How to choose an Auto Body Repair Shop
1
HOW TO GUIDE 2013 Rich’s Auto Body is the premier auto body shop in the Central Valley. We have been providing quality service in our area for 49 years. Our newly expanded facility utilizes the most up-to-date technology to guarantee your vehicle’s repairs are done right the first time. Since 1964 – Serving Merced for over 49 years The staff at Rich’s Auto Body is dedicated to providing you with the highest quality of service and repair. We welcome you to tour our shop. 923 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Merced • 209-723-1022 • www.richs-autobody.com 00137364 Rich’s offers many types of services for your auto. Some of the many services that we offer are listed below. Vehicle Restoration Rich’s restores Classic and Collector automobiles including Mustangs, Corvettes, and Muscle Cars. Mr. Rich started in the auto repair business in 1955, and along with his technicians, they can offer you the best in restoration services. Frame Shop Rich’s Auto Body Inc. Utilizes the latest frame and alignment equipment and technology to assure you that your car is put back to factory specifications. 24 Hr. Towing and Car Carrier Service If you are involved in an accident Rich’s will tow your vehicle to our shop free of charge within 50 miles of Merced, with repairs. We are approved by the State and City for rotation towing. All vehicles towed to Rich’s are stored in a fenced security alarmed area or we also have inside storage available. Auto Detailing Who better to detail your vehicle than Rich’s, who has been repairing and detailing customer’s cars for over 49 years. Custom Auto Body Work and Fabrication Done to your specification. How to Important Points... CHOOSE AN AUTO BODY REPAIR SHOP It’s important to trust your intuition about the shop you’re considering. There is never a good time for auto body Repairs whether you have been involved in an Accident or just need to have your older car spruced Up. So many innocent people end up getting scammed out of money for repairs that may not have been necessary or pay for something that didn’t get done at all. You may be in the middle of a hectic week when the kids have soccer, ballet and piano in the same evening, or you just need to get to work the next morn- ing. It is never easy to choose an auto body repair shop but whatever your time constraints, there’s no more important service to look into thoroughly than auto body repair. Like any important service, it’s im- portant to get recommendations from friends, family or acquaintances you trust. The shop’s actual service is as im- portant as its customer service, so they should have rave reviews. Some shops are smaller and family owned, so you may not even hear about them on the radio or in online advertisements. Some of the best establishments are found only through word of mouth. The most im- portant point is that they make you feel comfortable and confident! Just as good referrals are important, it’s also vital that the shop you choose has experience working on your particu- lar type of car. The shop should be up to date with the newest technologies and be able to work on all makes and models of vehicles. What to look for It’s not uncommon for different body shops to hand out varied estimates and this could be because of the size and scope of the establishment. Every shop varies in what they charge for man- hours, and that’s where the bills can differentiate. Whether it is in the price of the estimate or the way the car will be repaired no two shops will be the same. Your actual estimate likely comes from a reference guide that estimates the number of hours required to perform common repairs. When it comes to estimates walk in to a shop and look around for a business license and ask to see it if it’s not there. Ask how long the shop has been in busi- ness at that location. Auto body shops that are young or move from place to place may suggest bad business. You’ll want to know if the parts and materials the shop intends to use on your car are new, used or aftermarket. After- market parts can save you a lot of money and can be just as good as new; however, they may be more difficult to match down the line (for example, headlights that may need to be replaced). What to look for Ask for an estimate and about the shop’s warranty for its work. You should be able to secure a written warranty for at least one year on the parts and the work, plus three years on paint jobs. Ask any and all questions you may have regarding the repair process. A well- equipped shop should be able to make you feel at ease with the entire process. After you’ve received several quotes from different shops, you can start to narrow down your search. If you like one place in particular, but they’re more expensive, show them your other, cheaper quotes and see if they’ll match them. It’s important to protect yourself from being overcharged, but be wary of the cheapest bids as well. Chances are if one quote is significantly cheaper, the shop is cutting corners. It’s always a good idea to trust your intuition when visiting a shop. Pay atten- tion to the number of people working in the garage – if it’s empty, it could mean people are avoiding it because of shoddy repairs. If the garage is dirty, cluttered or disorganized, this might be an indica- tion of the work they’ll do on your car. Repair work demands meticulous detail, so a shop that is filthy and disorganized may not be as thorough as you like. • Not So Fast. If you’ve been in an accident, you do not have to use the repair shop your insurance company sug- gests. Do your own research! • Trust Your Gut. If you don’t feel comfortable with the shop or its workers, keep look- ing. You’ll be happiest with a manager who is honest and straightforward. • The Final Inspection. Ask if the shop has a designated quality control person to in- spect the finished product. • Start Now. It’s never too early to start researching an auto body shop. Find one be- fore you need it to save your- self a huge headache later. Some of the best establishments are found only through word of mouth. The most important point is that they make you feel comfortable and confident, not that they have the newest, shiniest tools. HOW TO GUIDE 2013
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Not So Fast. If you’ve beenin an accident, you do nothave to use the repair shopyour insurance company suggests.Do your own research!
Transcript of How to choose an Auto Body Repair Shop
HOW TO GUIDE 2013
Rich’s Auto Body is the premier auto body shop in the Central Valley. We have been providing quality service in our area for 49 years. Our newly expanded facility utilizes the most up-to-date technology to guarantee your vehicle’s repairs are done right the first time.
Since 1964 – Serving Merced for over 49 years
The staff at Rich’s Auto Body is dedicated to providing you with the highest quality of service and repair. We welcome you to tour our shop.
923 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Merced • 209-723-1022 • www.richs-autobody.com 00137364
Rich’s offers many types of services for your auto. Some of the many services that we offer are listed below.
Vehicle RestorationRich’s restores Classic and Collector automobiles including Mustangs, Corvettes, and Muscle Cars. Mr. Rich started in the auto repair business in 1955, and along with his technicians, they can offer you the best in restoration services.
Frame Shop Rich’s Auto Body Inc. Utilizes the latest frame and alignment equipment and technology to assure you that your car is put back to factory specifications.
24 Hr. Towing and Car Carrier ServiceIf you are involved in an accident Rich’s will tow your vehicle to our shop free of charge within 50 miles of Merced, with repairs. We are approved by the State and City for rotation towing. All vehicles towed to Rich’s are stored in a fenced security alarmed area or we also have inside storage available.
Auto DetailingWho better to detail your vehicle
than Rich’s, who has been repairing and detailing customer’s cars for
over 49 years.
Custom Auto Body Workand Fabrication
Done to your specification.
How to
ImportantPoints...
choose AN AUTo BoDY RePAIR shoP
It’s important to trust your intuition about the shop you’re considering.
There is never a good time for auto body Repairs whether you have been involved in an Accident or just need to have your older car spruced Up. So many innocent people end up getting scammed out of money for repairs that may not have been necessary or pay for something that didn’t get done at all. You may be in the middle of a hectic week when the kids have soccer, ballet and piano in the same evening, or you just need to get to work the next morn-ing. It is never easy to choose an auto body repair shop but whatever your time constraints, there’s no more important service to look into thoroughly than auto body repair.
Like any important service, it’s im-portant to get recommendations from friends, family or acquaintances you trust. The shop’s actual service is as im-portant as its customer service, so they should have rave reviews. Some shops are smaller and family owned, so you may not even hear about them on the radio or in online advertisements. Some of the best establishments are found only through word of mouth. The most im-portant point is that they make you feel comfortable and confident!
Just as good referrals are important, it’s also vital that the shop you choose has experience working on your particu-lar type of car. The shop should be up to date with the newest technologies and be able to work on all makes and models of vehicles.
What to look forIt’s not uncommon for different body
shops to hand out varied estimates and this could be because of the size and scope of the establishment. Every shop varies in what they charge for man-hours, and that’s where the bills can differentiate. Whether it is in the price of the estimate or the way the car will be repaired no two shops will be the same.
Your actual estimate likely comes from a reference guide that estimates the number of hours required to perform common repairs.
When it comes to estimates walk in to a shop and look around for a business license and ask to see it if it’s not there. Ask how long the shop has been in busi-ness at that location. Auto body shops that are young or move from place to place may suggest bad business.
You’ll want to know if the parts and
materials the shop intends to use on your car are new, used or aftermarket. After-market parts can save you a lot of money and can be just as good as new; however, they may be more difficult to match down the line (for example, headlights that may need to be replaced).
What to look forAsk for an estimate and about the
shop’s warranty for its work. You should be able to secure a written warranty for at least one year on the parts and the work, plus three years on paint jobs. Ask any and all questions you may have regarding the repair process. A well-equipped shop should be able to make you feel at ease with the entire process.
After you’ve received several quotes
from different shops, you can start to narrow down your search. If you like one place in particular, but they’re more expensive, show them your other, cheaper quotes and see if they’ll match them. It’s important to protect yourself from being overcharged, but be wary of the cheapest bids as well. Chances are if one quote is significantly cheaper, the shop is cutting corners.
It’s always a good idea to trust your intuition when visiting a shop. Pay atten-tion to the number of people working in the garage – if it’s empty, it could mean people are avoiding it because of shoddy repairs. If the garage is dirty, cluttered or disorganized, this might be an indica-tion of the work they’ll do on your car. Repair work demands meticulous detail, so a shop that is filthy and disorganized may not be as thorough as you like.
• Not So Fast. If you’ve been in an accident, you do not have to use the repair shop your insurance company sug-gests. Do your own research!
• Trust Your Gut. If you don’t feel comfortable with the shop or its workers, keep look-ing. You’ll be happiest with a manager who is honest and straightforward.
• The Final Inspection. Ask if the shop has a designated quality control person to in-spect the finished product.
• Start Now. It’s never too early to start researching an auto body shop. Find one be-fore you need it to save your-self a huge headache later.
Some of the best establishments are found
only through word of mouth. The most
important point is that they make you feel comfortable and
confident, not that they have the newest,
shiniest tools.
HOW TO GUIDE 2013
