Mac Haik Chevrolet Body Shop in Houston
What to expect
Mac Haik Chevrolet is ready with a quality repair you can trust, by trained technicians. Do not take any chances getting your vehicle repaired; Your safety is our number one concern and our repair experts never compromise the quality of their work. Always remember, not all shops are created equally. Most auto body shops are not trained on the latest repair techniques, do not invest in the latest equipment technology or do not follow manufacturers procedures. They simply repair vehicles they way they did 30 years ago and that does not work on today's sophisticated automobiles.
WHAT TO DO AFTER AN ACCIDENT
Emergency Kit
We recommend following guidelines developed by the Consumer Protection Association of America. They begin with a wise step to take before there's an accident: Keep a simple emergency kit in your glove compartment; it should include a pen and paper, a card with information about any medical conditions or allergies that may require special attention, and a disposable camera if you don't have a cellphone camera. It is also wise to keep a set of warning triangles, emergency flares, or cones in the trunk. Here are the after-accident guidelines:
Keep Safety First
Drivers involved in minor accidents with no serious injuries should move their cars to the side of the road and out of the way of traffic. If a car cannot be moved, the driver and passengers should remain in the car with seat-belts fastened until help arrives. Turn on hazard lights and, if possible, set out cones, flares, or warning triangles.
Exchange Information
Exchange name, address, phone number, insurance company, policy number, driver license number, and license plate number for the driver and owner of each vehicle. If the driver's name is different from the name of the insured, establish what the relationship is, and take down the name and address of each individual. Make a written description of each car, including year, make, model, and color. Write down the exact location of the collision and how it happened. Be polite, but don't tell the other drivers or the police that the accident was your fault, even if you think it was.
Photograph and Document the Accident
Photograph the damage to all the vehicles, and photograph the overall context of the accident. If there were witnesses, try to get their contact information; they may be able to help you if other drivers dispute your version of what happened.
File an accident report
Although law enforcement officers in many locations may not respond to accidents unless there are injuries, drivers should file a state vehicle accident report, which is available at police stations and often on the Department of Motor Vehicles website. In Texas, it is available from the Department of Transportation at txdot.gov. A police report often helps insurance companies speed up the claims process.
Know what your insurance covers
The whole insurance process will be easier if you know the details of your coverage. For example, don't wait until after an accident to find out that your policy doesn't automatically cover costs for towing or a replacement rental car. Generally, for only a dollar or two extra each month, you can add coverage for rental car reimbursement. Check your policy for specifics.
Think twice before agreeing not to file insurance claims
After minor accidents, drivers sometimes decide to handle the damages themselves. This isn't always the best idea. While the other driver may agree to pay for the damage to your car on the day of the accident, he may see the repair bill and decide it's too high. At this point, your insurance company will have more difficulty piecing together the evidence if you file a claim. Also, you have no way of knowing whether another driver will change his mind and report the accident to his insurance company. He may even claim injuries that weren't apparent at the scene of the accident. This means your insurance company may end up paying a hefty settlement or, worse yet, you could be dragged into a lawsuit. The safest course is to make sure your insurance company has your version of what happened.
Your Rights as A Vehicle Owner
You're in the driver's seat when choosing which replacement parts are used in your vehicle after a collision. Some insurance may limit compensation for repairs that use aftermarket collision parts, which may not provide the same level of original fit, form and function as GM Genuine Parts and ACDelco OE parts.
ASK YOUR INSURANCE PROVIDER THESE KEY QUESTIONS:
- Does my current policy include new OEM parts?
- Will the parts used to repair my vehicle be new OEM parts?
- Is a rental car provided during repairs under my policy?
- Do I have to take my vehicle to a drive-in claims center, or can I take it to a dealer?
GM OE Parts for Collision Repair
GM designs and builds vehicles for performance, durability and safety. Insist on using GM OE parts engineered to fit your vehicle's specific needs to help restore your GM to as close to its original, pre-collision condition as possible. Only GM Genuine Parts and ACDelco OE parts are designed, engineered, tested and backed by GM. MAINTAINING ADVANCE DRIVER
Assistance Systems
Many newer GM vehicles utilize Advance Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) to help drivers prevent collisions and promote safety. Choose GM Genuine OE parts designed to support ADAS, as collision shops that use non-GM parts may make ADAS features less effective in helping keep drivers and passengers safe.
Collision Repair Process
1. Mac Haik Chevrolet - Your First Point of Contact
Please contact us if your vehicle needs collision repairs. Our estimators will guide you through the claims process and help coordinate any towing needed.
2. Vehicle Drop Off
Please bring your vehicle to your nearest Mac Haik Chevrolet Collision location, or ask your towing company to transport it to us if the vehicle is not drivable.
3. Authorization
Your Mac Haik Chevrolet Estimator will ask you to sign a repair authorization, which allows us to repair your vehicle.
4. Damage Evaluation
Your Mac Haik Chevrolet estimator will map the vehicle with you and write a repair plan. This will include a pre-scan of the vehicle's software and electrical system, disassembly of the damaged area, and creation of the estimate.
5. Insurance Approval
The insurance company must approve the repair before we may begin work. Often, the longest delays come while waiting for these approvals. We will make every effort to communicate with the insurance provider. We may need your assistance at times, and your help is greatly appreciated. If a supplement to the original repair amount is necessary (for example, if additional damage is discovered during the disassembly of the vehicle), we will submit a request for the supplement to the insurance company. This process also requires approvals and may take additional time. Sometimes more than one supplement is required, depending on the insurance company.
6. Parts Ordered
Upon receiving approvals from you and the insurance company on the repair work and any supplements, we will begin the process of locating and ordering the parts necessary to repair your vehicle.
7. Parts Received
Once all critical parts are received for the repair, work on the vehicle will begin.
8. Repairs to Vehicle Started
Vehicle Set on Uni-body Repair Equipment (if necessary). The exact location and fit of integral parts are critical to the operation and appearance of your vehicle. In this process, we measure your vehicle against published factory specifications and return your vehicle to within those prescribed tolerances.
- New Panels Installed and Checked for Proper Fit
- All collision-related repairs require some degree of cosmetic repair and often require replacement of factory panels. We will check for proper fit and ensure that your vehicle's parts look and align as they did when new.
- Corrosion Protection Reapplied to Repaired Areas
- Most vehicles incorporate some form of corrosion protection applied by the original manufacturer.
- All Metal Work Done and Initial Testing
- We begin to check all systems for proper functionality and perform quality control of the repair work.
9. Additional Parts Ordered, if Necessary
If we fmd additional claim-related damage, we will repeat step 5. For this reason, our estimator may have asked you to sign an authorization document in advance to cover these additional repairs.
10. Paint Process Begins
- Vehicle Prepped, Primed, and Blocked
- Vehicle Is Masked, Taped, and Placed in Paint Booth
- Vehicle Is Chemically Cleaned and Tacked
- Vehicle Undergoes Multi-Step Refinishing Process
Our technicians will begin the refinish process by priming the surface. A thin layer of filler is applied to ensure a quality, uniform, and smooth surface. Block sanding is used to further prepare the vehicle for paint.
To ensure that the highest quality standards are met, we carefully mask your vehicle to protect it from overspray during the refinish process. We then place your vehicle in a paint booth, a controlled environment where paint material is applied.
This process removes all outside contaminates that may have been deposited on your vehicle during the repair process.
Most vehicles are coated with a basecoat/clearcoat refinish system. All systems involve several application steps to ensure a quality, factory finish.
11. Reassembly
Once we have completed the refinish process, we reattach the outer parts such as mirrors, moldings, and other hardware.
12. Mechanical
Even though much of the mechanical work (suspension part replacement, alignment, air bags, etc.) will take place during the repair process, all vehicles will have a post-scan of the software completed prior to delivery.
13. Quality Inspection
Your vehicle will go through an extensive post-repair inspection of all work completed. We will also perform a test drive of the vehicle (as needed).
14. Detail
The vehicle will be cleaned prior to pick up.
15. Active Delivery
The estimator who managed your repair process will review the repair work completed on your vehicle and answer any questions you may have.
Thank you for maintaining your commitment to Gold Classe recognition! As a Gold Class member, your team has an important role in supporting I-CAR's vision of complete, safe and quality repairs for the ultimate benefit of the consumer.
It takes ongoing training to keep up with new construction materials, advanced driver-assistance systems, and electric vehicles. While there are a variety of reports available in myl-CAR to support you as a Training Manager, we understand your workload is heavy and want to help you stay on the path to Gold Class with as many resources and tools as possible.
We also have digital marketing resources available to your Gold Class shop within myl-CAR to help your location differentiate its status and commitment in your community.
We appreciate your dedication and welcome your feedback about your experience as a Gold Class shop facing today's vehicle advancement. Tell us your story at I-CAR.com/ShopStories.
If you have any questions, please contact your assigned Customer Care Representative or our Customer Care team at 800.1CAR.USA (422.7872). Visit I-CAR.com/Membership for more information on our membership program.