Van Nuys Auto Repair & Service Center

Remember the days when a few guys in a truck would drive around a parking lot asking if you wanted to buy some stereo equipment? Dealing with auto body repair scammers is very similar. You might park your car, all set to run into a store to do a few errands, when a guy notices that your car has some damage. He offers to repair it right then and there, telling you it will be a perfect job and save you a lot of time and money. All you have to do is pay him “X” amount of cash. Politely but adamantly tell him “no thanks,” then walk away. This is a classic scam. These “dent repair” scammers—or “dent gypsies,” as they are sometimes called—prey on people who are in a rush and not as informed as they should be. These scammers will either take your money and disappear the moment you are out of sight, or they will do a horrible job and make your car look and even run worse than before. Bondo, colored wax, and cheap paint is not the cor ... read more

It happens to everyone...that moment when you accidentally back into something you did not see, or mis-navigate a turn in a parking structure. So now you have to ask yourself: should I file an insurance claim when I’ve damaged my own car? If you have caused no other property damage and the only damage is to your own car, you will now need to decide whether you should pay for the repairs out of your own pocket or go through your insurance, which could, of course, raise your rates. While this is frustrating, at least you are the sole decision maker. Dealing with another party, if another vehicle is involved, can be much trickier. In that situation, you may not have a choice about whether you should go through insurance or pay for the repairs yourself. Should I File An Insurance Claim When I’ve Damaged My Own Car? In order to completely answer this question, you need to be informed about the condition of your car. This means going to a reliable and trustworthy auto body sh ... read more

This October is Fall Car Care Month, and here at AutoAid, we want to remind you to take a little bit of time to be “Car Care Aware,” as the team at CarCare.org put it. Every year in April and October, CarCare.org celebrates a month of vehicle maintenance awareness, in the hopes of reminding drivers like you that taking a few simple steps now can save you the trouble of an emergency breakdown – not to mention more than a few bucks on the cost of repairs – down the road. Whether you handle some of these tasks yourself or prefer to trust Jack, David, and the expert team at AutoAid of Van Nuys, CA for your auto service & maintenance needs, we recommend these important steps to take this Fall Car Care Month to ensure your vehicle performs well all year long. Battery. Check your connections, and make sure they are tight, clean, and free from cor ... read more

You were just involved in a minor accident. After you realize that no one seems to be injured and that the damage appears to be minimal, one question always comes up: Should I file an insurance claim or settle out of pocket? The answer depends on several things, including who was at fault. Clearly, if it was your fault, you would prefer not to see your insurance rates go up. You may plead with the other party to handle the repairs privately and not report it. And if it was their fault, they may do the same with you. Regardless, there are several steps you must take. Should I File An Insurance Claim Or Settle Out Of Pocket? Get All The Information Before You Decide The first step is to not leave the scene before you exchange all information with the other party, including phone numbers. You should also take photos of all of the damage, so nothing additional can be claimed after the fact. In these kinds of situations, information and knowledge are key. So as soon as you can, get an e ... read more

An auto accident is a terrible thing. Whether or not there are any injuries, no one feels good afterwards. It is just a hassle on so many levels. To make matters worse, there are a great variety of auto accident scams out there. It’s just one more thing that all drivers need to be highly aware of. Every driver knows that no matter how safely they drive and how aware they are of their surroundings, there are things they have no control over, including people setting you up for an accident. These auto accident scammers are professionals who know exactly what they are doing, and often work in teams, thus providing “witnesses” to provide false evidence against you. If you feel you are the victim of an auto accident scam, do all you can to protect yourself. Read this list from the DMV about things you should do at the scene of the accident. Then get your car to a reliable and trustworthy sh ... read more