Collision damage isn't just what you see. Our experts at our Long Beach auto body shop tell you

When creating an estimate for auto body damage on a customer's car for the first time, we can't always see all the damages until we get the vehicle in the shop. We know this can be frustrating for a customer who wants all the answers up front, but you'll see why we do a thorough appraisal and repair plan only once the vehicle is in the disassembly phase.

Let's compare these two claims. Both Jeeps. Both hit on the right. Which one is the costlier repair? What repair procedures are required? How long did they take?

This silver Jeep looks like it's got some nasty damage. Once we brought it in the shop, disassembled the bumper and ran some preliminary checks/scans on it, turns out it was mostly cosmetic. We charged the owner for body labor, a wheel flare molding and a few clips. He was on his way in a day and for less than $200. Lucky guy!

This black Jeep doesn't really look that much worse. It was hit on the side and the owner told us no one was hurt in the accident. Once again we couldn't do a thorough estimate on the driveway without knowing what damage was underneath. Once it was in the shop, we found frame and suspension damage during our checks. Turns out this Jeep was in the shop for about 3 weeks and cost a little over $10,000 to repair. There was a lot of parts and mechanical work along with body and paint work.

We've said it before and we'll say it again to our customers. We can only do a thorough estimate and repair plan once your vehicle is in our shop. Until then it's just that - and estimate. Fortunately when our customer bring their cars to us, they can be assured we have the latest state-of-the-art scanners, body, mechanical and frame equipment. Our platinum certified service writers will write an accurate repair plan for your car, backed by our lifetime warranty.

We strive to be the best auto body shop in Long Beach. Find out how we're better than the rest.

Call us or click the button above for an estimate or repair appointment. And you can always call our friendly staff here at the shop - 562-426-2639.