By admin 
PEORIA, AZ (AZFamily) — Wednesday’s hailstorm damaged vehicles across the Valley, sending drivers to body shops for repairs.
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“The phone calls came in probably within the first hour of the storm hitting,” said Keith McKay, general manager of Autobody Solutions Peoria.
Damage varies by vehicle
McKay said the damage is different from car to car. Some vehicles have dings, while others have windshields busted through.
“We’ve been getting their customers calling us right away in the Valley because a lot of people were getting this type of damage to where their cars. They had such damage they couldn’t drive them,” McKay said.
Some vehicles were damaged to the point they had to be towed into the shop rather than driven in.
Hidden damage possible
McKay said hail damage is not always limited to visible dents and dings.
“Once the vehicle comes in and we get underneath fluorescent lights, better lighting, we use grids, it’ll expose more damage,” McKay said.
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McKay said there could be more damage underneath what is initially visible.
Repair timelines vary
McKay said how long repairs take depends on the extent of the damage and how quickly parts and insurance can catch up. For extreme damage cases, McKay estimated one car he showed Arizona’s Family could take up to a month to repair.
“Everybody just needs to be patient. You know, there’s a lot of people are in the same boat as everybody else right now,” McKay said.
For drivers, that means taking pictures, calling their insurance company and getting in line at a shop they trust.
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