DONE WITH A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TOOLS AND METHODS.
WHEN A PANEL'S UNDERSIDE IS UNACCESSIBLE, A GLUE PULLING METHOD
IS SOMETIMES USED. IN GLUE PULLING, THE TECH GLUES A PULLING TAB
TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE DENT AND GENTLY PULLS THE DENT OUT. THE
COMBINATION OF THESE TWO SKILLS, ALLOWS ALMOST ANY DENT, IN
ANY LOCATION, TO BE FULLY REPAIRED WITHOUT USING INVASIVE
ACCESS TECHNIQUES.
- REASSEMBLY: AFTER ALL THE DENTS HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY
REPAIRED, A SUPERVISOR INSPECTS THE WORK FOR ANY FLAWS AND
THE VEHICLE IS REASSEMBLED.
- FINAL INSPECTION AND CLEANING: AFTER THE VEHICLE IS REASSEMBLED
ALL RELATED FUNCTIONS ARE CHECKED. IF THE HEADLIGHTS WERE
REMOVED, THEY ARE CHECKED AND ALIGNED. IF THE HEADLINER WAS
REMOVED, IT IS CHECKED TO MAKE SURE ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS
FUNCTION PROPERLY AND THEN THE VEHICLE IS WASHED AND
VACUUMED, PRIOR TO DELIVERY.
- DELIVERY AND PAYMENT: ONCE THE REPAIR IS COMPLETED, THE
CUSTOMER IS CONTACTED TO ARRANGE DELIVERY OF THE VEHICLE.
PAYMENT IN FULL IS DUE AT THIS TIME. OFTEN THE INSURANCE
COMPANY WILL MAKE A CHECK PAYABLE DIRECTLY TO DENT-TECHS AND
THE CUSTOMER CAN RECEIVE THEIR VEHICLE WITH OUT HAVING TO
SECURE PAYMENT OF ANY KIND. SOMETIMES INSURANCE CHECKS ARE
MADE PAYABLE TO TWO PARTIES, BOTH DENT-TECHS AND THE INSURED.
IN THIS SITUATION, DENT-TECHS WILL STAMP THE CHECK AND THE
CUSTOMER WILL SIGN IT OVER TO DENT-TECHS. HOWEVER; SOME
INSURANCE COMPANIES WILL MAKE THE PAYMENT OUT DIRECTLY TO THE
INSURED AND THEN THE CUSTOMER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE
THE MONEY IS AVAILABLE BEFORE OR AT THE TIME OF DELIVERY.
THE LENGTH OF TIME REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THIS ENTIRE PROCESS IS
CALLED "CYCLE TIME." AT DENT-TECHS, WE PRIDE OURSELVES IN HAVING A
FAST CYCLE TIME. OUR AVERAGE CYCLE TIME IS 2-7 DAYS ON MOST
MODERATELY DAMAGED HAIL REPAIRS. HOWEVER; THIS CYCLE TIME CAN BE
SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED DUE TO DIFFERENT INSURANCE COMPANY'S
POLICIES REGARDING RE-INSPECTIONS. PLEASE CONSULT WITH US PRIOR TO
DROPPING OFF YOUR VEHICLE IS TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!
Serving the greater Dallas / Ft Worth metro area since 2003
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