Finding a Body Shop for Your Car Repair

Car repair does not necessarily apply only to having the engine and brakes fixed. Sometimes, the cosmetic aspects of your vehicle need a little help. When this happens, you need the help of a body shop. Finding a reputable one that will not rob you of your hard earned money without doing a quality job is the key.

The first step in finding a body shop is to determine the level of quality the shop performs. Some shops advertise their low prices. Low prices are great, but you often get what you pay for. If the shop has the lowest possible price, then expect it to also have a bit less quality in its work. If price is more important to you than quality, then that is fine. If quality is important, do not shop based on price alone.

One way to find a good body shop for your car repair is to talk to friends or family members who have had bodywork done. If they were happy with the results and the service they received, you can feel confident in asking the same shop for help. Often, you can even inspect the work if the bodywork was done within the past year or so.

If you do not know anyone who has had work done, another place to ask is with your mechanic. Most mechanics know one or two body shops that do good work and are happy to give you a referral.

Another place you can ask for help with this type of car repair is with your insurance company. Many vehicle insurance providers are familiar with body shops in the areas they service, because often they have to send their customers to one. Keep in mind that they may be working with these shops and getting a cut back for referrals, so weigh these types of referrals against those from other sources.

Once you have narrowed down your search with some referrals, take a moment to visit the shop. Look at pictures of the shop's car repair work. Remember that these will be "best case" scenarios, however.

As you are visiting the shop, take the time to look around. Is the shop clean? Do the technicians appear to be using proper safety equipment? Does the technology and equipment look as though it is up to date? While you may not be an expert in body shops, you can tell quite a bit just by looking around. Remember, too much debris on the floor of one of these shops can damage the paint job, so it should be pretty clean, although there will probably be some paint and such on the floor or walls.

So, when the type of car repair you need is for the car's appearance rather than function, take the time to find the right body shop. You will be glad you did when your car comes out looking as good as it did the day you bought it.