Working with Thatcham, USE* have recently completed an investigation into the creation of mechanical repair times for independent workshops.

Labour times for body repairs form an essential component of the car insurance business. However, low speed impact repairs are becoming more and more complex, leading to additional labour costs driven by the need to remove and replace multiple components which are not body parts (engine parts, or fittings such as headlamps or exterior trim) as integral steps in fulfilling a body repair. In order to support these ‘mechanical’ aspects of body repairs, mechanical repair times are needed.

Working together with Thatcham, USE* have recently completed a series of exercises creating these repair times using SRTD. Repairs were fully documented and photographed, and will form a basis for a future commercial venture providing repair information to independent repair workshops.