How To Ensure You Get A Fair Price Collision Repair

Having an accident in you car or pickup is stressful enough but this is just the start of a journey that can be both long and expensive. You might have damaged your body work by clipping a tree or you may have been involved in a collision with another vehicle.

No matter what the cause, you now need to consider how to get your car or pickup restored to its former glory. Price and time will be your first two repair priorities and here we take at a total of four things you need to consider:

Finding an reseda auto body shop that ticks all of these boxes will help ensure that your repair journey is as painless and hassle-free as possible.

1. Getting an estimate

Price is a factor that you need to consider, even if your collision is covered by an insurance policy.

Insured repairs: If your collision is insured then the other factors here may be more important to you. You will have to pay your deductible and you insurance policy may or may not include a courtesy vehicle. If your insurance policy does not include a courtesy vehicle, then look for a body shop that works closely with a rental company. A body shop that does, we likely be able to get you a discounted rate for your rental car.

Out of insurance repairs: If your collision damage isn’t covered by an insurance policy, then look for a body shop that will give you a free estimate. Some body shops will give you an estimate within one hour, either from seeing your vehicle or from pictures of the damage, which you can email to the body shop. If a third party is paying for the repairs, then ensure that they pay before the work begins, less you be left with the bill at the end.

2. Convenience

Quite often, your vehicle will not be safe to drive following a collision. Look for an auto body shop that has 24/7 towing, for the most convenience. You are also unlikely to live next door to your body shop, so look for one that offers picking you up and dropping you off at your home or place of work.

3. Quality

You body work repair is only going to be as good as the hands that make it. You should ask your body shop about the qualifications of the mechanics that conduct the work. Mechanics certified to PPG and I-CAR standards are an excellent choice. You should also ensure that the auto body shop uses the latest computerized paint matching system to ensure new paintwork matches the original factory color of your car or pickup.

4. To repair or not?

You may be left wondering whether or not you should repair minor damage. In most cases you should because dents and scratches will depreciate the value of your vehicle, which will be important when you come to sell it. If the paint hasn’t been damaged then a paint-less dent repair can be carried out at an affordable cost. If the paint is damaged, then what might be a small problem today can become a major problem tomorrow. Rust, salt, dirt and moisture will all take their toll.