Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Toyota Sienna Before and After: Collision Repair

We fixed the entire driver side of this Toyota Sienna Minivan.

BEFORE



AFTER


Auto Body Repairs By Jay's Freeway Collision

Sorry We Met By Accident





Friday, September 27, 2013

1969 Ford Mustange GT Convertible; Full Custom Restoration

This '69 Mustang GT was originally white and arrived with a substantial amount of rust which meant much of the body work had to be custom made and hand tooled.

BEFORE
These are parts from the car. Rust is everywhere!


Interior: All rusted out. Much of the car was like this. Here we've retooled the interior by hand to make a new floor body.



Original 1963 White Ford Mustang GT Just Prior To Taking It Apart To Begin Restoration



AFTER
Color is DeBeer Radiance Red Pearl. The Clear coat is the Debeer 80-121 - awesome stuff. On all of my restorations, I only use House of Kolor or DeBeer paint colors. I also always finish them off exclusively with DeBeer clear. It is the best clear and for the money, it cannot be beat. I will not use anything else. My smaller, more cost conscience jobs, I'll use Valspar Clears or Legacy EC500. Also, really great clears. You get a lot for your money.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Added Silver Racing Stripes To A Black Ford Mustang GT

Our client asked for his Mustang GT to be detailed with silver stripes on the bottom of his black car. After we finished the job he was thoroughly grateful and went about his way.



A few weeks later he returned asking for additional striping. So that's what we did for him.

BEFORE



AFTER




by Jay's Freeway Collision
24 Park St
Orange, NJ 07050
973.678.0134




Thursday, May 16, 2013

10 Things To Know Before Getting Your Car Repaired

1. Your car is the second largest investment you are likely to make. Preserve its value and your safety by having it repaired professionally.

2. Never drive a car that could potentially be unsafe because of damage resulting from a collision.

3. Some insurance companies may want you to visit their drive-in claims center before having your car repaired. You can do this, or you may leave your car at Jay's Freeway Collision auto body repair shop in Orange, NJ and ask that the insurance company inspect the car here.

4. You are not required by law to obtain more than one estimate or appraisal.

5. You have the right to go to the repair shop of your choice. Your insurance company can not require you to go to a particular shop, they can only offer auto body shop suggestions.

6. Differences in repair estimates are common. A lower estimate may not include all necessary work. If you are not sure why one estimate is different from another you have received, please ask us.

7. Choose a shop that is licensed and has a good reputation.

8. Ask if the shop will be using genuine manufacture replacement parts (OEM).

9. Ask if the shop offers a repair warranty.

10. Let us help you negotiate your claim with the insurance company.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Get Your Car Fixed Right Without Getting Ripped Off


This article on Edmunds.com is right on the money.

For most consumers, auto body shops are intimidating and mysterious. The good ones restore your beloved car to gleaming perfection. The bad ones hide problems and stick you with a big repair bill. We talked with three veterans of the auto body industry, two of whom (Brian and Neal) run their own collision repair businesses and the third expert (Andy) who is a well-connected industry observer. Our sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, shed light on this shadowy world and offer suggestions on how to manage costs, avoid rip-offs and ensure that sure your car is fixed right.

Know That Body Shops Run the Quality Gamut
"I don't care what state you live in, for every 10 body shops, three of them are unethical and five of them do mediocre work at best," Neal says. It's clear that finding the right shop and building a relationship with the owner or manager is an essential first step in the repair process. There will always be fly-by-night shops, and even mobile dent-repair guys working out of the trunks of their cars. Consumers should look for brick-and-mortar body shops that have been in business a long time and have a solid track record of satisfied customers.
.......

Understand Your Estimate Price quotes from different body shops seem to vary wildly, and this shouldn't be the case. Our three experts remind us that collision-repair facilities and insurance companies use one of three systems for estimating repair jobs to arrive at standardized, impartial quotes. Theoretically, this means three different shops will present similar estimates. But insurance companies will sometimes present their policyholders with a low quote that bears no relationship to the product of these estimating systems, Brian says. And if the consumer decides he can live with minor body damage and elects to pocket the check rather than pay to have the damage repaired, the carrier has quickly cleared another claim.

 It's increasingly tough for body shop owners to provide an accurate cost estimate that will cover the expense to fix the car properly and still make a profit. Brian says automakers frequently change vehicle designs as the Environmental Protection Agency raises fuel-efficiency standards. They are increasingly using lighter materials like aluminum and high-strength metals like ultra-hard boron steel, particularly in the frame and suspension parts. Such parts are expensive. Body shops are supposed to restore cars to the standards of the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), but they know from experience that doing so is going to be prohibitively expensive. Instead, they don't even consult the manufacturer's specifications and fix the car according to time-tested methods. Those methods might not fix the car safely or completely. "So all of a sudden the lowest common denominator — the insurance company's quote — becomes the benchmark," Brian says. And the shop with the lowest cost is likely the one the consumer will pick. Neal adds that there is another factor that makes the process difficult for consumers. "One guy might have a different definition of what a fair profit is from the next guy for procedures that are identical between the two shops." This is the dreaded gray area in evaluating cost estimates and it can hit your wallet hard.

http://www.edmunds.com/car-care/confessions-from-the-auto-body-shop.html

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

I Got Into A Car Accident: What Do I Do? What Every NJ Car Owner Should Know

Determine whether you and anyone else involved are okay. If you are:


1. CALL THE POLICE
No matter how small the accident, contact the police and make a report. Even if there appears to be no dents or scratches. You never know if there is hidden damage to your car. Without a report, insurance companies make it difficult to cover any repairs. Many times the other driver will try to convince you to avoid going through insurance, however, they often do so themselves after the fact. You may be accused of leaving the scene of an accident, simply for being courteous so protect yourself,  get that police report! It is the most important first step you can take.

2. CONTACT YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY

3. CHOOSE A LICENSED AUTO BODY SHOP WITH GOOD REVIEWS 
Insurance companies will try to force you to go to auto body shops affiliated with them. Insurance companies do everything they can to save money so they associate themselves with shops that are willing to help them do that. This means subpar work that does not last. This is not always the case but do your research. You are NOT obligated to to have your car repaired by shops provided by your insurance company, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO TAKE YOUR CAR WHEREVER YOU WANT.

4. TAKE YOUR CAR TO THE AUTO BODY SHOP (OF YOUR CHOICE) TO BE INSPECTED BY INSURANCE 
Insurance companies might persuade you to inspect the car at your home. DO NOT LET THEM. They WILL lowball your estimate which will not cover all the cost of the repairs. Auto body shops will provide towing if the car is immobile so let the professional body shop handle the assessment of the damage along with your insurance inspector to allow your damages to be properly assessed. It's very common to find further damage as the car is being taken apart for repairs and a reputable shop will fight the insurance companies to cover those repairs on your behalf.

Your body shop should be headache-free. Do your research, find a reputable place and you won't have to worry, your car will be good as new!

Best Wishes,
-Jay's Freeway Collision

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Wednesday, April 24, 2013

From White to Flat Black - Or As The Kids Say "Murdered Out"

This 2006 GMC Denali was stripped of it's original white finish and all the various dents and dings fixed. Then painted flat black for the S.W.A.T. Team. We used Valspar LIC43 low gloss binder. Worked beautifully! The City of Orange Police Department couldn't be happier. Happy cops, happy shops!





 






1967 Chevy Corvette Restoration

This was a complete restoration of a 1967 light blue convertible Chevy Corvette. It left our shop in mint condition.






1969 Mercedes Restoration

This was for a client who wanted to restore a very beat up 1969 Mercedes Roadster. All of the damaged body parts had to be hand forged since they no longer sell them. This job was labor intensive but it was a lot of fun to see the look on our client's face when we finished.

~~Enjoy!
Jay's Freeway Collision