- 1). Ask for auto body shop recommendations from family, friends and as many people as you can, making notes of recommended shops and those to avoid. If you are new to the area, find a local online forum.
- 2). Narrow down your list to the top two or three shops.
- 3). Check the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the top shops on your list have a business membership and rating.
- 4). Visit the shop and ask questions. Ask if the shop's employees hold any certifications such as an Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certificate. Ask how many years experience the employees have, whether they provide a warranty for their repairs and if they have a customer satisfaction policy.
- 5). Shop around if your car is in need of a major repair. Obtain written estimates from each shop and compare them. Vastly different estimates could mean one shop could be misdiagnosing the problem, or charging for unnecessary repairs and replacements. Ask the technician to explain the problem to you on your level. Ask him if he's done similar repairs.
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