So, schedule that repair with Olsen Auto Body and we can take some weight off of your shoulders. We will handle all the other correspondence with the insurance company, we'll be taking care of the billing as well as any supplements that might come up too.
Here I will discuss some other terms we missed in the last posts
Disassembly: This involves taking damaged parts off the car so we can see what may or may not be damaged beneath those parts. Also called Tear down, which means the same thing but may sound concerning to some people. It is a systematic disassembly, no tearing or ripping apart involved!
Total Loss: Total loss, or just 'Totaled', means the value of your vehicle before the accident is less than what it would cost to fix the damage from the accident. This does not mean your car CAN'T be fixed, it just means it would cost too much to repair it back to the way it was before your crash. When it comes to auto body, this is probably the most concerning phrase you can hear and we will cover that in a different post in length.
Parts usage is a hot topic in this industry. Insurance company's want the shop to use a certain part, the customer wants something else and here we are in the middle. Our goal is always to just fix the car correctly and provide an excellent finished product to our customer. We have your best interest in mind because you, as our customer, are our best interest.
Here is a list of different part options, the abbreviations and what they mean:
Written by Lanni Waschke
Olsen Auto Body & Collision
Bellingham, WA
Parts usage is a hot topic in this industry. Insurance company's want the shop to use a certain part, the customer wants something else and here we are in the middle. Our goal is always to just fix the car correctly and provide an excellent finished product to our customer. We have your best interest in mind because you, as our customer, are our best interest.
Here is a list of different part options, the abbreviations and what they mean:
OEM: Original Equipment Manufacturer, these are parts made by and sold by the same company that produced your car. A brand name part.
LKQ: Stands for 'Like Kind and Quality'. LKQ are recycled parts originally manufactured by the builder of your vehicle. A used brand name part.
AFTERMARKET: This is a part made by a company other that the original equipment manufacturer. A generic part.
AFTERMARKET: This is a part made by a company other that the original equipment manufacturer. A generic part.
RECOND: Stands for reconditioned. This would be a OEM part that was on another car that has been rebuilt and resold. A remanufactured brand name part.
The customer asks: "What part is right for me? Is there a better choice? What about cost?"
Those are all great questions. Each of these part options serves their purpose, of course a new brand name part might have a better fit to the car, but you could potentially find a recycled one that works just as well and save yourself some money.
What about aftermarket parts? Do they fit the same? Truth is, not always, but the job we take on here at Olsen Auto Body is to make sure to inspect each part before we install it. If it does not fit to your car or if it is damaged in any way we reject it, return it and order another one.
You always have a say on what part goes on your car. Remember, if you are using your own insurance company you have signed a contract with them. Somewhere in the policy you signed up for will most likely have a clause about part usage. The insurance company will stick within those guidelines. If that means paying only for an aftermarket part, that still leaves you with the option of replacing it with an OEM part and paying the difference in the part cost. It's a good idea to ask the body shop questions if you are concerned about part usage. We are here to help!
What about aftermarket parts? Do they fit the same? Truth is, not always, but the job we take on here at Olsen Auto Body is to make sure to inspect each part before we install it. If it does not fit to your car or if it is damaged in any way we reject it, return it and order another one.
You always have a say on what part goes on your car. Remember, if you are using your own insurance company you have signed a contract with them. Somewhere in the policy you signed up for will most likely have a clause about part usage. The insurance company will stick within those guidelines. If that means paying only for an aftermarket part, that still leaves you with the option of replacing it with an OEM part and paying the difference in the part cost. It's a good idea to ask the body shop questions if you are concerned about part usage. We are here to help!
Written by Lanni Waschke
Olsen Auto Body & Collision
Bellingham, WA
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