What to Look for After Your Car's Been to the Body Shop

If you have just taken your car to an auto body shop, it can be difficult to tell if the work has been done well. Whether your repairs were done at a neighborhood body shop or the auto body work was done at a dealership or chain, it is important to inspect the work to verify you are getting your the work you paid for. Mistakes made in a body shop are often hard to identify, but with a few key tips, you can make sure your car is being returned to you good as new.

Inspect the car in broad daylight. Look over the car as a whole to see any noticeable damage. Next, inspect the paint. It can be very difficult to match paint colors, and any discrepancies in the body shop's work on the paint will be more noticeable when you look at the car in the light, as opposed to inside a body shop.

The next step is to inspect the panels where the work has been repaird. Take a close look at the damaged area that has been repaired by the body shop. Does it look like new? Make sure the body shop has replaced the panels evenly. The gap between panels should remain the same width everywhere. If there are any places where the space between the panels get wider or narrower, take the car back to the body shop and have them repair their work.

Lastly, if the body shop did any work near or on a door (including the trunk and hood), make sure to check that the hinges operate properly. Open and shut the door several times to make sure there aren't any weird noises.

If your car does not operate or look exactly as it did before the damage, take your car back the body shop. You are paying the body shop to repair your car-- not to make a temporary patch. If you find nothing wrong with your car, congratulations! You have found a reliable and dependable auto body shop.

» posted in Auto Repair and Body Shops

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