The large number of storms that have swept through one area of the country are keeping both repair companies and insurers on their toes. That's because the damage from these storms in Mankato, Minnesota, has wreaked havoc on automobiles and homes alike. The scene is poised to repeat itself across the nation as tropical storm season gets into full swing, so auto body shops better brace themselves for the onslaught of work hail and strong winds are certain to bring about.
According to the Free Press, "The June combo platter of hail and tornadoes [in Makato]... continues to tax the resources of home and auto-repair entities" two months later. In fact, one auto body shop in the area estimates that it has "repaired 30 to 40 hail-dinged vehicles thus far with no let-up in sight."
While such demand for their services is forcing auto body shop owners to work 14- to 16-hour days, they're not the only ones dodging the heat. Automobile owners who are reeling from the damaged sustained by their vehicles are also having to put in some overtime-in sniffing out auto body repair scams.
The Valley Chronicle out of Hemet / San Jacinto, California, recently ran an article pointing out that some of these so-called "repairs only damage vehicle." The report highlights a vehicle owner whose cosmetically damaged truck prompted two men to knock on her door and offer to "get out the dent and repair the paint" for $70. As the icing on the cake, they also said they "would repair the damage and restore the paint on her 1993 Cadillac deVille."
If the offer sounds like it was too good to be true, it was. When the vehicle owner "went out to examine the work when the men were finished, she found they had not only not done the work well, but had sprayed the back of her car with something yellow." Turns out the paint they used was house paint. After shelling out an additional $80 to the scam artists, the auto owner had the good sense to take her vehicles into a professional auto body shop to mitigate the damage. "The estimate came out to $591.80, which... is hundreds of dollars more than the original repairs would have cost" had she not fallen prey to her predators.
To the victim's credit, the men presented themselves as auto body shop employees. Only later-too late for her wallet- would she discover that "the name of the shop is not listed in the Hemet phone book, nor is any auto body shop by the name they gave listed in surrounding communities."
So how might she have protected herself? By entrusting her vehicles to a reputable auto body shop with a longstanding tradition within the community. Having a team of auto body professionals who work with the objective of getting you back on the road quickly and with the confidence that your vehicle has been restored to your complete satisfaction is worth the extra initial investment.
With your vehicle in the capable hands of an auto body shop that is known throughout the community as a leader in quality collision repair, you can rest assured that no knock-offs or cheap imitations will ever be used. You can also enjoy the confidence that your repair will be guaranteed to measure up to your exacting standards.
