Repair the Car or spend the CASH?

This post is by Joe Woodhouse – Director Scuffs ‘N’ Scratches Ltd

Over the past few months, I've been seeing cars in various states of disrepair. Big dents, dings, damaged windows and doors, bumpers scraping along the ground, you name it.  And it got me wondering: Are people choosing to take the insurance money and spend it on something other than the car repair?

Now, obviously, some of these cars were just old and in need of some major TLC. But in the company car park alone I've seen several cars that are from 2007 or after and have big bad dents and other major body damage.

Clearly, these cars were involved in some kind of accident. Be it with another car, a lamppost, a wall, or an angry Transformer, something went wrong.

Knowing that most good citizens have car insurance coverage, I also know that these people would have received some kind of payment to have the car fixed whether it was their fault or not.

I got sideswiped a few years ago, and the car sustained £1,500 worth of damage. I was given two options:

• Choosing a recommended repair shop to deal directly with my car insurance company, and I would pay the  excess.
• I could get a cheque based on the price the adjuster believed it would cost to have the vehicle repaired, minus the excess

At the time, I chose the first option. I needed the car fixed immediately. I wasn't ready to start calling around for competitive bids, and I also knew that the place chosen by my auto insurance company would be held accountable by them if the repair was not done well.

But I wonder: How many say, "I can live with the dent; I'd much rather have the cash"?

It makes all kinds of sense to me. Some people don't care about the resale value of the car or how it looks. It's a mode of transport that gets them from home to work, shopping, or the ballgame. It's no big deal if it's not perfect, and a few thousand dollars is way more important than removing a dent from the door or fixing a crunched bumper.

After that thought, I noticed damaged cars everywhere. I counted 23 in the car park at my local supermarket last week, and it was not a busy shopping day. True, some may have been very recently damaged and awaiting repair, but I saw a couple of major dents that had been very poorly spray-painted and a bumper that had been freshly covered with stickers.

Clearly, these were not people who took the insurance money for the car repair. They probably kept the cash.                             Is it legal?

I did some digging on several car repair sites, forums, insurance blogs, and so on. It seems that many people do, in fact, opt to cash the cheque and leave their vehicle in a state of disrepair. But this does have some ramifications.

First, if you don't own the car outright (and that's a large majority of us), then the bank (or finance company) is the real owner, and the money for the repair is to keep the car in good condition until the loan has been paid off. They want the car to be repaired, and they have every right to see that you make good on it.

What's more, if the cheque is made out to both you and the bank/finance company, and you cash it, you could be liable for fraud charges.

If you own the car outright, it's much easier to decide to take the cash and spend it on bills, a new TV, or anything else. I have read several stories on Auto Repair Service Guide of people who did just that.              Now, over to you

If you get in an accident and your car sustains cosmetic damage, do you get it repaired, or do you take the money and run? In these tough economic times, I can certainly see why many people would go for the latter option.

IF YOU EVER NEED AN HONEST, PROFESSIONAL & RELIABLE CARE REPAIR COMPANY, CALL JOE OF SCUFFS ‘N’ SCRATCHES LTD, 60-61 LOVE LANE, LIVERPOOL, L3 7DD

0151 493 2600 OR 07802348096           Or visit www.scuffsnscratches.co.uk

HONEST,PROFESSIONAL,RELIABLE SERVICE – EST 1996

Save money with Alloy Wheel Refurbishment

Alloy wheels can quickly become corroded, curbed, scratched, bent and buckled through typical driving conditions and scenarios, which can often turn out to be expensive to remedy if you are not savvy enough to understand the financial benefits of using independent Alloy Wheel Refurbishment services.

When it comes to the issue of wheels on a car, the very question of damaged wheels invokes highly emotive feelings of protection from car owners which can typically be explained by their prominence and outwardly public appearance which some may argue reflects the financial and aesthetic worth of a vehicle. The general public is aware is aware that the current financial climate can often place restrictions on the type of services we are able to source and whilst replacing damaged alloy wheels can be an easy solution in terms of practicality, which most car dealerships will often gladly offer to customers, it can often, if not always be the most expensive option to undertake especially if you are replacing high quality performance aluminium wheels manufactured by companies such as AC Schnitzer, Brabus, Wolfrace, Dezent, ROTA, BBS or many of the other ambassadors of alloy wheel manufacturing.

Car owners can make time, cost and convenience savings by using independent alloy wheel refurbishment companies, where they can professionally refurbish alloy wheels at your home, office or at a workshop with a fast turnaround time.

With prices typically starting at around £45 per wheel it makes it a really good proposition balanced against the potential cost of hundreds of pounds to replace damaged wheels. all at a fraction of the price.

You can gain more information on alloy wheel refurbishment by visiting http://www.scuffsnscratches.co.uk or call Joe Woodhouse on 07802 348096 or 0151 493 2600

SCUFFS 'N' SCRATCHES LTD 60-61 LOVE LANE, LIVERPOOL, L3 7DD

FOR HONEST, PROFESSIONAL & RELIABLE SERVICE SINCE 1996

Car Scratch Repair

Frustrating as they may be, no matter how careful you are when it comes to your car scratches are largely unavoidable.  However, when it comes to car abrasions, there are so many things you can do. There are various car scratch repair options that you can choose from.

Provided the graze is not too deep then using a touch up paint can readily eliminate the scratch. If there are deep scratches it is best to contact a car body repair shop and let the experts do the job for you.  Using their specialist knowledge they will skilfully apply paint to conceal all the scratches and make them disappear completely. Advanced colour blending techniques ensure the right colour for your car and make it look as if there are no scratches at all.

With an expert car body repair shop you can rest assured that all your car needs will be taken care of.  You do not have to wait for weeks and months before repairing your vehicle. You will be glad to see your car looking as good as new again. Scuffs 'N' Scratches are experts in the car repair industry and guarantee total customer satisfaction. Additionally, they offer a variety of other services that you might need in the future such as dent repairs, bumper repairs, alloy wheel repairs, interior upholstery repairs (including leather), and windscreen repairs.

For all your car repair needs, contact Scuffs N Scratches now.
0151 493 2600 or 07802 348096 or visit www.scuffsnscratches.co.uk

SCUFFS 'N' SCRATCHES LTD - 60-61 LOVE LANE, LIVERPOOL, L3 7DD

HONEST, PROFESSIONAL & RELIABLE SERVICE SINCE 1996

How to Repair Car Leather Seats

Leather car seats can sometime crack due to improper care. Leather needs to remain moist so that it does not dry out and form small cracks in your car’s interior. If this has happened to you, do not worry. Repairing a crack or split in your leather seats is easy and economical. You should repair this damage right away so that it does not get worse over time.

1.   Fill a small bucket with clean, warm water until it is about half way full. Add about half a teaspoon of dish soap to the water and mix thoroughly so that the soap is thoroughly combined with the water and the top has suds on it.

2.   Clean your leather seats using this cleaning mixture and a scrub brush. You should clean the entire seat that has the damage on it, ensuring that you get into all of the cracks and crevices to remove any trapped dirt or debris.

3.   Dry the leather seat thoroughly using a clean, dry lint-free cloth such as a terry cloth towel. Dry in all the seams' cracks and crevices thoroughly to ensure that all moisture is removed completely.

4.   Apply rubbing alcohol to the surface of your leather seats to remove any grease or grime that may remain after cleaning and drying. Be sure that you dry the alcohol immediately after applying to your leather seats' surface.

5.   Use a fine grit sandpaper to sand down the area where you leather car seats are damaged or cracked. You want to continue sanding until the area is smooth with the surface of the seat.

6.   Apply a leather sealer to the area that is damaged, you can purchase a leather sealing product from your local auto repair store. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for proper application techniques.

7.   Allow the leather sealer to dry thoroughly before moving on to the next step.

8.   Use masking tape to tape off the rest of the area of the seat so that the touch-up paint is not allowed to spread to other areas of your seats.

9.   Purchase a leather dye that matches the color of your leather seats from your local auto parts store. Be sure to choose a color that matches the color of your leather so that you will not be able to tell were the repairs where made.

10.    Apply the leather dye in a thin layer to the affected areas of your leather interior.

11.    Use a blow dryer to dry the leather sealer and dye until it is smooth and dry to the touch.

12.    Apply a second coat of the leather dye using the same application methods, and dry with a blow dryer until the area is completely dry to the touch.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE TIME, LET US HELP YOU WITH YOUR LEATHER SEAT  REPAIR

CALL JOE AT SCUFFS 'N' SCRATCHES LTD 60-61 LOVE LANE, LIVERPOOL, L3 7DD

0151 493 2600 OR 07802348096 or visit www.scuffsnscratches.co.uk

FOR HONEST, PROFESSIONAL & RELIABLE SERVICE SINCE 1996