After being engaged in an auto accident, one of the first things you will think of is having your vehicle repaired as fast as possible. But taking your car to the first auto body shop you find would be a hasty decision. To find a reliable and trustworthy auto body shop, take the time to do your homework and ask questions so that you’ll receive high quality auto body repair work for your vehicle.
Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR in Columbia, Illinois sees the significance of a good auto body repair every time somebody brings a vehicle to them that somebody else didn’t do right. That is why they have these tricks for you as you pick out where to do your next repair in Waterloo, Southern Illinois, Millstadt, Freeburg, Athens, or Columbia, IL.
Here are a few questions and items to consider before allowing an auto body repair shop to fix your vehicle:
1. Learn more about the auto body repair shop. Reading an online review about an auto body repair shop could be a useful resource. You can get a feeling of the standard of the auto body repair shop based on customer feedback, ratings, and reviews. You might want to ask these questions after reading an online review: How often will I receive text updates about your car’s repair status? Will you be able to look at photos of your car repair in progress?
2. What type of warranty comes with their auto body repair work? If they provide a warranty, ask how long it lasts and what it'll cover.
3. Does the auto body repair shop have rental cars on their lot or do they offer loaner vehicles? Being without an automobile is a headache, so you’ll need to make sure that you have a rental, loaner, or courtesy car while yours is in the auto body shop. Some auto body repair shops have a car rental facility located in or near their auto body shop. Other auto body repair shops may provide loaner or courtesy cars that can be used while they are repairing your car.
4. How long will the auto body repair take? There are lots of related factors that will affect how long an auto body repair will take, including the extent of harm to your automobile, how busy the auto body repair shop is at that specific time, or even holidays during which the auto body shop might be closed.
5. Is your vehicle covered while it is in the shop? Ask the auto body repair shop if they possess fire and theft insurance. You want to make sure that you’ll be covered in case your car is damaged, destroyed, stolen, or burglarized while it is in the auto body shop.
6. Will the paint match the rest of my vehicle? Normally, cars have a paint code on a plate situated either in a door jamb, underneath the hood, or within the trunk. This paint code will give the exact color of the manufacturer’s paint. Make sure the auto body repair shop will be utilizing the same exact color of paint and not a comparable color.
7. How quickly can you wash your car after an auto body repair? An auto body repair shop usually gives your vehicle back to you clean. They may have already washed it or waited for the paint to dry so that you can drive your vehicle just after the repair. Still, it is important to know if it's safe to take your car to a car wash that uses friction brushing or a touch-free car wash with acid presoaks and super concentrated car wash soap shortly after a fresh paint job.
8. Does the auto body repair shop have any certifications? Certifications, such as I-CAR and ASE, are a good sign of a reputable auto body repair shop. A certification usually means that the auto body repair shop has the skill sets and knowledge necessary to perform total, safe, and quality repairs.
9. Will the auto body repair shop put everything in writing? When bringing your vehicle into an auto body repair shop, ask if you're able to receive a written estimate. It's also wise to ask for an itemized bill after all work is finished. If the written estimate does not match the itemized bill, do not be reluctant to ask about any differences.
10. What's the payment policy? Most reputable auto body repair shops post their policies and payment methods where customers can quickly see them. The payment policies might include labor rates, materials, warranty information, guarantees, and acceptable forms of payment. If you don’t see payment policy information, ask before the auto body shop starts any auto body repair work on your car.
Bonus Questions:
Charlie's Columbia CARSTAR in Columbia, Illinois sees the significance of a good auto body repair every time somebody brings a vehicle to them that somebody else didn’t do right. That is why they have these tricks for you as you pick out where to do your next repair in Waterloo, Southern Illinois, Millstadt, Freeburg, Athens, or Columbia, IL.
Here are a few questions and items to consider before allowing an auto body repair shop to fix your vehicle:
1. Learn more about the auto body repair shop. Reading an online review about an auto body repair shop could be a useful resource. You can get a feeling of the standard of the auto body repair shop based on customer feedback, ratings, and reviews. You might want to ask these questions after reading an online review: How often will I receive text updates about your car’s repair status? Will you be able to look at photos of your car repair in progress?
2. What type of warranty comes with their auto body repair work? If they provide a warranty, ask how long it lasts and what it'll cover.
3. Does the auto body repair shop have rental cars on their lot or do they offer loaner vehicles? Being without an automobile is a headache, so you’ll need to make sure that you have a rental, loaner, or courtesy car while yours is in the auto body shop. Some auto body repair shops have a car rental facility located in or near their auto body shop. Other auto body repair shops may provide loaner or courtesy cars that can be used while they are repairing your car.
4. How long will the auto body repair take? There are lots of related factors that will affect how long an auto body repair will take, including the extent of harm to your automobile, how busy the auto body repair shop is at that specific time, or even holidays during which the auto body shop might be closed.
5. Is your vehicle covered while it is in the shop? Ask the auto body repair shop if they possess fire and theft insurance. You want to make sure that you’ll be covered in case your car is damaged, destroyed, stolen, or burglarized while it is in the auto body shop.
6. Will the paint match the rest of my vehicle? Normally, cars have a paint code on a plate situated either in a door jamb, underneath the hood, or within the trunk. This paint code will give the exact color of the manufacturer’s paint. Make sure the auto body repair shop will be utilizing the same exact color of paint and not a comparable color.
7. How quickly can you wash your car after an auto body repair? An auto body repair shop usually gives your vehicle back to you clean. They may have already washed it or waited for the paint to dry so that you can drive your vehicle just after the repair. Still, it is important to know if it's safe to take your car to a car wash that uses friction brushing or a touch-free car wash with acid presoaks and super concentrated car wash soap shortly after a fresh paint job.
8. Does the auto body repair shop have any certifications? Certifications, such as I-CAR and ASE, are a good sign of a reputable auto body repair shop. A certification usually means that the auto body repair shop has the skill sets and knowledge necessary to perform total, safe, and quality repairs.
9. Will the auto body repair shop put everything in writing? When bringing your vehicle into an auto body repair shop, ask if you're able to receive a written estimate. It's also wise to ask for an itemized bill after all work is finished. If the written estimate does not match the itemized bill, do not be reluctant to ask about any differences.
10. What's the payment policy? Most reputable auto body repair shops post their policies and payment methods where customers can quickly see them. The payment policies might include labor rates, materials, warranty information, guarantees, and acceptable forms of payment. If you don’t see payment policy information, ask before the auto body shop starts any auto body repair work on your car.
Bonus Questions:
- Does the auto body repair shop work on your make and model?
- Do they concentrate on the type of auto body repair work your vehicle needs?
- How do they price out auto body repairs and auto body painting services (i.e. an rate per hour or flat fee)?