Shop Talk

Welcome to the Gold Coast Auto Body “Answer Blog,” where we periodically post news updates, technical articles, and other items of interest to our customers and friends in the luxury car community.

How We Diagnose your Vehicle: Pre- and Post-Repair Scanning

One of the biggest fears that a luxury vehicle owner faces in the aftermath of an accident is the unseen damage. You can see the dents, but what about the things you can’t see?

Enter diagnostic scanning.

Scanning the vehicle is the only way to identify “diagnostic trouble codes, or DTCs.

Just like doctors use MRI and CAT scans to look inside the patient, auto body repair technicians use scanning to see all the functions of the vehicle.

Scanning is performed by hooking up an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) device to the vehicle and generating a computer report of everything in need of repair.

By doing a pre-repair scan and post-repair scan of the vehicle, a high-end body shop like Gold Cost Auto Body can diagnose virtually all components of the auto. We use a pre-repair scan to see what is wrong with the vehicle and determine what repairs to make. With a post-repair scan, we make sure there aren’t any lingering problems that still need to be addressed, and that all the technology we took apart during the repair has been properly reassembled.

If that sounds simple, well, it really isn’t. In many ways today’s luxury vehicles are computers on wheels. In fact, there is so much technology that Malfunction Indicator Lights (MILs) on the dash can’t even come close to reflecting all the DTCs that can be triggered by an accident.

For instance, a 2017 Honda Fit – the automaker’s entry level vehicle – contains 510 DTCS. By contrast, Honda’s top of the line Odyssey Touring Elite features in the range of 1,000 DTCs. Imagine a dashboard that could fit 1,000 indicator lights. That would be overwhelming.

What’s more, vehicle owners are wanting more and more technology worked into the car. And the more technology there is, the more things that could need repair after a collision event.

Let’s talk about bumpers as a “for instance”. Back in the day, bumpers were simple metal pieces mounted on the front and rear of a car to absorb impact.

No more. Now we’re talking about bumper covers that host “Blind Spot Monitoring devices,” “Collision Avoidance Systems,” and other high-tech features.

And that small example says it all. It is no longer a question of if a shop can perform scans on your vehicle, it is truly the only way to offer a complete repair.

This video from Honda (below) provides an excellent definition of pre- and post-repair scanning by comparison to visiting an eye doctor.

This January 2018 article by Rhode Island based Reliable Collision offers a run down of why pre- and post-repair scanning is needed.

Tech Shop Magazine offers their insight, that further explains the details of pre- and post-repair scanning.

And finally, this article in Collision Repair Magazine notes how pre- and post-repair scanning in now becoming a manufacturer requirement of body shops.

Performing pre- and post-repair scans is part of GCAB’s ongoing pledge to our customers to provide the best and most comprehensive service possible. Nobody wants to take their car to the auto body shop, but when you have to go, you want the best bumper-to-bumper diagnostics available. That’s what GCAB delivers.

What to Consider When Insuring Your Dream Car

When you’re a high-end car owner, one of your key priorities is to keep your precious gem properly insured. If anything goes wrong, you want it taken care of to like-new conditions.

With a seemingly endless number of insurance agents to choose from, finding the one that truly has your best interest at heart can be hit or miss. And with a luxury car like yours, you don’t want to miss. For luxury vehicles, off-the-shelf insurance plans are less likely to lead to satisfaction than a personalized policy from a premium agency.

So, where do you find the right one?

In the automotive world the saying ‘birds of a feather, flock together’ is often applicable. Gold Coast Auto Body (GCAB) is a shop you have faith in to do your repairs with premium parts and highly skilled labor. It stands to reason, then, that if asked, GCAB will refer you to an insurer that is every bit a trustworthy.

Thomas Ward Insurance Group is just such a broker, one we at GCAB truly enjoy doing business with.

Thomas Ward isn’t affiliated with a single insurance company, but rather works with several companies to get you the right coverage for your vehicle at the best price possible.

“The reason I am an independent agent is because I am customer-focused. Rather than chasing the mass market, I concentrate on luxury car owners and serving their needs,” states Thomas Ward agent Michael Rice. “I still want to save you money, but I want to do it by providing the kind of coverage that’s right for you and your vehicle.”

There’s that term again: “right coverage.” What is the “right coverage” for a luxury vehicle owner who does a lot of city driving? GCAB owner Dominic Martino weighs in.

“We see way too many people coming in who are frankly underinsured for the kind of cars they’re driving,” he points out. “They get caught up in the ‘lowest price’ game and don’t see the shortcomings of their coverage until it’s too late.”

Michael Rice agrees. “If you crash and total that new $120k Porsche, don’t you want your $120k check?”

This leads directly to all of the factors Thomas Ward Insurance Group recommends high-end vehicle owners take into consideration when selecting an insurance plan.

The first priority for insurance shoppers is the freedom of choice – allowing you, the owner, to go to any body shop you want.

Equally important is the quality of repair. This ties into the freedom of choice of shop. You always want to use a repair facility like GCAB that uses OEM parts – the parts required to repair your vehicle to pre-crash condition.

Finally, you want peace of mind. You want to make sure the premium you are paying each month is for your vehicle’s “Agreed Value” – not Blue Book Value. Agreed Value is a term in the insurance industry wherein the policy specifies the worth of the vehicle up front. That’s something a quality broker like Thomas Ward Insurance Group will ensure you have in your policy.

Also of note, when your car is at GCAB for repair, you’re probably going to want a rental vehicle comparable to the luxury vehicle you are accustomed to. Premium insurance carriers will put you in that same quality of vehicle.

All of which is why GCAB recommends Thomas Ward. Because their agents, and the premium insurance providers they represent, are simply the best fit for our customers.

For additional information on what Chicago drivers need to specifically consider in selecting an insurance plan, see this article on the Thomas Ward website.

If you’re in the position of buying a new luxury vehicle, or replacing a damaged one, see this Thomas Ward blog post on “How to Buy the Right Car For Your Needs.”

Our Customers Weigh In

We take great pride in the work we do here at Gold Coast Auto Body, and we’re not the only ones. Read a few of the recent endorsements we’ve received from thousands of satisfied customers who know first-hand the quality and commitment we bring to every job we do.