As if getting in a car accident weren't bad enough, finding a
reputable repair shop may prove challenging. There are many factors
drivers must consider, including price, experience, and quality of work.
But because most folks know next to nothing about collision work, a
little advice often goes a long way. With that in mind, here are five
simple tips you can use to find reliable body shops in your area.
1. Ask Around
Any company can advertise, but when it comes to collision repair, word-of-mouth is far more important. Because everybody remembers the time they got in a car accident, asking people you know to recommend body shops is often the best way to find a dependable service provider. Because we are in the Internet Era, many customers go online to search for a service provider. Although they will be strangers, reading posts from customers on review sites is the electronic equivalent of asking around. Another auspicious sign that the shop takes pride in its work is if the owner is involved in it's daily operation. As a general rule, when a business is family owned, employees tend to go the extra mile, since its often their name on the sign out front.
2. Consider Labor Costs
Because mechanics charge similar prices for replacement parts, labor costs generally have the biggest effect on the final bill. Depending on the facility's location and the experience of its staff, per-hour labor fees can range wildly. It is actually not at all uncommon for body shops that have multiple locations to charge different labor fees at each of their branches. Although higher labor charges may be justified if the provider does excellent work on difficult jobs, it probably isn't worth paying twice as much for labor if your vehicle has a damaged fender, bumper, or some other minor repair job.
3. Bigger Isn't Always Better
The reason smaller auto body shops often charge lower fees than larger ones is that they have a lot less overhead. When you stop at a family-owned repair center, for example, odds are the owner fills several essential positions. He or she may work as the manager, foreman, and chief mechanic all at the same time. But at a larger facility, each of those positions may be held by a different employee. The inevitable result is higher payroll and overhead costs that lead to higher labor rates to offset those fees.
4. Get Several Estimates
As elementary as it may seem, many drivers fail to get more than one price estimate for repair work. More often than not, they do this because they want to get the whole thing over and done with. But when it comes a major accident, you could save hundreds, even thousands of dollars if you compare prices.
5. Ask About The Warranty
Although a one-year warranty is considered standard, not all auto body shops offer it. As such, it is important to ask about the warranty and what it covers before you agree to anything. At the bare minimum, a warranty for bodywork should cover all repairs and should come in written form. It is not enough to simply take the owner or manager's word that they will fix any problem you might have should something go wrong.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Ace_Abbey/851844
1. Ask Around
Any company can advertise, but when it comes to collision repair, word-of-mouth is far more important. Because everybody remembers the time they got in a car accident, asking people you know to recommend body shops is often the best way to find a dependable service provider. Because we are in the Internet Era, many customers go online to search for a service provider. Although they will be strangers, reading posts from customers on review sites is the electronic equivalent of asking around. Another auspicious sign that the shop takes pride in its work is if the owner is involved in it's daily operation. As a general rule, when a business is family owned, employees tend to go the extra mile, since its often their name on the sign out front.
2. Consider Labor Costs
Because mechanics charge similar prices for replacement parts, labor costs generally have the biggest effect on the final bill. Depending on the facility's location and the experience of its staff, per-hour labor fees can range wildly. It is actually not at all uncommon for body shops that have multiple locations to charge different labor fees at each of their branches. Although higher labor charges may be justified if the provider does excellent work on difficult jobs, it probably isn't worth paying twice as much for labor if your vehicle has a damaged fender, bumper, or some other minor repair job.
3. Bigger Isn't Always Better
The reason smaller auto body shops often charge lower fees than larger ones is that they have a lot less overhead. When you stop at a family-owned repair center, for example, odds are the owner fills several essential positions. He or she may work as the manager, foreman, and chief mechanic all at the same time. But at a larger facility, each of those positions may be held by a different employee. The inevitable result is higher payroll and overhead costs that lead to higher labor rates to offset those fees.
4. Get Several Estimates
As elementary as it may seem, many drivers fail to get more than one price estimate for repair work. More often than not, they do this because they want to get the whole thing over and done with. But when it comes a major accident, you could save hundreds, even thousands of dollars if you compare prices.
5. Ask About The Warranty
Although a one-year warranty is considered standard, not all auto body shops offer it. As such, it is important to ask about the warranty and what it covers before you agree to anything. At the bare minimum, a warranty for bodywork should cover all repairs and should come in written form. It is not enough to simply take the owner or manager's word that they will fix any problem you might have should something go wrong.
