5 Tips for a Smooth Auto Body Repair Experience

Everyone’s had bad experiences with a car mechanic or auto body shop in the past. Without knowing who to trust or the abilities of any given repair shop, there are ways to smooth things over and ensure you have a good experience. Here are five ways to ensure your auto body repairs go smoothly next time:

1. Get All the Facts

How much is the estimated cost? How long will it take? Are parts in-stock or do they need to be shipped in? Getting these details down in writing can help you understand the timeline of the repair process and comparison shop at other repair shops.

2. Clean Your Car

When you bring your car in for repairs, make sure you remove any personal objects or necessary items you’ll need while your car is in the shop. After repairs are complete, expect your car back from the shop in better condition than you left it.

3. Take a Close Look

Look at the overall condition of the car before moving in closer to look at the repaired area. Uneven panels or small gaps suggest that the new panels not being aligned or installed correctly. To get into the nitty-gritty details, ask for a frame spec printout or reference sheet for your car and compare the factory specs with the post-repair measurements to see how your shop performed.

4. Check the Paint

This is one of the most difficult aspects of an auto body repair, as paint color and consistency matching is incredibly hard for an inexperienced technician. Looking at your car in direct sunlight is the best way to inspect their work, so try picking up your car in the middle of the afternoon to get the brightest light.

5. Be Courteous

Mistakes happen. Even the best auto repair shops will admit they occasionally screw up, but being accusatory and demanding is a good way to demonstrate to the shop that you’re not a good customer. Dispute a repair the right way and your mechanics will treat you much better than if you scream and shout – like with any business.

For information on Interstate Auto Body and Truck’s repair process or to get a quote on our repair services, give us a call at 1-509-782-5188 or use the contact form to get in touch.

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1 Response

  1. My truck has to be fixed, and I've been considering sending it in, but I'm not sure what I should do first. I found your blog at that time. It's quite useful that you advised writing down all the crucial information, such as the anticipated price and timeframe, as well as cleaning the car before dropping it off at the shop, to ensure a seamless repair experience. Thank you very much; this is something new to me, and I'll think about it before hiring a professional.

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