Probably the number one question we get asked is how long will the repair be? The answer is it really depends on what has to be done to your car. It can be as little as a day or close to a couple of weeks. Thankfully, insurance companies have been able to come up with the average amount of time your car will be in the shop and you’ll be in a rental car.
That average has increased to 12 days.
That’s right, car repair takes an average of just under 2 weeks no matter where in the country you get your car repaired. There are quite a few reasons why this is. However, the biggest reason is largely due to the complexities in today’s vehicles. Most of these vehicles require recalibration, which can take time. You wouldn’t want your car repair to be rushed knowing that technicians are cutting corners in the process, right? Unfortunately happens far too often than we like to admit, which is why a longer repair may actually be the better option.
Average Car Repair Duration
The average cycle time for a variety of different repairs can range anywhere from a day to a couple of weeks. In case you didn’t know, “cycle time” refers to how long it takes to repair your car. The times listed below are not 100% entirely accurate, but are very close to what you can experience for when your vehicle is in the shop:
Windshield Replacement: 1 day
Bumper repair/replacement: 1 day
Minor Auto Body Work: 1-2 days
Paint Repair: 1-2 days
Replacement of internal parts: 1-2 weeks
Extensive damage to multiple parts (if not deemed a total loss): over 30 days
Length Of Rental Explained
As we mentioned above, there are many different reasons why the length of rental is an average of 12 days. While some repairs may only take a couple of days, more significant repairs can take well over a week. Do keep in mind that the LOR is not based on the repair time. Length of rental also includes the time required for insurance adjusters to view the vehicle and approve any repairs that need to be done to your car. This is known as “claims frequency.” We’ll get to that a little further down.
Some auto body shops might feel pressure from insurance companies to perform faster repairs to minimize the LOR. This can create a severe problem as some repair shops might cut corners to “save time.”
We never cut corners just to speed up a repair.
Why Some Auto Body Shops Cut Corners
As you’ve read above, we talk about how there are some repair shops who will cut corners in order to “save time”? This is because insurance companies are putting on the pressure to auto body shops. They know how much of an inconvenience it is for you to be without a car. What you don’t realize is insurance companies only want to spend as little money as possible.
This means technicians could use repair parts that can cause more harm than good to your car because they’re cheaper and because they’re simply unaware of the complexity of today’s advanced vehicles. This not only lessens the value of your car but also can create lasting damage and increases your risk of being involved in another accident. Now ask yourself again: is it really worth it to have a fast repair when you know that will be the type of repair you’ll receive?
However, it is possible for a body shop to perform a fast repair and do the best job for your car. Though, most body shops that feel pressured by insurance companies to perform fast repairs will cut corners.
Other Factors To Increased LOR
The two other factors that can increase the length of rental have to do with repair complexity and claims frequency. Because of the complexity of car repair nowadays, technicians need extensive training to know how to repair a car properly following OEM repair procedures. These are the repair guidelines your car’s manufacturer releases that tells a technician exactly how to repair your vehicle make and model.
Modern-day vehicles are equipped with advanced driving features, known as ADAS. The ADAS features in your car include blind-spot detection, lane departure assist, forward collision warning, and more. Repairing these is very complex and can require recalibration at the dealer, which also means a tow to and from the auto body shop.
Claims frequency is based on how often insurance adjusters have to calculate the repair estimate. Very rarely will the initial estimate be total repair bill, which why adjusters will frequently return to the shop to approve any repairs. There can be some resistance from the insurance company paying for specific repair procedures, which can delay the actual repair process. When this happens, the LOR increases more and more.
