When it comes to large purchases, Americans are inclined to comparison shop for the best products at the lowest prices. If you’re in the market for a new TV, you might look at ads for three or four different stores.
What if you could apply that thinking to getting car repairs for property damage?
One man started a Web site called DentBetty. At DentBetty, people who have been in car accidents can upload photos to the site where body shops can look at the picture and quote a price for property damage repairs.
Auto accident lawyers know people want to do everything they can to save money where they can. Property damage can be very expensive depending on the severity of the accident and the repairs that need to be done.
DentBetty is one of a few sites that offers this type of service. Two other Web sites offer similar services: DriverSide and RepairPal. Each site has its pros and cons, but they all help people with expensive repair costs get the best repairs at good prices.
DentBetty started in July, and the site takes advantage of the amount of people who have digital cameras either in their phone or on them in general. People who need repairs take and upload a photo to the site, and the participating body shops email a quote with a price.
DentBetty can give direct quotes for exactly what is wrong with the car. There isn’t too much speculation. The downside to DentBetty is the fact that as of August 2009, there are only seven body shops participating in the program. Maybe more will participate as the Web site gets more attention, but DentBetty is still in its infancy stage.
DriverSide is another website that offers quotes about repair prices, but the Web site also quotes prices for other car repairs (i.e. brakes, clutch, transmission). DriverSide also offers consumers sale prices. For example, if you are selling your car and want to set a fair price, DriverSide does that as well.
DriverSide also has a question section where you can email mechanics directly.
RepairPal is a website that is as comprehensive as DriverSide. Both websites offer the same types of services. RepairPal offers estimates for repairs and a ‘find a shop’ feature that allows consumers to search for a mechanic. There is also a Q&A section where consumers can select the car they have, and a comprehensive list of popular questions appears. If you do not see yours, you can post a question (similar to a message board) to get your question answered.
All three Web sites help people who need car repairs get them at the best prices for services. It is important for the buyer to beware of possibly getting car repairs done by someone who may be inexperienced or does the work incorrectly. That can only lead to more problems.
Our car accident lawyers know auto repair costs are the second concern people in car accidents have — the first being their own health. If you would like addition help with auto repair, check out our property damage resources.
Call us now at 1-858-551-2090 or click here for a free consultation with an experienced auto accident attorney and find out how we can help you. We speak English and Spanish, and we look forward to providing advice for your case. No fee if no recovery.
SENIOR PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY & FIRM FOUNDER
Michael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who graduated from the University of California Hastings College of the Law in 1987. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes how insurance companies work and how they decide how much to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael’s inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents. Learn more about Michael Pines