It is not easy to find the perfect body shop for you vehicle as there is no clear guideline nor certificate that would guarantee a facility's competence. We have all heard of horror stories on bad quality repairs, peeling paints, hidden charges or others. This is why we wanted to put together a few pointers to help you find a quality collision repair shop and avoid the headaches.
Tip #5: You must ask for a WRITTEN and ITEMIZED estimate before agreeing on the repair, ALWAYS.
1) Ask for recommendations from friends. As the quality of any vehicle body repair is always best evaluated after completion, your friend or neighbor are the ones who can provide you with the most complete review of a facility. Ask them about their experience on the shop's service, quality of repair, cost, warranty, and turn around time. (And return the favor when someone else is looking for the right repair shop)
2) Big brand body shops are not always the best. While a reputable repair shop may be a sound bet when you are not familiar with any independent body shop, it is necessary for you to still apply the following tips to make sure they actually live up to their brand name. It is because most of the brand body repair shops are franchised and their service do vary from one to another.
3) Get quotes from different places. This will save you money and allow you to make a sound choice. The most expensive shops are not always the best, you may be paying for their overhead or advertising instead of the work performed on your vehicle. At the same time, you want to avoid the "cheapest in town" places. If the estimate is significantly lower than the rest, they may be cutting corners on your repair.
4) Observe the shop. A quality auto body shop should be organized and clean. You should not see scrap parts laying around on the floor and overall a dirty shop.
5) You must ask for a WRITTEN and ITEMIZED estimate before agreeing on the repair, ALWAYS.
6) Ask specific questions on their work- what type of paint & coating would be used, what metal treatment would they use to inhibit rust?
7) Ask for their warranty information.
8) Ask to see their finished work. This is actually one of the best ways to gauge the shop's quality of work.
9) Observe the type of vehicles they have in the shop.
10) How long has the shop been around? Is it reputable? It may be a good idea to check their online reviews as well.
We hope this 10 point checklist helps you to find the suitable auto body shop. *We wrote this article with no bias towards our own facility, and will leave you to see for yourself our quality and service at Thornhill Precision Auto Body
Thornhill Precision Automotive & Autobody