AUTOMOTIVE
Consumer
How to
Things You
Should Know
1.
Look for an auto
body shop with a
good “track record”
2.
Ask the manage-
ment about the
repair equipment
they have to repair
your vehicle
3.
Customer service is
as important as the
quality of service
4.
Large selection of
vehicles
5.
Factory Trained
Technicians
6.
Knowledgeable
staff in every
department
7.
Involved in the
community
8.
How to choose a
technician
9.
What you should
know about the
parts to be repaired
or replaced
10. After the work is
done
11. Preventative main-
tenance
12. Maintenance guide-
lines to prevent
costly repairs
13. Warranties
14. Service Contracts
18 HOW TO GUIDE
CHOOSE AN
AUTO DEALERSHIP
Oh no! That fender-bender could
not have happened at a worse time.
Now you need your vehicle
repaired. What should you look for
in a quality auto body shop? Do
they offer a strong guarantee on
their work? Does your insurance
company recognize them as an
approved collision repair center?
How long have they been in busi-
ness?
FIRST; Look for an auto body
repair shop that has longevity in the
community and has a good “track
record.” You want to choose a body
shop that has trained certified
and/or licensed technicians who
are experienced professionals.
SECOND, ask to inspect the
repair shop. Look for a clean, pro-
fessionally run facility.
Check the paint area. Is it clean?
Is it well maintained and closed to
the other body shop operations?
The management should have
no problem showing you the facility
and any special features or equip-
ment they have available to repair
your vehicle.
THIRD, ask the management
about the repair equipment they
have to repair your vehicle.
• Is it up-to-date equipment?
• Do they have specialized equip-
ment and tools to do frame repairs?
•Do they use factory replace-
ment parts? The quality of repair
tools, equipment and replacement
parts and materials the repair tech-
nicians used will make a difference,
not only when you pick up your
vehicle, but for the rest of the time
you drive that vehicle.
FINALLY, customer service is as
important as the quality of repair.
Most auto body shops will pick up
and deliver vehicle owners while
repairs are being made.
They also act as your consultant
and advocate with your insurance
company.
These efforts are intended to
ensure you get the best possible
repair work, parts and service,
whether insurance covers the entire
repairs or not.
How to Choose a
Technician
Is one technician better than
another? Look for shops that dis-
play various certifications, like an
Automotive Service Excellence seal.
Certification indicates that some or
all of the technicians meet basic
standards of knowledge and compe-
tence in specific technical areas.
Make sure the certifications are cur-
rent, but remember that certifica-
tion alone is no guarantee of good
or honest work. Ask if the techni-
cian or shop has experience work-
ing on the same make or model
vehicle as yours.
What Should I know
About the Parts to be
Repaired or Replaced?
Parts are classified as: New -
Those parts are generally made to
original manufacturer’s specifica-
tions, either by the vehicle manu-
facturer or an independent compa-
ny Your state may require shops to
tell you if non-original equipment
will be used in the repair. Prices and
quality of these parts vary.
Remanufactured, rebuilt and recon-
ditioned - These terms generally
mean the same thing: parts have
been restored to a sound working
condition. Many manufacturers
offer a warranty covering replace-
ment parts, but not the labor to
install them. Salvage - These are
used parts taken from another vehi-
cle without alteration. Salvage parts
may be the only source for certain
items, though their reliability is sel-
dom guaranteed.
What do I do After the
Work is Done?
Get a completed repair order
describing the work done. It should
list each repair, parts supplied, the
cost of each part, labor charges,
and the vehicle’s odometer reading
when you brought the vehicle in as
well as when the repair order was
completed. Ask for all replaced
parts. State law may require this.
Preventative Maintenance
What are the consequences of
postponing maintenance? Many
parts on your vehicle are interrelat-
ed. Ignoring maintenance can lead
to trouble: specific parts - or an
entire system - can fail. Neglecting
even simple routine maintenance,
such as changing the oil or check-
ing the coolant, can lead to poor
fuel economy, unreliability or costly
breakdowns. I also may invalidate
your warranty.
What Maintenance
Guidelines Should I
Follow to Avoid Costly
Repairs
Follow the manufacturer’s main-
tenance schedule in your owner’s
manual for your type of driving.
Some repair shops create their own
maintenance schedules, which call
for more frequent servicing than the
manufacturer’s recommendations.
Compare shop maintenance sched-
ules with those recommended in
your owner’s manual. Ask the
repair shop to explain and make
sure you understand - why it rec-
ommends service beyond the rec-
ommended schedule.
Service Contracts
Many vehicle dealers and others
sell optional contracts - service con-
tracts issued by vehicle manufactur-
ers or independent companies. Not
all service contracts are the same;
prices vary and are usually nego-
tiable. To help decide whether to
purchase a service contract, consid-
er: Its cost, the repairs to be cov-
ered, whether coverage overlaps
coverage provided by any other
warranty, the deductible, where the
repairs are to be performed, proce-
dures required to file a claim such as
prior authorization for specific
repairs or meeting required vehicle
maintenance schedules, whether
repair costs are paid directly by the
company to the repair shop or
whether you will have to pay first
and get reimbursed. The reputation
of the service contract company.
Check it out with your state
Attorney General’s office or local
consumer protection agency.