subject: Pros And Cons Of Auto Body Repair [print this page] The dreaded phone call has comeThe dreaded phone call has come. Your teenager has just gotten into their first car accident.
Luckily they are alright, but the car is not. The costs of buying a new car verses paying for repairs run through your head.
You are not the only one that has had to consider auto body repair. Over 220 million vehicles in 2003 on the road in the United States, and the trend is on a 5% increase per year.
With an increasing population that percentage wise uses more and more cars per year, the need for auto body repair is going to rise. The more traffic on the road that there is, the more accidents are likely to occur because parking lots and roads will be more crowded.
Finding a professional auto body expert can be difficult. This difficulty combined with the costs of the damage cause people to go buy a new car just to avoid the hassle.
However, buying a new car can be just as much, if not more, of a hassle. When you buy a new car there is paper work, research into which car you would like, and most of the time an increase in your debt.
Generally, you will have make payments on your new car for at least four to five years. With the economy down, and employment lowering, consider whether you will really be safe to make those payments for that long.
The car payment may also get in the way of other opportunities. In a year or two, you may want to support a child through college, or leave work for retirement.
In some cases, people simply do not know what fixing a car is is, and that it is a viable option. Most vehicles are fine by repairing the metal panels in your car instead of buying new parts to replace them.
Repair work includes repainting sections that have been damage to match the original paint color of the car, restoring framework, and repair to the electrical and mechanical systems of the car.
It is important that if you choose to fix your car, that you find a professional mechanic to perform the task. Rebuilding a car takes education and skill.
Make sure that your mechanic has had both formal classroom and on the job training. Specialists are highly skilled mechanics and are always improving their technique through experience.
Finding a professional expert will cost, but a new car would cost many times the amount that the repair would cost. In most cases, your car insurance will pay for Auto Body repair.
Fixing a car is the most cost effective option in most cases. It is also a better option for those who love the car they have.
However, there are many other things to consider besides cost effectiveness when deciding between auto body repair and a new car. One example would be whether or not your family is growing out of the old car.
You may have had a five person car that is filled with you, your spouse and three children. If you have another child on the way, it would be a good idea to consider going ahead and buying a new car.
Perhaps your lifestyle has changed and instead of a minivan you need a truck. Maybe you can just do without a car.
Another concern may be the environment. If your old car was really old and produced tons of black fumes, a new car may help the environment.
However, if it was a descent car auto body repair would be the more eco-friendly option. Instead of throwing a whole bunch of descent metal to rot somewhere in the environment, it would be used for as long as possible.
If you are really concerned about the environment, you can even make sure that you select a shop that recycles what can be recycled from their projects.