Have you been in a fender bender lately? I don’t mean anything gnarly, but maybe just a little hit to your bumper. If so, you may have damaged more than your bumper. You might not see where this would have anything to do with Diminished Value, but let’s take a quick look.
Let’s just say that you own a new Ford for the sake of this demonstration. Most insurance companies will ask your body shop to use aftermarket copy parts (parts not made by the vehicle manufacturer) to save them money on the repair.
Now watch this video and you’ll get a glimpse of what can happen even with a low-speed impact hit using a non-OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) parts for your collision repair.
The article written by Consumer Reports provides all the information about the tests.
OEM Bumper Top and Aftermarket Bumper Bottom
The one aftermarket copy part in the video actually explodes into hundreds of pieces! The OEM part performs as it was designed by absorbing the impact energy when it flexes back and forward to protect you in the event of a collision.
Obviously, this is a safety issue, plus aftermarket parts diminish value of a vehicle even if it’s just a bumper. Often times the loss in value after a collision can be thousands of dollars.
The average person doesn’t have any knowledge of the type of parts installed or the difference parts can make in a repair. As you can see it reflects in both the safety of the vehicle and the Diminished Value for a very good reason. Your car is not only unsafe at this point, but an inferior part that costs LESS than the original bumper has just been put on your new vehicle.
If your car has been in an accident and you would like to know if it was repaired with aftermarket copy parts, please contact us today. The safety of your family may be compromised along with the value of your vehicle.
