Automobile collisions are extremely traumatic. You are mentally disturbed due to the turmoil, yet you have to find a decent body shop to repair the vehicle.
But don’t just send your car to any auto body shop you find. It is better to do your own research and see which auto body shop truly cares about its customers. This will help you avoid stress and shady body shops that are after your hard-earned money only.
While no one can tell with certainty which body shop is best for your vehicle, it still makes more sense to ask people about their experiences, get quotes from multiple auto body shop owners, and read reviews about the service these auto body shops deliver before making up your mind.
Things to Look at When Choosing Auto Body Shops
Here are some things you should look at when choosing the best auto body shop in Toronto for your vehicle:
- Recommendations
How many people recommend the shop that you plan to use for your car repairs? Ask around in your area and from trusted people to know which body shop they use regularly. Many scam artists in the market will try to snatch money without fixing the problem with your car.
Don’t go to them. Instead, find decent auto body shops that can work in your favor and that others recommend.
If someone is recommending a body shop, it means he has had a good experience with that body shop. So, you can also get the same experience.
Just make sure that the person who is recommending a particular shop is not associated with it or its staff in any way.
- Certificates
Body shops are given certifications by car manufacturers to verify their services. Porsche offers a certificate of service to Porsche-specific body shops. This shows that they are official partners of the Porsche brand and can properly fix Porsche cars.
Similarly, Mercedes also has its own body shops that are official partners of the Mercedes company. See if the body shop you plan to visit has some of these certificates. If you have a car from the brands I mentioned above, check for body shops endorsed by those brands.
A simple Google search such as ‘BRAND NAME Body shop near me’ will bring the desired results.
- Testimonials
Next, see what testimonials the body shop has. Testimonials are endorsements of previous clients. These tell that the person or entity is trustworthy and provides quality service. Most body shops have testimonials of their past clients that praise their services. Read the testimonials on the body shop’s website or social media page to see the type of work the shop has done for them.
- Portfolio
How will you know if the body shop staff is capable of fixing your car? This is where their previous work will come in handy. You can ask them for the portfolio. In most cases, the portfolio is available on their website, where you can see the details they have worked on and the products they have offered.
- Devices and Technology
Devices and technologies used by the body shop maker can make a significant difference in the output. It is important to ask the body shop makers about the technologies they use. If they use old technology or work manually on your product, it won’t get the same result.
Moreover, they will be charging a lot more than the body makers that have devices installed.
- Parts Quality
Every car has two types of parts available in the market. The original parts are made by the original car manufacturer -- and the local parts are Chinese-made parts for the same car. Never buy local parts unless you don’t have any other option available.
Local parts are not guaranteed to offer premium performance; they will also get wear and tear a lot more sooner. You simply don’t want that to happen to your precious car, right? So, avoid these local parts at all costs. There are many videos online to check the quality of the parts.
If you are unsure that the auto body maker has original or local parts, simply ask them. Most will tell you if they are using local parts. Otherwise, you can also get recommendations from your local mechanic for the same. Mechanics in your area will know which car body markers are offering original parts.
- Insurance
Auto body makers usually have end-party liability insurance available. This auto body insurance means that if any damage occurs to your car because of the insurance maker, they will get it fixed.
Insurance liabilities can be claimed by you as the customer, and it will be the responsibility of the auto body maker to get the claim approved. Otherwise, you can also sue the auto body maker in court.
- Work Warranty
Your car maker will also provide a car warranty. This is the warranty of the work they do on your car for a limited time. Check and compare the warranties different auto body shop owners provide in your area, and then go for those that offer the best warranties.
- Read Reviews
It is also important to read the reviews of various body makers online and see how they respond to their customers. Most auto body shop owners have responsive social media. They also provide a complaint form that you can use for reviews and ratings of the auto body shop.
Remember that it is the reviews and ratings that tell about the actual service. So, read them thoroughly and decide if the auto body shop maker offers a quality service.
- Experience
Last but not least, experience matters the most for any car repair shop. Think about it. The body shop maker will be working on your car and fixing its repairs. If this shop is not experienced in handling different types of cars, they will ruin the overall appearance.
Experienced car body shop makers know about different body designs, and they can easily handle small and larger dents.
Bottom-line
These are the finest auto body shop tips for finding the right auto body shop in the area. Our last recommendation is that you don’t hesitate. If you are not comfortable with the prices of a body shop, move to the next one.
Focus on the quality and don’t just listen to insurance providers when choosing an auto body shop. Some insurance providers would want you to go with their ‘preferred choice. This should not be the case. You can ask the insurance company if they have only a few auto body shops on the panel. If not, choose any shop that you think will offer the best service for auto body repairs.
Comments