This is where the Nylund’s difference (#NylundsDone) comes into the equation.  From the moment you become our guest, we begin to advocate on behalf of your best interest with your insurance company.  Many times, insurance will write estimates that favor the lowest-cost (read: cheapest) repair in order to save THEM money.  At Nylund’s we write our estimates for safety first, and quality always.  In many cases, that means replacing original Manufacturer’s parts with new Manufacturer’s parts.  Third-party and used parts are simply not the same thing, and often do not fit as well.

As our guest, you will experience the very best in service.  If you require a rental car, we’ll make the arrangements.  While your vehicle is at our shop, we’ll take care of speaking to your insurance company.  And when we’re done, you’ll understand why hundreds of people every year trust only Nylund’s to repair their cars.

Have questions? Run ‘em by us.  Call 303-761-9219, or go ahead and stop on by.  It’s our pleasure to serve you.

The post How Much Does It Cost to Repair a Dent on 2013 Lexus ES350? appeared first on Nylunds Collision.

We wrote our estimate to replace the now-crumpled bumper with another Lexus manufactured bumper. It is an integral safety component, and for such parts we simply will not compromise. Our guest’s insurance company adjuster came out, and wrote their estimate for a third-party replacement bumper. The difference in price between the original, Lexus-backed bumper and this third-party, non crash-tested bumper: $32.00

We created a supplemental estimate that once again included the original manufacturer’s part, and again our guest’s insurance company denied payment for that, resubmitting only enough money to cover the non OEM bumper. This dance continued until the insurance company dug their feet in the ground and informed us that they would NEVER pay for the original part. It was their opinion that our estimate was an extravagant and unnecessary expenditure of their money.

We took this information back to our guest, explaining that this is a common practice for insurance companies. It’s called cost-shifting, and in the end, the insurance company (who has collected premiums for years, perhaps decades) refuses to pay the $32.00 difference – shifting the burden to either their insured (our guest), or to us. (Nylund’s was not involved in the accident that brought this car to us.)

It’s $32.00. What’s the big deal, right? Well… let’s see.

If Lexus patents it’s parts (and they do), then ANY OTHER part, no matter how closely they “look like” the original… cannot, by definition, be EXACTLY like the original. Documentation and videos abound regarding the importance of every component of an automobile’s safety equipment working together in a precise manner. Life and death are in the balance of a nano-second response. Too early, and injury can occur. Too late spells equal disaster.

If this third-party, aftermarket bumper should ever perform in a substandard way, because it is – by definition – different from the original… and someone were injured – or worse – killed in an accident… who would be responsible? Lexus certainly wouldn’t stand behind a non-Lexus part. To whom does the liability fall? And do we really need to actually have that conversation? Over a $32.00 difference?

In the end, our guest called the insurance company and inquired as to why they wouldn’t authorize an original, Lexus-made bumper on his nearly brand-new automobile that was still under full warranty. We don’t know exactly what transpired during that phone call… but we are happy to report that the insurance company – somewhat begrudgingly – has agreed to pay the additional $32.00 to do the job right.

It may seem like a big amount of trouble for a small amount of money… but here at Nylund’s we believe that your safety is worth more than $32.00.

The post Your Safety is Worth More Than $32.00 appeared first on Nylunds Collision.

Case Study: Lexus ES 350, 28,000 miles. Still under full warranty.

It’s not difficult to see what brought this car to our shop. And we hope it’s equally easy to see the quality of our final delivery. What these photos don’t show, however, is our commitment to conducting a RIGHT repair versus the least expensive possible patch, as determined by our guest’s insurance company.

Our guest came to us with a broken car. They’ve been through enough trauma – and we immediately put them at ease, as much as possible, by promising the highest quality repair. The insurance company in this case, who have likely been paid for years – decades – are not interested in the quality of the repair, but rather in only making sure that they cut the cost of said repairs as much as possible. This played itself out as they re-wrote our original estimate – substituting our recommended original manufacture’s parts with third-party and aftermarket parts.

Why would they cut corners on parts such as the radiator and associated support, or the AC condenser that could void some of the car’s warranty upon failure? The answer is simple: expense. Keep in mind – the aftermarket parts the insurance company insists that we use also supports some of the air-bag safety sensors and should there be any variance at all – it is possible that said safety equipment will not perform as the manufacturer intended. 1/100th of a second could very well be the difference between life and death.

We asked the insurance company about what the guest should do if the aftermarket cooling system fails, causing the engine to overheat and possibly cause tremendous damage. Their answer: the customer (our guest) should then call the manufacturer of the radiator to pursue a claim for the no-longer covered, damaged engine. The manufacturer of the RADIATOR??

My friends… we simply will not compromise the safety of our guests or value of their vehicles. The photo of our repair does not show you the fact that we replaced the damaged parts with original manufacture’s parts. It does not show the several rounds of our supplemental estimates back and forth with the insurance company. It does not show that in the end, they paid for the correct parts because they are the CORRECT parts. But it does show how much we care for each and every guest that trusts us – Nylund’s Collision Center – to do the job RIGHT.

You’ve got my word: If it’s not perfect… it’s not leaving.

The post Before and After – (And the Back Story) appeared first on Nylunds Collision.

Just a reminder that when it comes to which body shop to which you take your car for repairs – you have a choice. And perhaps the shop your insurance company “prefers”… isn’t the best solution. Here at Nylund’s Collision Center, we stand behind our mission statement: If it isn’t perfect… It isn’t leaving!

The post Two Tone Trouble appeared first on Nylunds Collision.

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?

The post Something Old – Something New appeared first on Nylunds Collision.

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.

The post Managed Care Already in the Collision Industry? appeared first on Nylunds Collision.