It doesn’t look good. You’ve just been involved in an accident and, while everyone’s okay, your car is a crumpled mess and looks like it’ll never be the same again.
The extensive body damage that cars can suffer, even from relatively minor collisions, can make car owners become concerned about ever getting the car back to normal.
Regardless of how badly damaged a car is in a collision, it can be fixed. Yes, some damage may be so extensive that it doesn’t make economic sense to repair it (otherwise known as a “write-off”), that doesn’t mean the car couldn’t be returned to its original condition.
THE PAINT FINISH IS THE THING
Of course you must be concerned with the quality of the body work done to your car. Unless you use a reputable auto body repair specialist, you run the risk of your car being repaired with inferior materials and improper “corner cutting” techniques.
But, if there is one thing that you will notice, even on a vehicle that got top quality body work, is car paint that does not match the existing paint on the car for colour, shine and durability. In fact, you’ll notice it every time you see your car.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR TO GET THE RIGHT PAINT FINISH
Before you choose a collision shop to fix your car, be sure to ask about their paint process, in addition to the usual questions you’ll have. Here are the answers to look for:
1. COLOUR MATCHING
It’s the single most important aspect of the paint finish. Make sure the shop uses computerized colour matching
2. MEETS OR EXCEEDS ORIGINAL PAINT STANDARDS
Ask about the paint the shop uses and get assurances that its quality meets or exceeds the paint standards of your car’s manufacturer.
3. SPECIALIZED TECHNICIANS AND EQUIPMENT
Even the highest quality paint will not look right, or last as long, if it is not applied by people who know what they are doing, using the right equipment.
Ask About the Warranty – There is really only one way to protect yourself against poor body work or a bad paint job. Make sure the collision repair centre warranties their work, including labour and materials, for as long as you own your car.