How Do You Find a Reputable Shop to Repair Your Vehicle?

Oct 09, 2019

Finding a Reputable Auto Body Shop Requires Some Homework

Whether your vehicle needs restoration work or has been in an accident, you should know that the two types of work are handled differently. When in an accident that is covered by insurance, the insurance company guarantees they will pay to have your vehicle returned to pre-accident condition. Your part of the bill is a fixed cost, called the deductible, which does not increase or decrease with the amount of damage to the vehicle. 


When having restoration work done, such as a new paint job, the cost of the repair is negotiable with the auto body shop. The cost varies largely by the size of the work and the level of quality of the intended restoration. Watch out for large multiple shop organizations (MSO's) advertising excessively cheap prices for auto body work. Disassembling, panel repair, prepping, painting and reassembly are labor driven tasks that are not machine automated; therefore, its not possible to offer a high quality restoration job at low rates. 


You should remember not to wait until you have no choice but to go to an auto body shop to start searching for one. Keep in mind these things when looking for a qualified auto body repair facility:

Start with Recommendations and Reviews

If you are in an accident or need a tow, the insurance company or tow truck driver might recommend a repair shop that they have an agreement with. The insurance company has contracted several preferred shops which can make the repair process easier and less costly overall. The tow truck driver may attempt to bring your vehicle to a facility they have relationships with but your insurance company does not. In Connecticut, you have the right to choose where you have your vehicle repaired.


Word of mouth referrals from family members and trusted friends is a good place to start. More reputable auto body shops will have websites listing their services and displaying reviews. A great web reference for finding an auto body shop near you is www.carwise.com.

Look for Certifications and Memberships

While industry certifications won’t guarantee the shop is honest, it may mean they can perform competent repairs. Ask the auto body shop what industry certifications they have that proves the shop has the knowledge to fix your vehicle. You want a shop that can walk you through the entire repair process and explain the reason for all the work on your repair estimate. If you have a rare vehicle, ask them for example estimates of similar models they have worked on. 

Don’t Shop By Just Price

A lot of people shop around and only focus on price. But remember, you aren’t just paying for labor and parts, but also for the technical expertise of the auto body shop. A bargain in the case of auto body repairs doesn’t usually mean a job well done. The time allotted to a specific auto body repair and part replacement is standardized by the MOTOR Estimating Guide. Each reputable shop will bill the job according the industry standard hours in the guide, meaning the job cost shouldn't vary widely between three reputable shops. 

Ask Questions

You must ask questions about job warranties and ensure those warranties are in writing on your job invoice. Find out when the shop can take your vehicle and how long the job will take. Ask the shop what is the advantage of bringing your vehicle to their shop instead of another.

Make Sure the Shop Has Up-To-Date Equipment

New cars today are very advanced when it comes to the technology they are equipped with. You want to be sure that the shop you go to has the right equipment to be able to properly fix your car. Ask to see their shop and equipment. If they have good equipment, they will be proud to show it to you. 

Get a Second Opinion

It never hurts to get a second opinion from other shops when you are looking into getting your vehicle repaired. Ask the shop owner, besides his shop, who he would bring his vehicle to have auto body work performed. Assure the owner you are only doing your due diligence in finding the best auto body shop to work on your vehicle. If the owner has confidence in his shop's ability and reputation, he will have no issue referring you to another good auto body shop for comparison. 

Call Ray’s Automotive!

Ray’s Automotive is a one-stop shop for all of your needs, from restorative to collision work, we do it all! We are a family owned company that treats all of our customers as family. Our team will be happy to answer any questions you might have. We specialize in automotive repair, collision repair, and any other repair services. Call our team today, we’d love to help you!

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