Local body shops are saying it could be 2027 by the time all the cars impacted by Greene County’s historic hail storm last week are fully repaired and back on the road.
Body shops are receiving calls by the hundreds and in many places there is no room on their lot for cars and trucks waiting to be repaired. Some shops are scheduling out estimates until mid-June just to be able to get the car looked at.
Then there’s a supply problem. Much of the aftermarket as well as factory production auto glass is a product of China. China is the largest supplier manufacturing tens of millions of units annually for both domestic and international demand.
Rental cars are nearly out of the question locally with some people going to St. Louis or Tulsa to rent a ride.
Thousands of insurance claims have been turned in with many cars being “totaled”. No word yet on the impact this will have on insurance rates.
Without a doubt, the hailstorm of Spring 2026 will have a lasting unpleasant memory in the mind of Greene County residents rivaled only by the ice storm of 2007.
(Picture courtesy of Pixaby)