If your car has been damaged by a hail storm, it’s important to find the best shop for auto hail repair that can provide quality hail damage car repair services. While there are many repair shops out there, not all of them are prepared to deal with hail damage, and not all of those offer the same level of service.
So how do you know which shops are reputable and which shops you should avoid? Keep reading to learn four things you should do when choosing a hail repair shop.
Contents
How to Choose the Best Shop for Auto Hail Repair? [5 Tips]
1. Research the Best Repair Services Offered
What do you do before you make any major purchasing decision? If you’re like most people, you probably do some research to compare your options. The same principle applies when choosing a hail repair shop. There will probably be several shops in your area that offer similar hail repair services, so it’s important to research which one will fit your needs the best.
One way you can easily determine if a shop is appropriate for you or not is by checking their websites to see what kind of services they offer. Good auto hail repair shops should have detailed information about what they do, a track record and guarantee of service excellence, and professional, friendly technicians with several years of experience under their belt.
2. Find Out Their Repair Timeframe
The last thing you want is for your car repair to unexpectedly take an extra few days or even weeks. Not only does it interrupt your schedule and cause an inconvenience, it can also rack up a considerable bill if you have to rent a car in the meantime.
Fortunately, hail damage is usually fixed with a method known as paintless dent repair. Under normal circumstances with a reputable technician, the repair shouldn’t take more than a few days, or a week maximum.
If a hail repair shop is quoting repair times that span several weeks, and you don’t have any special repair needs like a window that needs to be replaced, that could signal that you should take your business somewhere else.
3. View Their Insurance and Accreditation
When hail hits, the last thing you want to worry about is whether or not your insurance will cover the damages. You also don’t want to have to deal with an insurance company that’s difficult to work with, or worse: a mechanic that isn’t willing to work with them
A good hail repair shop will be accredited by most major insurance companies and will have a good working relationship with them. They will be able to smooth out disputes and complications, and in some cases, may even help you file your claim. If you go to a shop that doesn’t have a standard protocol for working with insurance, they may not be very experienced with hail damage repair.
4. Check Reviews and Reputation
One of the best and easiest ways to determine if a hail repair shop is reputable or not is by reading customer reviews. Hail damage is usually a pretty big inconvenience and can be tricky to fix, so people are often very vocal about their experiences, good or bad.
When you’re looking at customer reviews, make sure you’re reading them from multiple sources to avoid bias. Good places to check include Yelp, Google, and the shop’s own website. Also, take note of how the shop responds to negative reviews.
A hail repair shop that is confident in its services will be able to take criticism in stride and make an effort to improve upon any weaknesses that are brought to their attention.
5. Get an Estimate
Finally, once you’ve considered all of the above factors, it’s time for the final test: getting an estimate. Reputable hail repair shops should be able to give you a pretty accurate idea of what the repairs will cost and how long they’ll take. They will also give you a detailed breakdown of your charges if you ask.
If the shop is unwilling to give you an estimate or quotes a very high price, or if they can’t give you a direct explanation of where their price is coming from, that could be another red flag that you should take your business elsewhere.
Final Words
In conclusion, it is important to do your research before choosing a shop for auto hail repair. Ask around for recommendations, and read online reviews to find the best shop for you. Be sure to ask the shop about their experience with repairing hail damage, and get a quote before starting any repairs.