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Health & Fitness

What to look for in an Auto Body shop. Do you expect or assume a quality repair?

Trying to make an educated decision on what Auto Body shop to use can be very frustrating. Let me help with some things to look for and others to avoid.

There was a time when if you were involved in an auto accident you would wait for the police to come, answer their questions at the accident scene, go home if you were able or otherwise have your vehilce towed and explain to your parents or spouse what just happened and that in your own opinion if it was or wasn't your fault.  You would then check your auto policy and make that dreaded call to your agent or the 1-800 claim number.  Your next step would be to find a good auto body shop to take your vehicle to.

When I was growing up my parents always magically knew someone in the business whether it was catering, lanscaping or auto body repair.  At that point you would take your vehicle to the auto body shop and cross your fingers that if you had a deductible the shop would waive it and correctly repair your vehicle to pre accident condition.  Times have changed!  With the ever changing technologies and evolution of available smart phone aps the process is much easier and streamlined. 

With the invention of cell phones you can now call your insurance company or agent directly from the accident scene or simply push a few buttons on your cell phone and enter the information into an app.  What hasn't changed unfortunately is the perception of quality. 

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Out of aprox 200,000 people that were polled and who had been in an auto accident in the last 7 years stated that when taking their vehicle to be repaired post accident they assumed a quality repair rather than expecting one. 

You do remember what your parents told you don't you?  DON'S ASSUME!  It make an;  I'm guessing you know the rest.  The fact is that today's vehicles are much more technically advanced than ever before and to properly repair them you need the most state of the art equipment. 

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There are no short cuts.  A recent study sponsored by the CIC (Collision Industry Conference) exposed that less than 30% of all body shops in the U.S. were properly equipped with the necessary tooling/equipment to make factory like repairs.  This is scarey and a real problem in the industry today.  The family vehicle usually falls in as your second largest investment next to your home but even then most people take a chance and do no research before choosing the right body shop. 

First, know that in many states including Pa you have the right to choose the body shop of YOUR CHOICE and not the ones that the person who slammed into you referred or your insurance company may offer to send you to.  That being said many insurance referred shops have to meet the high standards that the insurers set forth so chances are they are better than average. 

Second, look for up to date industry certifications such as I-CAR, ASE and vehicle manufacturer Authorizations and certifications such as Mercedes Benz Factory Certified or BMW Factory Authorized programs.  Shops have to pay to be on these programs and have to not only invest in the approved equipment needed but also invest in educating their techs.  These type of investments can range from $75,000 to $250,000 and up and you can bet they take the repair process very seriously. 

Third, asking a shop to save your deductible is like asking your parents for a higher allowance without expecting more chores to do.  With profit margins dwindling and the cost of materials rising the only way a shop can save your deductible is by saving a step or two and omitting replacement of a part or using a non factory part or parts.  Either way it is you the customer and your vehicle who will ultimately pay the real price. 

Fourth, never pay for an estimate.  Almost every shop out there offers free estimates. 

Fifth, make sure they offer a lifetime guarantee AND make sure it's national so if you move out of state you are still covered.  Only shops who utilize their paint company programs can offer this with confidence and back it up.  MSO's (Multi Shop Operators) are a good choice mostly because they have relationships with many insurers and have the correct tooling and equipment to properly repair today's vehicles. 

Sixth, look online and research the shops you are considering.  People will sometimes leave reviews based on their experience with a given shop.  Just read carefully and understand that in some cases people will leave negative remarks trying to get extra services or deductibles lowered. 

Seventh, ask if the shop utilizes a third party independant verifier of quality such as VeriFacts.  Companies like these are hired to come in and audit the equipment, materials and processes that are used and shops who use them are very committed to delivering a quality repair. 

Eighth, ask your insurance company who they recommend.  This was brought up earlier in a different light but can be positive being insurance approved shops usually meet all of the criteria put forth by the insurer.  There are many more things you could look for but this will give you the necessary direction to go in.  Happy shopping. 

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