Why Cheap Collision Repair Can Be Dangerous

In the world of auto repairs, we often hear, “You get what you pay for.” This is especially true for collision repair. While everyone loves a good deal, a “cheap” collision repair can be dangerously compromised in quality and safety. There are reasons why reputable repairs cost what they do – modern vehicles and proper techniques require time, skill, and correct parts. In this article, we’ll explore how those ultra-low cost collision repairs might cut corners and why that can be dangerous for you and your vehicle.

Corners Commonly Cut in Cheap Repairs

When a body shop offers a significantly cheaper quote than others, ask yourself how they’re saving money. Often, it involves shortcuts such as:

• Using Inferior or Incorrect Parts: Cheap shops might opt for low-quality aftermarket parts or even patch together salvage parts that aren’t quite right. For example, using a junkyard hood that doesn’t align perfectly, or non-OEM suspension components. These parts may not meet the vehicle’s original safety specifications. A concerning case was when a shop used adhesive glue instead of welds to attach a new roof on a car (because glue was cheaper/easier than proper welding) – this significantly weakened the vehicle’s structure. In a later accident, that roof detached and the car’s occupants were severely injured. That shop’s “cheaper” method had catastrophic consequences.

• Skipping Structural Repairs: A cut-rate repair might just pull a dent out superficially and fill it with bondo, ignoring deeper structural bends underneath. Or they might not replace a bent frame rail, thinking “close enough” is okay. The danger here is structural integrity. In a subsequent collision, a previously bent (and not properly replaced) frame part could fail to protect you as intended. Vehicles are engineered as systems; one weak link can compromise the entire crash management.

• Improper Welds or Repairs: To save time, a shop might not follow OEM repair procedures. For instance, manufacturers often specify where and how to weld or section a new panel. Using the wrong method can weaken the joint. Think of it like bone surgery – if not set right, it won’t hold under stress. A cheaply fixed car might literally split at a seam in a future crash if it wasn’t reinforced correctly.

• No Calibration of Safety Systems: Modern cars have ADAS (Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems): think of forward collision braking, lane departure cameras, airbags, etc. After repairs, these often need recalibration. A cheap shop might skip this entirely (calibrations require expensive equipment or dealership involvement). As a result, your safety systems may not work when needed. For example, your windshield-mounted camera (for lane assist) won’t detect lanes properly if not calibrated after a windshield/roof repair, or an adaptive cruise radar might be aiming incorrectly. These issues could lead to accidents because the car doesn’t “know where it is” on the road.

• Reusing Damaged Components: To cut costs, some shops will reuse parts like bent suspension components or cracked plastic parts by gluing them. This is obviously risky. A control arm with a hairline crack, reused, could break at high speed. Or an airbag that deployed might be reset or not replaced – leaving you without protection in the next crash. Insurance typically pays to replace such items; if a shop is doing a cash job cheap, they might forgo those replacements. That’s a huge safety no-no.

• Poor Paint and Corrosion Protection: Aside from safety, cheap repairs often skip proper corrosion protection. If bare metal isn’t sealed or painted properly (to save time/material), rust can compromise structural pieces over time. Also, cheap paint jobs might peel, reducing the longevity of the repair and ultimately the value and safety (rust = weakness in structure).

Real Consequences of Bad Repairs

Let’s revisit that glue vs. weld story: A body shop in Texas fixed a hail-damaged Honda Fit’s roof by gluing it on instead of welding. This saved them time and money, likely per insurance instructions or their own shortcut. Later, the car was in a serious collision. Because the roof wasn’t welded as Honda specified, the entire structure collapsed more than it should have. The glued roof detached, the integrity of the safety cage was lost, and the passengers suffered extreme injuries (one was trapped and badly burned). A jury found the shop largely liable for the severity of the injuries, awarding a $42 million verdict. This case is a dramatic example of how a seemingly minor shortcut (glue vs weld) turned out to be literally life-threatening.

Another area: airbags. There have been scary instances where unscrupulous shops or sellers just stuff a deployed airbag cover with something (even trash or newspapers) to avoid the cost of a new airbag, making it look intact. If you then have a crash, no airbag will deploy – you’re at serious risk of death or injury. Similarly, seat belts after an accident: they have internal tensioners that fire off; a proper repair replaces them. A cheap fix might leave the old belt that no longer will lock correctly. You won’t know until it’s too late.

Frame damage: Today’s cars often have crumple zones and require sectioning in specific locations. A poor repair might heat and bend a frame back without regard to metal fatigue or may section it in an improper area. That area could buckle incorrectly next time. In minor collisions later, you might see way more damage or injuries because the structure doesn’t behave as designed.

Suspension and alignment: If these aren’t corrected, your car’s handling is off. That can cause you to lose control easier in an emergency maneuver. Worn or bent suspension parts left in can also fail at a bad time (like going 70 on a highway).

Electronics: Modern stability control or brake sensors – if a cheap repair doesn’t fix/replace a damaged sensor or reprogram it, your stability control could malfunction. You might think, “oh my car drives, it’s fine,” until one day ABS or traction control doesn’t engage when needed and you spin out on a slick road.

Why Are Some Shops So Cheap?

Typically, it’s because they are:

• Using low-quality or used parts (not always bad if used parts are OEM and in good shape, but often cheap = corners cut).

• Not paying for skilled labor or training. They might have less experienced techs who are paid less, and they may not know proper procedures or simply don’t take the time for them.

• Skipping steps: As outlined, skipping calibrations, structural checks, etc., saves them time and money.

• No Warranty or Accountability: They might assume you won’t notice or come back, or they give a short warranty. A reputable repair with a lifetime warranty tends to do it right because they don’t want comebacks. A fly-by-night cheap fix shop may not care if something peels or fails a year later.

Not all inexpensive repairs are dangerously done, but it’s a red flag. Certified shops invest in training (I-CAR certification, manufacturer certifications) and equipment – they charge accordingly. A shop offering a rock-bottom price likely isn’t doing all that’s needed.

How to Protect Yourself

• Choose a reputable, certified collision center. Yes, it might cost more (though if insurance is paying, you mainly just worry about your deductible). These shops follow OEM guidelines and won’t take dangerous shortcuts.

• Be wary of the lowest bid. If you get three estimates and one is significantly lower, ask why. What are they not doing? Will they use OEM parts? Will they be following factory repair procedures? If they give a hand-wavy answer, run.

• Ask about warranties and parts. A quality shop will stand by their work and clarify which parts are OEM, aftermarket, or used. If a shop avoids these questions or says “we’ll just repair that airbag cover, it’ll be fine,” that’s a no-go.

• Understand your insurance’s role. Sometimes insurance will suggest a cheaper route. You have a right to proper repairs. Don’t let an insurer pressure you into a shop that cuts corners. Ohio law (and many states) allows you to choose your shop.

• Post-repair inspection: If you did get a repair that seems too quick or shoddy, consider having a knowledgeable mechanic or another body shop inspect it. They can sometimes identify bad welds or parts that should’ve been replaced.

The True Cost of a Cheap Repair

A “cheap” repair can cost you in the long run:

• Safety risks as we detailed.

• Financial costs: If a repair fails (paint peels, rust comes through, parts break), you’ll end up paying another shop to redo it. So, you pay twice. A proper fix the first time is often cheaper in total.

• Resale value: If it’s obvious a car was poorly repaired (misaligned panels, mismatched paint, missing airbags indicated by a dash light), your car’s value plummets. A good repair can preserve value; a bad one can drastically lower it.

• Liability: If you knowingly drive a car with compromised safety (or even unknowingly), it could have legal implications if involved in an accident and someone gets hurt because of it. At the very least, it’s something you don’t want on your conscience.

Bottom line: Collision repairs are not just cosmetic; they’re structural and directly tied to your vehicle’s safety performance. A super-cheap repair often means safety has been sacrificed for cost. It’s not worth the risk. Cars today are built with intricate safety designs – repairing them on the cheap is like repairing a parachute with scotch tape.

We as a quality collision repair facility sometimes have to re-repair those “cheap fixes” when customers realize their mistake. We’ve seen missing welds, glued panels, sensors left dangling – scary stuff. We would much rather fix it right the first time than see someone endangered. So, please remember: fast and cheap can be deadly in auto repair (you’ll see a similar theme in our next topic, the “Fast, Cheap, Good – pick two” truism).

Invest in a proper repair for your own wellbeing. Your life can depend on the integrity of those repairs the next time you’re on the road. As the saying goes, “There’s nothing more expensive than a cheap repair.” In this case, it could cost a lot more than money – it could cost health or life. Always prioritize safety and quality when it comes to collision repairs.