MRC build, localise and manage a national centralised database of automobile parts prices and repair times for use as a standard in the processing and recording of automobile claims. The database is mirrored after the internationally recognised Thatcham’s PLAZA Parts System and PLAZA Times System from United Kingdom.
The PLAZA Parts System is a comprehensive vehicle parts price database structure. It utilises manufacturers' part numbers and up-to-date retail prices, whilst applying MRC's generic parts descriptions to allow ease of parts identification for the preparation of a repair estimate.
Where applicable, the data from the PLAZA Times System is imported and linked to manufacturers' part numbers and prices to provide a complete dataset ready for implementation within an estimating system. When parts price changes and supersessions are received, these are automatically tracked and maintained by PLAZA Parts System, enabling trends to be monitored or a price history to be generated.
The PLAZA Times System is a comprehensive database for use in estimating the time required to remove and replace vehicle panels and parts. It also incorporates the repair methodology to meet manufacturers’ specifications. There are two types of PLAZA Times System:
Both times contain:
Currently, the MRC Automotive Database has parts prices of over 2,500 derivatives (car model variants) from 34 makes (manufacturers, brands or marques), which covers more than 90% of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles on Malaysian road today National Claims Volume figures derived from MRC's iCAP Claims Database 2019). The makes are:
