A New Form of Sticker Shock

The pace of automotive technology often amazes me. This summer, Volvo’s revamped XC90 sport utility vehicle hits dealerships with a Blind Spot Information System, complete with door-mounted cameras that warn drivers when a lane change could land them in tomorrow’s obituaries. In the fall, Lexus will roll out a 2007 LS 460 sedan packing more accident-prevention measures than a third-grade science fair.

Much as I welcome new gadgets, I wonder what effect they have on repair costs. I called dealerships in Atlanta, Chicago and Los Angeles to find out.

Round one: Rear bumpers equipped with backup parking assist are an increasingly popular option these days. The car beeps more rapidly the closer you get to an object — presumably a car — behind you. The Buick LaCrosse sedan has an available system with embedded ultrasonic sensors. Parts and labor averaged $573 to replace a sensor-free LaCrosse bumper; replacing one with backup parking assist cost $606, a modest increase given the system presumably lowers the chance of crunching it.

More troubling was my second pick: feature-laden side mirrors. Toyota’s Sienna minivan seemed an ideal guinea pig. The base Sienna CE has black plastic mirrors that are electrically adjustable, while the top-of-the-line Sienna Limited holds much pricier danglers — they’re heated, color-keyed, automatically dimming and electrically adjustable, not to mention they power inward at the touch of a button. Oh, and they have integrated turn signals and puddle lamps. The replacement cost? It’s $367 for the basic mirror, $656 for the deluxe one.

For folks who shell out the extra $12,405 that separates a 2006 Sienna CE and Limited — or any amount between a base car and its option-loaded twin — repair bills like these could present an entirely new round of sticker shock.

Comments

[ChicagoEd]

You raise good points, but I wonder: Over time, as these advances become more commonplace, won't the cost to fix them drop in kind?

[Kelsey M]

With high-tech items still confined to a small group of cars -- such as adaptive cruise control or rearview cameras -- eventual cost structures could allow repair fees to drop. But with items such as aluminum/carbon fiber panels or side mirrors with puddle lamps, I don't think the extra material costs are as likely to diminish. Consider that crunching someone's rear end costs much more to repair if they have a decklid spoiler, and that's not likely to change in the next 10 years for the simple fact it's an extra piece to replace.