Tips and information so that car repair does not become a financial nightmare
Repairs to the car are unavoidable. They affect older cars as well as new cars. Many consumers reach their financial limit due to repairs to their cars. Our tips and tricks help to minimise costs and, if necessary, finance them.
Car breakdowns usually occur spontaneously and especially in the most unfavorable situations: The family carriage is guaranteed to go on strike if another child is on the road or you have to commute a lot due to the new job. In such stressful situations, it is easy to lose track of the costs and benefits of a car repair. And then you ask yourself whether a repair is still worthwhile at all.
The first shock of scratches: How much damage is really done?
Dents and scratches in the body are not only unsightly, they can result in expensive consequential damage. For example, if water penetrates the damaged paint layers and the material begins to rust. A small damage to the paintwork can quickly lead to the replacement of an entire car part – and that is usually expensive. Therefore, you should not put off repairing.
The layman usually does not recognize how serious damage really is. Has it only affected the upper layer of paint or is the primer also affected? Is polishing enough or does varnish have to be touched? Questions that often only a good car mechanic can answer. But how do you find it? And does the car repair shop you trust then also use the appropriate repair method? And is the price-performance ratio right?
In order for you to be able to decide for or against a repair at all, you need to know exactly what kind of damage it is. To clarify this, you can hire a motor vehicle appraiser. The judge examines the damage caused and then quantifies it accordingly. The expert's fee is made up of several components. First of all, a basic fee is charged, which, depending on the amount of damage, is between 120 euros and 1,500 euros. In addition, there are ancillary costs such as postage, telephone calls or trips. Since an appraiser costs a relatively high amount, he is almost exclusively used for insurance claims of 750 euros or more. In the event of damage caused by yourself, you must therefore first obtain a cost estimate from a car workshop.
You can get help from numerous online portals that take care of the price comparison at the car service provider for you. This is particularly recommended for minor standard repairs. The most helpful here are the providers where the search queries provide fixed-price offers from the workshops. You can sort the supplier workshops by distance, customer reviews or the next possible date.
When is a repair worthwhile and when is it worth buying a new one?
"Now the car has already cost me 1,200 euros in the last four years. I don't put a cent more in the box. It's just not worth it." Do you know these considerations? Comprehensible! Many car owners who are about to have their vehicle repaired again are considering investing in a new car. But: In case of doubt, you as a layman cannot judge whether the repair is still worthwhile or not. Therefore, do not act thoughtlessly or hastily. Under certain circumstances, you can lose a lot of money here.
To find out whether another repair of your car is really still worthwhile, you should do a solid cost-benefit analysis. In this way, you put the costs of a necessary repair in relation to the current sales value of your defective car and the purchase price for a new car.
When is it worth repairing my car?
When is car repair no longer worthwhile?
What does the insurance pay?
If the liability insurance of an other party in the accident pays for the repair costs, you have a choice: Do you have the damage repaired or do you take the insurance company's money to invest in a new car? However, they cannot use the money from the insurance company to repair or compensate for the damage. In this case, however, you will only be transferred the value of the cost estimate of the workshop or the appraisal. If you are responsible for the damage yourself, you can decide for yourself whether or not to report the damage to the insurance company.
In general, you should first clarify with your insurance company which regulations apply in the event of a claim. The scope of a repair is almost always the decisive criterion. In some cases, it often makes more sense not to report the damage to your insurance company: because the deductible for a claim for damages is usually quite high. Nevertheless, you should carefully consider whether to report the damage after all. From a certain amount of damage, the value of the deductible is far exceeded. Here it is worthwhile to compare and compare the costs in a quiet minute. In addition, the insurance premium may increase as a result of the damage report. In the end, you will pay more than you would have had to pay for the repair.
What do you have to consider when looking for a workshop?
As is so often the case, it is advisable to compare different offers directly. Because where one workshop repairs the damaged component, the other workshop advises a replacement. Workshops also offer not only different repair methods, but also various additional services. Is a rental vehicle or a pick-up and delivery service important to you?
9 tips on how to recognize a good car repair shop
The most important principle when visiting the workshop: Record all agreements in writing. So you are on the safe side. Because not everyone involved always remembers what was agreed. If the workshop demonstrably violates its duties to provide information and advice, the customer may be able to claim damages. In case of trouble with the workshop, the free arbitration boards of the motor vehicle trade also help.
Checklist for placing a repair order
What are self-help workshops good for?
In times of YouTube tutorials and Internet forums, the temptation is great to carry out minor repairs yourself. So-called self-help workshops offer all the necessary tools and tools for this: from brake test benches to diagnostic devices for electronics. But not all self-help workshops are equally well supplied. In addition, you cannot expect any professional support there. This is because these workshops do not have to be affiliated with a motor vehicle business, nor does the owner have to have passed the master craftsman's examination. So it is up to you how professional the repair of your car will be. A self-help workshop does not assume responsibility for any damage. If you repair your vehicle yourself, you are usually responsible for all damage resulting from this repair. However, for experienced hobbyists, motorsport enthusiasts and classic car fans with expertise, this can be a worthwhile alternative.
Lohnt sich ein Ratenkredit für eine Autoreparatur?
Ein defektes Auto muss nicht zwangsläufig ein finanzielles Desaster sein. Zuerst sollten Sie Kosten und Nutzen abwägen. Haben Sie eine Entscheidung getroffen und sich für eine Werkstatt entschieden, können Sie die Reparatur Ihres Fahrzeugs einfach mit einem Ratenkredit von easyCredit stemmen. Damit vermeiden Sie, dass durch eventuelles Warten der Schaden womöglich größer wird oder Sie ganz auf Ihr Auto verzichten müssen.
Veröffentlicht am 08.06.2020 von easyCredit