If you’re ever in an accident or your car needs repairs for any reason, if you aren’t very experienced in this area, you may not know what type of shop or professional is best.
Along with shops focusing on different types of services, mechanics have different areas of specialty.
If you are, for example, in a left-turn accident and your car needs pretty major repairs, who do you turn to? You might work with your insurance company and a personal injury law firm like Hirsch & Lyon Accident Law, but then you may need repairs on your vehicle.
You want to work with a professional who understands your needs and knows what they’re doing.
The following are some things to know as far as auto repair shops and services.
Mechanic Shop
First, if you need repairs following a collision, you will probably just automatically think you should go to a mechanic. That’s not necessarily the reality.
If you have no body damage but need repairs, then yes, a mechanic is probably best.
A mechanic can get your car back to functioning the way it should again.
As the name indicates, mechanics deal with the mechanical systems of a car.
If you don’t have any body damage, a mechanic can help with things like identifying why your check engine light is on.
Sometimes a mechanic may be called an automotive technician. An automotive technician is trained in diagnosing, servicing, and repairing domestic and foreign cars.
They are well-versed in the internal systems of a vehicle, and they can find deeper problems by connecting the dots between different “symptoms.”
An automotive technician might change your oil, figure out what’s wrong with your transmission, or replace an engine part.
Automotive technicians might work in an independent repair shop or the service center of a dealership. Check out https://tireworks.net/
There are service technicians and diagnostic technicians. These professionals may fall into the larger category of an automotive technician.
A service technician does things related to routine vehicle servicing. For example, they might check fluid and oil levels and electrical wiring on your car’s brakes and lights.
A diagnostic technician is similar to a service technician, but they’re more specialized. They used specialist tools to identify problems that can’t often be seen with the naked eye.
Some auto shops might focus on specific systems of a vehicle, such as the brakes or transmission.
Collision Repair Technicians
We’ve touched several times on the fact that if you are in an accident, you may need car repairs. You may work with a collision repair technician.
Collision repair technicians specialize in repairing and refinishing a car after it’s in an accident.
Areas of specialty for a collision repair technician might include reconstructing a vehicle’s frame, body repair, welding, and matching paint.
Paint Experts
An auto paint expert may help make sure that after your vehicle is in an accident, it looks like new with the paint. Even if you aren’t in an accident, you might go to a paint expert to change its color.
Auto Glass Repair Specialists
Auto glass repair specialists, as the name might imply, repair, and replace glass on different vehicle areas. If you’ve been in an accident, even that’s seemingly minor, you might likely need the services of an auto glass repair specialist.
Sometimes if you have something minor like a small chip, an auto glass specialist may be able to repair it without changing the entire section of glass. Click here and learn more about glass repairs.
Types of Auto Repair Shops
Beyond the specialists themselves, there are different types of shops you might visit when you need service or repair work.
Dealership
If you buy your car from a dealership, this might also be where you want to take your car when it needs work.
Dealerships are considered the most high-end of the different types of repair shops.
The people who work there have been trained by the manufacturers, and they can provide all types of services. Dealerships also sell parts.
If you have a warranty or need a comprehensive set of repairs, you might go to a dealership.
Independent Garages
Most repair shops are considered independent garages. They are privately owned.
The services and prices vary significantly.
Independent garages do tend to be cheaper than a dealership, but they don’t usually stock the parts.
You need to make sure if you choose an independent garage that the people who work there have experience where you need it.
Within the larger category of independent garages is where you’ll find body shops.
There are also brake and mechanic shops that don’t do bodywork. For example, if you need new brake pads, you’ll go to one of those mechanic shops.
If you go with an independent auto shop, you should look for one with mechanics who are certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ACE). The certification means that the mechanics will be experienced, and they should have extensive knowledge to help reduce the risk that the repairs made aren’t going to be poor quality.
Specialty Auto Shops
Independent auto shops can be further categorized as specialty auto shops. These shops will focus on one specific thing, such as working on European cars.
These offer narrow services, but as such,you’re probably going to get high-quality service.
When you’re choosing an auto body shop, there are a lot of decisions.
Some of the factors to think about include word-of-mouth and referrals, and of course, price. You should get a couple of different estimates and do a little research before heading into the shop so you know the right questions to ask.
For example, does the shop offer a warranty on their work, and if so, what does the warranty cover, and how long does it last?
When you’re in an accident or having car troubles, it’s stressful. Working with the right professionals can alleviate some of that stress.
