News

A collision shop estimator reviewing a single written repair estimate with a car owner beside a damaged vehicle

Do You Have to Get Multiple Estimates for an In...

The old "get three estimates" rule is mostly a myth. Here is how the car insurance claim process really works, how many estimates you actually need, and how the adjuster's...

Do You Have to Get Multiple Estimates for an In...

The old "get three estimates" rule is mostly a myth. Here is how the car insurance claim process really works, how many estimates you actually need, and how the adjuster's...

A driver standing safely on the shoulder beside a lightly damaged car, hazard lights on, making a phone call after a minor collision

The First 10 Minutes After an Accident: Who to ...

A calm, ordered checklist for what to do after a car accident, who to call in the right sequence, and how calling your body shop early keeps the claim and...

The First 10 Minutes After an Accident: Who to ...

A calm, ordered checklist for what to do after a car accident, who to call in the right sequence, and how calling your body shop early keeps the claim and...

A gloved hand pointing to a paint code sticker on a car's driver door jamb

How Shops Match Your Car's Factory Paint Code

Your paint code is the starting point, not the finish line. Here is where to find it, how to read it, and how a real shop gets a new panel...

How Shops Match Your Car's Factory Paint Code

Your paint code is the starting point, not the finish line. Here is where to find it, how to read it, and how a real shop gets a new panel...

A Lakeside advisor handing loaner car keys to a customer outside a clean modern collision center

Free Loaner Cars During Your Repair: How It Works

Losing your car to the shop should not mean losing your week. Here is exactly how Lakeside's free loaner program works, who qualifies, and how to request one, free in...

Free Loaner Cars During Your Repair: How It Works

Losing your car to the shop should not mean losing your week. Here is exactly how Lakeside's free loaner program works, who qualifies, and how to request one, free in...

A technician inspecting damaged structure behind a removed front bumper cover, photographing parts that were hidden on the first estimate

Hidden Damage and Supplements: Keeping Your Cla...

The first estimate rarely tells the whole story. Here is what hidden damage is, what a car insurance supplement does, and how a certified shop keeps your claim moving without...

Hidden Damage and Supplements: Keeping Your Cla...

The first estimate rarely tells the whole story. Here is what hidden damage is, what a car insurance supplement does, and how a certified shop keeps your claim moving without...

Two similar car fenders side by side on a shop workbench, one with an OEM factory tag and one with a generic aftermarket label, beside a calculator showing two different cost totals

The Hidden Cost of Cheaper Aftermarket Parts

A cheaper part on the estimate looks like savings. Factor in the rework labor, the resale value you quietly lose, the safety-system exposure, and the warranty risk, and the math...

The Hidden Cost of Cheaper Aftermarket Parts

A cheaper part on the estimate looks like savings. Factor in the rework labor, the resale value you quietly lose, the safety-system exposure, and the warranty risk, and the math...