Trick or Treat Times for Central Ohio

Here are some dates and times of “beggars night” for Central Ohio, including Franklin and Licking counties:

Franklin County

 

• Bexley: Oct 31st  5:30-7:30pm
• Canal Winchester: Oct 31st  5:30-7:30pm
• Clintonville: Oct 31st 5-8pm
• Columbus: Oct 31st 6-8pm
• Delaware: Oct  31st 6-8pm
• Dublin: Oct  31st  6-8pm
• Gahanna: Oct 31st  6-8pm
• Grandview Heights: Oct  31st 6-8pm
• Granville: Oct 27th 5:30-7pm
• Grove City: Oct  31st  6-8pm
• Groveport: Oct  27th 5:30-7pm
• Hilliard: Oct 31st  6-8pm
• Lewis Center: Oct 31st 6-8pm
• New Albany: Oct 31st  6-8pm
• Powell: Oct 31st  6-8pm
• Upper Arlington: Oct 31st  6-8pm
• Westerville: October 31st  6:30-8:30pm
• Worthington: October 31st  6-8pm

Licking County

• Alexandria: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31
• Buckeye Lake: 5:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 27
• Hanover: 5:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 27
• Heath: 5:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 27
• Mall-o-Ween, Indian Mound Mall: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31
• Hebron: 5:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31
• Granville: 5:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 27
• Johnstown: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31
• Kirkersville: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31
• Newark: 5:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 27
• Safe Trick or Treat on the Courthouse Square: 5 to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 27
• Pataskala: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31
• St. Louisville: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31
• Utica: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31

Worth repairing my Car? Who knows?

There are a couple of sources you can read to determine the depreciated value of a new or used car. One such book is put out by the National Association of Automobile Dealers and the other is the Kelley Blue Book.

Whenever you file a claim, an insurance company will send out an adjustor who will examine the damage to your vehicle and figure out your loss and what it will cost to repair it. Once the adjuster gives you an estimate, you can then compare it to an estimate from a reputable repair shop, like Keen’s Body Shop in Columbus, Ohio. The insurance company will not expect you to jump at their first offer. You should first satisfactorily determine how much it will cost to repair your vehicle and not simply take the insurance company’s word for it.

You are not required to have repairs performed at a particular repair facility but at least one estimate could be required before work can commence. The insurer will likely accept the lowest bid but if you feel that won’t be enough to adequately repair your car, you can refuse their offer.

An insurer can also try to reduce a claim’s amount if your older car is fixed with new parts. They can cite that by repairing your less valuable car with brand new parts, your car’s value has actually increased and they can reduce a claim by the difference between the new part and an old one. This is called betterment.

If it costs more to repair your car than its actual cash value (ACV), the insurance company may declare it a total loss and pay you the book value. Most insurance companies won’t pay to repair a vehicle if it cost more than its worth. <p>
If your car is completely totaled, you may argue your car is worth more based solely on the parts used to construct it. In order to seek a higher settlement, you will need to present evidence including service records, mileage, as well as statements from mechanics to prove your car was worth more.

Keen’s Body Shop now on Facebook…

Keen’s Body Shop is now on Facebook Pages.  You can visit our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Keens-Body-Shop/117642684987307, or visit our website at http://www.KeensBodyShop.com and click on the Facebook Icon.

We give FREE ESTIMATES, so don’t hesitate to contact us for a better, professional opinion and service.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Keen’s Body Shop wants to wish everyone a Happy New Year and would like to offer it’s customers a $50 OFF coupon on services. Just go to our website and
click on “Extras | Coupons”, print off a coupon and bring it in.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Keen’s Body Shop wants to wish all it’s customers a safe and happy Holiday Season. Keep an eye out for informative blog posts.

Happy Holidays
Keen’s Body Shop

PPG – Paint Durability

As a PPG Certified Collision Repair Center, Keens Body Shop uses a paint refinish system made by the world leader in automotive finishes – and it backs up its quality work with the Lifetime PPG Paint Performance Guarantee.

That’s right. PPG guarantees the durability of any paint work performed to its certification standards for as long as you own your vehicle. The Guarantee covers the areas of your vehicle which are refinished beginning the day the vehicle is delivered from this certified shop back to you. It provides full coverage for the following:

• Peeling or delamination of the top coat and/or other layers of paint.
• Cracking or checking.
• Loss of gloss caused by cracking, checking or hazing.
• Any paint failure caused by defective PPG automotive refinish products.

PPG Industries, Inc. formerly known as Pittsburgh Plate Glass, is a worldwide supplier of automotive and house paint as well as industrial coatings, fiberglass, glass and chemicals.

PPG’s sterling reputation for quality is a good reason why almost every car manufacturer across the globe utilizes PPG coatings technology on their new vehicle finishes.

This close working relationship with automotive manufacturers gives PPG the inside track on developing exact color matches and the right paint technology required to repair your vehicle’s finish.

You probably see our paint everyday!

From new family cars and minivans to over-the-road haulers and 200-mph race machines, there are millions of vehicles on the road today wearing a coat of PPG automotive paint.

Glamorous color, deep gloss and impressive durability are good reasons why PPG paint is so popular. In fact, the Deltron Basecoat-Clearcoat system from PPG is the number one choice of collision repair shops across North America.

PPG popularity extends off road and onto the race track where if you’ve watched the Indy 500 you’ve seen our paint finishes. We are proud to say that all race teams participating in the FedEx Championship Series for the PPG Cup and the PPG/Dayton Indy Lights Championship race series insist on a paint finish from PPG.

Visit the PPG Official Website by clicking here.

 

Aftermarket Versus OEM Car Parts

Aftermarket Versus Manufacturer (OEM) Car Parts

Is the Extra Cost Worth It?

When you take your car to the dealership’s service department for repairs, you know you’re getting Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) car parts. However, if you take your car to an independent shop, you’ll most likely get aftermarket car parts. Is there anything wrong with that? Does a less expensive part mean a poorer-quality part? And in what situations should you use only OEM parts?

To answer these questions, we’ve created a list of pros and cons to help you make a more informed decision when choosing what parts go into your car. In this way, you can strike a balance between cost and quality.

Aftermarket Parts
An aftermarket part is any part for a vehicle that is not sourced from the car’s maker. If the parts are direct replacement parts, they will not void your car’s warranty. A number of companies make parts designed to function the same, or in some cases even better than the original. Tom Torbjornsen, host of America’s Car Show, estimates that about 80 percent of independent shops use aftermarket parts. “Be an informed consumer,” said Torbjornsen.”Shop around, make sure you’re dealing with a good mechanic and request high-quality aftermarket parts.”

PROS

• Less expensive: Aftermarket parts are usually less expensive than OEM parts; how much you save varies by brand. Shop around to find the best price and to get an idea of how much that part usually costs. If the price of a part seems too good to be true, ask questions about its quality.
• Quality can be equal to or greater than OEM: In some cases, you may end up with a better part than you started with. “The aftermarket companies reverse-engineer the part, and work the weaknesses out,” said Torbjornsen. For example, when an automaker designs its brake pads, it has to strike a balance between cost, durability, noise levels and performance. If you want better performance and don’t mind some extra brake noise (some brake pads squeak even though they are stopping the car effectively), an aftermarket pad may be your best choice.
• More variety: There are hundreds of companies that make aftermarket parts. Some specialize in specific parts, and other companies, like NAPA, make almost any part you can think of. More variety means greater selection and a wider range of prices.
• Better availability: You can walk into any gas station, auto parts store or local mechanic, and they’re bound to have a part that fits your car. This gives you more options on where to take your car for service.

 

CONS

• Quality varies greatly: The saying “you get what you pay for” rings true here. Some aftermarket parts are inferior because of the use of lower-quality materials. Stick with aftermarket brands you’re familiar with or are recommended by a mechanic you trust, even if these parts cost a bit more.
• Overwhelming selection: If you’re not familiar with aftermarket brands, the selection could be overwhelming, and there’s some chance you may get a bad quality part. Even a part as simple as a spark plug can be made by dozens of different companies and comes in numerous variations. Consult your mechanic for advice or simply stick with the OEM part when the price difference isn’t significant.
• May not have a warranty: To keep costs down, some aftermarket parts are sold without a warranty.

 

OEM Parts
OEM parts are made by the vehicle’s manufacturer. These match the parts that came with your vehicle when it rolled off the assembly line.

PROS

• Easier to choose your part: If you go to the parts counter at a dealership and ask for any part, you’ll usually get one type. You don’t have to worry about assessing the quality of different brands and prices.
• Greater assurance of quality: The OEM part should work exactly as the one you are replacing. It is what the vehicle was manufactured with and provides a peace of mind in its familiarity and performance.
• Comes with a warranty: Most automakers back up their OEM parts with a one-year warranty. And if you get your car repaired at the dealer, they’ll usually stand by their labor as well.

 

CONS

• More expensive: OEM parts will usually cost more than an aftermarket part. When it comes to bodywork, OEM parts tend to cost about 60 percent more, according to the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI). There is more of a burden on parts and service to increase a dealership’s profit, since the sales departments have been underperforming. But the gap in pricing might be closing, says Torbjornsen. “We’ve seen a balance in the scales; dealers are now trying to compete with independent shops.”
• Need to be bought at the dealership: Even though there are other ways of buying OEM parts (eBay, online wholesalers), most people will go to a dealership to buy their car parts. This limits the number of places you can buy from. You can request OEM parts from your local mechanic, but it may take longer to get your vehicle repaired since the parts must be ordered.
• Quality may not be superior: You paid the extra money for an OEM part, hoping that it was vastly better than an aftermarket part. But that may not always be the case. As Torbjornsen mentioned earlier, some aftermarket parts are equal to or in some cases better than OEM parts. So you might be paying extra just for the name.

We’re blogging…

We here at Keen’s Body Shop, Columbus Ohio’s finest Auto Body and Collision Repair facility, want to welcome you to our new blog.

Please visit our website at http://KeensBodyShop.com for more information regarding our business or if you want to contact us.