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Auto Maintenance: Choosing One Repair Shop

One of the things I learned from my dad is that it pays to find a good auto repair shop and stick with it. True enough, I have tried using more than one shop, based on what I needed done to my car. Every time, I found myself going back to one shop that knew my car and the car's history. I had found that shop not too long ago. They had offered help with everything from rebuilding engines to dent repair. The shop is located near my home, and they keep records that went back for years. Thanks to the long history, they always knew what to do when something was not working as it should. If you think that finding one shop to meet all your needs is a good idea, let me help. With a little effort, you'll know exactly where to take your vehicle any time it needs some work.

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Auto Maintenance: Choosing One Repair Shop

5 Questions To Ask An Auto Body Repair Shop Before Signing Any Paperwork

by Noelle Snyder

Whether you were recently involved in an auto accident or your car was vandalized, an auto body repair shop is your first stop for getting your car looking like new again. But of course, you don't want to trust just anybody to work on restoring the body of your car. In fact, there are some important questions you'll want to ask the shop owner before you sign any kind of work order.

Will You Take Care of the Insurance?

If your auto body repair is covered under your comprehensive or collision insurance, you'll want to ask the repair shop if they'll take care of dealing with your insurance company on your behalf. Specifically, make sure that they'll bill your insurance company directly, rather than leaving you to foot the bill and get reimbursed by your auto insurance company.

Are the Auto Body Parts New or Used?

If you're paying out-of-pocket for your repairs, used auto body parts can be a great way to save some money. You can look around for used auto body parts yourself at companies like Woonsocket Auto Salvage. However, if your auto insurance is paying for the work, then you'll want to make sure the repair shop uses brand new, original manufacturer parts for the best quality.

Will You Provide a Free Loaner Car?

If your repair is going to take more than a few hours, you may want to find a repair shop that offers free loaner cars, especially if you don't have rental reimbursement as part of your insurance coverage. This way, you don't have to be stuck without a car while yours is being worked on.

What Kind of Insurance Do You Have?

You never know when a disaster might happen. Should your car become damaged while in the shop, whether due to fire, severe weather, or even vandalism, you'll want to make sure your vehicle is protected and you will be reimbursed. Specifically, make sure the repair shop has liability insurance and that the coverage is enough to cover the total cost of your car, if necessary.

Will the Paint Match Be Exact?

The last thing you want is a poorly matched paint job on your auto body work, so be sure to confirm with the workers at the shop that they'll achieve an exact match based on your car's unique paint color code (typically found under the hood). If not, then you may want to go elsewhere to ensure that your car will look good as new and not obviously repaired.

 

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