Whenever you get involved in an auto collision, the first thing that comes to you mind, after your personal safety of course, is where to take your car for repairs. Handing over your car to the first auto body repair shop you visit might not be a wise choice. Time and effort put in researching the best body repair shop will save you considerable time and money along with getting quality repairs. If body repairs are not done professionally, your car experience after and even the resale value will greatly reduce. So, we recommend you to ask these 10 questions while choosing the best auto body repair shop.

The most important one: Warranty

The most important question you need to ask the auto body repair shop is about the warranty they offer. You also need to know the validity period of this warranty. More importantly, you should inquire about what exactly the warranty covers. After knowing all the terms and conditions, you’ll be in a better position to assess the pros and cons of the warranty they offer.

Is it a certified auto body repair shop?

Ideally, you should get your car repaired from a certified facility. So, the next important question to ask the auto body repair shop is about their certifications. A certified auto body repair shop maintains the quality standards recommended by the certification authority and provides more professional services when compared with non-certified ones. Quality is key here.

Does it offer rental cars?

After checking their certifications of auto body repair shop, you might want to ask them if they offer rentals cars to their customers. Although it is subjective, most of the people do need to take cars on rent after handing over their own vehicle to the body repair shop. If they have a rental agreement to be signed, read it thoroughly. You should visually inspect the vehicle before and after renting it. Ideally, you can take pictures with a smartphone.

Duration of the repairs

Although it depends with the extent of damage your car has received, you should ask the estimated time to repair the car from the auto body repair shop. Knowing the repair time is essential to save money you might be spending on a rental car.

Do they have experience with your car model?

Some people own imported cars or car models that are rare these days. Working with these types of cars is somewhat difficult for some car body repair shops. Sometimes, spare parts are very difficult to find if they need to be replaced. If you own a foreign car or an imported one, make sure to ask the auto repair shop if they are comfortable with repairing your car.

Can they paint your car with exactly the same color?

Most of the cars have a paint code attached somewhere on the body of the vehicle. It is important to make sure that the auto body repair shop can paint your car with exactly the same color. Otherwise, one can easily spot the accident area of your car which ultimately decreases its resale value.

Is the car covered while in the auto repair shop?

It is also important to ask the auto body repair shop if they take responsibility for your car in case a theft or fire incident takes place. Although these incidents rarely happen, you should make sure you are safe if such a thing happens.

Will you get written estimates?

Before handing over your car to the auto body repair shop, it is important to know if they can give you any written estimates. It’ll be useful when you get an itemized bill after the repairs are done. If there is a big difference between the two bills, you can ask the shop for possible reasons for that.

Ask about their payment policy?

Most of the certified auto body repair shops post their payment policies and methods in their reception area. However, if you are unable to see it, you need to ask about it. Many reputable auto body shops have processes to help with insurance company claims, which makes it easier on you.

How soon can you wash the car after repairs?

After getting the repairs done from the car body repair shop, you should ask them if it is safe to take your car to a car-wash. Some repair shops let the paint get dry and wash the car themselves before handing it over to the customer. However, it is always a good idea to ask them whether washing the car will damage the paint or not.

We hope that you choose an auto body shop wisely when you need repairs done. If you are having trouble with your car, please come see us. We have been fixing auto collision issues for Oklahomans for over 30 years.  You can also give us a call to schedule an appointment. For the Oklahoma City location, call 405.733.9797, South Oklahoma City location: 405.691.1820, and Midwest City location: 405.732.0762.