When you last saw your car, at the scene towed its perverted mess. It is now weeks, and the car is parked on the driveway of an auto repair shop. You can write a check, and the car is yours again. How to check everything under the surface is corrected?

One of the keys to the proper repair of your car is to choose a reliable store. But you still need to inspect the work done before you leave. To better understand, here are a few tips from several knowledgeable veterans of the body shop business.

Have A Clear Understanding In Advance

According to Aaron Schulenburg, executive director of the Society of collision repair specialists, the process of correcting your car starts when you drop it. Find out what the store is about to fix and how it will perform the repairs. Get everything in writing. Ask about the warranty from the store for his work. When you return, review the documents to make sure the store repaired correctly. “Dear repair shop will work everything with you, guide you through all the steps they have taken,” says Schulenburg. “Good shops will even fix bolts under the hood that were scratched during repairs.”

A Clean Car Is A Must

Appearance matters. When you pick up your car, it had to be washed, cleaned and vacuumed, says John Mallet, owner of Burke Auto Body and Paint, in Long Beach, California. The car should not be dirt or dust, and in the trunk should not be old parts. Mallet says he even tries to clean the engine compartment before handing over the keys. According to Mike O'Connell, owner of Golden Hammer Auto Body in Los Angeles, it may be difficult to return a clean car to a customer. According to him, despite all the dust from the sand, "auto repair shops are the dirtiest places on earth." Where the workers take precautions to keep cars clean using paper and masking tape to protect various areas, and then they wash the car thoroughly before the buyer comes for it.

Closer Inspection

If the general view of the car is being tested, carefully look at the repair area. Mallet recommends first finding the gaps between the body panels. If the gaps are uneven, this is a clear sign that the panels are not aligned correctly. Schulenburg says that owners must make sure that the doors open and close appropriately with proper alignment. According to Mallet, if the car body has undergone extensive frontal damage, it may be difficult to repair it. One way to identify a problem is to look at the distance between the tire and the wing. If it is full on the one hand and narrow on the other, something was not appropriately corrected. Make another test to turn on the headlights to make sure the light rays are aligned.

When the car hit the front, the frame could bend and require straightening of what is called a “stand” in the body shop. Workers use it to pull the handrails until the frame is straight. Mallet says he can look under the car and see “butcher tracks” due to poor repair work. But visual inspection can be difficult for the average consumer, Schulenburg explains. The owner must take a look at the automatic printout of frame specifications. A good body shop measures the damaged area of the car and then weighs the frame again after repair. The characteristics of the structure should be the same after repair as before the accident. Listing frame specifications is a useful reference document to ensure that the work was done correctly. If you are concerned that the overhaul was not done correctly, and you want someone other than the original body shop to rate it, you can get a second opinion. O'Connell tells us that many people bring him cars only for this kind of assessment, and he can immediately identify problems that the average consumer cannot give.

Paint Handling: Matching Colors And Consistency

The most challenging works in the body shop is the selection of paint. “Using factory paint codes gives you 95 per cent of the way to match colors,” says O'Connell. But the remaining 5 per cent should be done by people who know what they are doing. “If we didn’t take this extra step, there would always be a slight deviation,” he explains. Why you see cars on the road that look like three different colors.” Most factory paint coatings to a greater or lesser extent have the texture of "orange peel". Whether you like this effect or not, most factory paintwork has this texture, and it can be challenging to duplicate body shops. Mallet advises you to pick up a car from a car repair shop during the day. If possible, look at the car in the sun to make sure that the new paint matches the original shade and finish of the vehicle. Besides, if the store repainted a few panels, take a look along the side of the car to find a sequence of colors. Finally, check the paint for traces or defects such as hair or dirt trapped on the surface.

When It Is Not Fixed

In some cases, the problem with the repair occurs after months. A typical scenario is that you notice that the front tires of the car are worn unevenly. This may be a sign that the front suspension has not been correctly extended and repaired. Find documents and a receipt, return the car and show the tire wear pattern to the manager. According to Mellette, the store should solve the problem of warranty. Schulenburg agrees that improper tire wear on a car is a bad sign. “Take him back to the auto repair shop,” he says. “Many things can cause tire wear. Let them appreciate what causes it. ” O'Connell notes that many body shops “fly at night”, and if you are dealing with one of them, it can be difficult to get satisfaction if the work was not done correctly. A legitimate store must support its work. He recommends that you ensure that you are within the warranty period, which is usually one year or 12,000 miles. Then, with your documents in hand, ask to speak with the owner or manager.

And be polite, not demanding,” says O'Connell. "If you start making charges, things can go quickly down.