It’s always a bummer to experience a crash or even a minor bump that will damage your vehicle. You need to go to a body shop and repair what happens to be broken. See more about it here.
Choosing a body shop is not easy if you never needed to go to one. There are lots of them all around your area, so you must know which one is best for you. You can’t just drive into the first one you see, because there are issues to have in mind.
In this article, we’re going to share exactly six tips for finding the perfect one. If you want to know how to find the best car body shop repair, then you need to keep on reading. Stay tuned and find out what must be considered before making the final move!
1. Mind the location
Even though we said you can’t just drive into the first one, you should still know that those located near you are always a better option than those located further. The reason for this is purely practical.
What does this mean? It means that when you leave your vehicle for repairs, you need to get to your home or office somehow. People who drive regularly are going to struggle walking to the required place and to get a public transport option is also questionable.
In other words, you should look for a close shop that will make it easier for you to get to and from it. Also, being closer will make it super easy for you to make a quick inspection of how the work is going on.
2. Check who your car insurance works with
There’s no reason to pay everything out of your pocket if you have the insurance to cover at least some of the damage. That’s why the first place you should call after the accident is the insurance company. See what your options are and make sure you do the right thing.
The insurance companies work with various body shops, but not all of them. So, if the insurance works with a couple of them in the area, it will be better to choose some of these instead of the one you first had in mind.
Having someone to pay part of the bill, or the entire thing should be on top of your priorities when you’re searching for the right insurance.
3. Read online reviews about their work
If you want to find out who’s good and who’s not, you should open some of the many car websites or company review pages. There, people share the experience they had with various body shops.
Run the names of those closest to you in the system. See what people think about them. For example, the BBB network will give you a clear answer about how good a particular body shop is. If the score is below A, it means they are not good for you.
Also, check out pages like Yelp, or Trustpilot, where people share their personal experiences with different places. All kinds of companies are available for reviews there. Many of the local businesses you’re interested in will also be reviewed by their clients, so throw a quick look into them.
4. Look into their previous work
One of the ways to find out whether they do a great job is to see if they’ve been uploading their work online. Find the candidate’s webpage, or social networks profile, and see how their job looks like. If you don’t like what you see, then in person it will probably be even worse.
If their work looks spotless in the pictures, it means they are doing a great job. Through the images, you’ll be able to find out if they offer services that you didn’t know of and you might be interested in. So, pay attention to their portfolio and their previous work.
5. Consider only certified shops
Even though bodywork is bodywork, it’s not rocket science, you should still opt for those who are licensed and certified for working on your car. For example, if you’re driving a Chevy, you should search for the best body shop repair in Prattville that is certified for these vehicles.
Don’t accept someone who’s skilled in Toyota but accepts to work on your car. They are not obliged to do a great job and no one will control how they work. On the other hand, certified shops always have inspections and overseeing by the companies who certified them.
6. Ask if they offer a warranty
Imagine that you pay thousands of dollars, and one day after a few weeks, you see the paint coming off at the place where the repair was done. You don’t want to go back and realize that you need to spend an equal amount on fixing something that’s not your fault.
This is why people always ask for a warranty. The warranty is a sure way to know that the repair was done professionally and there’s nothing that can happen in the future. Even if it does, though, the same person that worked on your vehicle will fix the problem immediately.
We’re people, and we make mistakes from time to time. It’s normal, but you’re not supposed to be the one that will pay for someone else’s mistake. That’s why you should always ask for a warranty on their craftsmanship. See here why warranties are crucial for you: https://classroom.synonym.com/warranties-important-9376.html.
Conclusion
The six tips from above are your foundation when looking for a body shop to repair your vehicle. Follow them, and you can’t go wrong. Make sure you locate a nearby business and check out if they do a good job.
See what other people think about it, and ask the insurance company if they will cover the expenses. Or at least some of them. Ask for a warranty and wait some time until it’s repaired. That’s it, you ready to get back on the road again.