Are you willing to let a body shop inspect your work and report back to the owner? This includes all work whether it is wholesale or retail. If you are in New Mexico this is the case with the Used Car Inspection Regulation that went into effect on April 1, 2014. The NAPDRT has provided input to associations helping to work through this law. The input included terminology as well as what finished PDR should look like. The purpose of this rule is to; deter the misrepresentation of the age or condition of a motor vehicle in motor vehicle sale transactions; protect retail buyers from unfair and deceptive practices involving the misrepresentation of the age or condition of a motor vehicle in motor vehicle sale transactions through uniform disclosure of material information concerning the age or condition of a motor vehicle and provide to sellers clear legal standards as to what constitutes “to the best of seller’s knowledge” when selling motor vehicles to retail buyers. The attorney general has concluded that this rule is in the best interest of the health, safety and general welfare of the citizens of New Mexico.
How does this affect Paintless Dent Repair technicians? The law specifically states “Alteration” shall mean: the act or procedure of changing, modifying or repairing a motor vehicle’s cab, chassis or body; the condition resulting from changing, modifying or repairing a motor vehicle’s cab, chassis or body; or the modification to a motor vehicle’s cab, chassis, or body; the alteration may, but need not necessarily, be the result of wreck damage. Goods are altered if, as measured against the reasonable expectations of the consumer, the characteristics or value of the motor vehicle are affected in a meaningful way by the changes, modifications or repairs. ” The inspection facility, which mainly would include body shops to meet the requirements of the law, has to fill out and inspection form.
Automotive Service Association collision division assistant director and New Mexico body shop owner Scott Benavidez says, “We are seeing bad PDR and bad bumper spray jobs preformed at the back of dealer lots. We are pointing this out to potential purchasers of these vehicles. I know what good PDR looks like. I have an independent technician do PDR work at my shop. This is the type of work that gives a black eye to the PDR industry and collision industry as a whole.” There has been recent movement by a dealer association to have this law repealed. Benavidez adds “There are dealers who do not want to pay to have work properly preformed.” PDR professionals in most areas wholeheartedly agree.
