FAQs

How do you know if you have chosen the right Auto Body Shop?

Visit The Shop Before You Need It

First impressions count and during your first visit to the body shop, look around and see how the shop conducts business. Look for a neat, well-maintained facility. Look for certificates, decals, and placards that indicate advanced collision repair training by national organizations such as I-CAR. These indicate professionalism and a solid connection with the community.

See What The Shop Is Repairing

See what the shop is working on in the repair bays and what's parked out back. If you see few newer cars but notice a lot of beaters being worked on it is often an indication that the shop does "quick and dirty" repair jobs at lowball prices.

Ask About Your Vehicle

Ask the shop manager if they have a lot of experience repairing your make and model vehicle. Body shops often specialize on a particular type of vehicle or body repair.

Price Isn't Everything

In the collision repair business it is common for different shop to give dramatically different repair prices for the same job. Choosing a shop simply by picking the one that offers the lowest price is not always the best policy. If you get a repair quote significantly cheaper from one shop, ask the estimator to explain why the quote is so inexpensive before you leave your vehicle.

Ask About Equipment

Performing a quality repair job on today's vehicles requires the use of some pretty sophisticated equipment. Ask if the shop has a unibody frame repair machine and measuring equipment, MIG welders, a dust-free paint room, and personnel trained in the latest repair techniques.

Ask About Warranty

Professional, reputable repair shops will stand behind their repair work by offering a warranty. Usually this warranty is for a specific time - from 30 days to lifetime - and covers the labor, materials used and installation. The actual parts installed will be covered by the manufacturer's warranty.

Search or ask around

Search for shop's reviews and ratings. If the shop has good reviews and ratings, it means that they get the job done in most professional way. Also ask friends and family or even your insurance agents or attorney for referral. Best resource for finding a good body shop is word of mouth. DRP (Direct Repair Programs) for major insurance companies is also good way to search. Agents normally refer to shops that they can trust.

Dedicated -
Gold Class Professionals have the knowledge and understanding to effectively communicate and work with one another when repairing your vehicle. They know when parts can be repaired, or when they need to be replaced. This helps to eliminate surprises when the repair bill comes, and it leads to less hassle for you! Gold Class Professionals are dedicated to training their employees on the latest collision repair technology to help achieve a safe and complete repair.

Trained Professionals -
Todays vehicles are extremely complex. Signs of training, like the Gold Class Professionals symbol, are important to look for when selecting a collision repair facility.

If your vehicle is not repaired correctly, it may not look or drive the way it did before the collision. Or worse, it may not protect you and your family the way it was designed to if you are involved in a future collision.