That’s why damage costs whatever it costs

That vicious, low post. You thought you had seen it and you had, but you had forgotten or were distracted at that moment. “Nine out of ten damages caused by posts along the road or sidewalk are on the right,” Jan van de Rijt explains. Jan is claims manager at (car company) De Dames van Hurkmans, Autoschade Nistelrode location. “They are most difficult to see on the right,” Jan continues. The fact that you drive a high SUV, in this case a white Mazda CX-5, doesn’t help either. Jan and his colleagues are very busy, because there is a lot going on in the damage industry at the moment. Director of both De Dames van Hurkmans and AAS Autoschade Nistelrode Mariëlle Hurkmans: “After corona, everyone started driving again and the road is even busier than before. It seems as if people have to get used to this again, because the number of claims has noticeably increased for us.”

Fold dented

There are also plenty of posts in Brabant. Our 2019 Mazda has a nasty smear on the right rear. Rear door and side screen are damaged. “It was precisely that beautiful, cosmetic fold in the bodywork that absorbed the blow and was dented,” Jan explains. That creates more work and therefore more costs. We take a look at the bottom line of the quote that Jan made when the car was offered for damage repair. This modest and innocent wipe will easily cost €1,600!

Please take a moment to read the quotation. The parts are the cheapest. We only need a cover for the side panel for €189. The labor fee for the damage repair is €475, but the spraying will cost €654, due to, among other things, the mica paint. The labor fee also includes reading the computer, installing and removing the wheel arch, molding of the right rear door and the door trim and handle.

This job takes twelve hours, spread over a number of days. It is now Tuesday and at the end of the day on Thursday the (un)lucky owners can pick up the car again, which should then be in good condition again. “That has to be done on Friday, because we will need that loan car again,” adds receptionist Kim. The planning is sacred and that planning is packed.

Trailer hit

Usually things go well, but not last August: the dark blue Astra Wagon, only four years old, was traveling with a trailer when it took on a life of its own along the way. Too heavy and incorrectly loaded, it started to bounce and eventually the entire Astra-trailer combination jackknifed, with the trailer plowing into the car that was pulling it. “The rear light unit is still good, but the bumper and side screen are missing, so they will be cleaned and painted again.”

To indicate how popular Autoschade Nistelrode is: the Astra had already been viewed by Jan two months earlier. “Plannable, non-hazardous damage is planned and it currently just takes a while before it is your turn. If the car is no longer drivable, it will remain here and be included in the planning as quickly as possible,” Mariëlle explains. The amount of work on the Astra also means a higher invoice: this will cost €3002.43.

Step-by-step

What route does your four-wheeler take at a damage repair company such as De Dames van Hurkmans? It starts with the damage expert, in this case Jan, who carefully examines the car and makes a quote based on that. Then the car is scheduled.

When the day you knew would come has arrived, the technical specialist first starts working on the damaged car. “They check in advance whether, in addition to the damage, other disruptions have also arisen as a result of the impact,” says Mariëlle. “When the car is completely ready, our technical specialist concludes with a final inspection.”

Once the car is safe, the sheet metal worker gets to work. Mission: to return the sheet metal to its original state as much as possible. This can be done by removing dents, spotting, welding, better knocking and tapping work, in short: craftsmanship for skilled, professional hands.

Preparing and spraying

Then it is the turn of the pre-editor. This will make the repaired sheet metal smooth and neat and sometimes fill it up. Masking off parts of the bodywork or dismantled parts is also part of the pre-fabricator’s task, as is sanding the finished bodywork smooth.

Finally, the finishing touch: spraying, of course in a dust-free cabin. The Mazda has a three-layer mica paint, which is more expensive than normal two-layer metallic paint.

Secure planning

The various steps of damage repair do not immediately flow into each other. Filler must dry, each layer of lacquer must dry. The secure planning must bring everything together in twelve hours, spread over a maximum of three days. And this day is almost over.

“You turn something that was broken into a beautiful whole again and you ensure that the decrease in value of the car due to the damage is reversed. The bill for this is usually paid by the insurance company, because you transfer the premium amount for that every year.”

Aren’t these large amounts that shock you as a private individual? What do you say then? Mariëlle: “It is indeed true that the damage repair process is a black box for the ordinary consumer. He has no idea of ​​the work that needs to be done so that the car is completely as old as it used to be. If you peel back the damage amount, as it were, you get a better idea of ​​what the amount is made up of. Thirty percent of the damage amount consists of parts and on average ten to fifteen man hours are involved in a regular damage event. That is from dismantling to actually spraying it in the right color to delivery. And always in accordance with the car manufacturer’s instructions. I invite everyone to come and take a look in our kitchen. It is such a wonderful profession,” says Mariëlle.

Damage Mazda CX-5

Parts €169

Labor wages €432.70

Spraying €703.69

Environmental surcharge €27

Damage Opel Astra

Parts €547.12

Labor wages €1060.88

Spraying €784.90

Environmental surcharge €49.45