There are over 4 million cars on NZ roads and over half a million accidents every year ranging from car-park fender-benders to more serious incidents. You need to be prepared.
Your vehicle may be the second largest financial investment in your lifetime. If it’s damaged, you’ll want to ensure it’s repaired to manufacturer’s specifications in order to protect its integrity, value, and safety.
Modern cars are designed to withstand impact and protect passengers. In order to do that, construction has become sophisticated and very complex. Collision repair, or panelbeating, has had to quickly adapt to those demands including advanced technical training, and the use of expensive and highly advanced repair equipment. Repairs are now ‘model specific’ with very tight tolerances and not every ‘panel shop’ in NZ is qualified.
There are over 1300 panel shops known to operate in NZ, probably more. Only around 400 of those are certified as structural repair centres. Some appearances can be deceiving – Can you tell the difference?
If your car sustains collision damage, ensure the best possible repairer is engaged. This may not be as simple as an insurance company’s ‘recommendation’ – if in doubt talk to an independent accident management specialist for your guarantee of technical quality – Your car and your life may depend on it.
ShaneM
Nice. We all agree its necessary equipment. Problem is the cost and insurance companys arnt prepared to reimburse us for the investment. Assessors will not allow any money (my return on my investment) to use my machinery, and the hourly labour rate they pay a shop that has invested probably $200k+ is THE SAME as for one that has a 30 year old machine sitting in the corner with a book value of nothing and no trained technician to use it. They don’t care about the collision industry, just chasing a bigger and bigger profit every year.
Keith Hecht
Thanks for sharing very useful.
Car Accident Law
Great post! Been reading about ways to deal with accident safety. Thanks for the info!