3 Tips to Identify an Experienced Auto Body Shop

In a recent survey, it was found that an estimated 77% of vehicles are in need of auto maintenance or repairs. Taking care of your vehicle should be at the very top of your priority list because neglecting to do so could result in wasted money down the line and even put you and everyone else on the road at risk.

Simply letting anyone work on your vehicle, however, isn't always a great idea. Unfortunately, there are some auto body repair services that aren't able to provide consistent and adequate service when it comes to auto maintenance.

Here are some great ways to tell whether or not the auto body shop you're working with did the repair job correctly:

1. Research their reputation -- "A reputable repair facility will go through everything with you, walk you through all the steps they took," said Aaron Schulenburg, executive director of the Society of Collision Repair Specialists. "Good shops will even touch up bolts under the hood that have been scratched while being repaired."
   
   If you think the repair facility doesn't have a history of being reputable, you might want to look elsewhere.


2. Mismatched pain colors -- Auto paint shops often rely on simply punching in the factory paint code, which is about 95% of matching color and consistency. However, the remaining 5% needs to be done by professionals who know what they're doing. You should examine other vehicles and look the paint for runs or imperfections like hair specks or dirt trappings -- if you're not satisfied, find somewhere else to go.


3. The vehicle doesn't look right or function properly -- The easiest way to tell that you're not working with an experienced auto body shop is to take a look at all the cars being worked on. If you notice tire misalignments, suspension issues, or noticeable wear and tear problems, that's a big red flag.

If you do notice that your vehicle is more damaged than before or some other major issues are going on, there are a few things that you should do next:

• Document everything.


• Make them aware of the issues.


• Request a refund or promise of delivery.


• Consider contacting an attorney.


• Do more research before going anywhere else for repair work.

The best way to avoid these common problems, however, is to work with an experienced, credible, and legitimate auto body shop from the get-go. If you want to work with a trust auto shop in Chicago, head to River North Collision Repair today!