Know Your Auto Body Shop Before You Need Them!

Let’s face it, nobody wakes up in the morning and says, “I hope I get into a fender-bender today so I can go to my auto body shop!” Ridiculous self-talk? Definitely.  But could a fender-bender happen? Absolutely.  The point is body shops are similar to plumbers, electricians and lawyers.  Nobody really thinks about what they do or how they operate until they need one.  When we do need them, we’re at a loss at what to look for in the particular service person, regarding qualifications, best price, and reputation.

Case in point: My girlfriend needed an electrician for a simple problem with a wall outlet. This particular outlet was one of three GFI outlets in her house.  A GFI outlet is a special outlet that is made to prevent electric shock.  My girlfriend knows nothing about fixing electrical outlets and, unfortunately, her boyfriend doesn’t either.  She had to hire an electrician. She looked online and called several electricians and companies before deciding on hiring a bigger locally established company.  The technician came out, diagnosed the problem in literally minutes—a simple twisted wire in the outlet—and fixed it.  He then charged her…drum roll please….$250!

auto stiegler team photo
two workers at car body shop

She was somewhat upset but she paid the tech and he left. The company sent an email to her a couple of days later asking for an evaluation of the service and the technician.  She responded by phone and, in no uncertain terms, told them that she thought she was overcharged for a minimal amount of work. They promptly refunded her $75 to “make it right” for her.

The point of this story is that my girlfriend really didn’t know about electrical issues or even how to hire an electrician—because she never needed one.  But because she never considered that she may need an electrician someday,  she paid the price for not knowing which electrician to call or how they handle—and charge for—simple repairs.  It’s no different with a body shop. Have you ever considered where you would go to get your car repaired if you were in a collision? Most people don’t.  Here are a few things to consider if you ever need a body shop:

– Do they have overall good reviews on Google, Yelp and other online directories?

– Do they come from a good recommendation from friends or family?

  Do you know if your body shop would use after-market (translated: generic) parts to repair your car?  Or would they use original manufactured equipment (OEM) parts that are made specifically for your vehicle make and model?

– Do their technicians have certification in their jobs?(i.e. body techs, paint techs, etc.)

– Do they guarantee their work? 

Knowing about auto body shops—and particularly about the one you would prefer if you were in a collision—can save you time, money and headaches in the unfortunate event of finding yourself in a collision. 

At Orlando Auto Body, we come with high reviews on both Google and Yelp. We attempt to use OEM parts whenever possible and we always guarantee our work. We treat each car as if it were our own. In a collision? Call us today at  (480) 844-4858.