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5 Tips for Choosing the Right Auto Body Shop

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With rocks, shopping carts and various other frequent hazards, it is not extremely uncommon to identify a scratch in your automobile, either in the paint or the windshield. Not dealt with, any abrasion can cause significant issues, from rust and corrosion as a result of paint scratch exposing the metal to a small windshield scratch that spreads out until a complete windshield replacement is in order. To lessen this sort of damage, it is vital that whenever your get a scratch to repair it right away at a shop like Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR in Columbia, Illinois.

When you do find a paint scratch or windshield scratch in Waterloo, Southern Illinois, Millstadt, Freeburg, and Athens, Il, the best thing to do generally is use a professional repair company.
To fix a deep paint scratch that goes all the way through the paint to the metal, a paint and body repair center such as Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR will do the best job in entirely fixing the abrasion. To fix this kind of scratch, the technician will have to strip the affected panel, prime it and paint it. Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR in Columbia, Illinois has the ability to correctly match the color of your motor vehicle. Dependent on your insurance plan, you may get your glass scratch repaired without having to pay anything with your own money. No matter if you get a paint scratch or a glass scratch, correct it straight away. The harm your car could sustain from not having a scratch fixed can be both severe and expensive.

But how do you know what auto body shop to go to? It isn't uncommon for estimates from different body shops to deviate wildly. One shop may give you an estimate for $500 while another wants $2,000 for the work. What's the difference? And when is it fine to pick the less expensive shop?
Here are some ideas from Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR in Columbia, Illinois for selecting the most appropriate shop in Waterloo, Southern Illinois, Millstadt, Freeburg, and Athens, Il to work on your motor vehicle — particularly if you're the one paying the bills.

1) Pay Attention to Word-of-Mouth
Any business can advertise, but you will fare better with a shop that friends, family and acquaintances advise. It's a business that has confirmed it can satisfy customers. And it might not be the largest or best-known shop in your neighborhood. Occasionally, you may get a suggestion for a little shop where the owner works on the vehicles himself.

2) Consider the Operation's Location and Overhead
Labor hours is the deal-breaker for exactly how much a repair will set you back. Many shops charge $40 per hour for labor. However in ritzy parts of West L. A., the per-hour labor charge is $60-$65. In wealthy Newport Beach, California, we have seen as much as $90-per-hour labor charges.

3) Get Several Estimates
Taking your car a number of auto body shops in the Columbia, Illinois area for repair quotes is simplest way to avoid overcharges. And while you'll want to protect against being overcharged, you should not simply take the cheapest quote. You may get some kind of midnight guy who will say he is able to do it really cheap. Stay away from those guys, since there is something they're not doing. You could have major problems later on.

4) Ask the Right Questions
When finding a body shop, don't go in with your pocketbook open. Ask some essential questions. Does the shop give a written warranty? And if that's the case, for how long? What exactly does the warranty cover?

Another key question is whether the shop carries fire and theft insurance. You want to make sure you're covered if your automobile is destroyed, stolen or burglarized. Remember to ask how long the shop has been in business. Be sure it possesses a business license.

You'll want to know about the types of materials the shop plans to use. Are new, used or aftermarket body parts likely to be used? New parts are obviously the best and used parts are good, though they do not provide the savings people think. Depending on the damage to your car or truck, aftermarket parts can avoid using too much money and can be just as good as those that come from the original manufacturer. If paint work is involved, ask just how many coats of paint and clear coat the shop intends to use.

5) Follow Your Intuition
In the end, it's important to trust your intuition about the shop you are thinking about. If a shop isn't really busy, maybe that's because customers in the Columbia, Illinois area are avoiding it as a result of shoddy repairs. If the place is really dirty, cluttered or disorganized, this might reflect the sort of work you could expect the shop to do with your car. Is the shop owner or manager a grouch that seems to resent addressing your questions? You will be happier with a shop where the owner communicates well and is straightforward with customers.

While you are out trying to find an estimate, why not check in with Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR ? They'd love to provide you with a fair estimate backed by a lifetime warranty.


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