Will An Auto Body Shop Repair A Totaled Car?

You have just been involved in an accident, but luckily enough, you have survived it. If you are hit by some not-so-good news from the insurance company that your car has been totaled. Such heartbreaking information may leave you wondering what step to take next. Well, do not worry anymore; we have collected the most frequent questions that have been asked in our auto body shop.

What is a Totaled Car?

As a car owner, after being in an accident, you may be faced with insurance jargon that you are not familiar with, especially from the insurance representatives such as 'actual cash value and 'totaled.' Insurance companies used the term totaled or total loss to refer to the cars whose costs of repairing them and returning them to their original condition are worth more than the value of the car as determined by the insurance company.

For example, if the value of your car before the accident, according to the insurance company, was $2500, and the total cost of repair is $3000, then your car will be deemed to be totaled or salvaged. It is essential to know that even if you choose to repair your totaled car, the insurance company will still declare it a total loss.

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Is it Worth Fixing a Totaled Car?

At this point, you may be wondering if it is reasonable to fix your totaled car. Well, yes, you have the option of going ahead to fix your car, but be careful to select a trustworthy and reliable auto body shop that will not magnify your stress.

f you are in Linn county, Marion, Iowa, and Cedar Rapids, Wade Auto Collision never disappoints. Even if the insurance has already issued you a salvage certificate to direct that your car cannot be sold, registered, or driven in its current state, you can still choose to repair your car if you feel like it.

The good news is, once your automobile has been fully repaired and functional, you can always apply for another title commonly referred to as 'Reconstructed Salvage,' 'Rebuilt Salvage,' or 'Revived Salvage' that indicates that the vehicle has been fully revived. It is, therefore, not the end of the road for you once your car has been termed totaled or total loss.

At Wade Auto Collision, we allow clients to get back to their cars even after being named totaled. We have been helping clients with their auto repair needs for over 40 years, and we guarantee you quality standards.

Does the Auto-Body Shop determine if the car is a Total Loss?

An auto-body shop cannot determine or decide if your car is a total loss or totaled. Whether your car is totaled or not lies at the discretion of the Insurance company. A collision repair shop will only help you estimate the cost of repairing your vehicle. At Wade Auto Collision, we help our clients estimate the costs of repairing their totaled cars and decide for themselves if the repair is worth it.

We encourage our customers to schedule an appointment with us so that we can be able to review the vehicle and give them a complete auto body repair estimate. An auto-body estimate usually includes several parts of the car that need repair and replacement, such as a bumper, primer coat or color, and other parts to rebuild your car extensively. At Wade Auto Collision, we have a team of specialists who charge per hour at affordable rates that will guarantee you a proper review of your car and reliable estimates.

Common Car Collisions

The following are some of the common car accidents that you may be involved in if you are not very careful when driving and tips on avoiding them.

Rear-end collisions

Hitting a car in front of you or being hit by a vehicle behind you is a principal reason for auto repairs and insurance claims. You can avoid colliding with other drivers by:

  • Maintaining a safe distance and not driving very close to one another
  • Strategic driving will help you avoid using sudden brakes
  • Being careful while driving and avoid being distracted by, say, eating, drinking, or using your phone

Parked car damage

It is yet another common cause of auto damage where your vehicle is hit by another car while parked. You can avoid such collisions by:

  • Avoid parking near busy streets
  • Always maximize the center parking space
  • Do not park in busy parking lots
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Total Car After Accident

Single vehicle accident

This involves colliding with objects on the road, such as animals, roadblocks, and others of the same sort. You can avoid such collisions by:

  • Considering the weather when driving
  • Be keen and pay attention while driving
  • Ensure you are not driving too fast

Backing collisions

It is prevalent for accidents to occur when backing out from parking. If you are not very keen, you may end up causing accidents and colliding with other drivers. You can do the following to avoid such collisions.

  • Observe that the area is not busy before backing
  • Use short and direct routes when backing
  • Only turn when you are clear of parked cars and other objects
  • Always consider reversing in a straight line.
  • Check the traffic around you while backing slowly
  • Avoid any distractions while backing out, and be very careful.

Even though these are the most common accidents, there are many other forms of collisions while driving; The bottom line is to be very careful while driving to be on the safe side.

How much will insurance pay for my totaled car?

You can avoid many things if you choose to drive carefully. It is not just about the cost of auto body repairs and insurance claims but for many other important reasons. Many people have lost their lives because of careless driving, and others losing their body parts. As a driver, the best you can do for yourself is to be careful while on the road. Save yourself and your family the stress that comes with accidents. Always follow the traffic rules, including the speed limit and other regulations. As someone said, prevention is better than cure.

Can an auto-body shop repair a totaled car?

As a car owner whose car has been determined by the insurance company as a total car, there is hope for you. Automobile shops like Wade Auto Collision are willing and able to work extensively on your totaled car and revive it to a better state. It is only essential that you select a good and reliable auto-body shop that will not end up causing more harm than good. An honest and trustworthy auto body shop will first carefully review your car and develop an auto body estimate for auto-body repair.

According to the condition of your car, the specialists at the auto body shop will determine the time that will be taken for auto-body repair, the skills required for a quality job, the availability of parts for replacement, and the needed equipment and tools. Reliable auto body shops will also be honest with their clients if it is worth fixing the totaled car or not. It is only essential that you select the best, most reliable, and trusted auto body shops such as Wade Auto Collision. At auto body shop cedar rapids, we are your best partner.

Get Your Car Repaired With Confidence

Conclusion

Accidents and collisions are prone to occur even if you are careful. Once you are involved in an accident and your car has been termed a total loss by the insurance company, you can visit us wherever you are, for we are the best body shop in the Cedar Rapids Marion area. Visit our offices or book an appointment for all your repair needs.

Contact us today for a free estimate

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Michele Nibaur Kruse
Michele Nibaur Kruse
20:58 13 Dec 23
I wanted to take a minute to shout out a BIG "Thank You" to Sarah, Wade and the entire team there!! We've been going to Wade's Auto for quite a few years now and absolutely love their quality of work and their determination to do a great job! Even when there is a little hiccup and miscommunication (on my part too) in repairs, they went above and beyond to make things right!! I truly appreciated their kindness and compassion when I reached out to them regarding my concerns!! Thank you for the great customer service and taking the time to listen!! Merry Christmas to you all, and cheers to a happy and prosperous New Year!! (Please check Wade's Auto Collision out if you ever need body repairs)
Amanda Sutton
Amanda Sutton
19:29 19 Nov 20
Wonderful customer service and I was very pleased with how my vehicle turned out.
Paul R Strang
Paul R Strang
23:26 14 Jul 20
They did a fantastic job! I'm very happy with the repair and the timely manner it was completed. Great Customer service as well.
Morgan Brislawn
Morgan Brislawn
02:35 26 Jun 20
We have used Wade’s a few times now and every time our vehicles come out better than expected. Wades is always a fun and professional and very fair place to work with by far the best in the state
Missy Rochelle
Missy Rochelle
02:19 26 Jun 20
Took my car there to get hail damaged fixed. They had it looking brand new in just a short amount of time. Everybody that works there is super friendly and they gave me step by step on what they were doing with my car. I’d give more than 5 stars ⭐️ if I could!
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