Case study
Sprinter conversion collision where the aftermarket build had to be documented separately
Left side impact from a merging vehicle on the SR-60 corridor. Factory sheet metal damage was straightforward. The complication was the interior: an owner built galley, a lithium electrical system and a fixed bed platform, none of which appeared on any factory parts list, and all of which were damaged. Two prior shops declined the job for that reason.
Vehicle
Mercedes Sprinter 3500 170 inch extended, owner built camper conversion
Price band
$8,000 to $60,000 plus
Calendar time
3 to 8 weeks
Operations
What the job actually consisted of
- Priced collision teardown with the interior build photographed and inventoried line by line
- Aftermarket cabinetry, wiring and bed platform itemized separately from factory sheet metal
- Sliding door track, roller and lower rail replaced, door alignment measured to spec
- Left side panel and B pillar reinforcement repaired, structural welds by certified personnel
- Lithium bank isolated and the DC to DC charge path inspected before any welding began
- Galley cabinetry rebuilt to the original geometry in the shop's own cabinet department
- ADAS sensors scanned and recalibrated after the bumper and windshield work was complete
Outcome
How it ended
The carrier paid both the factory repair and the documented aftermarket build because the estimate separated them with photographs and receipts rather than burying them in a single line. A shop that can do body work usually cannot document a conversion, and a shop that understands the build usually cannot do structural work.
More
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Is your vehicle in the same situation
Match on construction type and failure mode, not on the badge. We are 18.4 miles from Hacienda Heights via SR-60 west to Fullerton Rd, then south to La Palma Ave.