After You've Been in a Wreck, Finding a Body Shop
When your car is in need of professional repair, it’s important to find a dealer-referred auto body shop in your area. Your car is a major investment, and you can protect it and prevent future car problems by finding a reputable body shop, like Dave’s, that does high-quality repairs. Here are some of the key factors that you should consider when choosing an auto body shop.
It's not uncommon for estimates from different body shops to vary wildly. One shop might give you an estimate for $500 while another wants $2,000 for the work. What's the difference? And when is it OK to choose the cheaper shop?
Any business can advertise, but you'll do better with a shop that friends, family or acquaintances recommend. It's a business that has proven it can satisfy customers. And it might not be the biggest or best-known shop in your area.
In some cases, you might get a recommendation for a small shop where the owner works on the cars himself.
Angieslist.com, Yelp.com and Google reviews are useful sources to get a sense of a shop’s quality based on customer reviews, but take the online reviews with a grain of salt. You’ll want to pay attention to well-written, thought-out reviews – not nasty one-liners, since even the best businesses can end up with an unhappy customer from time to time. You may also be able to find discussion forums specific to your vehicle’s make and model where forum members can recommend good shops in your local area.
Some body shops and doctors – the ones that tend to favor insurance companies – will routinely downplay claims, minimize auto repair costs, use cheap parts, or even neglect to fully treat ailments…Sniff out good and bad service providers
And while it's important to protect against being overcharged, you shouldn't simply take the lowest quote. "You might get some kind of midnight guy who will say he can do it really cheap," he says. "Stay away from those guys, because there is something they're not doing. You could have major problems down the road."
You should never commit to any auto body repair services without first receiving an official price quote or estimate for the services. Your technician should be able to give you an honest and fair estimate of the cost of your auto body services. You should also feel free to shop around for a better deal.
The best shops do things by the book — literally. Body shops and garages use reference guides that estimate the number of hours required to perform common repairs.
"Let's say somebody has damage to their fender, bumper and headlight," Mallette tells us. "I go to my book, I write an estimate and I basically go by the hours mandated by the book."
By contrast, the higher-end shops might decide to charge for everything in "the gray area," meaning those things that they might have to do to fix the problem. In Mallette's example, high-end estimates might include a charge for time spent removing the hood and the door, while his judgment call is not to perform this additional work.
A one-year warranty is a minimum. His shop offers a two-year warranty for body work and a three-year warranty for complete paint jobs. Some shops offer lifetime warranties as a selling point, but that isn't realistic, he says.
"Most of the stipulations and conditions those warranties require are more restrictive than the majority of people can adhere to," he says. "So basically, the warranty becomes useless."
Another key question is whether the shop carries fire and theft insurance. You want to be sure you're covered if your car is destroyed, stolen or burglarized. Don't forget to ask how long the shop has been in business. Make sure it has a business license.
You will also want to know about the materials the shop intends to use. Are new, used or aftermarket body parts going to be used? New parts are obviously the best and used parts are fine, though they don't offer the savings people imagine. Depending on the damage to your vehicle, aftermarket parts can save a lot of money and can be just as good as the ones that come from the original manufacturer. If paint work is involved, ask how many coats of paint and clear coat the shop intends to use.
If you’ve been in an accident, it’s important to know that auto body shops have your best interests in mind – and the same goes for doctors. Unfortunately, some body shops and doctors – the ones that tend to favor insurance companies – will routinely downplay claims, minimize auto repair costs, use cheap parts, or even neglect to fully treat ailments. These practices can devalue your vehicle or prevent you from a full recovery following an injury.
It's not uncommon for estimates from different body shops to vary wildly. One shop might give you an estimate for $500 while another wants $2,000 for the work. What's the difference? And when is it OK to choose the cheaper shop?
Make Sure the Body Shop has Good Recommendations
Before your car needs collision repairs , you should begin looking for a quality body shop. You can ask friends and family for body shop recommendations, or ask your car dealer for a dealer-referred body shop. Check the online customer reviews for auto body shops before committing. Verify that the technicians are honest and knowledgeable, and that other customers were satisfied with their auto repairs.Any business can advertise, but you'll do better with a shop that friends, family or acquaintances recommend. It's a business that has proven it can satisfy customers. And it might not be the biggest or best-known shop in your area.
In some cases, you might get a recommendation for a small shop where the owner works on the cars himself.
Angieslist.com, Yelp.com and Google reviews are useful sources to get a sense of a shop’s quality based on customer reviews, but take the online reviews with a grain of salt. You’ll want to pay attention to well-written, thought-out reviews – not nasty one-liners, since even the best businesses can end up with an unhappy customer from time to time. You may also be able to find discussion forums specific to your vehicle’s make and model where forum members can recommend good shops in your local area.
Some body shops and doctors – the ones that tend to favor insurance companies – will routinely downplay claims, minimize auto repair costs, use cheap parts, or even neglect to fully treat ailments…Sniff out good and bad service providers
Verify the Technician’s Experience and Qualification
Next, you should verify that the technician at the auto body shop is experienced and qualified. You can also ask the technician if he has any specialized certifications, training, and advanced education. In order to provide repair and collision repair, auto body shops are required to comply with state licensing requirements and Motor Vehicle Enforcement Division guidelines. You can verify a body shop license via the website for your state’s Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing.Get Several Estimates
Taking your car to several auto body shops for repair quotes is the best way to avoid overcharges.And while it's important to protect against being overcharged, you shouldn't simply take the lowest quote. "You might get some kind of midnight guy who will say he can do it really cheap," he says. "Stay away from those guys, because there is something they're not doing. You could have major problems down the road."
You should never commit to any auto body repair services without first receiving an official price quote or estimate for the services. Your technician should be able to give you an honest and fair estimate of the cost of your auto body services. You should also feel free to shop around for a better deal.
Consider the Operation's Location and Overhead
Large body shops with a lot of front-office workers probably have to charge higher rates to pay their staff. While service delivered by front-desk folks, managers and foremen gives some people a feeling of confidence in the business, it can result in estimates that are padded with non-essential work. When they're charging more labor hours at a higher rate, your bill can add up quickly.The best shops do things by the book — literally. Body shops and garages use reference guides that estimate the number of hours required to perform common repairs.
"Let's say somebody has damage to their fender, bumper and headlight," Mallette tells us. "I go to my book, I write an estimate and I basically go by the hours mandated by the book."
By contrast, the higher-end shops might decide to charge for everything in "the gray area," meaning those things that they might have to do to fix the problem. In Mallette's example, high-end estimates might include a charge for time spent removing the hood and the door, while his judgment call is not to perform this additional work.
Ask the Right Questions
When choosing a body shop, don't go in with your pocketbook open. Does the shop provide a written warranty? And if so, for how long? What does the warranty cover?A one-year warranty is a minimum. His shop offers a two-year warranty for body work and a three-year warranty for complete paint jobs. Some shops offer lifetime warranties as a selling point, but that isn't realistic, he says.
"Most of the stipulations and conditions those warranties require are more restrictive than the majority of people can adhere to," he says. "So basically, the warranty becomes useless."
Another key question is whether the shop carries fire and theft insurance. You want to be sure you're covered if your car is destroyed, stolen or burglarized. Don't forget to ask how long the shop has been in business. Make sure it has a business license.
You will also want to know about the materials the shop intends to use. Are new, used or aftermarket body parts going to be used? New parts are obviously the best and used parts are fine, though they don't offer the savings people imagine. Depending on the damage to your vehicle, aftermarket parts can save a lot of money and can be just as good as the ones that come from the original manufacturer. If paint work is involved, ask how many coats of paint and clear coat the shop intends to use.
Follow Your Intuition
Finally, it's important to trust your intuition about the shop you're considering. If a shop isn't busy, maybe that's because customers are avoiding it because of shoddy repairs. If the place is really dirty, cluttered or disorganized, this might reflect the kind of work you could expect the shop to do with your car. Is the shop owner or manager a grouch who seems to resent answering your questions? You'll be happier with a shop where the owner communicates well and is straightforward with customers.If you’ve been in an accident, it’s important to know that auto body shops have your best interests in mind – and the same goes for doctors. Unfortunately, some body shops and doctors – the ones that tend to favor insurance companies – will routinely downplay claims, minimize auto repair costs, use cheap parts, or even neglect to fully treat ailments. These practices can devalue your vehicle or prevent you from a full recovery following an injury.
Comments
Post a Comment