No matter how much you love your car, you might not be able to fix it yourself. We all know how to change tires and make other simple repairs, but for the more complicated stuff, is it really worth trusting yourself and that blurry YouTube video tutorial that you’re attempting to follow? If you have a major car problem, it’s best for both your safety and sanity that you go to a professional. Here are some tips on how to choose a good bodyshop to get car repairs that you can trust.
Is It Clean?
All right, nobody’s saying that a bodyshop needs to be clean at all times with a perfectly white floor and gleaming surfaces. In a space where cars are fixed and there are a lot of less than clean substances, there will be a bit of oil and grit around. But you need to make sure that you’re satisfied that the bodyshop is being run like a business and not just some petrol head’s pet hobby. A lot of the time, organisation is key to success – and if it’s a successful business, they will absolutely be organised, as clean as possible and with plenty of supplies stored neatly. Even if the workshop itself isn’t the most beautiful space in the world, make sure you’re satisfied that the office is being run competently.
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Has It Been Recommended?
You probably already know from everything relating to home repairs that the best decorators, plumbers and electricians come with stellar recommendations, preferably from people that you know and trust, and this applies to bodyshops and car repair shops too. Talk to your nearest and dearest and find out who did a great job on their car so that you can go to the same place. If you’ve recently moved to a new area, talk to your new colleagues to get some recommendations instead of stopping off at the first place you see.
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Have You Got Quotes From Elsewhere?
Make sure that you talk to other companies too, whether that’s getting quotes over the phone or going in there in person. It’s actually not a great idea to automatically go for the cheapest quote – instead, go for an average one. Most bodyshops will get their auto body supplies from similar places so their materials should cost about the same, and skilled labour should also cost about the same from company to company. Anyone who’s a lot cheaper or a lot more expensive should be ringing alarm bells in your head.
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Do They Specialise?
Finally, make sure that the bodyshop specialises in whatever car you have. If you have a very standard every day family car, don’t worry too much – but if you have a restored vintage vehicle that’s the love of your life or an expensive sports car that you bought with last year’s bonus, make sure that you talk to the workers about what work they’ve previously done with similar cars so that you’re absolutely assured that they’ll do a good job on your baby.