Car damage...please help?

Question

I was recently in a really bad accident and my car is now in the shop. I went by yesterday and they were still working on it. when I looked at the parts they were replacing, they were all differerent colors and it looked like they chopped up another cars parts and stuck it on my car. My question is ...is this safe, honest, and will you be able to tell the car has been chopped up? Also, they have to repaint all of these parts including the entire right side and the trunk....how long does that process take?

Answer 1

You really should have asked all these questions when your car was brought in. I had a car in the shop for 3 weeks one time. Sometimes they use used parts to save costs, but they should inform you of that. You could demand all new parts and send costs through the roof. It's up to you.

Answer 2

If you are a girl there are some really cruddy people out there that think you won't report them to your insurance company. Get a complete itemized listing with amount paid of every part that went on your vehicle. Then you must get a warranty for the parts that they are using. Make sure that you are getting parts that state OEM. That means that they are using original equipment made by the manufacturer and designed just for your car and the parts are new. On the invoice that you get make sure that the parts all state that the parts are new.
After you get your vehicle back contact your insurance company and make sure you let them know your concerns. Ask if they can recommend someone that will give you an honest opinion on what parts were used. I have done this in the past. The parts that were used were not OEM and the insurance company was billed for the OEM parts. That is fraud. It happens all the time. And it was with my brakes. On part you never take a chance on.
As for painting it really depend on the amount of time it takes to get the other parts in an complete. Ask for a date and make them stick to it.
Good luck.

Answer 3

Well I work at a law office that handles auto accidents, anyway well it depends how much damage there is to your car but by what you wrote it seems like it might take 3 weeks or so. I just don't know about the parts w/ different colors that just seems kind of strange, but there are some shops that I have heard of using used parts because it's cheaper for them. Unless you have a brand new car then I would rather have new parts also. Hope this helps if not let me know.

Answer 4

Insurance companies are using what they call LKQ parts. That's Like, Kind and Quality which is a fancy way to say junk yard parts. Their theory is that the parts on your car were not really new - they have depreciated in value some so they are recycling ( a good part of the idea) parts from the same kind of car. They believe that this keeps their costs down as they are cheaper and that in turn reduces the upward pressure on premiums. The parts are in effect Original Equipment so they fit well and have the same function as the ones they are replacing (energy absorption in a crash). Agood painter can paint them so they look new. Your car should look as good as it did before it was crashed and function just as well. Once the car repair is made and the car goes to the painter it should just be a day or so before they give it back to you. Inspect it and voice any objections before you take it back.

Answer 5

It is common practice to used slvaged and/or used parts in repair. Once the repairs are finished, thoroughly inspect the damaged areas, and if any areas look like they don't align correctly or aren't the same color, make the body shop fix it. The only way you should be able ot tell is that the paint might be a little glossier because it is new. Painting depends on the amount of prep work that is done. If the "new" parts are in good condition without a lot of body work, it should only take a day. If they have to hammer or bondo any pieces, or adjust alignments, it could take a little longer.

Answer 6

It sounds like they are using used parts... is that what you or your insurance paid for? New parts should be grey from primer (or red) and not already painted different colors.

It's safe unless they are reusing parts like shocks and stuff but the question is, what did you pay for?

The car will never be "the same" after the accident. It will be worth less than if it was never hit and a good buyer will always be able to tell because of the paint job.

For a while it will be fine but a couple years down the road the paint will not look as good as the unpainted part of the car.

Answer 7

Call the insurance company and ask if they are paying for new or used parts. They are probably paying for used parts because it is much cheaper. It should not effect the safety of the car. Once the car is painted you won't be able to tell the difference, and if you can then you need to bring that up and voice your concerns before you leave the shop.

Answer 8

To James- a good buyer will not always be able to tell because of the paint job. If the body shop did their part, you should never be able to tell it was wrecked just by looking. To the asker- it most definitely is safe. Assuming you took your vehicle to a reputable shop, you should have no worries. You really should have asked all these questions at the shop. If you have any concerns they should be able to help you with them. They should give you an itemized copy of the repair estimate so you know everything that was done.

Answer 9

You might consider talking to the people at the shop. They will give you an estimate of the time it will take. I smashed the whole front end of my car in an accident....had it back in 4 days! They also replaced parts on my car, but painted them the same color as the rest of the car. Now is looks brand new!

Answer 10

You can thank your insurance company. They are going to fix your car the least expensive way they can. You still have the right to request NEW parts, but they won't do this unless you specify before repairs begin. The bodyshops would prefer to use O.E.M. parts because they are heavier and fit better. It is standard procedure these days to do this. You can expect that the entire process will take 7-10 days. Less with some insurance companies.