After Storm Drops Hail, Auto Body Shop Flooded with Repair Jobs
Summer storms, which came with hail last Friday evening, brought a high price for some drivers.
The August 11 thunderstorm brought much-needed moisture, as well as large hail to the Twin Cities.
Weather watcher Steve Reckers measured 1.94 inches of rainfall at his home in New Hope. He said it’s the most rain the region has seen since May 1.
The hailstorm that came with Friday night’s rain was short-lived, but destructive.
At CARSTAR New Hope, General Manager Shawn Thurman said traffic is up.
“I think [we’ve seen] about 50 new claims already just today,” Thurman said.
The storms hit the northwest metro during the evening rush hour.
“There were so many cars at 5 p.m. and not moving,” Thurman said. “Not being able to get underneath an underpass to protect your car — it’s just going to do so much damage.”
Employees at CARMAX in New Hope work to mend dents. Body shops across the region are seeing the effects of widespread hail damage.
Repair Traffic Ramps Up After Hail Brings Car Damage
Some vehicles sustained dents in the hailstorm.
“The majority of what we are going to see is going to be paintless dent repair,” Thurman said.
Other vehicles have glass that shattered. Thurman pointed to one on CARSTAR’s lot with a shattered sunroof.
“This vehicle, actually, is probably a total loss,” Thurman said. “I would imagine the average cost of repairs is going to be around $8,000.”
Shops across the region are seeing an increase in business due to the hail damage.
“Hail always causes a big strain on the industry,” Turman said.
Thurman said office staff are especially strained after storms like this. He said they expect to work much longer days as they process insurance claims.
At this time, he is expecting hail-related projects to ramp up for the next several months.
If you have hail damage and will need to send your car to the shot, Thurman recommends putting in a rental reservation as soon as possible. Car rental demand is high.
