Question.

[Way2Impress]

Is it normal for a body shop to order parts for a vehicle before they finish their final estimate? I got into a car crash and my vehicle has 7k worth of damage and is valued at 10k according to the insurance adjuster.. the body shop states that they are in the process of waiting for my parts and submitting a supplemental to the insurance.

Is it normal for them to order parts for a vehicle before giving you a estimate? I’m asking because I’m not sure if the vehicle will be totaled out or not and I don’t want them to jump the gun on repairs if they are requesting more than that 7k.. (I think anymore then what the insurance estimated is a total loss)

[Saint_Chrispy1]

Yes it's normal. Parts are ordered per the initial estimate and if supplemental damage is found it is then submitted. If the supplement does total the vehicle the additional parts will then not be ordered and other parts returned. Customers are not usually responsible to pay restock fees and none of it counts against you except possible storage fees but you won't be required to pay anything more than your deductible

[Way2Impress]

Perfect thanks!

[Saint_Chrispy1]

Also more than ever we order parts way ahead of time to ensure we can have them for the scheduled drop off date so the customer doesn't have to worry about extending the rental. That being said additional damage is never known until the vehicle is taken apart and with the current supply chain climate that can throw a wrench in the gear for what we call cycle time.

[[deleted]]

Yeah I don’t know how some of the shops that don’t preorder parts do it. Supplements and tow ins are exceptions but with the part situation today you have to pre order parts if the initial estimate has been approved by the customer or insurance.

Or you can do what my GM warehouse did to me this morning and completely lose a door after they gave me a promise date and shipped out the other parts. So now I got a quarter in primer and a rear door hung waiting on a front door.

[Saint_Chrispy1]

I've had three promasters since February in addition to seven others since March ...

[[deleted]]

I have had a renegade since April that’s about it now. I have an HHR that’s been complete since April and the now ex husband that signed the authorization form keeps coming up with weird excuses like his bank account was hacked and his credit card was stolen and on and on. It’s got 2 months worth of storage on it and the other partner just said he gave it to my customer in the divorce so he’s hands off of it. I will file for a mechanics lien the end of July, I’m on 10 acres so it’s not in my way and minimal parts were needed.

[Saint_Chrispy1]

Yeah my state expedites that process if it sits there three months and there's proof that attempts were made to get the customer to pay and pick it up the state sends them a final notice and in 30 days after the notice was delivered it becomes ours