What to Look for in a Quality Body Shop

by Kevin Smith Author

When your vehicle needs repairs, it’s crucial that you only entrust those repairs to a reliable, experienced mechanic. You want to feel confident that the body shop you go to can handle the repairs you need, get them done quickly, and charge you a fair and honest price. But how do you determine all that before handing over your car? Here are a few things to look for that will signify you’re working with a top-quality body shop.

Certifications and Recognition

Any auto body shop worth its mettle will be recognized and certified by many organizations. This tells you that they’re not only a legitimate business but that they meet specific standards of quality to be recognized by these associations. At the minimum, you should look for a shop that has the following:

● ASE Certification – The National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence tests individual technicians and certifies their skills. While not every mechanic at the shop needs to have an ASE certification, their lead tech should have at least one ASE certification. Be sure to ask what category they’re certified in, as there are many different categories in which mechanics can be ASE certified, and you want to ensure they’ve been certified in the kind of work you need.

● A+ Rating with BBB – While ASE certification will verify the technicians’ skills, an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau attests to the shop’s honesty and customer service. It’s challenging to maintain this rating if you’re overcharging clients or doing shoddy work, so if you find a shop rated A+ on the BBB website, the odds are good; you can trust them.

Specialization for Your Vehicle

Most auto body shops can work on pretty much any mass-market vehicle. But if you have a luxury car or one that’s less common, you should look for a shop specializing in repairing those types of cars. Luxury vehicles require specialized parts and may even need different diagnostic equipment. Finding a shop that has this equipment is a good start. But you’ll also want to ensure their techs are certified for your specific make of car. Manufacturers like BMW and Audi offer their own certification for mechanics, so check for this as well.

Customer Reviews

As always, customer reviews are essential to consider when choosing a business to work with. While every business is sure to have a few negative reviews, what you need to look for is consistent complaints. Are a lot of people complaining about parts failing after a repair? Do multiple people feel they were overcharged? Constant issues can be a red flag for that business.

If you pay attention to these 3 points, you can find one of the best body shops in Houston for your vehicle’s repairs.