Creating A More Beautiful Vehicle

Posted on: 18 April 2019

Every year in the United States, there are 6 million car accidents, and unfortunately, nearly 20 percent of those accidents are caused by distracted drivers. This means no matter how safely you drive, you can still end up in a car crash due to no fault of your own. Obviously, it's more important for you to escape unscathed than it is your vehicle, but for those who don't carry comp and collision on their vehicles, paying for auto body repairs can be a real hardship. Here are three ways to get the best price for the car body repair services you need.

Call Around

Don't just choose the first auto body repair shop in the phone book. You want to call at least three places to see what their rates are. One of the most expensive components getting your car repaired is the labor, which often comes to more than the cost of the parts or materials used. The shop's overhead is another component, which is built in to the hourly labor rate. It costs money to keep the lights and heat on, like any business, but a car repair shop also has a lot of other expenses, such as the tools and diagnostic equipment they use to do their job. Auto parts and materials also receive a markup; after all, it is a business, and like all businesses, they need to make a profit.

When you call, ask what their labor rate is for auto body repairs as well as mechanical repairs if your vehicle will need those as well. Don't just automatically choose the cheapest place, though. You also need to consider the skill level of the shop. Many shops specialize in one area but do other work as well. Choosing a shop that specializes in what you need done, even if they charge a little more hourly, may make more sense in the long run. This is because specialists can usually get the job done quicker and is less time, thereby reducing what you pay in labor.

Ask If The Shop Does Paintless Dent Repair

Not all damages to the vehicle's body necessarily needs to be repaired the traditional way of pounding out dents and sanding and filling and repainting. Smaller dents and dings can often be fix with paintless dent repair, which is less expensive than traditional auto body methods. Paintless dent repair can be done on dents and dings where the paint has not been cracked at all.

Don't Wait Too Long To Get The Auto Body Work Done

The longer you wait to have the repairs made, the worse the damage gets. This is because when the paint cracks, the metal underneath is no longer protect. The elements as well as road salt begins the corroding and rusting process, which can lead to more trouble and higher expenses.