Every day we live the American dream because of those who have served our country to preserve our right to dream like Americans. And every day, we look for new ways to express our gratitude to those who have put their lives on the line via their military service.

It is with great pride that we announce our most recent partnership with 3M and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in support of the Hire Our Heroes campaign. Together, these organizations and participating body shops all across America are funding scholarships for collision repair education and automotive skill-based rehabilitation for our returning veterans and their families.

The Hire Our Heroes is just one of the many pro-veteran efforts that we have participated in over the years. Last year we sponsored a contest where the proceeds were distributed to five different charitable organizations, one of which was American Military Family. And in 2011, Nylund’s was awarded the Patriot Award for our active hiring of military veterans by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.

We gladly welcome all military veterans, and thank them, and their families for their support of our pursuit of the American dream. We readily acknowledge that freedom is not, and never has been free. To them, we owe a debt we cannot pay. Our participation in such programs as Hire Our Heroes is just one small way that we say thank you.

I admit… I have a flaw. This should come as no surprise to anyone who knows me, and there maybe some who could point out more than one. But the flaw that’s on my mind today is this: My record is scratched.

That’s right – my record (CD for the younger generation) has a scratch in it, and every single time we play our favorite song, “The Insurance Company Blues”, that scratch sneaks up and just repeats and repeats until someone addresses the problem.

What’s that? You don’t know the solid gold hit: “The Insurance Company Blues”? Well… that doesn’t really surprise me. It’s really the only hit they’ve ever produced. Here’s just part of the lyrics:

Down on the farm where the hands are good,
We speak progressively about your car’s hood.
You need a blend – the answer is no.
The farmer and the lizard both told you so.

Oh by the way, your premiums are due,
We’re way too big – so you can’t sue.
We’re on your side – that’s our ruse,
You’ve got the Insurance company blues…

It’s always right about this time that my scratch surfaces – and this is what it sounds like:

We do things the RIGHT way!
We do things the RIGHT way!
We do things the RIGHT way!

The blues traveller tries to sway me – but the scratch takes over…

We do things the RIGHT way!
We do things the RIGHT way!
We do things the RIGHT way!

So I suppose if one has to admit a flaw, mine is this scratch in my record. But then… is it really a flaw if it’s the right thing?

Here it is, friends: I don’t know any way to do business other than the right way. And I wish we never had to listen to the Insurance Blues again… but as long as they keep playing that tune, we here at Nylund’s will continue to fight for what’s right.

You pay into your insurance premiums every month, all of your adult life. When the companies that promise to protect you in fact protect only their bottom line – we will be the ones to advocate on your behalf. We will be the ones to insist that you – their customer – not be traumatized twice by the same accident. We will be the ones who will ALWAYS do things the RIGHT way!

The correct answer came in from an industry expert, Charles Russell of Finish Masters. He said, “Looks like a ‘splitter’.”

I asked Charles for a little more detail on how a “splitter” actually happens. This was his reply: “Reasons can vary from over application, to applying clear coat too soon. There are also some chemical compatibility issues that can cause the split as the surface temperature of the metal can get up to 250 degrees on dark colors in the sun. When the surface gets this hot, it “sucks out” the remaining solvents trapped in the mid coat and base coat. The clear coat is a cross-linked surface (insoluble) so it “cracks” like a dry creek bed.”

Then I asked him to put all that in layman’s terms. He replied, “Oh! It’s cracked.”

He went on to say: “I am sure that Roberts shop did not do this paint job, and he is repairing some other shop’s mistake. (He gets a lot of requests to fix others problems!)” Right again, Charles.

Nylund’s does in fact receive a lot of requests to fix poor craftsmanship that all too often occurs in the auto body industry. If you feel like your car might not have been repaired to the highest standards, you are welcome to bring it by for a free evaluation.

Here’s a short clip of how we perform a proper 3-stage pearl paint application that will NEVER crack!

At Nylund’s, we are driven by the customer experience. If it’s not perfect… it’s not leaving!

What really happens when you get into an accident is rarely reported, in large part because many collision repair facilities engage in a “direct repair partnership (DRP)” with the insurance companies, rendering them unable to engage in a dialogue on behalf of the customer’s best interest.

Nylund’s has never sold out to a DRP relationship with any insurance company. Their position of protecting the customer has caused one insurance company to up the ante by cutting the rate of what they are willing to pay for your repair to well below industry-standards. This hostile maneuver goes on behind the scenes, and during the following interview you will hear the details of what’s REALLY happening – and why WHICH auto body shop you choose really does matter!

Insurance Wars Part 1

Insurance Wars Part 2

No one ever wants to be in an accident. But when it comes time to take your second largest investment in to be repaired, how do you know… how do you REALLY know where the best place to go is?

This question is one that every independent collision repair facility owner wish that the public knew how to answer. Because you have a choice… only in most cases, you never even realize it. You see, when you get into an accident – several things all happen at once. With adrenaline surging through your body, you are trained to do one thing before all others: call the insurance company.

At this most vulnerable time, when you may not be thinking most clearly, would it surprise you to know that the great majority of auto body shops in America have contractual partnerships with most of the insurance carriers? They do. Those relationships are called Direct Repair Programs (DRPs) and to whom do you think that the insurance carrier is going to refer you to take your car?

Well, they wouldn’t refer you to an inferior repair facility… would they? Let’s take a look:

We contracted an independent firm to collect research across a variety of public reports featuring five of the more well known body shops in the Denver metro area. We think you’ll find the following graphic of great value when considering who to bring your car to the next time you get into an accident.

Please note: 3 of the five shops listed above are active participants in DRP relationships with insurance carriers. This means that when your insurance provider “suggests” that you take your car to them, that they will face no resistance on the part of the repair facility when your estimate is written. You may have a brand new vehicle for which you paid a large amount of money, but if the insurance company only offers to pay for a reconditioned or aftermarket bumper… guess what you’re going to get at a DRP body shop?

Also note: One source is never enough to get a clear picture of how a company does business. If you were to simply check the Better Business Bureau for each of these shops, four out of the five would seem to be performing at a high (enough) level. But if you dig just a little deeper, you discover certain trends and patterns that could affect your choice. Remember that? You have a CHOICE of where to take your vehicle. Even when your insurance carrier “suggests” that their preferred shop is the best… the facts don’t lie.

As the photo at the top of this article says, here at Nylund’s Collision Center, we refuse to lower our standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs. If it’s not perfect, it’s not leaving. We fight for what’s right on behalf of the customer every single day. We have never agreed to a Direct Repair Program, and we never will. And that, I believe, is why Nylund’s Collision Center is the BEST CHOICE for your auto body repair.

We love the creative aspect of what we do, and the fact that we get to work on the most beautiful art every day of our existence.

Photographed below are just two amazing vehicles that we get to work on. One is a 2013 BMW M5, recently completed, and the other is a 1956 Ford Fairlane Victoria just getting ready for a total restoration.

Our skilled team of craftsmen absolutely love taking something ravaged by time, or damaged by accident, and making it better than new. What’s your challenge? What can we do for you?

Robert Grieve initiates a conversation with medical benefits expert Sally Wurr of SW Insurance Corp. on what faces every small business owner as a result of the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). This interview was aired on the Experience Pros Radio Show, on February 13, 2013.

Part One

Audio File of Interview with Sally Wurr Part1

Part Two

Audio File of Interview with Sally Wurr Part2

Colleen – Thank YOU! YOU are the reason we do what we do. When someone needs our services, we do our best to make the auto repair process as positive an experience as possible. Your kind letter is a validation of our core values: If it isn’t perfect… it isn’t leaving.

When we go to our doctor, we have a certain trust that that they have our best interest in mind and that the treatment plan they suggest is the best course of action for us.

Enter the insurance company.  Will they agree? Will they require a second opinion from another doctor? Or will they offer an alternative treatment plan?  Does the insurance company have your best interest in mind… or their bottom line?  

And if things continue politically on the road they seem to be traveling, soon enough we may have another entity weighing in on what treatment is “good enough” for you… a government-sanctioned and/ or government-run agency.

Does the collision repair industry offer any insight into what may be on the horizon for health care?

Much like health care professionals, auto body professionals are supposed to act in your best interest and in the best interest of your vehicle.  We identify the damage, and come up with the best repair plan, making use of the highest quality available parts and materials. All of this in an effort to preserve your investment and the safety of those who ride in your car.

Once again, in comes the insurance company.  Will they agree, or offer a different repair alternative?  Like everything, it largely depends on which insurance company you have, and sometimes which insurance adjuster that is working your case.  In many cases, it depends on where you take your vehicle for repair to begin with.

Quite often, the decisions made by your insurance company are defined by the age and mileage of your vehicle.  Sometimes even the general condition of your vehicle will be taken into consideration. Like how clean and maintained was the vehicle prior to the accident?  (Is this starting to sound like criteria that could be used by the medical community when deciding a managed course of treatment?)

On the auto side of things, most insurance companies will approve the use of original manufactured parts (Also known as OEM parts) on a brand new vehicle that is less than a year old and having less than 12000 mile on it. These are the same parts originally used by the manufacturer to build the vehicle on the assembly line.

If your vehicle is more than a year old, get ready for your insurance company to start deciding what’s good enough. In steps the role of alternative parts.  They range form reconditioned and used, all the way to aftermarket parts.

Reconditioned parts are generally those that were previously damaged and have been refurbished. Depending on the supplier, some are better than others.

Used parts come from salvage yards.  Usually they come from the undamaged parts of cars that were declared total losses by the insurance companies.

Aftermarket parts are a whole different story.  They are parts manufactured by companies other than the original manufacturer that designed and built your vehicle.  In my opinion, they diminish the value of your vehicle and can cause warranty concerns if the vehicle is still under the manufacturer’s warranty. 

The first choice of many insurance companies is to reduce their claims payout by the use of the lowest-cost parts.  If reconditioned, used or aftermarket parts are available for the repairs needed, and your car is more than one model year old with more than 12,000 miles on it, many insurance companies require their adjusters to include them when writing their estimates. Unlike a high-tech hip or organ replacement, aftermarket vehicle parts are not designed to increase the lifespan or the quality of living. They are solely purchased to lower the cost of the payout made by the insurance companies.

If you really care about how your vehicle is repaired as many do, this is when it is really important to consider where you take your vehicle to be fixed. Insurance companies make arrangements with many collision repair facilities to act on their behalf.  Masked to seem like a benefit and a convenience to you, those shops have to asses the damage and repair it using the insurance company’s guidelines.  They don’t always offer the best repair with you and your vehicle’s value in mind.

I shutter to think that many insurance managed care plans work the same way.  Unlike doctors, auto repair professionals don’t have to take an oath. Just like choosing the right insurance company and doctor for your health needs, one should also choose the right insurance company and repair facility for taking care of your second largest investment.

Choose well.

Robert Grieve is the proud owner of Nylund’s Collision Center in Englewood, Colorado. His business has been twice awarded Best Body Shop in Denver (2011 and 2012). Considered a thought leader in the collision industry, he has contributed to articles for such content providers as Fender Bender Magazine and The Denver Post. He is an expert author for Ezine Articles, and a proud member of the National Federation of Small Businesses and The Extreme Customer Service Directory. He may be contacted for professional consultation and collaborative contributions at Info@NylundsCollision.com

We ordered a full quarter panel… and this is what it looks like when it gets to us:

We held the pickles, and the lettuce… and the cheese to get to the one part that we needed. it’s a good thing we have excellent craftsmen who know exactly how to get that part off of this quartered vehicle, so that we can precisely match it and patch it to the one we’re fixing! In the end, the structure of our guests vehicle will have all the integrity of the original, and will drive out looking as good as new!

We’d love the opportunity to serve you if ever you need help with your special order.