It’s the place you hope you’ll never have to go. But every now and then, life happens.
Most people don’t really consider an auto body shop unless they find themselves in a fender bender or worse. Regardless of the damage your vehicle suffered, it’s important that you do your research before worse comes to worst.
Fist, let’s cover some questions you might have.
Am I required to go to the body shop my insurance recommends?
No. By Minnesota law, it’s your call when it comes to choosing an auto body shop. You don’t have to go to the auto body shop that your insurance recommends.
Do you have any fun facts about Apple Collision and Glass?
As a matter of fact, we do! Only 20% of body shops in the NATION are I-Car Gold Certified. And guess what? Apple Collision and Glass is one of them!
Okay… and that means what exactly?
Fair enough. The Gold Class recognition is the highest role-relevant training achievement recognized by the collision repair industry.
The I-Car Professional Development Program provides collision repair and insurance businesses with a reliable training framework for acquiring Gold Class and maintaining up-to-date knowledge and skills that contribute to proper repairs, improved business performance and risk reduction.
Alright. Now that we’ve covered some questions, consider these inside tips:
What to look for when choosing an auto body shop
- Read Reviews
And we’re not just talking about the 2-stars with no explanation. Take time. Read through the detailed reviews, find patterns, and don’t eliminate a body shop because of a couple nasty one-liners. Even the best collision and glass shops can find themselves with dissatisfied customers every now and then. How does their customer service seem? Do they reply to reviews and actively seek to regain lost trust?
Another thing to consider is the notorious alliance your insurance likes to make with the body shop. Unfortunately, some companies downplay claims, minimize costs, use hand-me-down parts, and sometimes neglect to perform 100% repair on your vehicle to cut back on manual labor fees—making it seem like you’re getting a pretty decent deal with a not-so decent repair. Make sure you trust your auto body shop. Find a repair shop that has your best interest in mind, not your insurance’s.
At Apple Collision and Glass, we are on YOUR side first. We understand the frustration of getting in an accident, and know that pushy insurance companies only make it worse. So don’t let yourself get double-teamed by your insurance and auto body shop. While they may look like Pippen and Jordan, you have to remember that it’s YOUR vehicle, which means YOU’RE Jordan. We’ll take the Pippen role.
- What’s the warranty?
This is a big one. You need to consider the warranties your auto body shop offers and if it’s anything but lifetime, you might as well just scoot on out of there. Some auto body shops offer their own independent warranties on their repairs for fit, finish, functionality, and overall quality. Our advice? Request to see their warranty and ask some questions about it before agreeing to do business with them.
In addition, ask the auto body shop if any of the prior warranties you have will be overruled due to the circumstances. Factory warranties on engines and accessories can be voided following a collision. So if your insurer is advising aftermarket or used parts that might nullify your current warranty, that’s a red flag.
We don’t think anything but a lifetime warranty is worth it, which is why we abide by lifetime, and only lifetime warranties at Apple Collision and Glass.
- Genuine parts and Certified Techs
Another major thing to consider is the guys who are actually working on your vehicle. You don’t order sushi at a Mexican joint, so don’t service your Explorer at a Toyota specialist’s shop. At Apple Collision and Glass, we have Certified technicians who are trained by the manufacturers and provide the highest quality collision repair services. Plus, we hold ourselves to a standard of consistent excellence, which means we only use brand new, genuine manufacturer parts. None of that hand-me-down junk.
It’s never a bad idea to consider going to a body shop who specializes in your brand. Nevertheless, at Apple Collision and Glass, we service all makes and models. Regardless of the vehicle you own, we can bring it back to like-new condition.
- Get more than one estimate
According to Edmunds.com, it’s best to get estimates from several different shops before choosing yours. Show the first estimate you receive to the second shop you inquire with, then the third, fourth, etc. Ask questions, see how they compare; how do they plan on going about the repair? What does the process look like? Does the quality of their work match the price?
Don’t be afraid to be bold and clear about what you want. The state of Minnesota gives you the right to choose the shop that repairs your vehicle. Your insurance company is not entitled to steer your business to a specific shop.
At Apple Collision and Glass, we want this process to go smoothly the minute you come in, which is why we take pride in being your insurance repair experts! We work with all the major insurance carriers and we’ll file claim documents and initiate contact. Once it’s in our hands, it’s completely out of yours. From start to finish, we are your Pippen!
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