Do you have any idea how many auto body shops there are in L.A.? Do a quick Google Search for “auto body shops Los Angeles”, and you get literally MILLIONS of results. No matter where you are in L.A., you can’t walk five blocks without running into a half-dozen body shops.
But are they all auto body repair shops you can trust? Will they charge you a fair price for top-quality work? That’s the most important thing to figure out before taking your car to any repair shop.
Here’s what to consider when choosing the best auto body shops in Los Angeles:
Location — Who wants to drive clear across L.A. to get a dent in their car fixed? You should try to find an auto body repair shop in a convenient location–either near your office, your home, your gym, or another place you frequent.
Reputation — What is the body shop’s rating on the Better Business Bureau? Is it even registered? Are there complaints about the quality of their service, customer handling, payments, etc.? What do users have to say on Yelp or Google? Are the reviews mostly positive, or are there a lot of negative reviews? Do the positive reviews look “fake” (a few lines praising the auto body shop, but in vague detail)? You want to find a body shop that has a reputation for delivering quality work, so it’s worth doing a bit of research before you visit a body shop.
Appearance — They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but that’s not the case for an auto body shop. What does the shop look like? Is it old, run-down, and dirty, or does it have a fresh, clean, and modern appearance? Are the cars in the shop older and beat up, or are the technicians working on newer vehicles? Does the equipment look a few days away from breaking down, or is it well-cared for and in good condition. Appearance isn’t everything, but a clean, tidy, well-maintained body shop is a sign that the technicians and owners have a high standard of professionalism.
Parts — Before you hand your car over, ask about the parts used. Are they going to install after market parts (manufactured by a third party, usually lower in quality), or will they install the Original Equipment Manufacturer Parts (manufactured by the company that built your car, top-notch quality)? You want to find a body shop that will install only the best-quality parts in your vehicle!
One of the best ways to find an auto body repair shop in Los Angeles that you can trust is by calling your local dealership and asking for a recommendation. Dealerships are usually very choosy about the body repair shops that they recommend, so you can be certain that they will send you to a facility that does quality work (though the price may be a bit high).
Your goal is to find a repair shop that gets the job done right, and if it takes a bit of work to find that shop, so be it! In the long run, your vehicle will be better off for it.