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Consumers Should Know Their Rights After an Accident
Six months after you?ve had major collision repairs, you sense a vibration when accelerating in your two year old car. Your new-car dealer insists that the problem is accident-related, and the independent body shop is just as adamant that it?s a warranty issue. The dealer blames the body shop, the body shop blames the dealer and you, the customer, are ?monkey in the middle? not knowing who to believe.
No driver anticipates that he/she will ever be involved in a collision. But, unfortunately, accidents happen every day and, for many drivers, the experience often leaves them feeling confused, frightened and vulnerable. In this emotional state, you must decide who will tow your vehicle and which collision shop will perform the repairs.
Some tow truck drivers, arriving on the accident scene in minutes, will offer to take your vehicle to a collision shop of their choice. These drivers usually have a financial incentive for doing so. Don?t be swayed by their polished sales pitches. The choice is always up to you, the owner of the vehicle.
If you drive a fairly new vehicle, you probably have free towing coverage from your Roadside Assistance program. You may also be a member of the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA), in which case, you could choose their towing service.
Consumers need to understand their rights and options when choosing where to go for repairs. Understanding your rights and making the proper decisions will increase the chances that your repairs are completed in a timely and professional manner, and with minimum inconvenience.
You will need to decide whether to seek an independent, collision repair facility, a dealer-owned shop or a dealer-referred shop. In determining which shop to use, some significant points to consider include:
- The insurance company will receive an estimate of the damage, and it will pay that figure to any shop ? be it ?Joe?s Auto Body? or a dealer body shop. No premium is paid to the dealer shop (who should know the most about your car) to do the work.
- Will Genuine or Imitation parts be used in the repair?
- If you are paying by cash, don?t base your decision entirely on price. Skill, service, knowledge and reputation are just as important as getting a competitive price. (I would not, necessarily, want laser eye surgery from the cheapest clinic.)
- Does the shop have extensive knowledge about your vehicle (Traction Control, Vehicle Stability Control, Electronic Throttle Control System, Engine Management Computers, Air Bags, etc.)?
- Is the shop properly licensed to perform collision repairs?
- What type of warranty is offered on collision repairs?
- Do not expect any shop to waive your insurance deductible, or offer to do additional work at no extra cost. (Insurance companies do not OVERPAY body shops for work ? free work means cutting corners somewhere, and cutting corners is rarely good.)
Your insurance company may also try to steer you toward a collision repair facility that it recommends. A collision shop recommended by an insurance company may, indeed, have a stellar reputation and state-of-the-art facilities. But is the shop a specialist on your make and model of vehicle?
Why not choose a dealership collision shop so that you can hold ONE repair facility responsible for both warranty AND collision claims, should any issue arise in the future (such as the vibration example, mentioned at the start of this column)? A dealership shop will then be obligated to determine whether repairs to your vehicle are covered under warranty or insurance ? without an opportunity to pass the buck.
The bottom line is that, after an accident, you, the customer, have the right to choose who tows your vehicle and where it is taken for repairs. A good idea would be to research a body shop in advance of a collision so that you know exactly what to do in the event of an accident. The ramifications of choosing the wrong collision outlet are much greater than choosing the wrong place for something minor, such as replacing a tire.
And remember, when your car goes into the collision repair facility of YOUR choice, it?s a good idea to remove any personal belongings or valuable items from inside the vehicle. Body technicians have to gain access to interior areas in order to make the repairs. Personal belongings could get damaged or misplaced, which will only compound your frustration.
Ken Shaw Jr. is President of the Toronto Automobile Dealers Association and is a new-car dealer in Toronto. E-mail comments to president@tada.ca
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