From Estimate to Fixed: Factors determining how long your car will be in the shop

NOTE: Due to current supply-chain shortages, some supplies and parts face an unusually long delay. In some severe cases, it can take several months to procure the necessary parts. Check with our team to learn if current supply problems could affect your vehicle repair.

Having been the premiere auto body shop for Andover and Wichita since 2006, Collision Center of Andover are experts at putting your damaged car back to the way it was. Not only do our experienced car technicians know how to get the job done, we know how long this process can be expected to take AND all the factors that cause delays in getting your vehicle fixed as soon as possible.

The 1 question our customers ask the most: When will my car be ready?

When people need us to get their vehicle back in perfect condition, there really is just one question we get asked more than any other. You want to know when your car will be done. After all, it can be quite an inconvenience to not have your own personal vehicle. You probably know exactly where things are in your car: your umbrella, your ice scraper, your cup of change for a Spangles mudslide. We definitely understand your rush to get your car back and deal with as little auto repair time as possible. And so, we make every effort we can and anticipate every hurdle to get you back in your car or truck as soon as possible. In the meantime, while your vehicle is with us, we can arrange for you to have a rental. We are a concessionaire shop for Enterprise and have their vehicles on site for you to rent. We will make sure to have a vehicle here for you and will arrange the insurance billing at your request.

So, what’s the answer? When will we get your vehicle done?

We wish we could give you an exact answer. But the fact is, we can’t. And believe us, we really, really wish we could. The simple fact is we just don’t know. It almost pains us to tell you that. With a team of car guys with decades of experience fixing cars day in and day out (heck, Jeff alone has nearly 30 years’ experience!), you would think we would be the local auto body shop to know this answer.

There is a good reason why we can’t predict with 100% accuracy how long it will take for us to repair your car. Actually, there are 9 reasons. And many of those reasons are outside the control of our technicians and repair shop, at least until we learn how to control mother nature.

9 Factors that Determine Auto Repair Time

1. First, what time of year is it?
   Is it a nice spring day, or is it the day after central Kansas’ first ice storm of the winter season? If our area’s first mix of ice and sleet covered roads from Andover to Goddard, there are likely hundreds (or more) of other people across the Wichita area who are taking their car or truck to the repair shop at the same time as you. While we want to get to work on your car right away, you may be waiting in line… at ANY repair shop across the area.

2. Who is your insurance?
   Depending on your answer, this could be the most substantial delay to work getting done. We have great experience in the entire process, and that includes working with insurance companies to avoid delays. But the truth is, each insurance company operates differently. While Collision Center technicians can get started without any delay when certain insurance companies are involved, other insurance companies may require an extensive approval process, taking days or every several weeks! While we can’t control how long some insurance companies will take to allow us to get your car repair started, you can trust Collision Center of Andover to do what it takes to help insurance companies expedite their process whenever we can.

3. Is there more damage hiding?
   Once we get the insurance approval, we can get straight to work on repairing your vehicle. That often starts with us tearing down your vehicle. This is where new issues can arise. It’s very possible that while we are getting a closer look inside your vehicle, we will find additional damage that wasn’t visible until AFTER we took it apart. If that happens, we will work quick to handle any new orders for parts or any further coordination with the insurance company.

4. Does your vehicle need to go to the dealership?
   There are times when a repair job will require work to be done by the dealership. This may be because of insurance requirements or warranty specifications. In any case, taking your car to a dealership means the repair is temporarily out of our hands. Just as we effort to expedite work with insurance companies, we are quick to work closely with your dealership to avoid any unnecessary delays. Once they can get their part of the work done, we are ready to take over.

5. What’s the weather like in other parts of the country?
   Even if Kansas isn’t currently dealing with bad weather, a storm in our neighboring states could still affect how long it will take your car to get done. Fortunately, many parts are available here in the Wichita area. But sometimes parts needed for repairs come from outside Kansas, such as from Denver, Oklahoma or Texas. Usually when we need to order parts, we can have them on hand in a day. But as we’ve seen happen, roads like I-70 are prone to be shut down during and after a big snow storm and can delay how soon your parts get to us.

6. What type of car do you have? Is it uncommon?
   If you’re driving a foreign car or some other less common vehicle, we may need to order parts that could take a while to get delivered to us. But if you drive a Ford, Chevy, Honda or other common vehicle on our roads, delays for parts are usually minimal, if at all. Also, if your car is rather old (more than 10 years), it may require parts that aren’t as common and quick to receive. And having a vehicle that isn’t being manufactured anymore (like an Oldsmobile or Saturn) could also mean a delay in getting your car’s parts.

7. How high-tech is your car?
   The more technology your vehicle has, the more there is for us to fix. Nowadays, there are some cars with sensors everywhere. So that little dent on your bumper that used to be a quick fix to smooth out, now comes with the complication of us needing to address all the technology that has been installed into that bumper.

8. Let’s talk weather again: Has it been raining?
   If it has, and your vehicle’s repair job is going to require painting, that could add time. Paint dries slowly in humid conditions. Although we are so close to being done at this point, it is possible rainy conditions mean one more day of waiting for you.

9. And lastly – it’s the little things.
   Because we are going to make sure that your car is put back to the way it was before the accident, we take care of all the details. From the air bag light to the trim pieces – for every little issue that could be broken or affected by the wreck, we check it and we fix it.

Bottom line, for us at Collision Center of Andover, it’s about getting your car back in shape AND it’s about getting you back on the road in your car as soon as possible. Know that we will work quickly to repair your vehicle and know that you can trust we won’t cut any corners. We even offer a lifetime guarantee of the work we do.

When can we Guarantee a Delivery Date?

While we may not be able to give you an exact answer when you first bring your vehicle in for repairs, after the vehicle is inspected and parts are sourced, we can give you a delivery date. We will contact you immediately after repairs are done and our quality inspection is complete. Preference of being contacted by phone, email or text communication can be requested when you drop off your vehicle.

We Have a Habit of Delivering on Time

We pride ourselves on excellent customer service, and that is why you will see on Google that we are filled with 5-star reviews! In fact, many of those glowing reviews thank us for doing excellent work in the time we estimated it would take. Here are just a sample of recent reviews from Collision Center of Andover customers extremely satisfied with their wait time and repair work.

We hope you call on us for your next repair. We are just a few minutes’ drive outside of Wichita on Andover road. Call us at (316) 733-9310.

What To Do After a Deer Accident

It can happen in an instant. You see a blur, an object suddenly ahead of you on the road. There’s no time to avoid it. You’ve hit a deer. And now your vehicle has probably suffered damage from hitting a deer. It happens to more than a million of us every year in the U.S.

Here in the Wichita area, we see a lot of vehicles come in to Collision Center of Andover damaged by a deer accident. While there’s not much you can do to prevent it, there are some basic steps every driver needs to know to do if this startling situation happens to them.

What’s the cost?

The average collision with a deer ends up costing each driver on average about $3000 – $4000. But some collisions can end up costing as much as $10,000 or higher.

When am I at the greatest risk for hitting a deer?

Watch out especially on your way to the pumpkin patch or out to Thanksgiving dinner. In Kansas, during the fall and early winter is when you face your biggest risk for hitting a deer. Dawn and dusk are the two times of day when deer are most active and most likely to run out on the road.

After I hit a deer, what do I do?

1. Pull your vehicle off to the side of the road or other safe place. Be sure it’s at enough of a distance from other drivers. Chances are this accident happened at dawn or dusk, when the light isn’t great to see everything around you.
2. Call the police. If the collision resulted in injury or damage to your vehicle or other property, you may need to fill out an official report. This report may be helpful for your insurance claim.
3. Get out your cell phone’s camera. While now is not the time for a selfie, it is definitely the time to take photos. Be sure to get plenty:
   1. Damage to your vehicle
   2. Damage to any other property
   3. The roadway and your surroundings
   4. Injuries you or your passengers sustained

   Be sure you’re watching the road and your surroundings so that you are staying safe while you are taking these photos.

4. Is the animal still alive? Steer clear of it. An injured and frightened deer could cause you damage with its legs and hooves.
5. Take a pause before pulling back out on the road. Your car might not actually be safe to drive. Look for broken lights, leaking fluid, tire damage or other safety hazards. If anything seems off making it not safe to drive, call us for a tow. The Collision Center of Andover provides 24/7 quick, full-service towing to Wichita and Andover, towing any passenger vehicle to any destination or the shop of your choice. Call (316) 719-2100.
6. Contact your auto insurance agent so they can start work immediately on your claim. Deer collision claims are usually covered under comprehensive insurance, not collision. Or to make things easier, when you call our shop just ask for Insurance Claims Assistance and we’ll work to help handle the process.

Animal collisions of any kind are unfortunate. The key to minimizing the damage is to follow the basic steps for your vehicle and others around you to make sure you aren’t put into any more danger. The best things you can do in advance is to check your insurance and see if you’re properly covered if you were to hit a deer. Also be sure to have a trusted repair shop ready to call if an accident happens to you. Better yet, find a repair shop that also will handle your towing!

Collision Center of Andover offers high-quality, reliable repair and towing service. Check out our before-and-after examples to see how we can completely fix your dented car from a deer collision or other accident. From full-line collision repair, paintless dent repair to mechanical repairs and more, count on the auto repair experts to get your vehicle running and back in shape.

Collision Center of Andover is proud of the work our skilled technicians can accomplish whenever they put the shaping hammer to the test with our paintless dent repair (PDR) techniques.

Through the life of your vehicle, you’ll most likely ding or dent it at least once, or maybe quite a few times. The temptation may be to just leave “well enough alone” because you don’t want to have to deal with the time or effort in repairing it, not to mention the cost for dent repair.

You may be surprised to learn just how quick and painless paintless dent repair is. Our technicians can work magic with their shaping hammers in a relatively short time. With PDR, it’s more about the artistic touch than mechanical ingenuity, and our technicians have been honing their craft for years now.

The Cost is Low

The cost of repairing each individual ding or dent can be as low as $50, significantly cheaper than having the work done in the traditional “body shop” manner. So if you’ve got a few eyesores on your otherwise sleek ride, then consider bringing the vehicle into Collision Center of Andover, and we’ll be happy to discuss fixing it. We’ll typically have the work done on the same day, even while you’re waiting.

Putting the Paint in Paintless Dent Repair 

PDR also won’t require us to redo the paint job on your vehicle; it’s one of the reasons the method is so quick and painless. Of course, this means that if the paint is chipped or scratch, a PDR repair won’t be able to fix that. This type of damage would require full body work. Paint damage doesn’t prevent us from performing a PDR, but we won’t be able to repair the scratch or chip without further work.

In addition to PDR techniques not being suited to fixing paint damage, plastic will also need a different type of repair. This is especially true for bumpers, since most bumpers these days are encased in plastic.

Paintless dent repair is for a specific kind of damage – small digs and dents that leave the paint otherwise unaffected.

It’s Most Definitely Worth It

Accidents happen. You can leave your vehicle out in the “boonies” of the parking lot, but a shopping cart may still find its way to it. Or if you have your vehicle in the garage, it’s not hard to imagine that someone might bump into a shelf, and something might fall onto your vehicle. For all of life’s little dings in dents, Collision Center of Andover’s paintless dent repair is a great path to take.

If you have any dings or dents that you’re dying to get rid of, then we’re is here to help! Just give us a call at 316-733-9310, or contact us today!

We’ve heard this story all too much. You’re carrying something out to your car, and it just gets away from you. Before you realize it, your beloved car has a modest dent that you’ll never live down.

Or maybe you’re in the parking lot and the shopping cart just happens to get away from you.

There are countless reasons your car may receive a ding or a dent, and countless DIY paintless dent repair kits that you can buy in an attempt to repair the damage. While these options may be tempting to any car owner out there, we at the Collision Center of Andover recommend that you avoid this route.

The Truth about Paintless Dent Repair Kits

The good DIY kits can be about as expensive as having the expert technicians here perform the repair, and you want to completely avoid the cheaper one.

Typically, the high-end DIY kits expect you to perform the repairs similar to how the pros like us would – from the inside. Most dents are best repaired by gently nudging the metal from behind.

As you might imagine, this requires that you gain access those panels by first removing any trim in the way. From there, it takes an expert (and a surprisingly artistic) touch to make everything look as good as new.

Ultimately, though, that’s the important part of dent repair. It’s less about tools and mechanical knowledge, and more about the touch. If you have a modest dent, it may seem like you can grab a shaping hammer and just give it a few light bumps to make it right as rain, but that’s rarely the case.

Shaping Metal is an Art

Metal won’t just pop back into place that easily. It tends to hold its shape. Meaning, no matter how simple the dent might seem, in order to repair it, you’ll be reshaping the material to match what it originally looked like. This can sometimes be a painstaking process, and messing it up in any way can only make the dent more difficult to repair.

The end result may not only be the cost of a DIY repair kit, but also the increased cost of having the professionals here at the Collision Center of Andover repair it back to its original splendor. At this point, it may not only be a matter of fixing the repair, but also hiding an obvious embarrassment.

If you’ve got a minor dent (or a few!) be sure to consider Collision Center of Andover’s paintless dent repair. It’s typically fast and relatively cheap.

If you are interested in finding out more about our paintless dent repair service or any of the other services that we offer, contact us today and see just how we can help you!

Whether you were in an accident, you were trying to teach your son or daughter how to parallel park, or you simply sat inside while hail ravaged your car, dents are a fact of life for almost all car owners. Dents and dings often don’t hinder the performance of your car (though they sometimes can), but they do ruin the aesthetic appeal of your car.

Many people are afraid to get dents fixed because they are worried that it will cost them an arm and a leg to have the dent removed, the paint fixed, plus some may worry about the time and labor involved in repairing dents. However, paintless dent repair (PDR) means that you don’t have to go through all of that struggle and all of that cash!

Paintless dent repair is designed to remove the dent, get your car back to its original shape, and look great – all without compromising the vehicle’s paint job.

At Collision Center of Andover, we have vast experience in repairing cars while still keeping that factory paint in pristine condition. We have been trained thoroughly on the complicated art of paintless dent repair, and would love to help you with your car.

Check out this picture that shows just how well paintless dent repair works:

Why get paintless dent repair?

Paintless dent repair is the best way to maintain your vehicle’s value, even after having a problem. Dents and dings, at least according to Auto Trader, will decrease your vehicle’s resale value, especially if you have to get them patched with paint that isn’t the factory paint finish.

Paintless dent repair also keeps the turnaround time to a minimum as we are able to get your car back to you in a few days, as opposed to a few weeks for conventional body work and paint.

Fixing the Dent:

While you might be able to find a ton of online tutorials on how to fix a dent by yourself – techniques that include anything from machines that you can rent from your local hardware store to plungers that you can find in your own bathroom, we at Collision Center of Andover have a word of advice: DON’T DO IT.

Those who specialize in paintless dent repair have gone through many hours of training and have practiced on countless cars so we know exactly what we are doing. Trying to remove the dent yourself could result in bigger problems, wasted time and worse, may hurt your paint to the point that we cannot save it.

Still, if you want an overview on how we will approach your car, or what happens during our Paintless Dent Repair service, keep reading!

Step 1: Free access to the dent.

When we first start to remove your dent, we have to access the dent. The removal is done from the underside of the panel, so we have to have that free access to get to the dent itself. To free up that access, we have to remove any of the trims that are in our way. For example, if the dent is on the roof of the car, we will have to remove the hood sound pad so that we can access it. However, there is one place where we might not have to remove trims. If your dent is in your door, there is a method we can use where the window opening is utilized.

Step 2: Setting Up the Area

We have to make sure that we have the proper lights that will allow us to see every single level of the dent. This includes setting up dent lights, but we also have to open all of the doors so that we can get light throughout the car. Failure to do this will mean that while the dent looks great from one level, as soon as you take a few steps to the left or right, you can still see the dent.

Step 3: Tool Selection

We have a variety of paintless dent repair tools at our shop to help fix your dent – tools that you won’t be able to rent at a local store.

Step 4: Understand how to Fix the Dent

There is really no easy way to explain how to fix a dent on your car. However, we will give you a basic overview:

When a dent occurs in your car, the metal is actually stretched back and transformed. This means that, unlike popular belief, the metal cannot just be pushed out or “popped” back into place. Instead, the metal itself needs to be shifted back to what it originally was.

Doesn’t really seem as easy as those tutorials led you to believe, right?

What paintless dent repair does is slowly push the metal back into itself to shrink it back to size. We do this by essentially putting a series of smaller dents that will eventually look corrugated, but will have the metal back to its original size.

Of course, we have to then make sure that the corrugated effect is gone by continuing to mold and mesh the metal back to its original size.

Step 5: Inspection

When we have finished molding and fixing the dent, we inspect the spot in many different lights and angles so that we can ensure that the dent is truly gone. While we are usually satisfied with these first results, we will go back and fix any imperfections that we see. We want your car to get back to you as good as new – literally.

Contact Us!

Collision Center of Andover strives to meet every single one of your car repair needs after a collision or situation that leaves your car in a less than desirable shape. Our team has years and years of vehicle repair under our belts, and we are continually trying to learn the latest and most effective techniques to get you back behind the wheel as soon as possible.

If you are interested in finding out more about our paintless dent removal service or any of the other services that we offer, contact us today and see just how we can help you!

Whether you own a family van or a sports car, your vehicle is an important asset. And no matter how well you take care of it with regular oil changes, frequent washing, waxing and interior cleanings, your vehicle always runs the risk of losing value because of a few unrepaired dents or dings.

It doesn’t take much to alter your vehicle’s worth. Perhaps the truck in front of you on the highway dropped some gravel or some debris kicked up from the road. Maybe when you were in the grocery store a careless person knocked into your vehicle with a car door or a grocery cart went astray. Regardless of how your vehicle acquired damage, it’s most likely will cost a bit to repair. With the cost of traditional body shop repair and painting, it’s understandable vehicle owners often try to avoid repairing minor dents and dings for as long as possible.

The paintless dent removal method

Over the past decade, a repair method called paintless dent removal (PDR) has become widely used by car dealers, rental agencies and resale businesses to help prepare slightly-damaged cars for resale. As long as the paint was not compromised when the damage occurred, PDR can be used to repair some dents as large as a football.  In the past few years, auto body repair shops have begun offering this convenient and cost-effective option to its customers.

PDR is different in that it approaches the damaged areas from the inside. Using specialized tools, technicians gently push back the metal from behind the dent. Access to the damage is usually gained through windows or by removing inner panels and trim pieces.

This method is unique because it can restore your vehicle’s body to its original appearance at a fraction of the cost of traditional body repair. The process includes the use of fabricated tools and techniques to safely remove dents and dings from most vehicle body panels.

Advantages include:

• Cost is much lower than traditional body repair
• No body filler
• No sanding
• No repainting
• No risk of color matching
• Turnaround time usually fast

Maintaining the value of your vehicle so important — whether you plan to keep your car for many years, or want to sell it someday for top dollar. Experts say a vehicle with its original paint retains a higher value than one that has been repainted.

If you have the damaged location repainted, no matter how small, it can suggest to a buyer and/or a trained appraiser that the vehicle has a history of collision. Any type of collision can significantly reduce the resale value of your vehicle.

While numerous auto dealerships and auto body repair shops now offer this unique and cost-effective service, be sure you rely on a reputable shop with plenty of PDR work experience before trusting them with your repair.

If you need any work done, or existing damage repaired, contact the Collision Center of Andover at (316) 733-9310, and we will get you back on the road.

Every vehicle has a finish over the paint as a protective layer. This finish helps prevent the paint from being damaged due to weather or other issues. There are number of ways to protect this finish coating from being damaged and leaving your paint vulnerable.

10 Ways To Protect Your Car’s Finish

1. Keep it clean – washing your vehicle will prevent dirt from building up. Professional, hands-free washes are gentler than doing it yourself.
2. Wax – using a wax after washing your vehicle helps add an extra protective layer over your sealant.
3. Drying “hidden” areas – drying areas such as inside the doors and inside the trunk lid is important. Those areas also have finishes, and if they start to chip it, can quickly spread.
4. Park in a garage – this helps keep your car out of the weather which could damage your finish.
5. Winter paint sealant – if you live in a cold winter climate, using a paint sealant solution before winter comes can prevent the salt and other chemicals from eating at your finish (see number 1, above).
6. Car covers – these help protect your vehicle from the weather.
7. Park away from busy roads – parking where there is less traffic helps avoid rocks or other debris from hitting your car and chipping away at your finish.
8. Don’t touch your car! – consciously pay attention to how often you touch your paint. This can cause tiny scratches from dirt particles. Make an effort to stop!
9. Re-apply a clear coat – if you have a car that has some years on it, the finish may be worn out. Have a new one applied.
10. Repair scratches or dents – these leave way for chipping which can progress rapidly. Make sure to repair damage immediately.

Is your finish or paint already less than perfect? Do you have scratches? Would you like to have it repaired and back to new condition? Give Collision Center of Andover a call today to restore your vehicles look to off-the-lot quality!

Protecting your car from the elements can be a difficult task, especially during severe weather. In places where hail storms are prevalent, suffering serious damage to the car’s outer body is a genuine possibility.

Here are some steps that can be taken to avoid damage sustained during hailstorms.

It is important to know what type of weather conditions can manifest themselves as hailstorms. If you have checked the forecast and a mixture of hail and rain is predicted, you should get your car into a covered area as soon as possible. Ensure that it is not parked under a tree, because a severe storm might cause the branches to fall on your car.

For those who do not have any covered parking spots as an option, try covering the car with as many thick blankets as possible. This will not provide complete protection, but it should ensure that any damage sustained is limited to minor dents and scratches.

Under no circumstances should you be driving during a hailstorm. Weather conditions can be bad enough with rain and wind, but a particularly strong hail stone could hit your windshield and cause an accident and/or injury to you and others.

What to do if your car sustains hail damage?

If hail damage has already been inflicted on your car, it is best to take it to a repair center so that it can be properly repaired. Collision Center of Andover provides tow services for cars that are too damaged to drive, and full hail repairs to all afflicted areas.

Whether your car suffered windshield damage, roof damage, and/or and other issues due to a hailstorm or another cause, bring it in to Collision Center of Andover for assessment and repair.

Is your car ready to survive the fury of spring?

If you need any work done, or existing damage repaired, contact the Collision Center of Andover at (316) 733-9310, and we will get you back on the road.

Searching for quality collision care in the Wichita/Andover area

When you need help for your car following a wreck, use these five tips to help you locate the best collision repair shop to get you back on the road.

1. Friends

When you need a body shop after a collision, your best resource can often be friends who have been in a car wreck and needed body work done on their vehicle. You know the people in your life won’t steer you wrong.

2. Collision repair shop reviews

Go online and read the reviews for body shops in your area. People, whether they happy or unhappy, enjoy voicing their unvarnished opinions. You might get an earful, but it will be worth it!

3. Interview, please!

If you have the time after your collision, call the shop and get a feel for the people who will be doing the work. Do they sound knowledgeable? Trustworthy? Are they too busy for your questions? This can be a real time-saver in terms of finding the right collision repair center for your needs.

4. Is the body shop online?

Some of the best, most modern, and customer-savvy body shops have a website or maintain another online presence, like Facebook, twitter, or a blog. Visit them and learn what they’re all about before getting your work done.

5. Damage control following a car wreck

Before you make your decision, if at all possible, take a minute or even overnight. Then take stock of what you need, what resources are available, and get ready to make your next decisions with as little emotional turmoil as possible.

Feel free to give Collision Center of Andover a call us at 316-733-9310 to ask your collision repair questions. Or, visit Collision Center online. We offer free estimates and you can even request a collision repair quote online! Need more information? Don’t worry! Click here to send us an email; we will reply!