Dear Miss Diary,

No, I have not forgotten you but do forgive me. I have been overwhelmed with personal challenges, but will not bore you dear reader with such. I know the crazy shop sagas are what quench your thirst. (and mine sometimes) We have actually had mostly happy customers these last few weeks. None the less, I have some observations to share.

Back in the day, when one had an accident, one called insurance and paid the deductible and had the car repaired. Then, consumers got wiser and searched body shops to find one who charged a little less and perhaps they did not have to pay some or all of their deductible. Now, in our day, people come in and tell us the estimate is out of pocket, no insurance do they have. "I only want this fixed, not that, no cheap, not that dent....." and by the way, here is a copy of my insurance estimate. Usually dated before the date of my estimate....get it?

Now, we look at the insurance estimate and compare it to ours, and there is more repair, such as a new headlight, etc. and we ask the customer if they want us to do that. Back up...all hell will break loose! Of course they want all the work on the ins. estimate done, but they do not think they should pay one cent more than our original estimate!

Last week an insurance company called several times to see if Daisy had dropped her car yet. I said no, she kept calling and changing her apt. (That was my tip off that it was not "out of pocket". She picked up her insurance paid for rental several days before she dropped the car. The last time the insurance company called they asked me to double check as Daisy was on the other line swearing her car was here! I told her no, it was not. So Daisy dropped it the next morning. The is a doosie! I will exhale when her car is gone. She had the screaming fit over a piece of molding not on our estimate, but on her ins. estimate. I told her if she wanted it, she would have to pay for it. The screaming went on until I called the police. She promised to come back Monday AM and straighten me out with her uncle the sheriff. Folks, I prayed on Sunday that God would give her an Valium before Monday Morning. He did. She called and asked how much the part was, and said to order it and she would pay for it. Her car is not done yet, but I also pray that all goes well when she comes to get it. People, car insurance is not a profit center!!!!!!! Do not try to make money off your accident!!!! You can usually get it done quality and save some of your deductible, but do not look at as a way to make money.

Yours truly,

PS-next post the trials of Demmett Harpo