We’re constantly asked, rightly so, if writing up a damage estimate strictly with photos is an accurate way to quote a customer, which by the way is not the core business model of CrashSpace.com. Please read on…

First, we will be first to admit that the most accurate way to write an estimate is . . . → Read More: Photo-based Estimating

As a consumer, I need to know if I ever crash my hybrid or electric vehicle that the body shop is trained/certified to get it back to pre-accident condition. Will I-CAR, ASA and other associations be able to provide the confidence level that we need?

And with other alternative fueled vehicles like the hydrogen-powered . . . → Read More: Gas to Hybrid to Electric – How’s the repair process going?

I believe Allstate is the only insurance that owns it’s own body shop network – Sterling.

From what I remember Allstate got a lot of backlash from the public (and shops) accusing them of steering and potentially not giving Allstate insureds a choice in the body shop to get their vehicle repaired.

As a . . . → Read More: Insurance + Body Shop = One stop Shop?

When getting your vehicle repaired, there are usually two stages you go through: 1) selecting the body shop you want to use 2) dealing with the chosen body shop.

You can find body shops through different methods…. Asking friends and family for a recommendation, searching the web, or actually driving to body shops to . . . → Read More: Getting Your Vehicle Repaired – What’s Important To You?

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Hyundai, KIA and Volkswagen earned the most safety awards for 2010. See links below.

Hyundai? KIA? What happened to Volvo and Saab? I remember back in the 80s, you could buy a Hyundai Excel for like $7,000. But, it would fall apart within a year. Fast . . . → Read More: Volvo? Saab? Where have you gone?

Here we go again…. a slew of recalls from Honda, Chrysler and VW have surfaced.

Although there are explanations as to what needs to be fixed, I sure would like to know what the root cause was because most of the time the vehicle manufacturers won’t tell you unless they are forced to. Was . . . → Read More: Recalls, recalls, recalls…

Recently there have been press releases from OEs like Toyota and Honda recommending against alternative parts for vehicle repair. They have now included recycled parts in the mix which I feel is ill-advised – see articles from www.bodyshopbusiness.com below.

Not only are they recommending against parts that they manufactured themselves originally, but they missed . . . → Read More: Vehicle Manufacturers Miss Great Marketing Opportunity

The value of a website like CrashSpace.com is the convenience of being able to get quotes from the comfort of your home or office instead of driving around getting estimates from shop to shop. For shops, the value is getting new sales/repair leads without having to spend any marketing/advertising dollars. We leverage the Internet . . . → Read More: What Consumers Do With Non-Repairable Vehicles

There’s a lot of new technology out there and more to come to help prevent accidents. In particular, collision avoidance technology. See below for examples from Ford and Volvo.

Since 1986, the third (middle) brake light is by far the most successful idea that has saved countless lives and reduced accidents significantly. Since then, . . . → Read More: Stupidity Trumps Technology

- Stop and drive to the nearest safe location – Turn off your engine and turn on your hazard signals – Check to see if anyone is hurt – Call 911 if anyone says they are hurt or doesn’t know – Don’t state or accept fault for the accident – Take the other person’s . . . → Read More: Accident Checklist