Bob Dylan once said, “these times they are changing.”
That couldn’t be truer for the auto repair world, which has had more change over the past decade than it has in more than 20 years. ADAS technologies built into cars, OEM repair procedures laid out by technicians, and extended repair times are some of the biggest contributing factors to the change we have seen in the auto repair world in recent years. In fact, even just the simple repair estimate has had changes of its own in order to keep up with these changes.
What used to happen is your insurance company would make you get a few different estimates before they agreed to pay for a claim. Now, it’s a matter of getting one estimate for an auto repair shop they already approve of and have a working relationship with. They pressure you into thinking that you have to go to that one repair shop instead of exploring other options. However, you get to choose where you get your car repaired, regardless of it being an auto repair shop that was chosen by your insurance company.
We’ve noticed these changes even when it comes to photo estimates that require you to upload photos of your damaged vehicle. However, even with the photos, it’s hard to give an accurate assessment of what needs to be repaired without a technician actually taking apart the vehicle.
The proper way to deliver a proper and thorough diagnosis of the damages on a vehicle is through a complete repair plan. This includes a few hours of research on how the manufacturer expects the repair to be made, commonly known as OEM repair procedures. These are the highest quality and safest for your vehicle because they are direct from the manufacturer.
A complete repair plan requires a full teardown of the vehicle, which most likely has a fee involved that will be covered by the insurance. Done right, these comprehensive repair plans will have a lot of codes and phrases that can be very confusing. We at 3D Collision Centers are explaining two terms that often show up on an estimate and customers get confused by. Those terms are R&R and R&I.
What Is R&R?
R&R on an auto body estimate refers to “remove and replace.” R&R typically happens after a removed vehicle part can’t be repaired. As a result, the removed part is replaced with a new one. Some auto repair technicians might attempt to repair the part before replacing it with an entirely new part, but this is not good repair practice whatsoever. It may be more expensive to replace a part, but it’s also your safety we are thinking about.
Due to the complexity of today’s car repair, it requires extensive training from technicians. Not following OEM repair procedures can cause the advanced safety features (commonly known as ADAS) your car is built with to no longer perform and increase the risk of you getting in an accident. This is why it’s critical you take your vehicle to be repaired at a body shop that knows the importance of following OEM repair guidelines.
Because of this, there are more steps that need to be paid attention to during the repair process, or it can create lasting damage to your vehicle. As mentioned above, a repair technician would know if a repair calls for R&R only after they complete a thorough diagnosis of the vehicle. This comes after the car is taken apart so technicians can accurately asses the damage and see what needs to be repaired. Keep in mind that the “replace” part of an R&R repair does not mean a replacement of the damaged part with it being repaired. R&R is a replacement for an entirely new piece for the car.
What Is R&I?
Unlike R&R, where a part is entirely replaced, R&I stands for “remove and install.” This happens when a part is removed from the damaged car and reinstalled later. The removed part may even be repaired separately if required. Just like in R&R, remove and install calls for a thorough inspection of the vehicle to accurately determine what needs to be done to the vehicle. Highly trained technicians will be able to diagnosis the vehicle and repair it following the repair procedures laid out by your car’s manufacturer, including OEM repair procedures.
Why Choose 3D Collision Centers
Getting your car repaired is never fun and can create a whirlwind of questions about things you never considered when getting your car repaired. That’s why we’re here to help explain what each item means on your car estimate so you know exactly what has to happen to your vehicle. We at 3D Collision Centers have been serving Pennsylvania in our 7 different locations across Deleware, Montgomery, and Chester counties. At 3D Collision Centers, all of our technicians are I-CAR Gold Class certified, which is the highest level of certification that a technician can receive. Every technician is also up-to-date on the latest OEM Repair procedures.
We will work with you and your insurance company to ensure a stress-free repair and are committed to providing our customers with “quality on time, every time.”
We can even provide you with a free estimate, part of the 3D Difference. We are Driven. Dedicated. Dynamic. Our promise is you’ll be satisfied!
Feel free to give us a call at (877)-692-7776. For a list of the phone numbers for each of our 7 different locations and to schedule your free estimate, click here.
We look forward to hearing from you!
