At UCC, we get used to saying certain repair terms and phrases in the busy day-to-day work repairing Saskatchewan’s vehicles. Words like supplement, deductible, and SGI Accredited are used a lot and those words that can fly over anyone’s head.
Did you know, it only takes 66 days to form a habit according to a London researcher, who debunked the 21-days-to-form-a-habit myth? We’re no exception at UCC, so we’re defining some of the most common phrases that are second nature to us, but may be confusing to you, the customer!
Estimate
An estimate is something we use to assess the damage your vehicle has endured. We write down some notes and take an educated guess and quote you a rough price. Nothing is set in stone and it’s the beginning of our relationship with our customer before we start our 7 step process.
7 Step Process
This is something all of our employees abide by and it’s our auto repair process that we are proud to stand behind.
When a vehicle is brought in for repairs, the first step we do is ensure we have the right parts to begin, and if not, we need to order them in. This could take a while, which is why it’s step number one.
Next, we complete metal repair, filler repair, prep and prime, and refinish or paint anything. The final step is a quality control check where we make sure everything is completed to our highest standards.
Supplement
A supplement is any extra damage we find on your vehicle once we’re into the repair process. For example, if you bring your vehicle to us because the bumper is dented by an accident, and then we take the bumper off and reveal more damage, we need to reassess the situation.
We send your vehicle back to SGI for them to give approval for more repairs and then we figure out how much more time we need to complete the job. The supplement happens after the initial estimate, as sometimes we cannot physically see the damage until we dig deeper.
Aftermarket parts
These are parts for a vehicle that have not been made specifically by that car’s original manufacturer. For example, if you drive a Ford Edge and you order an aftermarket part, it’s not a part made by Ford.
It’s a complete misconception that aftermarket parts are not as good as OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts. In fact, they’re gaining more and more popularity among car enthusiasts for reasons such as longer warranties compared to OEM parts.
SGI-Accredited
This means our auto body shop is held to the utmost standards of SGI. We have the highest rank possible from them which is called: 3-Star Elite. All of our repairs are trusted and have the seal of approval from SGI, so you know you’re getting good, quality, work done to your vehicle.
Betterments
A betterment is when you have to pay a percentage of the repairs because SGI has said there is previous damage that was there before the accident your vehicle was in. In the simplest way: SGI will not cover any normal “wear and tear” on your vehicle, only the repairs to bring your vehicle back to pre-accident condition.
If you were driving around with a dent in your bumper and then you got into an accident and damaged your headlight, SGI will not cover the dent, but they will cover the headlight repairs.
Deductible Payment Plans
This is something done by SGI. If you have some expensive repairs and you cannot afford your vehicle’s deductible, they can set up a payment plan for you. That way, you only have to pay us $100 for the work we do and whatever payments you agreed upon with SGI. It’s a nice option to have when you have costly vehicle repairs.
Loss of Use
This is a feature that most people don’t know they have. When you purchase vehicle insurance, sometimes a package policy is included in your plan that covers car rental. If you’re in an accident and you’re at fault, you could be eligible for a rental car, free of cost! It’s definitely something to look into if you’re getting your vehicle repaired and are left without a means of transportation.
All Cleared Up
Being in a collision is never fun and it can be very overwhelming, especially if you have no idea what your service tech is telling you. If you ever have any questions or don’t understand something, we hope that you ask the friendly staff at UCC to explain. We don’t mind to stop and clarify some of the confusing terms we use every day. Be sure to visit one of our two locations for all your vehicle repairs!
