Just last year, one of the biggest auto repair shop chains was formed, having a presence in over 1,100 locations across the country. To the insurance companies, they couldn’t be happier, as they saw this as the perfect opportunity to send their customers directly to these shops where they would save time and money in the repair process. Yet, this would not be achieved without a cost to pay: your safety and the quality of the repair. We’re here to let Pennsylvania drivers the choice they have for collision repair.
A while back, we addressed the problems associated with taking your car to one of the best body shop chains. We understand that not everyone might have read that article, and we feel customers must know what they would expect if they were to take their car to one of these body shop chains. Car repair is nowhere near what it used to be even just a few years ago, primarily because of the advancements in car safety technologies. It doesn’t even matter how much “experience” a technician might have. Every car has its unique repair procedures from the manufacturer that, if neglected in the repair process, it could mean severe consequences for your vehicle and your safety.
We at 3D Collision Centers want Pennsylvania drivers to feel confident in the repair process, which is why we’re discussing why choosing independent body shops is your best option.
The Truth
The truth is, car repair is an extremely stressful time that absolutely nobody plans for. Your insurance company is telling you where you should get your car repaired, but is that really the best option? You see, when these high production body shop chains were formed, the insurance companies made a contractual agreement with the body shops. They would keep sending their customers as long as technicians could perform the repair in X amount of time. The deadlines would typically be unrealistic to meet, which would then mean corners would be cut in the repair process to meet those deadlines.
We wish we could say this rarely happens. However, this is the typical repair procedure (or lack thereof) you see at these body shop chains. The best body shops have highly trained technicians who create unique repair plans for each car that comes into the shop and follow the repair procedures your car’s manufacturer lays out for them. They never cut corners in the repair process. Ever.
No Longer A Person, But A Number In Line
If you take your car to be repaired at a chain body shop, you no longer have the personalized attention you would receive from an independent body shop. You’re just a number in person and not a customer dealing with all the stresses that come with car repair. And although you’d walk away with a “fixed” car, the quality of repair would be no better than what you’d get from Wal-Mart. And we all know the level of quality we receive there is not the same as an independently run repair shop that has quality and safety as the top priorities.
Faster Doesn’t Always Mean Better
As we mentioned above, national body shop chains are under a contract from insurance companies to perform faster repairs at a specific budget. As a result, these shops are notorious for sloppy repairs and incorrectness of the overall process, especially since they get an unrealistic deadline. Technicians will often cut corners in the repair process to save time and money because they think faster repairs = more money.
However, these high production body shops often have to buy back cars because of poorly performed repairs. The “repaired” vehicle is considered a total economic loss, which is when the cost to repair the vehicle exceeds the overall value of the car. We wish we could say this only happens on rare occasions, but it happens more than you think.
Your Safety Is Our #1 Priority, Or Is It?
As discussed above, if an auto body shop cuts corners in the repair process to save time and money and to meet the insurance company’s deadline, your safety is also at risk. Your car’s manufacturer releases repair procedures known as OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) repairs. OEM repairs instruct the technicians exactly how a repair should be done. Cars are incredibly complex and technologically advanced modes of transportation that require specialized training to repair the right way. Only using a few tools and some equipment doesn’t cut it anymore.
You’ll find at the best body shops highly trained technicians who know to look up OEM repair procedures for your vehicle before they begin any repair. A body shop chain will often neglect these procedures and will perform the same type of repair for every car that comes into the shop. OEM repair procedures were designed specifically for your car, and are the only way your vehicle should be repaired.
Who In Pennsylvania Know How To Repair My Car The Right Way?
We at 3D Collision Centers know the importance of following OEM repair procedures for each one of our unique repairs and have set the standard for the way Pennsylvania drivers should have their car repaired. There are no shortcuts done in the repair process here, no matter how experienced our technicians may be. Each one of our technicians has gone through extensive training and are I-CAR Gold Class certified, which is the highest level of certification an auto repair technician can receive. We follow OEM repair procedures and aim to give you the best possible repair for your car. We will also work with you throughout the entire repair process to ensure a stress-free repair!
We also know you have several choices on where to take your car to be repaired in Pennsylvania. Luckily, we have 7 different locations across Delaware, Montgomery, and Chester counties. We want to make the repair process as stress-free as possible for you, which is why we feel confident you can trust us with your auto body repair needs.
Feel free to give us a call at anytime at (877)-692-7776. Or, for a list of the numbers for each of our locations, click here. We look forward to hearing from you!
