Some of the biggest questions people come across have to do with repairing their vehicles. Many times people are confused and don’t know how to choose the right body shop. What process should I follow to choose the right vehicle repair shop? What questions should I consider?
What value do I get for my auto body repair?
The most important question in determining which auto body repair shops is: What value do I get from having my vehicle repaired here? Many body shops are looking for unsuspecting customers and ways to increase their budget. Often times auto body shops will offer the lowest price because they know this will attract customers. Unfortunately, from a customer’s point of view, going for the lowest price isn’t always the way to go.
Daniel T., vice president of National Auto Parts, in Dallas, Texas, agrees that doing this will only create more problems with cars down the road. “Getting your vehicle fixed is always about what you get in return. These days, body shops continue to push the limits of their customers to see how much more they can get away with. At this point, the body shop knows exactly what you are doing. Does the customer need to know better?”
What can I do to protect myself?
One solution that has gained a lot of traction recently is to hire a third party to help you in this area. There are some good car accident consultants that will help you figure out what is being put into your vehicle and how the vehicle is being fixed. When looking for a good car accident consultant, it is imperative to select one that will give you a lot of information about the repair and the product being used. Using these specialists provides visibility into an area with many questions.
Another way is to look for a detailed report of the work done on the vehicle and review the warranty offered by the shop. When you are in an accident every insurance gives you a damage assessment, take a look at the sheets and read to see what product they have listed for use. Sporadically, body shops will try to use cheaper parts to make more money. Requesting the use of what is listed in your insurance assessment is not unusual and will help protect against this. When it comes to warranties, most legitimate body shops will have a comprehensive warranty and will stand behind their work.
Where should I look for the body shop?
Driving to the nice off-road auto body repair shops can be convenient, but doing this often increases the price of the job. “All businesses have costs and are there to make money. With this assumption, you have to believe that any cost a business incurs will be passed on to its consumer,” says Daniel. Getting off the freeway and looking more into the city gives any prospective client a better chance of keeping labor costs down. Labor hourly prices can vary wildly from $30 to $100 for the same type of labor. Don’t misunderstand that the store may not look the best, but you can be sure that going this route will provide you with good value for money.