How to find a good body shop near you

One of the most common questions people ask is “how do I find a good body shop near me?”  Getting an answer can be difficult. That’s because there is a wide range of auto body shops from which to choose:

• Independent
• Franchise
• Dealer

Some people really like to choose a locally owned and operated body shop. Others like to work with a franchise or even a dealer that specializes in their specific make or model. In addition, there are shops that provide collision repair services, classic car restorations, and all kinds of specialties.

The good news is that you can find a good body shop near you by looking for a couple key things.

A good body shop has a strong reputation

The number one mark of a good body shop that they have a strong reputation.

There are lots of articles, including this one from Consumer Reports, that list the shop’s reputation as the most important criteria – more than a brand new facility or amenities like coffee, miniature golf, or a big-screen TV in the waiting room.

Here are some questions you can ask to find out what kind of reputation the shop has:

• What do people say about the quality of the shop’s work?
• How quickly could the get questions answered when their car was in the shop?
• Do they feel like the shop would help them later if they have questions?

When the people who own the business live, work, and shop in the local community, they’re working on cars owned by people they care about. There’s no place to hide from sub-standard work when you’re meeting your customers in line at the grocery store or at the ballpark after their kid’s baseball practice.

A strong reputation also comes from experience.

A shop team with a long history of auto repair is more likely to have the experience you need than one that doesn’t. Technicians who stay with a shop for a long time are often a sign that the shop is well run and the owner knows how to take care of both their customers and their team.

A good body shop has active certifications

Another important mark of a good shop is that it is certified.

An active Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification lets you know the technicians who will work on your car are up to date with the latest systems and technology.

The Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair (I-CAR) certification is also important. This certification shows the shop has received training on I-CAR vehicle reparability standards for auto body collision repair and restoration.

It is also important that the shop is keeping its certifications current. You should be cautious about working with a shop that says it has up-to-date certifications but doesn’t.

A good body shop stands behind their work

As we all know, a body shop isn’t responsible for normal wear and tear after a repair. And, after a few months from a repair, it can be easy to assume that a warning light or a strange sound is related to the work the body shop did. Many times, it is a coincidence. However, sometimes it actually is related to the repair work.

Be sure to ask what kind of warranty the shop offers on the work they do.

Here are some questions that are important to consider before you make a choice on a collision repair or restoration shop:

• How long is the warranty – do they even offer one?
• What are the limitations and do they sound reasonable?
• What steps do you need to take if you have a concern?
• How difficult is it to get repairs if they’re related to the work the shop did?

Most body shops are good at helping people through their collision repair and restoration project decisions. Depending on how experienced their technicians are, they’re also usually pretty good about the repairs themselves.

The thing that sets a good body shop apart from the rest is how well they stand behind their work.

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If you’re trying to find a good body shop near you to help with a collision repair or restoration project, please give us a call. We’ve been a part of the Fuquay-Varina, NC community for more than 30 years. We’re ASE and I-CAR certified and offer a limited lifetime warranty on all the work we do. Call us today at (919) 552-0333 to schedule an appointment!