What Should I Do Before and After Auto Body Repair?....

Stress is part of the process when getting repairs made to your car after an accident. The key to ensuring the repairs to your car is complete comes down to what you do before and after auto body repair.

In other words, you want your vehicle to look and operate the same as it did before the accident. The best way to do this is to be involved with the repair process. Understand everything that is done.

Improve your experience by following the five steps below that every car owner must do before and after auto body repair:

5 Things Car Owners Must Do Before and After Auto Body Repair

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• Understand the repairs

When you take your car to the shop, make sure you talk to the manager about the damage done to your vehicle. Whether you talk to them over the phone or in person, write down everything they say. Discuss the damaged and ask questions until you fully understand what repairs need to be done. Do some research online or talk to a knowledgeable friend. Don’t be afraid to tell the auto body repair shop you will get back to them. The most important thing is to understand the necessary repairs.

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• Get a final itemized bill

Once the repairs are complete, do not drive away with your car without the final itemized bill. The auto body should walk you through the list and confirm all of the work done on your car. In addition, double-check the list for services they did not inform you of in the original quote or subsequent conversations. You should understand everything on the final bill.

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• Schedule a walk around

Before accepting your car, schedule a walk around with the shop manager. Ask him or her to point out what was done and match up all of the work to the itemized bill. This will give them a chance to discuss whether the repairs were flawless or if they ran into any trouble.

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• Inspect your vehicle

A brief inspection may be done at the shop, but normally a thorough inspection is done after you accept your car. If the shop provides a warranty (which most do), you can do the inspection at home. Is the paint job high-quality? Is the body repair noticeable? This is the time to determine if you are satisfied with the work. In addition, if they cleaned and washed your car, that is something to take notice of for future service.

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• Take a test drive

Finally, take your repaired car for a test drive. If you had mechanical repairs done, listen for any strange noises include screeching, grinding, rattling, clicking, sputtering, or loud humming. Many of these things signal an issue. Also, if there are any other unusual problems you notice that were not present prior to the repairs, consult the auto body that did the work. This can mean the repairs were not done correctly or there is another issue that was missed the first time. Remember, the goal is to get it back to its original form.

Auto Body Repair Doesn’t Have to Be Painful

In the end, getting your car repaired after a collision doesn’t need to be a painful or mysterious process. Just remind yourself to understand the suggested repairs, get the final itemized bill, schedule a walk around with the manager, inspect the completed repairs, and test drive your repaired car.

If you follow these five steps before and after auto bodywork, your chances of having a good experience will be much higher.