Working With A Dealer Based Collision Shop To Restore Your Car After A Collision
After a collision with your car or truck, repairing the damage starts with some decisions. Where you take your vehicle for repair is often your preference, but if the car is still under warranty, you may want to take it to a dealership with an auto body shop for evaluation and repair.
OEM Parts
If you want to keep your vehicle close to stock and repair body damage with OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts, you may want to use an auto body shop that is part of a factory dealership. The dealership has access to factory replacement parts that are exact replacements for the originals and the tools to put them on your car or truck.
The parts may look the same as aftermarket parts, but they will often be more precise and fit the vehicle better than body panels made by a third party. OEM parts are the same ones used on your car during assembly at the manufacturing plant. The quality standards that the manufacturer demands extend to the replacement parts so you can be sure you are getting the best body panels available for your vehicle and will fit correctly.
Paint Colors And Quality
Matching the original paint color on your car after collision repair is done, and it is time to repaint the vehicle is easier than ever. Paint manufacturers offer paint systems that create recipes for the paint colors so the auto body shop can mix the proper color based on the make, model, and vehicle year.
A dealer-based auto body shop may use factory paint products, but often the paint is based on a product from one of the major manufacturers and not exclusive to the carmaker. The color may be one of a kind, but if the color codes are available to the body shop, they can use them to mix the color and match the existing paint for you.
The quality of the final paint is often more about how well the bodywork and preparation are done before the paint is applied, and any good paint product can create a great-looking paint job when the shop takes the time to apply it correctly.
Repair Costs
When you decide to use a dealer-based auto body repair shop and OEM parts to rebuild your vehicle after a collision, you may find that the repair costs are higher than a local auto body repair shop. The difference in the price is often because the parts are the same as the originals, the techs undergo factory training, and the dealership has the latest tools and access to the manufacturer's specifications to help with the repair.
Choosing a shop to make the repairs on your vehicle is often a personal choice, but it is also essential to check with your insurance company to ensure the shop you plan to use works with them. For more information, contact an auto body shop near you.