Why Missed Damage Is Costing Dealerships More Than They Think

Every dealership has had one: a vehicle that made it through reconditioning only to end up back in the service lane for something that was missed. A worn tire. A scrape under the bumper. A cracked panel that didn’t show up in a quick walkaround.

At first glance, these feel like small oversights. But when they start to stack up, they hit harder than most realize—in both time and money.

The Hidden Cost of Overlooked Issues

Missed damage can cause rework, increase time-to-line, and chip away at profit margin. That small underbody crack? It might lead to a parts order delay. A missed tire issue? It can lower your used car gross or even trigger a comeback.

When you’re trying to keep inventory moving, the goal is to price and prep vehicles right the first time. Every time a recon team has to circle back, it pulls techs off other jobs and slows the rhythm of the lane.

And then there’s the customer side. When post-sale issues pop up that could have been caught earlier, it affects CSI scores and leads to uncomfortable conversations for the sales team.

Where the Gaps Come From

Most of the time, missed damage isn’t due to a lack of care—it’s a result of process pressure. Teams are moving fast, inventory’s piling up, and not every inspection is as thorough as it should be.

Weather and lighting conditions can also play a role, especially during walkarounds. Some types of damage—like underbody corrosion or tread imbalance—are just hard to spot without tools or the right vantage point.

How Dealerships Are Rethinking Inspections

To keep things moving and avoid costly surprises, more dealers are looking at ways to make the inspection process faster and more consistent.

That doesn’t always mean adding staff. In many cases, it’s about giving existing teams better tools. Whether it’s tech that checks tire depth, systems that document damage visually, or platforms that flag concerns before the car hits recon—small changes can add up.

Where UVeye Fits In

At UVeye, we work with dealerships that want fewer misses and more margin. Our drive-through inspection systems scan the vehicle’s underbody, tires, and exterior in seconds—capturing details that often slip past the human eye.

For service teams, that means faster diagnostics. For recon managers, it means fewer delays. And for sales teams, it’s one less thing to worry about during delivery.

In a market where every hour counts and every dollar matters, reducing missed damage isn’t just about better inspections—it’s about running a sharper operation from end to end.