When it comes to buying a new car there are so many variables to consider, one of the most common is ongoing costs.

AS you start thinking about exactly how much petrol you need to out in your car every week for your daily activities, it’s important to remember running costs don’t stop there. Anyone who has owned a “luxury brand” (think German/British) you’ll know that the extra costs of servicing alone can double the everyday costs compared to some lower-cost Asian makes. 

If you are after pure affordabilty it’s fairly obvious that the smaller the car, the lower the running costs, and the lower the depreciation – mainly due to the lower initial outlay. While cheap and cheerful can be great for those only needing to transport themselves from point a to point b, for those of us that need to take passengers, school bags, trade tools, or even rideshare something bigger is exactly what we start looking for.

Considering the lowest price large sedan requires double the outlay of the micro Mitsubishi Mirage ($115.11 per week) or Kia Picanto ($111.49), it’s important to choose wisely when upsizing. Currently, the large sedan costing the lowest amount day today is the Holden Commodore ($219.43), with the cheapest to run mid-size sedan being the Toyota Camry Hybrid ($181.18). 

Info above from our friends at RAA read the full article here

If you’ve been watching the news lately you may have seen that South Australian drivers are being fined in excess of $600 for using their phones behind the wheel. Below is a statement that SAPOL released last week regarding OPERATION FATAL DISTRACTION.

Commencing Monday 5 August, a new road safety enforcement campaign will commence. This will be called ‘Operation Fatal Distraction’ and we will have a dedicated focus on distraction type offences – primarily those using mobile telephones.

Officer in Charge of the Road Safety Branch, Superintendent Bob Gray has highlighted that distraction is one of the biggest killers of South Australians on our roads so far this year. There are now 71 South Australians who have died on our roads so far this year compared to 42 at the same time last year.

“There is clearly a section of our motoring community who are just not getting the road safety message – or they simply just don’t care who they hurt – including themselves,” he said.

Superintendent Gray said, “These people know exactly who they are. They are making selfish, dangerous and potentially fatal decisions which ultimately have terrible consequences for their family or for other South Australians who they might indiscriminately hurt or kill.

We know there are road users out there who think the worst thing about being stopped by police is receiving a fine, but we know there are far worse things. Police are doing everything we can”.

On Monday SAPOL’s latest enforcement campaign Operation Fatal Distraction will come into force and it and run between Monday 4 August and Friday 9 August 2019.

“We need to strongly reinforce our language – distraction on our roads lead to people dying.

This is a blitz on distracted drivers and we make no apology for using every tactic – both overt and covert at our disposal. Every available member of the Traffic Support Branch, assisted by operational police across the state, will be focused on stopping selfish and dangerous drivers from killing themselves and others”, he said.

Police will be out and about in a range of different locations; using a diverse range of different tactics; and will focus on all distraction offences but primarily people using their mobile telephones whilst driving.

From 1 July the expiation fee for using a handheld mobile while driving was raised to $534, plus a $60 Victims of Crime Levy and three demerit points.

STAY SAFE out there, drivers. We are always happy to help in any way we can, but road safety is #1 on our priority list. Give us a call if you need help fixing those dents and scratches and make your car look like new.

When Assessing anything we invest in, whether it’s a car, home, insurance policy, or even just a pair of shoes most of us think to ourselves “Is this worth the money I’m paying?”

My dad Ross, who started what is now DPP 47 years ago was a big fan of the saying “You get what you pay for” and I’m sure you’ve read, or heard those words more than once or twice. I certainly have.

But it really is true, finding value in something we spend our money on is what motivates us to invest in it. My Dad saw enormous value in investing in R CONDO & SONS back in the ’70s and I’m so glad he did.

“Price is what you pay, Value is what you get”

There is a wide variety of car repairing methods, providers and prices to choose from. As your car and health are investments, its pays to also invest in quality car repairs.

Having a job done improperly because of being sold on price can, ironically, be the most expensive mistake you make when it comes to repairing your car.

When you are involved in a collision that compromises the integrity of your car’s worthiness it should come as no surprise that in order to have it on the road again in its best and safest condition you cannot afford to cut corners. If the body of the car has been twisted or warped during an accident it is simply a matter of time before it either falls apart around you, or in the case of being in another accident, doesn’t protect you and your passengers from harm.
This has cost people their lives, all for the sake of saving a couple of dollars.

(The first 2 of) Five Common Mistakes When Choosing a Repairer

In an ongoing effort to help you choose the very best repairer for you and your car, we put together a little consumer guide – available to view by clicking here. It’s very comprehensive, but we know you can get busy and quickly, so we decided to share some of the 13 page guide with you in little bit sized morsels. We hope you can avoid the 5 most commonly made mistakes for the first two keep reading…
Being Directed By Your Insurance Company

As mentioned in “Car Repair Misconceptions” your insurance company isn’t always going to recommend the best repairer for your car, often they just send you to whichever repairer can limit their expenses as much as possible. As we are all aware insurance companies make their money by charging us a premium, and when we damage our car or someone else’s they help us out by paying for repairs, or at least part of them. So, as they already have your money, they obviously want to limit the money they pay back. As such, they are looking for the best deal for themselves.

So does this mean I can use any repairer I CHOOSE?

Absolutely, as long as you have “Freedom of choice” as part of your policy. If you don’t have this option it may end up being very costly. Be sure to check carefully when renewing your policy.

When you contact your insurance company and let them know exactly what happened it’s important to make it clear that you have a repairer that you wish to use, and will be going in to get a quote from them to get yourself back on the road as soon as possible. They will try and convince you to stay with their repairers; generally, this will be a repairer that you’re unfamiliar with. Why should you have to go with someone you don’t trust, to save your insurance company a few bucks?

REMEMBER: It’s YOUR Car and YOUR decision. Don’t let them pressure you into doing what is most profitable for THEM.
Choosing the cheapest option
We see all sorts of problems from people choosing the lowest bidder when it comes to having their cars repaired. More often than not we are called in to pick up the pieces!

You should NEVER choose a car repairer that offers an unbelievably low price to fix your car. The two most common problems are:

The company does not have the correct equipment or expertise to repair your car properly and only ends up doing half the job, leaving all sorts of imperfections that will slowly destroy the metal work, paintwork and possibly the overall integrity of your car’s structure and stability.

The advertised price is just their “get you in the door” price. Once you walk through the door and have them look at your car it suddenly turns out that there are all sorts of other fees and charges required if you want your car repaired properly.
To ensure neither of these things happens to you, be sure to fully investigate what the price includes and what methods the company will be using to repair your car.

Balhannah:

Woodside, Woodside North, Lobethal, Birdwood, Mount Torrens, Lenswood, Charleston, Cherryville, Oakbank, Balhannah, Harrogate, Brukunga, Bridgewater, Hahndorf, Mount Barker, Nairne, Littlehampton, Gumeracha, Cudlee Creek, Uraidla, Adelaide Hills, Mount Pleasant, Mannum, Kanmantoo, Wistow, Stirling, Aldgate, Crafers.

Contact us at Woodside today to discuss your crash repair needs.

Stepney:

Stepney, Magill, Norwood, St. Morris, College Park, Maylands, Kent town, Adelaide, Trinity Gardens, Kensington, Kensington Gardens, Kensington Park, Rostrevor, North Adelaide, Hackney, Evandale, Gilberton, Walkerville, Rose Park, Toorak Gardens, Leabrook, Rosslyn Park, Burnside, Wattle Park, Beulah Park, Payneham, Payneham South, Newton, Marden, Royston Park, Walkerville, Eastwood, Dulwich, Glenside, Tusmore, Heathpool, Vale Park, Parkside, Eastwood.

Contact us at Stepney today to discuss your crash repair needs.

So often we have people calling or coming in telling us that they had gone to see the repairer that their insurance company recommended – surprise, they weren’t pleased with the job they were pressured into. There are many of us RAA approved repairers around Adelaide, and it’s important to find the best one for you. Below is an excerpt from a consumer awareness guide we released so consumers in Adelaide could choose a repairer right for them.

Insurance Companies Know Best
Many people have the attitude that insurance companies will only send crash repair work to the best, most reputable repairers. More often than not, this is NOT the case. The theory most people make up is that their insurance company will refer you to a good repairer in order for you not needing follow up repairs should the repair work be subpar. The harsh reality is that most of the big insurance companies will send you to have the repairer that will cost them the least amount of money. After you have paid your premiums insurance companies are reluctant to pay any back, which is why so many send you to less than great repairers. Quite often insurance companies will have their assessors come up with the lowest possible price to fix your car. This leaves the repairer no option but to cut corners with their repairs.
This includes:

•  Gluing broken parts back together
•  Reusing worn parts
• Using cheap imitation parts

While this is the WORST POSSIBLE WAY to fix your car, often the repairer has no choice otherwise, they cease to get the insurers work. A real “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” situation. They take the risk that YOUR car won’t be fixed properly in order to save themselves an absolute bundle. Although that really isn’t fair to you (or your car). If you have a “freedom of choice” option as part of your policy it means you have the choice of any repairer you like. Most people don’t realise this and are coerced by their insurers to go with whoever is recommended. This can be a costly mistake. BE SURE TO FIND A INSURER THAT HAS FREEDOM OF CHOICE It’s YOUR Car, and YOUR decision. Don’t let them pressure you into doing what is most profitable for THEM.

Balhannah:

Woodside, Woodside North, Lobethal, Birdwood, Mount Torrens, Lenswood, Charleston, Cherryville, Oakbank, Balhannah, Harrogate, Brukunga, Bridgewater, Hahndorf, Mount Barker, Nairne, Littlehampton, Gumeracha, Cudlee Creek, Uraidla, Adelaide Hills, Mount Pleasant, Mannum, Kanmantoo, Wistow, Stirling, Aldgate, Crafers.

Contact us at Woodside today to discuss your crash repair needs.

Stepney:

Stepney, Magill, Norwood, St. Morris, College Park, Maylands, Kent town, Adelaide, Trinity Gardens, Kensington, Kensington Gardens, Kensington Park, Rostrevor, North Adelaide, Hackney, Evandale, Gilberton, Walkerville, Rose Park, Toorak Gardens, Leabrook, Rosslyn Park, Burnside, Wattle Park, Beulah Park, Payneham, Payneham South, Newton, Marden, Royston Park, Walkerville, Eastwood, Dulwich, Glenside, Tusmore, Heathpool, Vale Park, Parkside, Eastwood.

Contact us at Stepney today to discuss your crash repair needs.

Wishing all a Merry Christmas and Safe Holiday Break

The Holiday Season is HERE

The time for relaxation, family, and giving is almost upon us, and as a proudly family owned and operated business Dynamic Paint N Panel wish you a very happy holiday and safe travel to and from wherever you may be this Christmas season. It is important to us that our valued employees can spend time with their family too, and as such we will be taking a brief hiatus from the 20th of December until the 9th of January. We hope you have a wonderful and safe holiday.

Still looking for gifts?

Check out DPP’s new sister company Custom Culture Co, specialists in fully customised resprays, rebuilds, and revamps. not to mention an AWESOME clothing line. Check out our most popular hats, t-shirts, and tanks here 

The weather is getting cooler, and the leaves are turning beautiful hues of reds, oranges, and browns, it makes is an absolutely perfect time to get behind the wheel and enjoy all the beauty South Australia has to offer. Here are a couple of helpful tips to keep in mind in order to stay safe on the roads this Autumn.

Although the rain hasn’t quite hit us yet, when it does rain the road conditions will change, and fast. All of those beautiful leaves we see fall start to build up on roads, paths and driveways, and while they make a lovely crunching sounds when they are crisp and dry as soon as we have any sort of rain they become incredibly slippery, reducing traction and control not only while slowing down and braking, but also when accelerating, making it harder to remove yourself from harm’s way.

With Autumn we also say goodbye to daylight savings, resulting in shorter days and the increased likelihood of driving home in the dark. Although most of us are quite comfortable with driving in the dark we still have to deal with rush hour in the early evening hours, not to mention that early Autumn is still an incredibly popular time for cyclists to be using the roads to commute to and from work.

While daylight savings doesn’t end until April 2nd this year, now is a great time to change your wiper blades, check tyre pressure and ensure your car is ready for the change of weather before it arrives.

As usual, if you need some help with some minor (or major, we do it all) dent or scratch removal, just give us a call, or come and drop by. All quotes are FREE and we’d love to see how we can help. So why wait, show your car some love, take it for a spin and drop in for a visit.

Got a Dent or Scratch? Come in and see us today, or give us a call at 8362 3882 we’d love to hear from you!

Woodside:

Woodside, Woodside North, Lobethal, Birdwood, Mount Torrens, Lenswood, Charleston, Cherryville, Oakbank, Balhannah, Harrogate, Brukunga, Bridgewater, Hahndorf, Mount Barker, Nairne, Littlehampton, Gumeracha, Cudlee Creek, Uraidla, Adelaide Hills, Mount Pleasant, Mannum, Kanmantoo, Wistow, Stirling, Aldgate, Crafers.

Contact us at Woodside today to discuss your crash repair needs.

Stepney:

Stepney, magill, norwood, St. Morris, College Park, Maylands, Kent town, Adelaide, Trinity Gardens, Kensington, Kensington Gardens, Kensington Park, Rostrevor, North Adelaide, Hackney, Evandale, Gilberton, Walkerville, Rose Park, Toorak Gardens, Leabrook, Rosslyn Park, Burnside, Wattle Park, Beulah Park, Payneham, Payneham South, Newton, Marden, Royston Park, Walkerville, Eastwood, Dulwich, Glenside, Tusmore, Heathpool, Vale Park, Parkside, Eastwood.

Contact us at Stepney today to discuss your crash repair needs.