3 Ways Repairing Collision Damage Differs With High-End Vehicles
Posted on: 10 August 2021
Driving a luxury car comes with many perks, but the upfront cost is rarely the only expense. Anyone who's owned a high-end vehicle outside of warranty knows that parts and labor are rarely cheap. Higher insurance costs are another typical expense with luxury cars, and these higher premiums result from the high cost associated with fixing collision damage.
While there are many reasons why it costs more for a luxury auto repair, a few issues can drive the costs up. Here are just three ways that a luxury vehicle requires some special attention following any severe collision.
1. Specialized Windshield Replacement
It might surprise you to learn that the windshields on luxury vehicles can differ significantly from those found on lower-end models. Many premium cars include features such as rain sensors or heads-up displays (HUDs) that require specialized glass or unique installation procedures. These issues can increase both the parts and labor costs associated with a damaged windshield.
Other gadgets associated with your windshield include light sensors for the HVAC system or special polarized coatings. This latter design feature is necessary if your car features a HUD that projects directly to the windshield instead of an intermediate screen. Using a lower-end windshield can mean losing access to many of the features of your car you likely enjoy.
2. Dealer-Only Parts
Most automotive parts broadly fall into three categories: genuine, OEM, and aftermarket. For mass-market vehicles, cheaper OEM and aftermarket alternatives can help to reduce the cost of repairs. In many cases, these parts may offer identical or similar quality to the genuine version. Unfortunately, the lower sales volume of high-end cars typically means weaker aftermarket support.
The shop that repairs your vehicle following an accident may need to purchase many genuine, dealer-only parts. These components almost always come with a significant price premium, and they can drive up the total repair bill for your collision.
3. Advanced Features
Your windshield isn't the only part of your vehicle that has advanced and expensive features. For example, headlight units are often costly for higher-end cars. While high-intensity discharge (HID) lights are becoming more common, luxury cars typically integrate advanced features like auto-leveling or adaptive curve-following.
The ultimate result of these luxuries is that a part that may only cost a few hundred dollars on a mainstream car may cost several thousand on a luxury vehicle. Since these parts are usually specialized and model-specific, it's rare for a cheaper (and functionally equivalent) aftermarket part to be available.
While you might be surprised by the bill to repair your car, the costs aren't without good cause. The extra money spent on parts and labor ensures that you can continue to enjoy the premium features that come with owning such a prestigious vehicle.
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