Your Repair Questions Answered

What can I expect when I bring my automobile for an estimate?

One of our experienced estimators will evaluate the damage and provide you with an itemized estimate.

The average estimate will take approximately 20 minutes.

Do I have the right to select the shop that will repair my vehicle?

It’s your car, your choice!

We recommend that you select a repair shop that will be an advocate for you, the vehicle owner. One who uses manufacturer recommended repair procedures and parts. This assures the repairs are done based on approved repair methodology of your vehicle manufacturer.

If you have felt pressured from your insurance agent to take your car to another repairs facility, click HERE for more information..

Is there a law that requires me to get more than one estimate for my repairs?

There is no law that requires you to receive more than one estimate. You are not obligated to use a particular repair shop to obtain repairs. You can choose the shop AND the repairs!

What are OEM, Aftermarket, and Recycled Parts?

  • OEM – (Original Equipment Manufactured) by your vehicle’s factory supplier.
  • Aftemarket – Copied from the original factory part and manufactured by a 3rd party supplier. Mainly manufactured overseas and imported into the US.
  • Recycled Part – An original factory part taken off of a vehicle that has been retired from service.

Do I have to accept used parts?

No, you do not have to accept used parts. Most customer oriented insurance companies will only suggest used parts (LKQ) when there is agreement from all parties; generally used parts are suggested when there needs to be a savings to justify the repairs.

The insurance company’s obligation is to restore your vehicle to “pre-loss” condition – not better than it was and no worse.

What happens if more damage is found?

Today’s vehicles are very complex; so it can difficult to see all the damage during the initial inspection. Therefore, finding additional damage has become very common; estimates written without a thorough disassembly of the vehicle often have overlooked additional damages.

Auto Body Hawaii is the exception; our DFR process (Disassembly for Repair) almost always assures no surprise damage. [Back to Top] If additional damage is found, it is documented and discussed with you and the insurance company. The insurance company may, or may not, want to come see the damage. These supplemental charges are itemized, authorized and billed along with the rest of the repairs. If the insurance representative wants to come see the additional damage, the repair process could be delayed from 2 – 5 business days.

Be mindful that any additional parts found to be damaged will have to be ordered and that can lead to another delay (based on availability.)

What are betterment charges?

Parts that wear out and need replacement with time and use (i.e. tires, batteries and suspension parts) are commonly subject to betterment charges when they are replaced during the repair process.

These betterment charges are determined by your insurance company and are pro-rated based on actual miles on your vehicle.

What is a Supplement?

A supplement is typically an estimate for hidden or additional damage, not discovered during the initial visible estimate. Supplements and hidden damage are a normal occurrence because today’s vehicles are designed to crush from the “outside-in” in order to protect the occupants.

If a shop finds additional damage, it writes a supplement and notifies the insurance company or customer for approval to continue with repairs.

If my vehicle frame is damaged is it a total loss? Can frame damage be properly repaired?

A car is a total loss only when the price of repairs exceeds the insurance company’s determined value of your vehicle. Our highly skilled technicians, with the aid of our state-of-the-art computer measuring system, can return your vehicle to its original factory specifications. If it is determined that the frame section is bent beyond repair, that section can simply be replaced.

Today’s light cars are designed with a uni-body frame, meaning most of the vehicle core is part of the frame structure. It is very common and safe for a competent shop to correctly repair a vehicle frame.

Is it hard to match the color of my paint?

All most all colors can be matched by creating an illusion. Auto Body Hawaii employs highly skilled paint professionals who are factory trained using state of the art equipment to assure colors are matched to manufacturer’s standards. Auto Body Hawaii uses the following steps to ensure your satisfaction with the color match.

  • Your vehicle has an information label that includes a paint code. This code identifies the color of your car.
  • Our computerized paint-mixing system includes the standard color for your car and known variants. The database of known variants is important because in the vehicle manufacturing process there is some variability (such variations typically occur between paint lots or between factories). We check for the best match among these base colors and their variants.
  • A perfect match usually cannot be obtained by tinting alone.
  • Blending is used to fade the freshly painted finish into the original.

Between tinting and blending, the color match area becomes completely invisible.

What about my personal belongings?

Before dropping off your vehicle, we recommend that you remove your personal belongings or anything of value. Our insurance covers damage to your vehicle as a result of fire, theft, or even employee error, but it only covers the vehicle and its factory installed parts. Consequently, we do not assume liability for other items that you choose to leave in your vehicle.

Even though our team is comprised of very honest people, they often remove interior parts to gain access to the damaged area or to protect the interior from damage. One misplaced item can cause a lot of hard feelings and we value your good opinion.

Does Auto Body Hawaii fix my kind of car?

Auto Body Hawaii’s skilled technician’s are trained to repaired all makes and models of vehicles, foreign and domestic. We also have technicians who specialize in certain makes of vehicles; having factory certified technicians for European vehicle and also specially trained technicians for Asian vehicles.

Does Auto Body Hawaii guarantee their work?

Will Auto Body Hawaii repair my car as good as new? At Auto Body Hawaii we believe in the “invisible” repair; we repair our vehicles to meet or exceed all manufacturer repair standards. View our warranty policy HERE.

What will it my repair cost me?

If you are filing an insurance claim with your insurance company all you will be responsible for is the price of your deductible. If you will be paying for your repairs yourself, an estimate will be provided to you after we have the opportunity to asses the damage on your vehicle and explain the repair process to you.

Will Auto Body Hawaii coordinate a rental car for me?

Yes. We can coordinate a rental agency to pick you up at Auto Body Hawaii when you drop off your vehicle for repairs.