Higher-tech cars cost more for auto repairs

It’s your money, and you’re spending more of it on added safety features in new cars, but you may be paying more when that car gets in a crash

According to American Automobile Association (AAA), you can pay as much as $3,000 more to fix windshields, bumpers and door mirrors on higher-tech cars.

You just bought a car hooked up with all the latest safety features. Suddenly, you’re in a fender bender and come to find out those safety features are turning a cheaper repair into a major expense.

AAA said after a crash, features, such as automatic emergency braking and blind spot monitoring, can cost more than twice as much to repair than a car without them.

“They’re additional safety features, so I figured … we’d get points for it, ya know?” Rebecca Herbert said.

Replacing broken parts is simple, but the tools and special training involved in recalibrating some of these features is what racks up the big bucks.

“I don’t think anyone thinks along that line when they’re purchasing a vehicle with all those added safety features; what’s it going to cost when I get into an accident, on replacing them or fixing them?” Robert Lynch said.

It’s important to review your insurance policy and consider potential repair costs ahead of adding them on. Whatever you decide, it could save in more ways than one.