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Even though
the damage to a car might not look that bad, some times it's considered
a total loss by the insurance company. More and more repairable cars are
considered to be a total loss lately, and it is usually for one reason:
the cost to repair the air bag system. When the air bags deploy, the
cost to fix a car can double!
The driver side airbag can cost up to $700.00. The passenger side airbag
can cost upwards of $900.00. On some cars, when the passenger side
airbag deploys, it actually deflects off of the windshield as it comes
out. That always breaks the windshield, and the cost of a windshield is
usually at least $300.00
bucks. Sometimes when the passenger side airbag comes out, it can even
break the dash. When you have to replace a dash, it can add well over
$500.00.
There is also a computer that runs the air bag system, and on some cars
it even needs to be replaced. And it costs about $300.00.
Some cars have air bag sensors that are under the hood. If you
need to replace them, you can add hundreds more for these parts.
Some newer cars ever have special seat belts that fire a charge
and tighten the seat belts when the air bags go off. Then they have to
be replaced, and they are not cheap either.
Add in all of our labor costs, and an average car might have $3000.00
worth of costs just to repair just the air bag restraint system.
And when you add that cost onto the estimate, it doesn't take much sheet
metal damage to total a car out. So
if you get in a minor accident and the air bags deploy, remember...
there are some high costs associated with keeping you safe.
The Auto Guy – Jim Champion
Charlie Graham Body and Service
Click on my email below to send any story ideas
or questions on cars.
jim@charliegraham.com
Helpful Car Links:
http://www.theautochannel.com/news/
http://www.nadaguides.com/
http://www.trustmymechanic.com/index.html
http://www.autosafety.org/index.html
http://www.doityourself.com/auto/
http://www.carcarecouncil.org/index.shtml
http://www.kidsandcars.org/frameset.html
http://www.uautono.com/recalls.html
http://www.hwysafety.org/
http://www.edmunds.com/
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/
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