Certified Collision Center

If your car was recently damaged in an accident, the first thing you’ll want to do is take it to an auto body repair shop to get it fixed. Your insurance company may have a recommended shop or you may have an auto body shop you prefer; the choice is up to you. The question then becomes, “how do you find an auto body repair shop that you can trust, that is reliable and will have your vehicle back to you promptly?” In order to find a reliable and reputable auto body shop, we recommend that you take your time and really do your research. You can receive high-quality auto body repair work for your vehicle if you do your due diligence on the auto body repair shop first.

What are some questions and things to consider before selecting an auto body repair shop for your vehicle?

Start Your Research Online

People love leaving reviews about their experiences with a business on review websites such as Yelp and Google reviews. While people’s experiences are subjective, most people provide an honest review of their customer experience. Be sure to read the positive reviews and the negative reviews. There is a tendency is to focus on negative reviews, however, make a conscious effort to focus on what people appreciated about their experience. A good auto body repair shop will have more positive feedback than negative. What you are looking for is an overall grade of 4 to 5 stars. Pay particular attention to the details of the reviews you read. Also, see if the auto body repair shop owner responded to any reviews. This will tell you how closely the shop engages with their customer. Once you have selected a shop, it’s now time to talk to them about their process and the kind of service you can expect.

Ask About the Provision of a Rental

Check with your insurance company about the provision of a rental car while your vehicle is being repaired. If your insurance policy does not cover getting a rental car, then ask the Auto body repair shop if they provide rental or loaner vehicles while yours is being repaired. Some auto body repair shops have co-operative agreements with a car rental company located in or near their shop. Sometimes, you can receive special discounted rates on the rental vehicle if the referral is coming from the auto body repair Shop.

Ask How long the Auto Body Repair will Take?

This is a fair question to ask your auto body repair shop, however, it is not an easy one for them to answer. There are a lot of factors to consider when doing body work on a vehicle making it challenging to give an exact time of completion. Nevertheless, the auto body repair shop should be able to give you an estimated time of completion with some flexibility built in. Some factors that can impact repair completion time include:

• The extent of damage to your vehicle
• Current repair workload of the auto body repair shop
• Any complications with insurance or lack thereof
• Holidays or specific times of the year
• Parts procurement

Is Your Vehicle Covered By Insurance while being repaired?

Most auto body repair shops carry insurance to protect the business and it typically covers everything within the shop. Verify for yourself that the auto body repair shop has insurance that would cover your vehicle should additional damage be incurred in the course of repairing the vehicle. Sometimes, a technician will need to drive your vehicle and you’ll want to know that they are covered in the event of an accident. Also, check if their insurance covers fire and theft. This way you will know you are covered if your car is stolen, burglarized or destroyed.

Ask how close to pre-accident condition will your car be after the repair?

Depending on the extent of the damage to your vehicle from the accident, a good auto body repair shop can restore your vehicle to almost pre-accident condition. Be sure to ask about how your vehicle will look once repaired so that you have the right expectations when it’s time to pick up the vehicle. Ask questions about matching paints to the original color of your car and how smooth any dent repair will be. Be sure to inspect your vehicle thoroughly before and after pickup.

Being involved in an auto collision is a stressful experience and the most unfortunate thing is that a rear-end collision is a type of accident that is rarely caused by you. A rear end collision can not only damage your car, but it can also cause injuries to the occupants. Rear-end collisions typically result in direct or indirect damage. Direct damage is one that is visible to the naked eye while the indirect damage is not visible. You might have the visible damage restored but there are some hidden vehicle damages that you might not see. They are:

1. Alignment problems

If you are driving your car and you notice a difference in the way it handles ion the road, its alignment might be off. Common signs of misalignment include the vehicle pulling to one side, vibrations and a steering wobble. While misalignment might not be the worst that could happen, it can cause additional stress to the tires, brakes, suspension and other car parts causing them to wear out faster than usual. Misalignment does not just cause premature wear and tear, but it can also pose safety hazards. If you feel like your car is misaligned, take it for inspection immediately.

2. Transmission issues

Rear-end collisions not only causes damage to the car body but also impacts the vehicle’s mechanics. Rear-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive vehicles have transmission components located near the rear of the vehicle making them prone to damage in the event of a collision. You should look out for transmission slipping after your accident. When the transmission starts to slip, you will have a hard time accelerating while on the road. You will notice your vehicle is struggling to gain speed.

Other signs of transmission issues you should look out for include difficulty shifting and leaking transmission fluid. Take your vehicle to a professional auto repair shop for an inspection if you notice any of the mentioned signs. You will risk causing more damage to your vehicle by driving it in that state.

3. Problems with the trunk

Your trunk should open and close without an issue, however, after a rear collision the rear cabin components might be damaged, and your trunk can start having problems. While a damaged trunk might not affect the handling of the car, it has a negative impact on the resale value of the car. It can also pose a safety risk if the trunk suddenly opens as you drive. If you notice loose hinges or experience difficulties closing the trunk, you should take your car to a trusted mechanic.

4. Hidden body damage
In some cases, it might appear that your vehicle made a lucky escape after a rear-end collision, but it might have collision damage that is not visible. There might be damage underneath the surface. In most cases, the frame behind the bumper might get damaged because the bumper is plastic and does not offer much protection.

A car’s resale, handling, and operation are at risk when unnoticed damage is not repaired by a professional. Even though there is no visible damage, do not take chances, get it checked out by a mechanic.

If you recently took your car to an auto body shop or had it towed there after an accident, you must be really excited to get it back now that it’s fixed. However, are you sure whether everything has been repaired correctly? Do you know what to check to determine if the repairs have been done right? The last thing any car owner wants after picking their car at an auto body shop is to take it back for repairs to the previous repairs.

However, although most auto body shops strive to deliver professional repairs that are perfect right-the-first-time, mistakes are bound to happen once in a while. Some technicians may be tempted to cut corners or carry out repairs super-fast and end up messing somewhere along the way. When collecting your car after bodywork repairs, make sure to check for the following 5 crucial things:

1. Your vehicle should be washed and cleaned

A clean car is a must. Appearances are important and show how serious an auto body shop is with their work. Dirt hides imperfections and can make it difficult for you to inspect the repaired areas. When you pick your car, it should have been washed, vacuumed and even waxed. It should be sparkling clean. A good shop will also wash down the engine compartment to make sure you receive your car while it’s as clean as new.

2. Check for misaligned body panels
Modern vehicles are designed with very tight panel gaps and require care and precision to install panels right during repairs. An inexperienced technician or one rushing through a repair may fail to perform due diligence, leading to misaligned body panels. You can spot these misalignments by observing the gaps between the repaired panels and comparing them with those in other parts of your car. If they do not match, then there is a problem. Also, find out whether the gaps are uniform all around each panel.

3. Check if body parts and equipment are re-installed properly

Make sure you carefully open and close the vehicle’s doors, hood, and trunk while listening and observing how they operate. Do they produce strange noises that were not there before? Do they open easily and close securely? Are they well aligned? Proceed to inspect your car’s wipers, headlights, power windows, turn signals, lock switches, and any other relevant body part to make sure they are working well.

4. Inspect your car’s painting

One common problem with many vehicles coming from auto body shops is painting mismatches. There are so many shades of colors painted on cars today, which make color matching a tricky job for most auto body repair shops. Inspect your car thoroughly to see if the colors match evenly. You can do this out in the sun and under some type of fluorescent lighting. It’s the obligation of an auto body shop to make sure they give your car a perfect paint job no matter how tricky your car’s paint is, so don’t accept color discrepancies on your ride.

5. Observe and listen to how your car drives

Take the car for a drive under a variety of road conditions including smooth, rough and bumpy roads. Listen for vibrations and squeaking sounds and report them immediately. Observe how the car drives. Are the wheels properly aligned? Make sure you note everything that needs re-work and have it addressed before leaving the auto shop.

Many drivers do not like thinking about getting in an accident, but it is a risk that they face while on the road. You might have a general idea of how auto insurance works, but are you aware of the different coverages available? Learning about the different types of auto insurance and their coverages might not sound interesting but it can help you get the right policy. Here are six car insurance coverage options you should know.

1.    Collision

Collision insurance can be defined as a coverage that assists you to pay for repair or car replacement if it gets damaged in an accident with another car or if it hits an object such as a fence or a tree. Collision coverage also helps repair damages from a single car accident which involves falling or rolling over. However, collision insurance does not cover damage that does not relate to driving such as damage from hail. It has a deductible which is the amount you have to pay before the insurance company pays your claim. You get to choose the amount of deductible when purchasing collision insurance.

2.    Comprehensive coverage

Comprehensive coverage offers an extra level of coverage for perils that do not relate to a covered accident such as theft or weather damage. Other events covered by a comprehensive coverage include:

•    Fire
•    Falling objects
•    Explosions
•    Earthquakes
•    Vandalism
•    Riot
•    Windstorm
•    Contact with animals such as a deer

Comprehensive insurance also pays for your windshield if it is cracked or shattered.

3.    Liability

Liability coverage is a legal requirement in most states. In the states where it is mandatory, drivers have to purchase a minimum amount of liability coverage that is set by the state law. Liability insurance has two components:

•    Bodily injury liability applies to injuries the policyholder inflicts on another person. It does not just cover you but your family members who are listed on the policy.
•    Property damage liability helps you pay for damages you cause to another person’s property.

4.    Medical payments

Medical payments coverage pays for treatment of injuries sustained during a car accident. It does not just cover the policyholder but everyone who was in the insured car. It covers ambulance fees, rehabilitation, surgery, and nursing care. Medical payments coverage helps cover the medical costs regardless of which driver was at fault. It is a requirement in some states while it is optional in others.

5.    Uninsured and underinsured motorists

The underinsured or uninsured motorist coverage will reimburse you in the event that you are hit by an underinsured or uninsured motorist. It ensures you are covered even when you are involved in a hit-and-run situation.

6.    Other coverages

Apart from the above coverages, there are others available such as:

•    Towing and labor insurance that reimburses you if your vehicle gets towed and for the labor costs to get it repaired.
•    Classic car insurance offers coverage for the unique needs of classic and vintage cars.
•    Rental reimbursement insurance which reimburses you for the cost of renting a car when it cannot be driven after an accident.

The importance of having auto insurance cannot be understated. The different components of car insurance policy help protect you and your vehicle.