When a Vehicle is Beyond Collision Repair

Sometimes an automobile accident can leave your car too damaged for collision repair services. In this unfortunate situation, you have generally had to cut your losses and look for a replacement vehicle. This is a major setback and can add more stress to the already challenging serious of events following a serious collision. Use the following examples to determine when your car is damaged beyond repair so you can move on with life quickly.

Car is “Totaled”

This is the most obvious and well-known situation. While a “total loss” is an insurance term used to describe a scenario in which auto body repair costs exceed the value of the car at the time of the collision, many people consider a car totaled when massive damage has left it utterly un-drivable. Cars are often totaled as a result of head-on collisions or other situations that lead to the destruction of the engine.

Car is Drivable but Dangerous

Your car can sometimes be left in a condition that allows it to operate but at the expense of your safety. If doors and windows have been lost or the chassis has been bent out of shape, your car may run, but it will be very dangerous—and likely illegal—to drive. Extreme damage like this can sometimes be beyond the scope of normal collision repair, so be sure to consult with a local professional for a definite answer.

The car has Extensive Cosmetic Damage

Occasionally, a car can receive damage to the paneling and parts of the body that are less crucial to the car’s safety and operability than they are to its aesthetics. Badly damaged cosmetic parts, such as missing panels or panels that cannot be hammered out, will need to be replaced entirely. Depending on the value and age of the car and the extent of the damage, this can end up costing more than the vehicle’s actual value.

While these problems can happen, most collisions leave vehicles damaged, but repairable. If you have been in an accident, call 408-279-2070 and let the experts at Michael J’s Body Shop make the repairs you need to get your car back on the road and looking great. We have been serving the San Jose area for over 20 years and work closely with insurance companies to make collision recovery easier for you.