Collision Repair: 4 Things You Should Know As A Car Owner

While no one hopes to be a vehicle accident, it happens sometimes. If you were involved in an accident and it caused damage to the outside of your vehicle, you are probably going to have to take it to an auto body repair shop for collision repair. Usually, your insurance company will be involved in this process, and may even take over, but there are four things that you should know as the car owner:

1. You Have the Ability to Choose Your Own Body Shop.

Insurance companies can and will refer you to auto body shops that they are partnered with, but it doesn't mean that you have to choose to take your vehicle to one of them. It is your choice who you take your vehicle to. Whether you choose to use one of the insurance company's body shops or one of your own, it is important that you do some online research and see what others are saying about them and their work. 

2. Request a Full Breakdown of Anticipated Costs.

Every collision repair shop is going to have different rates for their labor. Prior to agreeing to allow a shop to perform repairs on your vehicle, you should request that they provide you with a thorough estimate of all costs. This information will allow you to see what repairs are going to be performed on your vehicle and will allow you to see the shop's labor rates. Overall, it allows for a much more amicable transaction. Also, it doesn't hurt to request this from a couple of different auto body shops so that you can compare costs and decide which shop you would like to work with based upon the research you gathered earlier (from #1) and this data.

3. Ask About Replacement Parts Used.

All collision repair shops will go about things differently, including the types of replacement parts that they use when they repair vehicles. Some shops may use new original parts, while others may use used parts. Some could use aftermarket parts. It is important that you ask what the auto body shop uses before deciding to do business with them. Used or re-manufactured original parts are generally as good as new original parts; however, aftermarket parts are not, as they are not manufactured with same quality. They can diminish the value of your car. So, if the body shop uses aftermarket parts, you may want to find a different collision repair shop to do business with. 

4. Inquire About Their Warranty Period.

Since you are receiving work on your vehicle, it is important that you find out what type of warranty is offered for the work that is being performed. There should be a certain period of time that you can bring your vehicle back if something goes wrong once you leave the auto body shop. This could be 30 days, 60 days, or something else entirely. Whatever it is, make sure to get it in writing -- the length of time and any stipulations. 

For more information, you will want to contact a company such as Fenza's Auto Body Inc.

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