If your car is damaged in an accident or a collision of some kind, you will need the services of a panel beater.
It might be that your insurance company has a preferred service provider that you must employ to do the repairs.
If, on the other hand, you have the choice to find your own smash repair shop, there a few things you need to keep in mind before making your final decision on what business should restore your vehicle to it's former condition.
Here are four tips on how to choose a panel beater.
1 Get a detailed quote.
This should include the costs of both labor and parts.
Get two or three quotes so you can compare prices.
Most repairs are small due to minor accidents and there can oten be a range of prices.
If there is a lot of damage to a door or panel it can be cheaper to replace the parts.
2 Don't base your final choice of panel beater solely on price.
Quality of work is also an important factor.
Check out the panel beating facility, is it neat and organized.
Does the company have modern machinery and staff that take pride in their work.
You want to know that you are dealing with a professional organization.
3 Find out if there is a guarantee on any completed repair work.
If the chassis has been twisted in any way and the repair is substandard you may have future problems.
If the chassis is not perfectly aligned it can affect road handling which can cause problems for the driver.
4 Find out what the turn around time is for the repairs and whether the company provides a courtesy vehicle for you to use in the meantime.
Both of these factors are also important when choosing a panel beater.
So you can see there a few things to consider when it comes to selecting a panel beater.
For the reasons of safety and the resale value of your vehicle, it pays to do your research first.